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Fist fight! Everything is starting to fall apart.

32 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2005

18 people are currently reading
209 people want to read

About the author

Robert Kirkman

2,737 books6,933 followers
Robert Kirkman is an American comic book writer best known for his work on The Walking Dead, Invincible for Image Comics, as well as Ultimate X-Men and Marvel Zombies for Marvel Comics. He has also collaborated with Image Comics co-founder Todd McFarlane on the series Haunt. He is one of the five partners of Image Comics, and the only one of the five who was not one of the original co-founders of that publisher.

Robert Kirkman's first comic books were self-published under his own Funk-o-Tron label. Along with childhood friend Tony Moore, Kirkman created Battle Pope which was published in late 2001. Battle Pope ran for over 2 years along with other Funk-o-Tron published books such as InkPunks and Double Take.

In July of 2002, Robert's first work for another company began, with a 4-part SuperPatriot series for Image, along with Battle Pope backup story artist Cory Walker. Robert's creator-owned projects followed shortly thereafter, including Tech Jacket, Invincible and Walking Dead.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
Profile Image for Joseph Gagnon.
497 reviews22 followers
April 13, 2016
This issue read more like an episode of Dragonball Z than anything else. Most of it was a ridiculous fight between Tyreese and Rick. The fight that started at the end of the previous issue. Allen is dead from his injuries/loss of blood.

We still don't know if cutting off the "infected bite" is a sure-fire way of stopping someone from dying. Rick put the finishing bullet in Allen's head so he wouldn't come back. There must be something in the saliva that causes death. And there has to be something in the brain that makes the whole zombie thing work in the first place. If head shots are the only thing that kills them, it's got to be something brain related. I wonder (at this point) if the author has thought this far through on his zombies. Only one more issue in this volume. If the next volume is no better than this, I may have to stop reading ... at least for a while.

Read more commentary and add your own here: http://www.rjspindle.com/content/the-...
Profile Image for Jess the Shelf-Declared Bibliophile.
2,439 reviews921 followers
July 8, 2020
Being a huge fan of the show, I wanted to see how the original writing started and how the show writers followed and deviated from the comics. My dislikes were that the comics are much more crude, crass, and unnecessarily violent. I did like the change in relationships and how people worked together differently, and the comics have a different creepiness feel than you get watching it on TV. Overall, I prefer the show, and probably will not finish out the comic book series.
October 23, 2024
After the tension-fueled events in the previous issue, I dove straight into Issue #23, anticipating even more conflict and emotional turbulence within the group. With Carol’s attempted suicide and the fractured dynamics between Rick, Tyreese, and Michonne, it felt like things were building toward a breaking point. And sure enough, this issue delivers that in spades.

The issue opens with Rick confronting Tyreese, visibly enraged and emotionally raw, blaming him for Carol’s suicide attempt. Tyreese reacts aggressively, punching Rick, but the two men are clearly grappling with deeper feelings of guilt, frustration, and anger. Rick doesn’t back down, accusing Tyreese of practically "slitting Carol’s wrists" himself by engaging in his affair with Michonne. The accusations hit hard, and it’s clear that the weight of the situation is beginning to wear down Tyreese as well.

The physical confrontation escalates with Tyreese kicking Rick, but just as quickly, he breaks down in tears, showing that his aggressive response is tied to overwhelming guilt. Tyreese vehemently denies being responsible for Carol’s actions, pleading that it wasn’t his intention to hurt her. The emotional stakes here feel incredibly real—both men are burdened by the complexities of leadership, responsibility, and the emotional toll of their new world.

Rick continues to push Tyreese, making it clear that if Carol doesn’t survive, Tyreese will bear that responsibility. Rick is quick to recall past moments of violence, particularly Tyreese’s brutal murder of Chris after the botched suicide pact with Julie. Tyreese’s admission that he didn’t kill Chris out of rage but rather in cold blood is chilling, especially when he confesses that he let Chris reanimate so he could continue punishing the corpse. It’s a dark revelation, one that showcases just how twisted their world has become.

Their argument quickly devolves into a painful airing of past grievances. Tyreese counters Rick’s accusations by pointing out that Rick himself has blood on his hands, specifically the murder of Dexter, whom Rick shot under the guise of protecting the group. Both men are trying to justify their actions, but it becomes clear that they’re both deeply scarred by the things they’ve done. The conversation shifts to Allen, whom Rick mutilated to save his life. The once minor tensions between the two men explode into a full-blown brawl.

As the fight rages on, Glenn and Maggie appear, trying to intervene, but the situation is beyond simple mediation. Tyreese asks if Rick intends to kill him too, but Rick insists he’s not a killer, though his actions seem to contradict his words. In an intense moment, Rick suddenly passes out, tumbling over the railing to the floor below. Tyreese follows, injuring his foot in the process. It’s a jarring moment that stops the fight but doesn’t resolve the tension between them.

