Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book
Rate this book
As their sweep of the prison for zombies continues, Glenn and Maggie stumble upon a stash of riot gear. Elsewhere, Lori and Carol have a conversation that leaves Lori a bit scared. The newly discovered gear allows Rick and Glenn outside the fences to siphon gas as the others run interference. But it's what they see while out there that is the biggest suprise.

32 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2005

9 people are currently reading
217 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.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
309 (43%)
4 stars
273 (38%)
3 stars
108 (15%)
2 stars
16 (2%)
1 star
4 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
October 23, 2024
Diving into The Walking Dead Deluxe #25, the start of the 5th volume, it’s clear that this series continues to grow in intensity and depth. After the dramatic events of the previous issue, I was eager to see how the group would recover and move forward, especially with the stakes getting higher and emotions running even deeper. This issue focuses on rebuilding, both physically and mentally, as the group navigates their lives in the prison while still grappling with the emotional toll of their recent losses and Rick’s leadership challenges.

Rick and Dale, ever the pragmatic pair, start this issue by exploring the remaining sections of A-Block. Their mission is to ensure it’s clear for everyone to occupy safely. It’s a moment where we see Rick beginning to refocus, showing some of the calm after the storm. The mundane task of clearing a prison block offers an odd sense of normalcy amidst the chaos. During their search, they talk about how the prison’s generator will ease their daily lives, a symbol of stability that they’ve craved for so long. It’s fascinating how, despite everything, they still have the capacity to dream about something as simple as playing music again—a detail Rick sorely misses. This moment of reflection on something so human, like music, provides a contrast to the constant survival mode they’ve been stuck in.

Rick reminisces about Morgan and his son, struggling to recall Duane’s name, a poignant reminder of how far they've come and how much they’ve lost along the way. The fact that Rick thinks Morgan’s decision to stay put was the smarter choice shows the weight of leading this group is starting to wear him down.

Suddenly, their quiet moment is interrupted by a noise, which leads them to a heart-stopping moment. Rick and Dale, guns drawn, round the corner only to find Tyreese whose flashlight has died. It's a small yet tense reminder of how on edge they all are and how simple things, like a dead flashlight, can spiral into fear.

Meanwhile, Glenn and Maggie make an appearance with police riot gear, a find that feels like a glimmer of hope. The riot gear symbolizes protection not just from walkers but from the increasing threats they face from other survivors. Glenn, ever the scavenger, sees the gear as a strategic advantage, and the discovery of a weapons locker beside the warden’s office amplifies their excitement. This moment also provides some subtle tension as Rick glares at Tyreese when he points out how much trouble Dexter and Andrew could have been if they had taken this riot gear earlier.

The scene shifts to Lori and Carol, who are carrying books from the prison’s library—a small moment that again hints at the group's desire to rebuild a semblance of normal life. Carol expresses her concern for Lori, but Lori turns the conversation back to Carol’s recent suicide attempt. The conversation is heavy, but what stands out is Carol’s emotional breakdown. She starts apologizing to Lori, feeling as though she’s let both Lori and Rick down. Carol’s fragile state is heartbreaking, and her desperate need for validation and affection makes her embrace Lori in a way that leaves Lori visibly uncomfortable. It’s a subtle yet impactful moment, showing how broken Carol is after everything that’s happened.

The group’s ongoing mission to clear the prison and establish a sense of safety takes the next step with Tyreese’s plan to catalog the guns they’ve found. The discussion over siphoning gasoline for the generator is another practical decision that highlights how resourceful they’ve become. Rick and Glenn make a plan to sneak into the prison parking lot to siphon gas, while the rest of the group distracts the zombies. It’s a callback to the early days of the series when scavenging was an essential part of survival. Glenn, ever eager to contribute, shows up wearing the riot gear, and it’s almost nostalgic to see Rick and Glenn back in action together.

Before their mission begins, Rick takes a moment to visit Allen’s grave, a solemn scene where Rick admits he’s glad they buried Allen instead of burning him. This moment of introspection is Rick’s way of processing the guilt he feels for amputating Allen’s leg in a failed attempt to save him. The scene is somber but necessary for Rick’s emotional arc.

Carl, showing his growing desire to be more involved in the group’s efforts, wants to help distract the zombies. Lori, ever the protective mother, forbids him, which leads to a minor disagreement with Dale. It’s clear that Carl is eager to contribute, and while Lori’s protectiveness is understandable, it’s interesting to see Carl’s determination to take on more responsibility. This desire to grow up fast in a world that doesn’t allow for childhood innocence much longer speaks to the loss of youth in this harsh new reality.

As Rick and Glenn gear up for their run to the parking lot, Tyreese prepares to clear out the zombies at the gate. The casual banter between Axel and Hershel, with Axel commenting about Glenn being with Maggie, adds a lighter moment before the action kicks in. But the real surprise comes when Glenn and Rick, in the middle of siphoning gas, spot a helicopter in the sky.

