Summary
Robert Kirkman, creator ofThe Walking Dead, addressed the logistics of one early plot “discrepancy” from the early issues of the series, but in the process pointed out an even more uncomfortable plot hole, one that tests the limits of the series' committment to versimilitude, even more thanthe existence of zombies.
The Walking Dead Deluxe#9 – written by Robert Kirkman, with art by Charlie Adlard – is part ofthe full-color rerelease of the legendary zombie series, which not only reproduces the original black-and-white art in full color, it also reprints the original letters section from the issue.
In his response to fan mail, Kirkman clarified readers' questions about the timeline of the series' inciting events – while alsobringing up an unfortunate, even gross, truth about Rick Grimes' initial call to action as a hero.
The Walking Dead’s Most Brutal Scene Isn’t Violent At All
As much as Walking Dead is known for its gory violence & grotesque zombies, its most intense scene came down to a man sitting alone in a room.
Robert Kirkman Points Out An Uncomfortable Truth About The Start Of Rick Grimes' Heroic Journey
While it might seem as though Kirkman is simply being crass with his answer, he is in fact acknowledging the limits of “realism” inThe Walking Dead.
In the original letters section ofThe Walking Dead#9, Robert Kirkman responded to fans' uncertainties about the realism of Rick Grimes' journey from his hometown, to the zombie-overrun metropolitan center of Atlanta. As Robert Kirkman explained, the journey would not have been as arduous or protracted for Rick as some might have thought. Kirkman elaborated:
A lot of people seem to think he went a pretty far distance between issues #1 and #2. The first issue took place in the town where I grew up, Cynthiana, Kentucky, and it’s only a six-hour drive to Atlanta from there. It was warm outside, and there was NO traffic…aside from smashed cars and whatnot he had to avoid. He ran out of gas really close to Atlanta…and he was on that horse for a WHILE. See…it all makes sense.
While this put to rest any lingering doubts about Rick’s travel in the first issues ofThe Walking Dead, Kirkman seemingly couldn’t stop himself from raising an even more notable inconsistency.
As the author amended to his answer:
Just don’t bring up the fact that he [Rick] was in a coma for a number of weeks and didn’t s**t himself.
While it might seem as though Kirkman is simply being crass with his answer, he isin fact acknowledging the limits of “realism” inThe Walking Dead.Aside from its zombie outbreak premise,The Walking Deadpresented a grounded portrayalof how humans would react toa civilization-ending crisis. Still, that fidelity to the “real” could only be extended so far – and Rick’s hygiene upon waking up from his coma was one subtle way in which the series acceded to narrative necessity instead.
Often Gory, But Rarely Gross
As Robert Kirkman acknowledged, there might be a gross “plot hole” when it comes to Rick’s coma, but it was ultimately insignificant in the context of the larger goals ofThe Walking Dead.
Realistically, after waking up unattended from a coma,Rick Grimes certainly would have found that he had soiled himself– but as a writer, Robert Kirkman had to make the decision not to emphasize that detail. In this way, even unintentionally, Kirkman established that there were boundaries to the level of realism he was willing to engage with. In other words, some realistic details needed to be sacrificed, or at least overlooked, in order to get to the more urgent realism of characters' actions and emotions.
This “big picture” realism, so to speak, was always Robert Kirkman’s priority. That is perhaps why Kirkman made the point in conjunction with his explanation of Rick’s early travels – as if to signal to fans that focusing on the minor details instead of the overarching story, and the issue-by-issueemotional impact ofThe Walking Dead, was a misappropriation of their focus. As Robert Kirkman acknowledged, there might be a gross “plot hole” when it comes to Rick’s coma, but it was ultimately insignificant in the context of the larger goals ofThe Walking Dead.
The Walking Dead
Cast
The Walking Dead is a television series that premiered on June 20, 2025. It follows Sheriff’s deputy Rick Grimes, who awakens from a coma to find a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies. He embarks on a journey to locate his family, encountering various survivors amidst the chaos.
