Ever since the first issue hit shelves way back in 2003, writer Robert Kirkman and longtime artist Charlie Adlard have managed to keep readers invested in the zombie apocalypse for about 193 issues. If you love the live-action drama from AMC, then this is also a great way to experience how the horror series all started. Though every great comic book has to come to an end, let's see how certain character deaths from The Walking Dead made an impact on its longtime readers.
In the opening pages of the first installment, Sheriff Rick Grimes had just woken up from his coma and found himself lying on top of a hospital bed. While Rick's gunshot wound was healing slowly, the rest of the world had changed dramatically around him and became overrun by flesh-eating zombies, known as walkers to the locals. Due to his coma, the fallen sheriff had not been around to witness the rampant carnage. Desperate to find his missing family, Rick went off to continue his search in the heart of Atlanta, hoping to find his wife, Lori, and young son, Carl, still alive in the zombie apocalypse.
With Image Comics/Skybound releasing the epic-sized final issue of their post-apocalyptic horror series, let's take a closer look back at the top 10 most shocking moments from The Walking Dead.
10 10. The Last Page
How do you end a terrifying horror comic, such as The Walking Dead, where death is inevitably imminent and picking out the supporting characters one by one? For such a bleak-ridden and somber series, the final issue #193 concludes at its most uplifting and sentimental.
The final image, beautifully illustrated by Adlard, depicts Carl, now older and heavier-looking, reading a bedtime story to his bright and cheerful daughter, Andrea. The long-running series did not end on one more shocking death scene to add to its high body count, but capped on a personal message of hope.
9 9. Rick's Death
In the penultimate issue of #192, Sebastian Milton, the spoiled son of the prominent leader in the Commonwealth, held his gun at point-blank range and fired multiple times at Rick's chest. Sebastian chose to murder Rick in cold blood as the former sheriff stood in his underwear and had just gotten out of bed.
Drowning in his own blood, Rick could not even say a word, not even a goodbye to his own son, before transforming into a zombie. In the heart-breaking twist, Carl had to put an end to his own father and fired the shot into Rick's head.
8 8. The Victory Of The Whisperers
In the twenty-fourth volume, Life And Death, The Whisperers had claimed a major victory against Rick and his team of survivors. Following Alpha's ruthless orders, the Whisperers had delivered a devastating blow that rendered them all weak and useless. Rick was absolutely traumatized when he recognized the faces from the long line of reanimated heads stuck on the pikes.
Rosita and Ezekiel were among the 10 victims decapitated by the Whisperers. What made Rosita's death even more heart-breaking from the rest of Rick's slain team was that she was pregnant during the time of her death.
7 7. Here's Negan
In the standalone volume, Here's Negan, readers were given a pre-apocalypse look at the villain's backstory. Wanting to be the cool teacher to kids, Negan sometimes went a little too far with his roughhousing. But there was always his loving wife, Lucille, to call him out on his misguided mistakes.
With his wife stricken with cancer, Negan was at a loss finding medicine to keep her going when the undead started growing in numbers. Negan had to put down his one true love in order to save her. It's a heartbreaking tale of Negan being forced to become what he hated in order to survive the apocalypse.
6 6. Glenn's Beating
The one hundredth issue packed an incredible wallop, featuring the first introduction of Negan and the final appearance of the fan-favorite character, Glenn. This wouldn't be a milestone event if the celebratory installment did not have the most gruesome and disturbing death in the entire series.
Swinging his baseball bat, named Lucille, Negan repeatedly bashed in Glenn's head. Negan left nothing recognizable of Glenn's face after the vicious beating. All that was left of Glenn was a gushy pulp of smashed brains and splattered blood.
5 5. Carl Loses An Eye
The safe haven, known as Alexandria, had built a giant wall to protect itself from the undead. Unfortunately, the herd of incoming zombies was too much for the structure, which was already cracking under pressure. As the hoard of walkers started moving in, Carl was accidentally shot in the face by Alexandria’s frightened leader, Douglas. In the aftermath of No Way Out, Carl lost his eye and a bit of his past memories.
Physically impaired and disfigured, Carl is forced to relive the worst moments of his life, such as the death of his own mother.
4 4. The Governor's Defeat
Though The Walking Dead series had been gearing up for a final confrontation between Rick Grimes and The Governor, it was actually the supporting player, Lilly Caul, who would finish the job. Seeking redemption over Lori's death, Lilly found herself at odds with the Governor. Thinking he had the upper-hand during the final prison attack, the Governor wasn't expecting Lilly to shoot him in the back of the head.
As if shooting the Governor wasn't enough, Lilly then kicked his wounded body onto a pile of walkers and watched as they devoured his flesh.
3 3. Judith's Death
Because of her forbidden love affair with Rick's best friend, Lori was never quite sure or possibly pretended she didn't know if Shane was really Judith's father. Lori would end up taking that secret to the grave when the Governor launched his brutal attack on the prison. Following the Governor's orders, Lilly Caul ended up firing a round at Lori, killing her instantly.
Breaking into hysterics, Lilly didn't realize she was murdering a mother and daughter at the same time. After getting shot at, Lori fell on top of her own baby, crushing the infant with her weight, and suffocated Judith to death.
2 2. Rick's Hand
This is probably the most gross-out moment in all of Walking Dead history. During their first confrontation, Brian Blake, also known as The Governor, interrogated Rick and demanded his complete cooperation. Because Rick was tightly-lipped and refused to give up information on his friends, the Governor then decided to chop off his right hand out of frustration. This marked the beginning of the Governor's sadistic reign of terror and the start of Rick's animosity towards him. Later on in the narrative, the Governor feeds Rick's chopped-off hand to his undead niece, Penny.
1 1. Shane's Death
By the end of the first volume, What We Become, the confrontation between Rick and his best friend, Shane, had been building to an intense climax. Realizing he loved Rick's wife, Lori, and wanted to raise Carl as his own son, Shane was ready and eager to get rid of Rick.
Carl was just a little boy when he picked up his gun and shot Shane in the neck. In risking himself to save his own father, Carl ended up losing his innocence, leaving childhood behind, and entered the cold and bitter journey towards adulthood.