This issue offers a bit of everything—tense moments, emotional vulnerability, and some solid character development. I appreciated how much more organized and methodical the group has become since the chaos of the previous issue. They’re adapting, planning, and trying to rebuild some semblance of order, even if they know that true safety is still elusive.

Carol’s emotional instability continues to be a central part of the story, and I find it compelling how her mental health is explored. The way she apologizes to Lori, desperate for approval, is a stark contrast to the Carol we see later in the series. This early version of Carol is fragile, lost, and seeking comfort from those she loves, even if that love is misplaced.

Carl’s growing desire to help the group is another standout moment. His eagerness to contribute, despite his age, shows how much the world has changed him. He’s no longer just a kid; he’s part of the group’s survival, and he knows it. Watching him step into this role is both inspiring and heartbreaking because we know he’s losing his childhood in the process.

Rick and Glenn’s dynamic continues to be one of the highlights for me. Their run for gasoline felt like a throwback to earlier issues when they were scavenging just to survive. And the sighting of the helicopter at the end? That’s the cherry on top of the suspense. It’s a signal that maybe, just maybe, there’s something bigger out there—a potential new direction for the group’s future.

Overall, The Walking Dead Deluxe #25 gives us a breather after the intense events of the previous issue but still keeps the tension high. The characters are evolving, their relationships are deepening, and the stakes are higher than ever. And what’s with that helicopter? I can’t wait to see where this takes them next.
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.
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.

***

My Social Media

My YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPPs...

My Instagram Account: https://www.instagram.com/michael_sor...

My Wattpad Account: https://www.wattpad.com/user/Michael-...

My Twitter Account: https://twitter.com/SorbelloHorror

My Facebook Account: https://www.facebook.com/michael.sorb...
Profile Image for Kelsie.
296 reviews24 followers
October 20, 2018
This was a much better issue.
They hatch a plan to get the generator up & running which involves getting kitted up, head-to-toe in riot gear & syphoning gas from the cars outside. The rest of the crew gotta distract the zombies away from Rick & Glenn as they do so.
I did have to laugh at the panel with Carol & Lori. I could almost hear 'I've made a huge mistake' Gob style from Lori when she tells Carol that both her and Rick love Carol.
Oh and Rick & Glenn see a helicopter.
Oh (again) and Rick talks to Allen's grave now, it's what he does, normal. Totally sane ... were they even that close? I never got that impression to be honest but there you go, Rick gotta talk to someone, and Allen's grave is the only one who'll listen.
x
Profile Image for Elaine.
463 reviews19 followers
March 23, 2019
At this point I have to give in and admit that the comics remain better then the series -- however, in both cases the genre has become a little long in the tooth and a little past its prime. Imagine 7 layer dip after multiple people have already dug in and it has sat outside the refrigerator for just a little too long to be completely fresh, and you have my perspective of the story line at this point. However, I have discovered that a ton of great fiction writers are wandering over to graphic novels. George RR Martin for example has a reimagined telling of Game of Thrones that is next on my list which I think will be great. All series must come to an end, and perhaps Kirkman needs to think hard about wrapping this one up.
Profile Image for Melanie.
2,703 reviews14 followers
February 1, 2019
This volume starts off with the group making the prison a home. They are cleaning out a new cell bock to give people their own space. There are hopes to get a generator running to watch movies. Books are found. However, there is a helicopter crash that only a few see. The adventure begins.
Profile Image for M. Ashraf.
2,396 reviews131 followers
February 16, 2025
The Walking Dead
Issue#25
Volume#05
Robert Kirkman

Police riot gear
We found the weapons' locker
And we see a helicopter!!!!
Profile Image for Sheldon.
741 reviews14 followers
November 4, 2021
I'm with Rick; the first thing I'd want to do once power is restored is listen to some music. Having not heard any sounds other than groaning for a year and a half would be unnerving.

Kirkman reveals in the cutting room floor notes that the helicopter reveal at the close of this issue was an idea from Damon Lindelof from all people.
Profile Image for Tiffany Fox.
404 reviews10 followers
April 1, 2015
Life slowly evolves for the group. They are getting rid of almost every zombie in the prison and finding more weapons, make them realize that life is possible. But maybe the latent inner conflicts and mistrust are invisible threats they are not aware yet.

