Spoiler Review: Who Died In The Walking Dead Issue #163?

The Walking Dead issue #163 hit shelves today, as the biggest issue ever not in terms of its additional 8-pages but by printing over 700,000 copies for 25 cent sales at comic book stores.

Celebrating the 25th birthday of Image Comics, The Walking Dead issue #163’s goal was to serve as a great jumping on point for new readers picking up the nearly free issue and a turning point for the plot which has stayed put in Alexandria for several years. Many fans suspected the issue would contain a major character death or other shocking revelations.

Spoilers for issue #163 follow as we review the comics’ biggest issue.

With the stage set for Alexandria to fall, the cast and crew delivered. In the aftermath of a Whisperer War arc which didn’t appear to shake the landscape as promised, Rick’s Alexandria Safe-Zone was forced to act quickly in an effort to save their community. A herd of walkers so deep that the end wasn’t visible crashed into the gate but not before precautions were taken.

The issue commanded attention as the 28-page read became a breeze through the action packed sequences which only spanned a few minutes in The Walking Dead‘s world. Michonne, Jesus, Andrea and Eugene raced out on horses to make an effort in redirecting the herd — or whatever part of it they can — away from Alexandria. Their efforts appear to be for nothing, though, as the herd flushed right past them to the gates of Alexandria.

This is when The Walking Dead issue #163 shined brightest. Rick Grimes seemed to have everything in order. He took time to instruct the people of Alexandria but the precious time was wasted and Negan wasn’t going to have that. The former prisoner marched right up to the gate and started stabbing zombie heads as quickly as he could, tossing an almost insulting order to the Alexandrians who were looking on and simultaneously making himself the Alpha of the situation.

Rick looked on, confused for a moment. Then it came. Rick yelled, “Listen to the man!” ordering his people to follow Negan’s orders at his own will. There was no bat to his head. There was no gun at his back. Rick trusted Negan’s actions and put his people alongside him to fight the dead.

Unfortunately, the effort here was also all but useless as the herd pushed into one another and toppled the gate. A herd larger than the Safe-Zone itself began flooding into the walls and Rick’s people were left scrambling. The only death here was Paula, a little-known Alexandrian, sparing the lives of Rick, Andrea, Michonne, and Negan, who were all frontrunners to die according to comment sections leading up to the issue.

Without a death, The Walking Dead proved it is a heavy hitter in the comic book world, once again (as if printing 700,000 issues didn’t do that already). Negan, a character who was once selling comics in hopes of seeing him killed, has begun stealing pages with fans hoping to see his continued path of redemption lead to an alliance with Rick Grimes. Somehow, though, we all want Rick to fulfill his promise of killing Negan. We can’t even make up our minds!

As a jumping on point, The Walking Dead #163 allows fans relying on knowledge from only the AMC series an opportunity to dive into the show’s possible future. Readers who hopped off the train months or years ago get a chance to be brought back up to speed in just 28 pages. For those who have read every page of every issue to date, #163 is the landscape-rocker which a reader can only hope to see when the series risks feeling flat having spent so many years in Alexandria.

Looking ahead, The Walking Dead will likely be an entirely reinvented series, going back to its roots and putting its survivors on the road to rebuilding another community. However, the immediate future is likely filled with more peril for Rick and all of those around him as they might find themselves relying on the leadership of Negan to survive the herd of walkers and Saviors lurking behind them.

The Walking Dead issue #163 is available in comic book stores now.

MORE WALKING DEAD:

Andrew Lincoln’s Epic Reaction To Season 7 Finale / Episodes 7×09-7×011 Are Extended / Violent Takes Were Removed From Midseason Finale / Negan Featured in #162 Preview / Who Will Be The Next Major Death? / AMC Stock Takes Hit With TWD Ratings Drops / Spoilers: How Will Season 7 End? / Lennie James Confirms Major Betrayal / Season 7B Director List

The Walking Dead returns for the rest of its seventh season on February 12 at 9 p.m. ET on AMC. Fear the Walking Dead‘s third season does not yet have a premiere date but with The Walking Dead finale set for April 2, expectations for Fear‘s return are set for April 9. For complete coverage and insider info all season long, follow @BrandonDavisBD on Twitter.