As far as I’m aware, there has never been a “comics don’t exist” rule in TWD threads. Maybe, maybe, in the threads for the very first season, but certainly not for the last several seasons. I definitely do NOT remember “hashing this out every season.” There are plenty of comics references in the various episode threads, but for the most part people have done a great job of spoiler-boxing spoilers and discussing irrelevant minutia openly.
So I’d like cites of examples where it’s stated the “comics don’t exist” is a rule in these threads.
I’d also like cites of examples where it’s being “hashed out every year.”
I think the “comics don’t exist” rule can’t possibly work for TWD specifically because of The Talking Dead. Case in point: They did NOT say the reason why Abe killed those dudes in the grocery store on the Talking Dead. The actor who played Abe was very specific: “That scene was a callback to the comics. In the comics, those guys were his neighbors and friends when the apocalypse hit, and were part of his group. Abe had gone off on a supply run and those guys raped his family, so he killed them. That’s what happens in the comics, anyway; the writers could very well revisit that scene and make it some other reason.”
I highly doubt the writers would change the reason, but the explanation given was specifically “this is what happened in the comics.” NOT “this is what happened in the show.”
I find this hand-wringing over “the comics DON"T EXISTS!!!1!!” shameful and embarrassing, a showcase of the worst aspects of SDMB culture.
Link to me the last time this was an issue. Also, link me the last TWD thread that didn’t mention the comics.