The inevitable moment has come - the Governor attacks the prison in force. While his first attack is repelled, it takes its toll, and Rick's group has to make tough decisions. Because next time they might be forced to run...
Volume 8 is sort of a finale for a very long story-arc that started with the discovery of the prison. The good part - there are almost no musings on how people feel, since most of the time is dedicated to actual things happening. Also, the status quo is irrevocably shattered, and after the end of this tpb nothing can ever be the same again. For this, Kirkman gains points in my book.
I finally figured out what the actual problem of the series is, however. And it is very simple, but also not something you can get before reaching a certain point of the story. The fact of the matter is that The Walking Dead is not a story. It is a soap opera with zombies. There is no narrative structure to the series, no actual point to be made. It doesn't have a beginning, middle and ending planned, just a beginning and an endless middle. It can literally go on forever, and ten years from now we can be reading the exact same story about completely different people, the torch having been passed from Rick on to others.
And yes, I don't like that. I've never been a soap opera person, and zombies aren't enough to make me into one, especially considering the fact that the series actually pretends to explore the human condition. So, while I've obviously reached a point where I won't be quitting (and honestly, it reads fast enough not to take too much time anyway), I have also stopped trying to find any relevance and depth in The Walking Dead. It is just a grossly overhyped pretentious soap with a few gems hidden under tons of boring crap. Too bad, because the potential is there and keeps trying to rear its head. If only Kirkman would let it...
7.5/10
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