Rick, upon waking, kicks Tyreese in the face, accusing him of pushing him over the railing—clearly not believing Tyreese’s account that Rick blacked out and fell. The back-and-forth between them is relentless, and Rick’s stubborn refusal to believe Tyreese only adds to the animosity between the two. There’s a rawness to this fight that transcends the physical punches; it’s clear these men are grappling with far deeper wounds—guilt, shame, and the weight of leadership.

Just as the situation seems to spiral out of control, Lori rushes to the scene, trying to diffuse the situation. Rick, physically and emotionally drained, collapses again, admitting his exhaustion. His declaration that everything he’s done has been for the good of the group speaks to the burden he’s been carrying, but it’s clear that burden is starting to break him.

The emotional intensity of the moment is interrupted by Andrea, who delivers the somber news that Allen has died. Despite the brutal fight, Rick insists on being the one to put Allen down before he reanimates, sarcastically questioning whether Tyreese thinks he would enjoy doing it. It’s a dark moment that reflects Rick’s growing inner turmoil.

After Allen’s death, Michonne and Hershel inform Rick that Carol will recover from her injuries—a moment of light amidst the overwhelming darkness of the issue. But before Rick can process the news, he passes out from sheer exhaustion. It’s a fitting end to the issue, showing just how much everything has taken a toll on Rick both physically and emotionally.

The conflict between Rick and Tyreese reaches a boiling point in this issue, and I found myself feeling torn between both characters. On one hand, Rick’s anger is justified. He’s furious that, in the midst of Carol’s suicide attempt, Tyreese had the audacity to carry on with Michonne, seemingly oblivious to the emotional consequences. But on the other hand, Tyreese’s pain is palpable—he’s not heartless, just emotionally overwhelmed by the guilt of Julie’s death and the brutality of this new world.

The fight between Rick and Tyreese feels like a clash of ideals, leadership styles, and unresolved trauma. The way they bring up past events like the murders of Chris and Dexter, and the mutilation of Allen, highlights just how much unresolved baggage both men are carrying. Their battle isn’t just physical—it’s emotional and psychological. It’s a reflection of the toll this apocalyptic world has taken on them and how they’re both struggling to maintain their humanity.

When Andrea announces Allen’s death, it feels like a gut punch. Amidst all this fighting, there’s still the harsh reality that people are dying, and there’s no time to properly grieve or process these losses. But hearing that Carol will survive provides a brief moment of hope. The relief that she’s not lost yet offers some emotional reprieve, even though the group still has a long way to go in dealing with the fallout of her suicide attempt.

Michonne’s role is interesting here too. Her decision to assist with Carol’s recovery hints at possible guilt over her involvement with Tyreese, but it also shows her ability to be pragmatic and helpful in moments of crisis. Despite her part in the emotional mess, Michonne remains a figure of strength and resilience.

Rick’s collapse at the end of the issue is a fitting metaphor for how much weight he’s been carrying as the group’s leader. It’s not just physical exhaustion—he’s mentally and emotionally spent. The toll of leadership, constant decision-making, and moral dilemmas is starting to wear him down, and it’s clear that something’s going to give if he doesn’t find a way to cope.

This issue is a powerhouse of emotional conflict. Rick and Tyreese’s fight isn’t just about physical dominance—it’s about guilt, responsibility, and the overwhelming weight of survival in a world that’s constantly falling apart. The issue leaves us questioning whether these characters can hold themselves together much longer, and it’s a reminder that, even in a world overrun by the undead, the real battles are often fought within.
Profile Image for Kelsie.
296 reviews24 followers
October 17, 2018
This was another basic issue, I'll fill you in on what happened:
Rick (R): You're a murderer!
Tyreese (T): No you're a murderer!
(repeat this by about a thousand)
R: You enjoy killing!
T: You enjoy killing!
(Repeat this by about a thousand)
Punch (x1000)
Allen's dead and Carol's fine.
The end.
It's a no from me.
x
Profile Image for Michael Sorbello.
Author 1 book316 followers
November 19, 2020
This is a review of the entire series.

Rick Grimes is a strong-willed deputy who missed the end of the world because he was in a coma for a month after getting shot in the line of duty. Shaken, starving and confused, Rick escapes the horror of the abandoned hospital only to be met with something far more terrible. Not only has the world ended, but the dead have learned to walk and to kill without mercy. After learning that his wife and son have fled to Atlanta from a single survivor and his son, Rick goes on a journey to reunite with his family and search for more survivors.

