Summary
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In the letters section to The Walking Dead #92 – Reprinted as part of the ongoing Deluxe Full-color reissue of the iconic zombie series – Robert Kirkman admitted that there was a very different plan for Lori Grimes’ death than what finally happened.
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The murderous character Thomas appears only briefly in the series, between The Walking Dead #13-18, but he had a significant impact on the series – though not nearly to the degree he was originally slated to.
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Lori and Judith’s tragic deaths in the prison massacre in issue #48 shaped the trajectory of Rick and Carl’s characters for the rest of the series; Killing off Lori earlier, in a different context, would have radically altered how the story proceeded.
one of The Walking Dead The most vicious killers of comics played a small but important role early in the series’ run – but The violent killer Thomas was supposed to play a much more impactful role, as he was originally slated to kill Lori Grimes. The final death of Lori and her baby Judith ranks among the comic’s most brutal deaths, although it occurred under very different circumstances, while Thomas’ arc was drastically different.
The Walking Dead Deluxe #92 – written by Robert Kirkman, with art by Charlie Adlard – reprints the letters section that accompanied the original release of the issue, including a reference to the original plan for Lori’s death.
According to Kirkman, Thomas was originally scripted to stab Lori while she was still pregnant, killing her and her unborn baby. Although similarly horrifying, when compared to the character’s actual death on the page, it would have significantly altered the trajectory of the series.
Related
Violent convict Thomas originally went on to kill Lori Grimes
The Walking Dead Deluxe #92 – Written by Robert Kirkman; Art by Charlie Adlard; Color by Dave McCaig; Lettering by Rus Wooten
The decapitation of Herschel Greene’s daughters in The Walking Dead #15 was the most grotesque moment in the series up to that point, and the revelation that the seemingly harmless Thomas was responsible proved that the survivors had made a catastrophic mistake by putting any trust in him.
First introduced in The Walking Dead #13, the prison proved to be the first major long-term location for the comic series, as the survivors tried to forge a seemingly permanent settlement in the ruins of an abandoned penitentiary. Or at least, mostly abandoned, as when they arrived, they discovered four former inmates still living in the prison. Initially lying and stating he was in prison for “tax evasion,” over the next few issues, Thomas was one of the most vile characters in the franchise.
The decapitation of Herschel Greene’s daughters in The Walking Dead #15 was the most grotesque moment in the series up to that point, and the revelation that the seemingly harmless Thomas was responsible proved that the survivors had made a catastrophic mistake by putting any trust in him. How important this was to advancing the story, Thomas almost has a much more significant role to play. As Robert Kirkman explains:
Lori was originally supposed to get stabbed by Thomas in the prison and it was going to kill the baby. What?!
In the final draft, Thomas is revealed to be the killer after attacking Andrea, and quickly killed by Maggie, in revenge for the murder of her twin sister.
Lori’s death is one of the most disturbing – and most essential – in the series
Rick & Carl Grimes have to lose everything
Lori and Judith’s death during the prison massacre in walking dead #48 was one of the most vital tragedies of the series; For both Rick and Carl Grimes to become the characters they grew up in, they had to experience the maximum possible tragedy.
As it turned out, Robert Kirkman made the right decision by changing his plans for Thomas and Lori. The Thomas subplot remains an important part of the early architecture of The Walking DeadDriving home that no character was safe, and that there was as much to fear from other survivors as from the undead. These points would be driven home time and again throughout the run of the comic series, and Thomas’ short but bloody role in the series was the foundation.
At the same time, Lori and Judith’s death during the prison massacre in walking dead #48 was one of the series’ most vital tragedies; For both Rick and Carl Grimes to become the characters they grew up in, they had to experience the maximum possible tragedy. Certainly, more could have been done with Laurie Grimes, but for the series to play out as it did, her death had to happen when it happened. In retrospect, Lori and Judith’s ending remains one of the most pivotal and most heartbreaking in the entire The Walking Dead.
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The Walking Dead Deluxe #92 (2024) |
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Based on one of the most successful and popular comic books of all time, AMC’s The Walking Dead captures the ongoing human drama following a zombie apocalypse. The series, developed for television by Frank Darabont, follows a group of survivors, led by police officer Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), who are traveling in search of a safe and secure home. However, instead of the zombies, it is the living who remain who truly become the walking dead. The Walking Dead lasted for eleven seasons and spawned several spinoff shows, such as Fear the Walking Dead and The Walking Dead: World Beyond.