The saying is, “if you can’t beat them, then join them,” as Rick and Pamela have begun to foster a relationship between their communities. Since Pamela arrived in the Alexandria Safezone she has been given a tour of the 4 other communities. On this tour, she has witnessed the military capabilities of the 5 communities, the different people and their skill sets, and their way of organization and government structures. While she is seeing this, behind the scenes Rick is organizing his leaders including John from the Sanctuary, Dwight, and Maggie to be on the same page as he is fostering a deal with Pamela. Rick agrees to go to the Commonwealth to observe and analyze their way of life and finalize a deal between the 2 groups that will be mutually beneficial.
The Good:
While the main focus of the comic is Rick giving Pamela the tour of Sanctuary, The Kingdom, and the Hilltop, we are exposed to how the Sanctuary has changed in the last few years. John has replaced Dwight since he resigned as the leader of the community. Under his leadership John has encourage his people to think about needs not wants. As a result of this they are growing their own food, obtaining lumber, and other materials which they then trade for other items. With this change of approach, they are making friends not enemies, which has improved the quality of life for people in this community. Furthermore, despite the tensions between the Sanctuary and the Alexandria Safezone in the past few years, John is showing that people and communities can change in order to help one another out. While at the Sanctuary giving Pamela the tour Rick and Dwight begin to make peace with one another over several issues that have occurred between them. They both realize that while they have been butting heads, they could have easily killed one another if they so desired. With this realization, it shows how despite having disagreements and being bogged down with complicated issues and pain that these two men are rational enough not kill one another, but are willing to work it out. Finally, in the last leg of the tour of the communities the comic introduces an element of skepticism with Maggie. Maggie, when meeting Pamela, immediately becomes hostile and insinuates that she is a dictator who will make the communities put a picture of her up in their homes. This captures the wars and sacrifices that the people of the 4 communities have been through and how they view outsiders, as for years they have faced several threats from other people. Her skepticism is keeping Rick in check as he now is aware that people doubt the intentions of the Commonwealth and their true goal.
The Bad:
The main focus of the issue is Rick showing Pamela around to the other communities. While in these communities no new information is revealed about her, her intentions, or the Commonwealth’s interest that has not been revealed already. There is no good reason for her to see the other communities, people, or how they function as it will have no impact on a partnership that Rick will make with Pamela. In fact, the entire visit to the other communities is meant to fill up pages that waste time and do not move the story or comic along.
The Verdict:
The issue develops several characters who have been out of the spotlight for several issues. In doing this we are seeing a different side to who they are and the influence that they have on their communities. At the same time this is occurring we are exposed to a pointless tour of the other communities with Rick and Pamela that does not reveal any new information or provides a benefit to the current story. With this being the main focus of the issue it is a let down to what could have been an information revealing issue. Over all issue 182 is bittersweet as three characters had their time in the spotlight, yet the main focus of the issue was the same boiler plate storyline that The Walking Dead has fallen into lately.
