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Image Comics
Story by: Robert Kirkman
Art and Lettering by: Charlie Adlard, Stefano Gaudiano, and Cliff Rathburn
Cover by: Charlie Adlard
Variant cover by: Arthur Adams and Nathan Fairbairn
The Whisperers attacked the Hilltop! In the fifth part of the Whisperer War arc, the Whisperers make their move on the Hilltop, and Maggie, Sophia, Aaron, Lydia, and Carl are ready. Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard devote over half of this issue to the battle. But with volleys of flaming arrows, lots of action-packed zombie fighting, and a couple of close calls, it does not disappoint. Each page is exciting. In past issues in this arc, the sixteen-panel grid that runs throughout jumped around to different characters and their role in the Whisperer War. This month, we stay with our group at the Hilltop a little longer than usual to build suspense and get our adrenaline pumping. However, the war is far from over.
In issue 160, we saw Lydia accept the Hilltop as her home. Here, we see her fight for it. As she fights a Whisperer, she screams, “I don’t want to live like an animal! I’m better than that! We all are!” Lydia has endured physical and emotional trauma living among the Whisperers but is able to turn a new leaf and call the Hilltop home. And everyone at the Hilltop steps up to fight. Throughout the battle, we get glimpses of several people fighting the Whisperers, and some really neat action shots (lots of zombie heads getting hacked off or in half—SVAASH! SHAKK! SVAKK! WRAKK! panels read) and spreads showcasing the Hilltop burning.
I’ve really enjoyed the design choice for this arc. Kirkman and Adlard continue to build suspense by using a sixteen-panel grid. In other comics when characters are spread all over the place, things can get a bit overwhelming and confusing. But that works for this arc, because war isn’t something that’s neat and organized. Through the design, you can feel the uncertainty and the stress that the characters feel. I particularly love how Adlard depicts the battle scene with the Whisperers, using a variety of shots and showcasing many characters from the Hilltop. The last page of the battle with Maggie staring away from the burning Hilltop and little Hershel tightly embracing her leg is incredibly fitting. “Yay. We won,” she says. She’s not jumping up and down or celebrating their victory. She’s knows there’s more to come, and she’s exhausted.
This issue continues to push the arc forward and lead us to the conclusion. There’s only one issue left in the Whisperer War! How will it end? And what’s next? Will we finally meet Eugene’s radio pen pal?