Like most fans revisiting The Walking Dead Issue-by-issue, still along with the Deluxe Reprint of the series, I have been anticipating and afraid of the approach of the pivotal walking dead #100, and the death of Glenn – however What I did not realize is that the tragedy of the character’s exit from the series would hit much earlier on the reading.
The Walking Dead Deluxe #96 – written by Robert Kirkman, with art by Charlie Adlard – features the beginning of Glenn’s last day, and what legitimately broke my heart is how unexpectedly hopeful the issue finds him, as he embraces the potential of joining the Hilltop community.
In his annotations to this issue, Kirkman noted that Glenn “Love this place.“Obviously, this was a deliberate character choice, done in service of making Glenn’s imminent death even more brutal, and in retrospect, it’s incredibly effective.
Looking back now, I can see where Robert Kirkman planted the seeds of Glenn’s devastating death
The Walking Dead Deluxe #96 – Written by Robert Kirkman; Art by Charlie Adlard; Color by Dave McCaig; Lettering by Rus Wooten
When I first read The Walking Dead #96, at the time of its release in 2012, I did not know, of course, that when Glenn stands watching the sunrise over the hilltop walls, a blanket around his shoulders, with a hot cup of coffee in his hands, it would be his last morning alive. In part because I know what’s coming for the character, and frankly, in part because I’m older and more aware of my mortality now, this moment struck me as particularly effective storytelling.
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Next, the full-color rendering of the panel, as part of the Deluxe Addition also helps make this moment especially striking for me as a reader. As much as I appreciate The Walking Dead In its black-and-white original form, The infusion of color gives certain scenes a whole new meaning, and Glenn’s final sunrise is the perfect example of this.. Also strikingly amplified by the added color are the subtle expressions on Glenn and Rick’s face when they are interrupted by Andrea – perhaps as close as anyone has come in the series to a moment of peace.
Glenn’s death scene is unforgettable – but I think, in retrospect, his last day is the really heartbreaking part
It’s brutal how hopeless he is
I admit, in anticipation of The Walking Dead Deluxe #100, I was at first tempted to skip ahead and reread Glenn’s death scene before the release of the full-color version – but in the end I’m glad I didn’t. Read the series in sequence, as each Deluxe The issue comes out, has made me give more attention to the issues leading to the milestone. I’m grateful for that, because it gave me a new, more detailed appreciation for the setup that went into making Glenn’s death such a turning point for the series.
The tragedy of Glenn’s death is a result of where he ends up, not where he started out.
As you might expect, the events of these issues aren’t as burned into my brain as Negan’s arrival in issue #100, and his killing of Glenn, but As I read with the knowledge of what’s to come, they are actually the most devastating part. As readers, we tend to equate the impact of Glenn’s loss with his longevity, after first appearing in The Walking Dead #2. But it’s about more than that – the tragedy of Glenn’s death is a result of where he ends up, not where he started out.
After revisiting his last day, I’m not sure I’m ready to experience Glenn’s final moments alive again
The Walking Dead Deluxe #100 – Releases November 6th from Image Comics
The release of The Walking Dead Deluxe #100 is imminent, and I find myself fixated on Glenn’s sunrise scene from The Walking Dead Deluxe #96 When I think about the character’s death scene. As gruesome as the entirety of Glenn’s violent end will be to see in full color, It will be so much worse when compared side-by-side with the picture of him peacefully watching the sun come up, thinking about the possibilities of a new life – one that would be snatched away from him By arguably The Walking Dead’s Greatest evil.
In a way, Glenn’s arc ends at the Hilltop, at the moment where he feels a long-dormant sense of optimism; Everything else he does leading up to The Walking Dead #100 is full of the tragic irony of his fate.
As an author, Robert Kirkman did everything as carefully as possible when crafting The Walking DeadAnd that includes his decision to give Glenn a moment of satisfaction before killing him off. In a way, Glenn’s arc ends at the Hilltop, at the moment where he feels a long-dormant sense of optimism; Everything else he does leading up to The Walking Dead #100 is saturated with the tragic irony of his fate, which remains among the most genuinely dramatically powerful moments in walking dead History.
The Walking Dead Deluxe #96 is available now from Image Comics.