The Walking Dead #9
The Walking Dead #9 is the narrative trigger for one of the series' most consequential story arcs: the accidental shooting of Carl Grimes by Otis — making his first appearance here — sets Rick's group on a collision course with Hershel Greene's farm, a setting that dominates the remainder of Volume 2 and shapes the moral and social fabric of the series for years to come. The issue also delivers the death of Donna, a rare instance of a supporting character whose loss carries immediate emotional weight for both Allen and the reader. As the third chapter of the Adlard era, it demonstrates how quickly the new artistic partnership between Charlie Adlard and gray-tone artist Cliff Rathburn settled into a look that would define the series for over a decade. Together, these elements make it a structural keystone rather than simply a transitional issue.
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We Buy Collections ▸History
Issue #9 falls early in Charlie Adlard's tenure, which began with issue #7 after Tony Moore departed due to deadline difficulties; Moore nonetheless continued providing cover art through issue #24, including the cover for this issue. Writer Robert Kirkman was still developing his craft during this period — as contemporary critics noted, he was a relatively novice writer when the earliest volumes appeared — yet the compressed, character-driven storytelling on display here reflects a creator already confident in using catastrophe as a character-building device. The issue was collected in the trade paperback Walking Dead, Vol. 2: Miles Behind Us alongside issues #7–#12, which shipped to retailers in late 2004.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First appearance of Otis, Hershel Greene's farmhand and Patricia's boyfriend, whose accidental shooting of Carl directly leads the survivors to the Greene family farm.
- Last appearance of Donna, who is killed by a walker (roamer) during the group's disastrous stay at Wiltshire Estates.
- Published June 15, 2004 by Image Comics; the third of six issues collected in Volume 2: Miles Behind Us.
- Creative team: script by Robert Kirkman, interior pencils and inks by Charlie Adlard, gray tones by Cliff Rathburn, cover art by Tony Moore.
- Tony Moore drew the cover — part of his run handling covers through issue #24 — while Adlard handled all interior pages, continuing his long-term takeover that began with issue #7.
- Despite appearing as background characters since issue #2, this is the first issue in which twins Ben and Billy are depicted speaking dialogue.
- The issue is reprinted in Walking Dead Book One (hardcover), Walking Dead Omnibus Vol. 1 (deluxe hardcover), and Walking Dead Compendium One.
- A full-color Deluxe edition of the issue was released on February 17, 2021, colored by Dave McCaig, as part of Image/Skybound's ongoing colorized reprint initiative launched in October 2020.
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Reprints
Reprinted in The Walking Dead #2 (2004), The Walking Dead #1 (2006), The Walking Dead Compendium #1 (2009), The Walking Dead en Español #2 (2013), The Walking Dead Deluxe #9 (2021), The Walking Dead Deluxe #9 (2021)
Key issues in The Walking Dead
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