InThe Walking Dead’s comic book universe, creator Robert Kirkman gave fans a surprise finale that jumped ahead multiple years and showcased the remainder ofRick Grime’s ragtag group of survivorsas they settled into the new world they fought tooth and nail to create. Now, five years after the comic’s official finale,Robert Kirkman teases the idea of possibly continuing the series, hyping fans up for something that very well may come to pass.
Concluding its epic undead run in 2019 after 193 issues,The Walking Deadended in a way that gave hope for a sequel series but also buttoned things up to the point that should it never happen,“Old Man” Carl, Judge Michonne, and the rest of the people populating the Commonwealth still have a proper finale to call their own.
In the “Letter Hacks” column at the back ofThe Walking Dead Deluxe #100,Robert Kirkman admits that “…it’s possible we just keep going withWalking Dead Deluxe #194…,” lightly teasing fans in a way that simply cannot be ignored.
When asked whether fans can “expect to see more” from the Brian K. Vaughn pennedThe Walking Dead: The Alienspinoff issue, Kirkman is doubtful but concedes that “you never know.” Further replying that “onceClementine Book 3releases, there won’t be any newThe Walking Deadcomic book material… ever,” Kirkman softens this devastating blow byadmitting, “I mean, it’s possible we just keep going withWalking Dead Deluxe #194and beyond! Who knows what the future may hold!”officially teasing that more originalThe Walking Deadcontent may finally be in the cards for fans of the series.
Walking Dead Was Originally Created as a Tie-In to George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead
While The Walking Dead has become a major reviver for zombies in the 21st century, Robert Kirkman originally wanted it to tie into a classic film.
What’s interesting aboutcontinuingThe Walking Deadwith the original charactersrather than doing another spinoff or extendingThe Walking Dead: The Alienone-shot is simple: zombies aren’t a major threat anymore. Set over two decades after Rick Grimes’ death,The Walking Dead #193revealed a world where, yes, the undead are still a thing, but they’re more of an inconvenience now, made clear by Hershel, Maggie and Glenn’s son, turning them into a sideshow attraction. Able to focus on the new world introduced and what Rick Grime’s legacy truly wrought,a hypothetical sequel series would be something completely fresh.
Luckily for fans ofThe Walking Dead,the franchise is still going strong on the small screen, with multiple spinoffs of AMC’s long-lived but similarly concluded live-action series, likeThe Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon - The Book of Caroland the second season ofThe Walking Dead: Dead City, effectively continuing the spirit of the comic in ways that successfully expands upon this zombified world first introduced way back in 2003. Regardless of whether Robert Kirkman makes due on his tantalizing tease of aWalking Deadfollow-up, there’s more than enough content for fans to pour over until that time arrives.
The Walking Dead Deluxe #100is available from Image Comics.
The Walking Dead
The Walking Deadis a massive multimedia franchise that began with a comic book series created by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, and Charlie Adlard. The franchise gained widespread popularity with the launch of the television seriesThe Walking Deadin 2010 on AMC, which chronicles the lives of survivors in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies, referred to as “walkers.” The success of the original show has led to numerous spin-offs, web series, video games, novels, and other media. The franchise explores themes of survival, human nature, and the breakdown of society in the face of an existential threat, making it one of the most successful and influential horror series of the 21st century.
