Review: Walking Dead Volume 15

So I read the newest Walking Dead trade back on Thursday, but didn't get a chance to post my review until now. Honestly, part of my lack of urgency might have been due to a fairly palpable feeling of indifference I felt upon finishing. It's not that the comic isn't good anymore, it's just that it's not great anymore. It's really hard to wait like 6-7 months for something, only to have it fall far short of your expectations.

In earlier issues, the characters were almost all engaging and dynamic. I was interested and invested in Tyrese, Axel, and even the Governor's goons. But now it seems that our remaining intrepid heroes are lost amongst a fog of otherwise mediocre and simplistic characters. This is largely due to the sheer volume of new people, as it just makes it difficult to develop characters as individuals rather than just faces. There are too many people in this damn town, and it makes it even harder to follow the narrative than when Herschel showed up with his 7 million children. And the characters that have been introduced seem a little hollow; they have nothing original or dramatic to bring to the table. I keep thinking of them as zombie food--just more people for Kirkman to kill off as he stalls for time before killing off more major characters.

Also, I'm a little disappointed on the villain front. I know truly horrifying villains like the Governor aren't simply spawned out of an author's pen every day, but come on. Either Rick is going to become the villain or he's not, and if he isn't, then let's start establishing a more consistent and ongoing conflict like Woodbury. Doing so would give the story a clearer and more engaging arc. I'm a little tired of this villain of the month crap. The series is becoming increasingly serial--the law and order of zombies--and I'm not down. As a result, there's no continual sense of fear anymore. I don't end each trade like I used to--by running to the calendar and counting the weeks until the next release.

And what's with Andrea bringing up Shane after all these months? He's been dead for over a year at this point. In the comics, there was never anything between them, so it almost seems like Kirkman is trying to fuse the comics to the TV show rather than the alternative. I hope this was a one time thing, and Kirkman doesn't go the way of Lucas and the prequels. You can't just start changing and rewriting stuff as a result of your own hindsight and a changing fan base. That's not how publication works.

Also, it's getting a little soap opera-y. The whole "Rick's demons" thing is becoming more melodrama than actual drama, and...this is a bit of a spoiler...there's literally a part where a character develops amnesia. Come on. Is Kirkman pulling for a lead writer gig on The Young and the Restless?

But, all my carping aside, I did enjoy it. All our favorites are still there and there's some pretty anxiety-inducing stuff with Glenn. Michonne is being her usual, gloomy self, and this one at least has some romantic drama, even if it's lacking in other dramatic conflict. The ending is eyebrow raising...if not a little predictable, and yes, I'll still be reading. I'd just like to see it gather the intensity it once had. It's grown a little amorphous over time.

There's still time to order it and ship it before Christmas! Walking Dead: Volume 15 is available from amazon.com for $10.18.