COMIC DETAILS
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Comic Description:
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Walking Dead: The Alien nn Signature
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Grade:
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9.8
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Page Quality:
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WHITE
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Certification #:
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1575561002
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Owner:
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StephenWA
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SET DETAILS
Owner's Description
First (and last) appearance of Jeffrey Grimes.
First (and last) appearance of Claudia.
This is The Walking Dead: The Alien - Local Comic Shop Day Edition presented with wrap-around cover. It was originally available as a web-only edition from www.panelsyndicate.com, produced as a collaboration with Brian K. Vaughan and Marcos Martin.
CGC census 2/2020: 81. 80 @9.8, none higher. Mine was the first and so far the only Signature Series edition of this book.
Story summary:
The Alien is a short story consisting of 32 pages, featuring Rick Grimes' brother Jeff (Jeffrey Grimes) as he experiences the outbreak of the zombie virus in Barcelona, Spain. While sleeping atop an abandoned building, Jeff is awakened by the sound of a young boy trying to escape a horde of zombies. After failing to reach the boy in time to save him, Jeff is attacked by one of the zombies, and is saved by a woman dressed in a suit of armor. Introducing herself as Claudia, the woman explains to Jeff that he has something she wants, and invites him back to her apartment.
After arriving at her apartment, Claudia explains to Jeff that she wants to accompany him back to the United States, as there have been rumors that the U.S. government had found a way to contain the zombie outbreak. She explains that she intends to sail to Ibiza, where an acquaintance of hers will fly them to the United States. Jeff points out that there are hundreds of zombies between them and the harbor, but Claudia reveals her intention to use the sewers to navigate, and tells Jeff that he will have until the following morning to decide if he wants to accompany her.
The next morning, Jeff, armed with a mace for protection, accompanies Claudia through the sewers. After emerging at the harbor, the two board a boat and begin to depart. However, a zombie concealed on the boat takes them by surprise and knocks Claudia into the water. An alarmed Jeff jumps in after them, and distracts the zombie as Claudia takes off the armor that is weighing her down. After returning to the boat, it is revealed that Jeff has been bitten. Expecting to die soon, Jeff gives Claudia a message to give to Rick, but dies before he is able to give her any information that might actually help her find Rick.
"Tell him... Tell him his kid brother was sorry... He never got to pay him back... For all the times he stood up for me... Tell Rick... I'm sorry I never got to be... The knight in shining armor... But at least I got to meet one."
- Jeff's message for Rick which he asks Claudia to deliver.
This hard copy edition was printed for Local Comic Shop Day in November 2019.
My comic was signed by Charlie Adlard (who had no part in the creation of this comic) in silver sharpie on 16/12/2019. It has been graded, with the TWD Rick label, into the prestigious CGC Signature Series, the label of which (incorrectly) notes a signed sketch by Charlie which is just not there.
Trivia:
• It is the first Walking Dead comic not penned by Robert Kirkman.
• It is the first Walking Dead comic set outside the USA, specifically in Barcelona, Spain.
• It explains the fate of Rick Grimes' little brother, Jeffrey, who was only mentioned in the comic series.
• The comic reveals that Rick used to go by the name 'Richie'.
• Jeffrey is 32 years old, and was born in 1971.
• Robert Kirkman revealed in TWD Letter Hacks that Jeffrey will never be shown in the main series. This is addressed in The Alien; Jeff is already dead by the time the main series takes place.
Cover price: $5.99
Brian Vaughan - story
Marcos Martin - cover and internal art. Marcos lives in Barcelona, which likely had a large impact on the setting for this story. (50)
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