Rick quickly has to come to terms with the fact that the world has ended and only a select few survived. The dead have risen from their graves and they prey on the living. In a world where every minute feels like hours, where there's no such thing as law and order, where finding a small meal is a tremendous task, the walking dead are quite possibly the least threatening thing for the survivors to have on their breaking minds. Humanity is pushed to the brink of destruction, forcing them to embrace their cruel and primal nature in order to survive. Sometimes you have to be more concerned about who you let into your community so they don't kill you in your sleep and steal everything you once cared about. Rick has no choice but to abandon the ways of law and order that he's upheld as an officer for so long in order to protect the few loved ones he has left. He has to become a monster to protect his crew or risk being devoured by those who became more monstrous than him and even the walking dead.

Despite zombies running the world and having the series named after them, what really sets this series apart from the average zombie apocalypse tale is the focus on realism and the daily struggles, flaws and depth of the characters. There's plenty of badass zombie killing action, but the action often takes a back seat to give the characters plenty of times to share their extremely tragic yet endearing stories, grow through mutual suffering and learn to adapt to a world that has left them to die. Even after the world has ended, many people still can't see eye to eye. They turn on each other and kill each other when they should come together. Others form alliances in spite of their differences and try to rebuild over the corpse of everything that was lost. The daily human drama and conflict is more intense than any monster apocalypse could hope to be.

We watch Rick struggle to balance his old moral code with the many necessary evils he has to commit in order to survive and make the world a better place for the ones he holds close. We watch people like Glen, Dale and Maggie attempt to find love in spite of having every reason to be filled with fear, hate and self-loathing. Characters like Michonne have to learn how to forgive themselves and convince themselves they deserve to be loved despite all the blood on their hands. We watch the weak like Carl and Andrea become strong and sometimes the strong become evil like The Governor. Even monsters like the wicked yet oddly lovable Negan are given the chance to find new ways of redeeming themselves by struggling alongside the other survivors that have all been changed by the horrors of the fallen world.

The pacing is extremely slow and I can understand why that may be a turnoff for a lot of people, but I eventually learned to enjoy watching the characters grow, overcome their trauma, find meaning in life and learn to love again. The characters are forced to do many terrible things to survive and it haunts them every waking moment. The ways they overcome these regrets is very realistic, human and hopeful. The slow pacing really gives the feeling that we're living beside these people. The way every tiny detail of their lives and who they are is explored makes them feel very real and believable.

When I first started reading the series, I wasn't expecting it to have such an uplifting ending. It seemed so bleak and nihilistic for a long time and things would go horribly wrong even when they seemed to be going so well, but the finale channels all the pain, suffering and betrayal of the previous volumes and tops it off with a very touching and inspiring finish. This was never a story about hopelessness. It's about learning to appreciate the little things, learning to forgive yourself and learning to move on even when it's hard. When everything seems lost there's always more to be found, even when we believe otherwise because we convince ourselves that we don't deserve to be happy ever again. Instead of dwelling on what was lost, strive to try and make things better than they were before.

I've never been a huge fan of zombie apocalypse stories, but The Walking Dead had enough heart and strong social commentary to make me stick by the characters until the end and I enjoyed every moment of their long trial.

***

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Profile Image for No_One.
274 reviews
August 7, 2024
Spoilers

Rick Vs. Tyreese.

It felt tough to watch these two brawl like this, to pelt each other with fists of anger and frustration. But mostly, I think these fists were thrown out of fear.

Fear these characters have of their current situation, the world around them and their experiences thus far, fear of what they have done, what uncertain, and who they are becoming. That last bit is especially true for Rick, as what seems like his sanity slipping has come up multiple times during this arc, but also of Tyreese, who killed Chris when he really didn’t need to.
Profile Image for Kaoyi .
266 reviews
March 9, 2018
No ha pasado gran cosa salvo la pelea entre Rick-Tyresse y una muerte que no me sorprende demasiado debido a lo que ha pasado. El resultado ha sido diferente comparado a la serie.

Profile Image for M. Ashraf.
2,396 reviews131 followers
February 16, 2025
The Walking Dead
Issue#23
Volume#04
Robert Kirkman

Rick Vs Tyreese
Allen died from his injuries
Rick blackout twice in the issue.
Profile Image for Tiffany Fox.
404 reviews10 followers
March 29, 2015
The tension heat up in the prison and the guilt of Tyreese for Carol's suicide attempt was just an excuse between him and Rick to beat the hell out of each other. Luckily, Carol's life was not in real danger but Allen was not that fortunate and the obligation to put another friend out of his misery was something unbearable for Rick.

The Best. Fist fight!!! If you align the last page from issue 22 to the first page of this issue, you will have the full force of Tyreese punching Rick in the face. I love how the team on The Walking Dead did this. It was perfect. An honest fight for once. Of course, Rick didn't stand a real chance against Tyreese's brute force but still, it was as fair a fight as this new world will allow. Up until Rick falls off the second floor that is. Full page of Andrea is great. The sun coming in through the windows and yet her words are so finale.

