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The Walking Dead

The Walking Dead, Vol. 9: Here We Remain

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In the last volume we learned that no one is safe. Now, after the staggering losses they've sustained, Rick and Carl are left to pick up the pieces and carry on, knowing that they could join their fallen friends and family at any moment.
This volume collects The Walking Dead issues #49-54.

136 pages, Comics

First published January 7, 2009

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About the author

Robert Kirkman

2,667 books6,633 followers
Robert Kirkman is an American comic book writer best known for his work on The Walking Dead, Invincible for Image Comics, as well as Ultimate X-Men and Marvel Zombies for Marvel Comics. He has also collaborated with Image Comics co-founder Todd McFarlane on the series Haunt. He is one of the five partners of Image Comics, and the only one of the five who was not one of the original co-founders of that publisher.

Robert Kirkman's first comic books were self-published under his own Funk-o-Tron label. Along with childhood friend Tony Moore, Kirkman created Battle Pope which was published in late 2001. Battle Pope ran for over 2 years along with other Funk-o-Tron published books such as InkPunks and Double Take.

In July of 2002, Robert's first work for another company began, with a 4-part SuperPatriot series for Image, along with Battle Pope backup story artist Cory Walker. Robert's creator-owned projects followed shortly thereafter, including Tech Jacket, Invincible and Walking Dead.

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5 stars
8,329 (43%)
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3 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 773 reviews
Profile Image for Alejandro.
1,201 reviews3,699 followers
April 4, 2017
The prison is behind and the journey continues!


This is the ninth volume of The Walking Dead, collecting the comic book issue from #49 to #54.


Creative Team:

Writer: Robert Kirkman

Illustrators: Charlie Adlard

Additional gray tones to inking: Cliff Rathburn


Chapter Nine

HERE WE REMAIN

What if everyone dies on your way there?

At the ending of the previous volume, it was portraited the final confrontation between the forces of the town of Woodbury and Rick’s group while living inside of a prison.

Things got nasty. People died. And nothing would be the same anymore. For better or worse.

Enter: Sgt. Abraham Ford...

..., brawny former soldier who can give to The Rock or Sgt. Slaughter a run for their money.

New people got in the mix of Rick’s group and while the interaction gets shaken AND stirred between the remaining members of Rick’s group and the new arrivals, however they find a common goal to look for.

Now, instead of just wandering aimlessly, a new merged group is forged, still under the leadership of Rick Grimes, and now they have a clear destination.
Profile Image for Baba.
3,838 reviews1,296 followers
March 30, 2023
A heart rending volume a sick defeated lost Rick and his equally devastated son escape the prison carnage to God knows what? Can Rick survive his stomach wound; can he stay sane? How will Carl survive? Did anyone else survive? In an artfully created and well drawn volume Kirkman and Adlard show the inner and outer wars Rick has with himself to remain sane and look after Carl. So many dark, but well crafted moments in this volume. 9 out of 12, firm Four Star read.

2019, 2017, 2013 and 2012 read!
Profile Image for Sean Barrs .
1,122 reviews47k followers
October 28, 2016
I love how Rick realises that he is becoming crazy. He isn’t in denial, he just sort of goes along with his own madness. He’s scared of it though, and who can blame him? He is scared for his son and the consequences his unhinged leadership may bring the group. So he takes a back seat and allows himself time to recover whilst the council take the wheel.

Meanwhile new survivors arrive. Abraham is clearly going to be a major character. His muscle feels the gap that Tyreese left. In this he is strangely likable. The television version is scripted terribly; he just seems more brute than man: he is nothing like the character here. This one has more personality rather than lame one-liners; he isn’t just a brick wall that slots behind the more interesting members of the cast: he is a character I think I’m going to like. He is clearly the most capable member of the new group that is forming.

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So I like the direction the story is taking. The group is finally out of the prison (it was getting a bit dull in there) and are on the road. It means we’re going to see what’s going on in the rest of the world. I wonder how crazy it’s going to get, and if it is more so than the television show.
Profile Image for Wren (fablesandwren).
676 reviews1,572 followers
January 16, 2023


So this volume is basically this episode. This is the iconic pudding episode, where Rick is super sick and Carl has a mental breakdown.



Man, oh man, was this a great volume. Rick literally just accepts that he is going insane. It is kind of like the phone in the prison, for those of you who have watched the show and have not read the graphic novels, but I believe a lot more intense.

Rick and Carl got separated from the group. They are fending for themselves and Rick is so badly injured, that he kind of passes out for a while. At this point, Carl starts fending for himself and trying to see himself without anyone to provide and protect him.



