Walking Dead #120 (2003)

We reach the mid-point for "All Out War", and all out hell as broken all out loose. After the calm character moments of last issue, we're hit with a brutal bracing set of gut punches culminating with what feels like a mid season cliffhanger. Since this story arc is set to run the length of this year's WD TV season, that's not a coincidence. Another non-coincidence is the major play by a minor character who happens to be getting a toy this spring. By the time we get to the end of this issue, one side clearly thinks they're losing right now, and the other believes they've already won. Rick and Negan remain Rick and Negan, so neither one is as smart as they think. This is working, and there's plenty for new and long term readers to be engaged by. My hope is that Kirkman doesn't do this sort of thing for a few years, and lets the comic go back to being its own entity. We don't have to have the 'TV season' feel to something published monthly, and we don't need plastic synergy to keep people interested in the toys.