AMC’s ‘The Walking Dead’ Show Will Carry On Despite Comic Book’s Abrupt End

The Walking Dead—we’ve all come to love the series full of blood and gore. Often described as “the zombie movie that never ends,” it took us all by surprise when Robert Kirkman, the series and comic creator, decided to announce the conclusion to the comic. Image Comics and SkyBound Entertainment’s Walking Dead comic book series was first published in 2003. For 16 years, The Walking Dead has gone on to publish 192 issues, up until this week with their final issue, #193. Nevertheless, AMC has assured its fans that The Walking Dead won’t be ending the TV show version anytime soon.

“This extraordinary comic created a world that already lives in multiple forms, and in the hearts and minds of millions of fans around the world, and will for many years to come,” the network said in a statement.

The Walking Dead: Surprise Endings

“In a way, killing this series has been a lot like killing a major character. Much, much harder… but the same feeling,” Kirkman wrote. “I don’t WANT to do it. I’d rather keep going… But the story is telling me what it wants and what it needs. This needs to happen. Whether I want it or not.”

Rick Grimes, the man who faced death multiple times was given a pathetic death, to say the least. Kirkman spent more than a full page of #192’s issue explaining his reasons why Rick died at the hands of teenager Sebastian Milton. First, he noted that Rick’s death has been in the works for longer than fans might have expected.

“Rick’s death was planned longer than any death in this series. I’ve been working toward this since I started writing… issue #1. It doesn’t make it any easier, but it’s been something I’ve been getting more and more used to as the years got down to months and then weeks… I knew it was coming,” Kirkman said in a statement. “Even before we introduced Sebastian Milton (in issue #177) I knew he was the one who would kill Rick Grimes. For almost a decade now I knew Rick would choose to preserve the Commonwealth no matter the cost… and it would cost him his life.”

The Walking Dead’s main character Rick Grimes wanted to die a hero, protecting his people and what he believed in totally the reason which cost him his life in The Walking Dead TV show. Kirkman’s planned death for Rick had no connection to the show. According to Kirkman, “I’m not sure why a comic book character would need to die just because his live-action counterpart did, so hopefully, that confirmation will assuage some fans’ worries on that front.”

What’s Next For The Walking Dead?

Kirkman’s comic book series served as the basis for The Walking Dead TV show and many of its characters and plot twists for years. However, since its premiere in 2010, the show has deviated from the comics. Spinoffs of the show “Fear The Walking Dead” is currently in its fifth season and an untitled third Walking Dead spinoff is currently filming. In addition, a movie trilogy about Andrew Lincoln’s Rick Grimes is in development.