The Best. Rick finally mentions Morgan again. I'm happy to know that through everything Rick is finally coming back to himself and remembering why he is there in the first place. Finding the armory is a great addition to the groups safety. Not only will they have extra guns and ammo, but they have several suits of riot gear which was designed to stop bullets, so it will surely come in handy stopping walkers. Carol walking out with a large stack of books reminds me of me when I go to set up each month of blogging. I go and raid my bookshelves. In Carol's case, she went and raided the whole library. Carl is trying to be all grown up. Axel gets on Hershel's bad side by saying that he can't blame Glenn for snicking off with Maggie, you follow me? Glenn and Rick give the riot gear a good test run when getting gas from the vehicles in the parking lot. And they see a helicopter while making there short run.

The Worst. Dale is trying to joke around with Otis and Otis takes offense to it. I feel sorry for Otis. Everyone seems to be calling him a dumb ass and treating him like one, even when joking around with him.

The Differences. The prison group never sees the helicopter. (which is about all I can say for the now without giving away future events) The group never find guns, ammo or riot gear while inside the prison. Well, they do find riot gear but only after killing the guards that were wearing them that are now turned into walkers. They do manage to clear out vast sections of the prison but never fully clear the whole thing, as there always seems to be some randomly getting in.

Those Remembered. No one besides parking lot walkers die this issue.

Recommend. To any fans of The Walking Dead Universe, horror dramas, prisons, and apocalypse themed stories, as well as, fans of Robert Kirkman and team.

I felt even though this issue has some great scenes and some great dialogue that moves the group along and contributes to the over all well being of them surviving, it tended to feel a bit slow and nondramatic.

Originally posted: http://tiffanyfoxbooks.blogspot.com/2...
Profile Image for Laina.
237 reviews2 followers
April 18, 2016
I like that Rick wanted to make another sweep before they spread out around the prison. You never know when a zombie will suddenly pop up somewhere, so you want to check and be careful.

Whoo! I LOVE that Rick mentioned Morgan. He has not been around for AGES! We really need to see Morgan again and I hope we do soon. I also hope that Duane is okay and with his father.

Awesome! I am SO glad that Glenn found that riot gear and I hope they find a bunch more and use those suits from now on when going out and when dealing with the zombies. I think it would be A LOT safer with them using the suits.

They should have taken that riot gear, figured out how much of it there was, and put it in an easily accessible place so that when an emergency comes up, whoever is involved, could get to the suits easily.

While I think it is normal to be a bit concerned about a friend, especially if she is pregnant, Carol is just taking the whole thing WAY too far. She is bordering on crazy with the way she acts around Lori and Rick.

And like I just said, Carol is going way TOO far with the things she is saying. She is misinterpreting what Lori is saying and probably thinks that Rick and Lori are now in love with her, which is not the case.

Wait, so why did Allen not turn into a zombie? Everyone else who has died and been bitten has turned, but yet Allen has not. I do not understand and hope they tell us why Allen's death was different, soon.

What the hell is wrong with Otis? Why is he being a dick to everyone? Can we PLEASE kill this asshole off already? We already have MORE than enough annoying characters around with Lori's stupid and useless ass.

Oh yeah! I like that Glenn brought out that another of the riot gear suits so that when they try to get the gas, they will be a little safer from the zombies. I am SO glad that Rick had an axe in his hand. It makes up a little bit for all the times he was stupid and went out with no weapons.

Oh no, nothing good is going to come from them chasing that helicopter. I have a feeling only bad shit is going to follow if they try and go after it. Stick to the plan and get your asses back inside the prison where it is at least a LITTLE safe.
Profile Image for Joseph Gagnon.
497 reviews22 followers
April 13, 2016
Alright, this issue wasn't so bad as many of the previous few. Glenn and Rick are off to get gas from some of the cars in the parking lot to full the generator with. Maybe they'll get it working and have some electricity. Glenn finds some nice riot gear, and they have a generic conversation about that. Then we come to the major cliffhanger at the end: a helicopter. I wonder if this is the first sign of the government reaching this area. I can't believe they are completely dead. They might not be run by the same people--or even the right people for that matter--but I am sure they are still out there in some form.

First Lori has too many emotions, now she's not having enough. How awkward was that when Carol was trying to express some true friendly affection, and Lori just was all "what the hell is happening?" in her expression. I'm not sure what to think about her character anymore. No Michonne in this issue at all. I wish Kirkman would spend a little more time developing his characters.

Read more commentary and add your own here: http://www.rjspindle.com/content/the-...
Profile Image for Eslam Daoud.
48 reviews52 followers
September 7, 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 Pau Vilchez.
183 reviews5 followers
June 19, 2016
En este cómic los supervivientes deciden hacer un plan para su supervivencia. Dos de ellos salen protegidos y van en busca de gasolina cuando de repente aparece un enorme...delante de ellos. Estoy feliz porque estos cómics parecen que van mejorando poco a poco, el texto está bien, las ilustraciones también y la trama va mejorando...ahora espero que no baje de ritmo y a descubrir que pinta un ... en ese mundo apocalíptico.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.