# The Walking Dead, including both TV and comic, open spoilers \[edited title\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 12, 2014, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-including-both-tv-and-comic-open-spoilers-edited-title/704399 "2014-11-12T01:39:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 4
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2014, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-including-both-tv-and-comic-open-spoilers-edited-title/704399/4 "2014-11-12T05:24:20Z")
Let’s start with this season’s threads. To find the examples, on each page I did a text search for “comic” and then manually scanned the full page for spoiler boxes. It’s possible that there even more comic references than the examples I found with my quick search and scan technique. [The Walking Dead; 5.01 “No Santuary” (open spoilers)](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737136) Comics are discussed. It’s mentioned that the comics are as much about rebuilding as they are about fighting zombies. Someone says they want the spin-off to leave the comics behind. **Not one single complaint or even mention that comics are off-topic for the thread.** [The Walking Dead; 5.02 “Strangers” (open spoilers)](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737894) The comics come up many times. Nobody ever changes clothes because that’s how comic books work. Someone says they like Father Gabriel better in the show than the comics, and they’re excited to see what elements of the comics are used for him. A spoiler box explains a comic plotline about the preacher. Another spoiler box explains that in the comics, the zombie lady with glasses that freaks the preacher out was his wife. **Not one single complaint or even mention that comics are off-topic for the thread.** [The Walking Dead; 5.03 “Four Walls and a Roof” (open spoilers)](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738673) The comics come up. Someone mentions that Abraham and Eugene don’t feel like real people; they have a distinct comic book quality to them. Someone else comments that while reading the entire comics run, it occurred to them that we’re all member of the walking dead. A reply spoiler boxes that Rick says exactly that early on in the comics. **Not one single complaint or even mention that comics are off-topic for the thread.** [The Walking Dead 5.04 “The Slab” (open spoilers)](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=739503) No mention of the comics. I’m frankly surprised that there was any thread this season where the comics didn’t come up. [The Walking Dead; 5.05 “Self Help” (open spoilers)](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740333) Someone asks if Eugene was in the comics, and if so was he more believable? It’s answered that yes, and comic Eugene is roughly the same as tv show Eugene, but his lie was more believable in the comics. It’s also mentioned that the guy who plays Abraham explained the backstory to the grocery store massacre on the Talking Dead. Special note: On the Talking Dead, he explicitly explained that he was describing the backstory from the comics. It’s here when people make up a new rule about “comics don’t exist” and it snowballs from there. I stand by what I said in the thread: > [@The Walking Dead; 5.05 "Self Help" (open spoilers)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-5-05-self-help-open-spoilers/704199/119): > > 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. I think I’ve shown here that the “comics don’t exist” has not been a rule so far this season. I may do a similar breakdown for the other seasons depending on how motivated I get. --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-including-both-tv-and-comic-open-spoilers-edited-title/704399)._