The Worst. Tyreese really doesn't want to confess to one more person about what's going on.... COME ON. Even though the prison is a large area it's still a small group. What you did will spread pretty quick! It's just like taking off a bandage man, just tell them already and get it over with. Rick passing out. I'm surprised he lasted as long as he did with the pressure, then the fight and then having to end one more of his group before they turned.

The Differences. Well since what happened to Allen was actually Hershel in the TV series, I would say that of course that's different, but more than that, Hershel made it. He pulled through with the help of the whole group. Tyreese and Rick never really got into a fist fight. They had several disagreements and the like, I think everyone on the show has had a disagreement at one point, but never a full out fist fight like this issue. Carol, of course, never tried to end her own life.

Those Remembered. Allen, after being bitten on the leg in Block A and Rick having axed his leg off to save him from the infection, in the end, lost to much blood and even fully got over his injuries.

Recommend. To the fans of The Walking Dead Universe, zombies, horror dramas, prisons, and apocalypse style stories.

originally posted: http://tiffanyfoxbooks.blogspot.com/2...
Profile Image for Laina.
237 reviews2 followers
April 24, 2016
If I were Rick, and Tyreese was kicking my ass like he was kicking Rick's, I would have waited until Tyreese calmed down a bit, and then started to kick HIS ass to pay him back.

No wonder Rick and Tyreese get along so well. They are BOTH fucking psycho. They deserve each other, with all their fights and arguments and all of that crap. Acting like everything is the end of the world.

If I were Glenn and Maggie, I would not have shown my face anywhere near Rick and Tyreese right now with how crazy they are as they fight. You never know if Rick or Tyreese have lost it enough and might accidentally hurt you.

As far as I am concerned, YES, Rick's murder was justified. Dexter was going to kill every single one of them after they got rid of the zombies. He killed to protect the group, INCLUDING YOU, Tyreese, so shut the fuck up.

Glenn and Maggie need to get as far away from Rick and Tyreese as possible right now. They need to go back to the room where they were having sex, lock the door and stay there for a few hours, let Rick and Tyreese work things out.

Well, I knew Allen was going to die. He got bit by one of the zombies, so it was only a matter of time until it happened. I feel bad for his kids but I will not miss him. He was pretty useless for the most part.
Profile Image for Eslam Daoud.
48 reviews52 followers
August 5, 2016
حقا لا أصدق ما أراه بعينى من وصول الرسوم الكاريكاترية إلى هذا المستوى
كم هى رائعة بما تحتوى من تفاصيل مذهلة تشعرك وكأنك داخل المشهد
بالإضافة أنه يروق لى أسلوب الحوار بين الأشخاص بشدة

قصة ذلك العمل تدور حول انتشار أحد الأوبئة التى جعلت البشر أشبه بالزومبى من آكلى لحوم البشر ويستعرض محاولات بعض الناجين البقاء على ظهر الأرض فى ظل عدم وجود أدنى أمل فى استمرار الحياة بقيادة الشرطى ريك

بالاستمرار فى القراءة أشعر بروعة متابعة الأحداث ، فالقصة مشوقة حقا
لا عجب حين تكون الصورة الأصل مبهرة هكذا ، فتكون النسخة -العمل التليفزيونى- أكثر من رائع
Profile Image for Sheldon.
741 reviews14 followers
September 17, 2021
Spoiler on the front cover… Forget Fury vs Wilder its Tyreese vs Rick and Glenn and Maggie have front row seats.

Cool note from Kirkman in the page notes that the first page of this issue and the last page of previous issue forms a two-page spread. I’d like to think that Adlard’s script for this issue simply read Rick and Tyreese fight it out for twenty pages then gets shot. ‘nuff said.

“This series was always written with trade paperbacks in mind. That’s why the issues flow seamlessly into the next.” –Robert Kirkman
Profile Image for Pau Vilchez.
183 reviews5 followers
June 19, 2016
Este cómic, el número 23 no me ha aportado casi nada. Solamente me ha aportado dos hechos que tampoco son la "bomba" ya se esperaban: Una pelea y una curación...Este cómic me ha sobrado un poco espero que los demás vayan mejorando porque sino aún me quedan 77 cómics aburridos...Aquí la letra es perfecta y las ilustraciones también pero la trama vuelve a ser aburrida y sin zombies...¡Porfabor que haya mucha más acción!
Profile Image for Anthony Valletta.
Author 1 book9 followers
May 25, 2016
Tensions finally explode between Rick and Tyreese in an epic fist fight in this action packed dramatic issue.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews

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