Seven ‘Walking Dead’ Characters Who Died Differently In Comics

The Walking Dead has a way of shocking, satisfying, and frustrating its fans when it deviates from its comic book source material. Sometimes viewers are left in approving awe, while other unique-to-TV stories tend to send fans into tantrums.

Still, the show has been deviating from its source material for years despite following its overarching narrative with Rick Grimes leading the way.

As the show prepares to return for its Mid-Season Eight premiere in late February, sending off a character many suspected to be the show’s end game based on his growth in Robert Kirkman’s comic, we’re taking a look at seven Walking Dead characters who had significantly different fates in the comics by comparison to the TV series.

Spoilers for The Walking Dead comics and TV series follow.

Carl

The most recent and considerable deviation from The Walking Dead comics is the death of Carl. 

Carl was marked for death in Episode 8×06 while roaming the woods with Siddiq. Two episodes later, Rick’s only son would reveal the bite mark to his father and others for an inevitable death coming in the Mid-Season Eight premiere on February 25.

In The Walking Dead comics, Carl Grimes continues to thrive as a key member of the Alexandria community. His relationship with Rick remains a centerpiece for the story, while interactions with Whisperers and their members were a huge part of what launched upcoming narratives on the AMC show. 

The Walking Dead‘s crew, however, promise large portions of the source material’s will still come to the TV show. 

Andrea

Laurie Holden’s Andrea ended up being despised by many Walking Dead fans when the character formed a relationship with the villainous Governor and abandoned her loyal traveling companion Michonne. The comics, however, were a very different story for Andrea.

Andrea became one of the most skilled survivors in The Walking Dead comics, outliving the Governor for years. Like Michonne on television, the character entered into a relationship with Rick and became a mother figure for Carl after Lori’s death. She developed sniper skills, got tossed out of Alexandria’s belltower, and played a key role in helping Rick get through some very difficult times.

Ultimately, Andrea died in issue #167. Ironically enough, she had been bitten in her neck (the same fate as TV Andrea) during the Whisperer War and would succumb to the zombie virus.

Morgan

The live-action version of Morgan Jones has far outlived his comic book counterpart.

In The Walking Dead comics, Morgan died in issue #83. It was before the arrival of Negan, prior to any mention of the Saviors, and during the walker invasion of Alexandria dubbed the “No Way Out” story arc. His fate was sealed when a walker bit his arm. Despite Michonne’s efforts to keep him alive by cutting it off (similar to what she did for Tyreese, on television), Morgan died.

With Morgan being a wildcard on The Walking Dead TV series, he became the perfect candidate to tell a brand new story on Fear the Walking Dead as living on near Rick did not suit him in the source material.

Carol

Carol Peletier is one of the strongest, skilled, and superior survivors on The Walking Dead‘s TV series. Her comic book counterpart could not possibly have resembled her any less.

In Robert Kirkman’s original writing, the roles between Carol and her daughter were basically reversed by comparison to the TV series. In issue #42 of The Walking Dead comics, Carol committed suicide by feeding herself to walkers. It’s a move no fan can imagine Melissa McBride’s character going for. In fact, Carol’s daughter Sophia is alive and well in the comics and calling the Hilltop community home. 

Like Morgan Jones, exceeding her comic book counterpart’s story makes Carol a wildcard on AMC’s The Walking Dead, though she seems to be adopting storylines from the comic book version of Michonne.

Tyreese

Tyreese earned one of the most iconic deaths in The Walking Dead comics but, in live-action, his comic book fate was given to Hershel Greene. 

Living in The Walking Dead comics from issue #7 through issue #46, Tyreese would be one of the Governor’s biggest victims and one which would send shockwaves through the fanbase. In the source material, Daryl Dixon does not exist. The void of being Rick’s right hand man, however, was filled by Tyreese.

On the TV series, Tyreese would ultimately succumb to a fate similar to that of comic book Morgan Jones, as mentioned above, in the What Happened and What’s Going On episode of Season Five.

Abraham

Like Tyreese, Abraham had an iconic death in The Walking Dead comics. It wasn’t, however, a death by Lucille and Negan as it was on television.

In issue #97 of The Walking Dead comics, Abraham and his buddy Eugene were venturing around the outskirts of Alexandria. At the time, the Saviors had been teased but hadn’t revealed how much of a threat they truly were. In the middle of a sentence where he was talking about Rosita, an arrow was shot straight through Abraham’s head and eye. 

The same death was given to Merit Weaver’s Denise Cloyd on the AMC TV series as Daryl and Rosita were looking on, though Abraham and Eugene would end up coming to their rescue. 

Shane

Shane Walsh will always be one of the most unforgettable characters on The Walking Dead, which is impressive considering his short lifespan. Still, he managed to outlive his comic book counterpart. 

First appearing in The Walking Dead’s first issue, Shane would die only six issues later. It was Carl Grimes who did it! After witnessing Shane arguing with Rick in the woods, Carl shot Shane in his neck. The character did, however, have time to form the relationship with Lori behind Rick’s thought-dead back in his brief lifespan. Rick would be the one to put him down after reanimating.

Of course, on the TV series, Jon Bernthal’s Shane would live to see Hershel’s farm and Rick would be the one to kill him while Carl would ultimately put him down.