I know, I know: how can I label anything that Robert Kirkman touches as “weak”? Trust me, I was just as disappointed as you were with this month’s issue of his never ending zombie saga, The Walking Dead #62. Even more upsetting is the fact that this issue marks the first of five issues in his “Fear the Hunters” arc!

We start off post-Billy and Ben murders, where Dale has plunged deeper into his anti-social abyss (clearly depicted in the second panel where he is outright facing the opposite of the party). Kirkman then spotlights the very intriguing progression of Carl’s character, which I foolishly assumed in the last issue was his mirroring Rick. Judging from what Kirkman showed us this month, I cannot even imagine what he has in store for Carl, but it does make me giggly and excited.

Then… ZOMBIES! Oh how I missed you guys last month!

Enough of a recap—on to what I have to say about this letdown (so as to halt you from throwing stones at my head).

There is no doubt that Kirkman and company entertain us with the usual Walking Dead progression; however, I felt as if most of this could have been executed quicker, providing more time for the hunters. While I realize that this may very well be his take on a calm before the storm, my gut had this insatiable craving for more action and aggression. Essentially, I felt that it moved excruciatingly too slow (i.e. as beautiful as the four-page sleeping montage came out, it was unnecessary in this arc opener).

With all of the head-spinning and preemptive theories surrounding the teaser posters they had provided us, issue #62 was supposed to be where the hunt commences. While this may be true in technicalities, I still didn’t feel much of the commencing. Kirkman’s writing, I have no doubt, has the capability to move things in a more efficient manner instead of dragging out stories that can easily be told in half the time.

This is not at all to say that I am giving up—of course, my faith always lies with Kirkman. Who knows—he could even be setting us up for a huge present and this is merely the pretty bow on top. This just means we’ve got another 30 days to find out.

Post Script: Anyone thinking that the hunters have something to do with the mysterious preacher with the weird sense of humor? I personally think that it would be too obvious of a link, considering he just popped up in #61.