The Walking Dead, Volume 10: What We Become

And thus, people finally begin to question the validity of Rick's decision making skills. Yes, this should have happened sooner, but can you really blame them considering the trauma they've all been through? One of the things I enjoy about these comics is the fallible nature of Rick - of all the characters, really. It helps ground the books a bit more in reality than they otherwise might have been.

Also, cheers to the last two books having really developed Carl beyond simply a motivating factor for all Rick does. The Plague had to have affected children and their development drastically - now it seems like the books are addressing that. The scene with the twins, while something small and something I guess a lot of kids have curiosity show more about struck me as downright chilling...

All in all this was a good addition to the series, even if it all seemed a bit rushed. Also, the herds were far more terrifying drawn than they were described in certain, ahem, novelizations. show less

Though The Walking Dead is a spectacular graphic novel series, this might be one of the best graphic novels I've ever read. The underlying questions of who we really are, how we present ourselves, and what we become under strain are here in focus. This volume juxtaposes humanity with the zombie metaphor asks the fundamental questions about what makes monsters monsters, and humans humane.

Once the initial survival is over and the faint glimmer of rebuilding civilization as it once was fades, there comes the reality of what the new world has to look like. The luxuries of debate and the time to wait out tough situations to sample various treatments or just to see if time will truly heal things has long since passed. This is the point where we now find our survivors. In this installment, Kirkman shows our survivors as they continue to cross lines while the last remnants of their old humanity hang by mere threads and what they'll see to all but snap those threads. Our survivors are tired, cranky and nerves are raw all the way around - this volume feels the every bit of it, but like the group, you feel compelled to move show more forward with them for that faint glimmer that Washington may hold. show less

What We Become does well to get the series moving again after Here We Remain, but things aren't perfectly back on track yet. The title is spot on, which many of the characters worrying about what they've started to become since the zombies rose, but occasionally the line between surviving and downright crazy is blurrier than it should be.

Rick and his phone are already getting on my nerves. I can see how it connects him to Michonne and allows for more understanding of her character, but Rick really needs to be less crazy to be a compelling main character. I never much liked Lori in life and I shouldn't have to continue to experience her spouting off about stuff in death. Maggie's selfish and obviously crazy behavior at least accomplished show more something. The altercation between Rick and Abraham that follows sets both men on the path towards understanding - eventually.

The Carl in danger plot twist is stunningly uncomfortable, revisiting the horrors of man theme in the most despicable manner. I'm having a hard time deciding whether to applaud Kirkman for going there or hating him for it. Definitely haunting.

Those following the series will enjoy finally knowing what happened to some early characters, although the outcome of their return isn't remotely clear yet. Neither is what's going to happen to the remaining group. People are pretty much off their rockers at this point, even the kids, and many seem to be regressing into whiny "I don't wanna" versions of their former selves.

The zombie gore and mayhem are ramped up in What We Become, giving the volume much needed action between deep conversation. The tenth volume isn't quite as good as some of the earlier ones, but at least the story seems to be moving again. show less

The group keeps scavenging supplies, Carl is attacked, we find out Abraham's story, and a herd of zombies forces the group to keep moving, whether some of them want to or not. The main gist of this installment seems to be how the survivors have all turned so violent - Rick doesn't hesitate a second to tear someone apart when Carl is attacked; his point about the survivors being those who "flip the switch" and the zombies being those who stayed human is quite poignant. I am glad to see that Rick is starting to come back to himself - the loony Rick isn't all that interesting. Am wondering if we'll get to see Duane again and also what will develop with the twins - that was some bad news, that.

The remaining survivors meet another group who are on their way to Washington DC and join up with them. Rick and Carl and one of the new guys, Abraham, take a two-day detour to return to the Kentucky town that Rick used to live in to retrieve some more guns.

A little less action in this one, too, but plenty of getting to know the new guys, and set-up/foreshadowing for the next volume. I liked this one because it was less heavy-handed with the philosophy than the last.

I liked this one better than Vol. 9. We got to learn about Abraham's past, Rick going berserk after being attacked by scavengers and Rick finding a crazy Morgan towards the end. It seems to be picking up again since their very long stay at the prison. Definitely different than the show and for that I like because I get to see two sides of TWD. Looking forward to the next book!