I enjoyed this volume PURELY FOR THE FACT that we got to learn more about the two main characters and the mental stability of living in the apocalypse. Wouldn’t you be driven insane if people died, came back to life, and wanted to eat you? It was perfection in that case.

Other than that, it was really a transition volume, which happens. The whole setting is changing. They are no longer at the prison so they kind of have to regroup and figure out what is going

Everyone is separated and so some find some and some die and some aren’t found and some… are introduced.



I just want to point out that Abraham in the comics: perfection. Abraham in the show: also perfection but not in a comparison way. They are both kind of different. In the show Abraham became funnier. I like both for both interpretations though!
Profile Image for Ken.
2,401 reviews1,366 followers
January 14, 2019
After the terrible events of the previous volume, it was nice to take stock as Rick and Carl search for shelter.
The scenes between these two are so well handled and tense as Carl is struggling to cope with he’s sick father.

Eventually they are reunited with other survivors, I really liked the slow pace of this volume and with the introduction of new characters it feels like they are ready to go again.
I’m keen to see what awaits them...
Profile Image for Dennis.
660 reviews310 followers
May 14, 2020
This is a rather quiet volume.

The first half is mainly about Rick's recovery, physically as well as mentally, after the events at the prison. Carl is the only one who's with him at that point. And he's uncharacteristically bearable for the most part.

In the second half there are a couple of reunions, and Abraham and Co. also show up. And immediately make some new friends.

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His middle name is sunshine, obviously. Honestly, the guy is pretty cool.

The group then has to decide what to do now that they had to give up the prison. Stay where they are or try to make their way to one of the big cities. Abraham's group comes up with an interesting proposal.

Mostly introspective, with some interesting dialogue in the second half and some pretty cool character moments towards the end.

3.5 stars, rounded up.
Profile Image for Sam Quixote.
4,679 reviews13.2k followers
May 13, 2014
I’ve been tough on Robert Kirkman’s less-than-spectacular “character” work in The Walking Dead so far so it’s a pleasant surprise to see him do so well with a vastly reduced cast in Volume 9 (but still, wow, it took him nine volumes to write some great character scenes!).

In the aftermath of the Governor’s fatal attack on the prison, Rick and his son Carl have escaped with their lives – and little else. Separated from the remaining survivors, they look for shelter, but Rick’s poorly healing gunshot wound causes him to collapse and go into a coma. Now little Carl is forced to look after his fallen father and face the prospect of isolation. And the zombies are knocking on the door…

After the excitement and craziness that the Governor brought to the series, you’d think the book following would be less enthralling but I thought the Rick and Carl scenes, that make up half of this book, were easily the parts of the series I’ve enjoyed the most. The cast has always been massive and ungainly since the start so it’s amazing just how effective the story can be when Kirkman brings it down to just two characters. Story is Kirkman’s strength, not characters, but he finds the right balance in this book.

Also, Rick has been the main character of the series from the start and his family his driving motivation, but, so far, besides scenes with his wife Lori, there’ve been few memorable moments between him and Carl, so spending half of this volume with just these two characters, with a focus on building up Carl as a character, was definitely a good choice by Kirkman.

But he goes even further with how he writes Rick as a man totally changed by his recent losses. It isn’t so much the whole telephone episode (which verged on the unintentionally funny “WE are The Walking Dead” moment from earlier in the series) but his conversation at the farm towards the end – his demeanour and personality has been shaken to its core and you see it in that scene perfectly.

The other criticism I’ve had of this series so far is how static and regressive the cast has been in their goals – they’ve accepted their situation outright without even knowing how things came to this state and chosen to dig in and make do. That’s fine for them but as a reader I want to know how the zombie apocalypse happened and whether there are others out there who’re also curious and looking to somehow fix it, or at least understand it. Finally, in this volume, this idea is picked up and looks to be pursued in the second act of this series.

Volume 9 is the best book so far. Kirkman’s nailing his remaining characters really well at a crucial point in their arcs and, just when you want the attention to shift to a plot, pushes forward with a new driving storyline and some interesting new characters as well. Here We Remain is a well measured, brilliantly paced book and a promising start to the next phase of The Walking Dead saga.
Profile Image for Sarah.
410 reviews142 followers
December 26, 2015
This volume wasn't as good as the other ones. It was too slow for my liking and nothing really happened until the end. I liked when it focused on Carl because he's a very interesting character to read about but otherwise the volume was just not up to the standard of the other volumes. There were a few things that were in the volume though that could play out nicely in comics further down the line. Even though this volume was not as good, I'm still completely hooked and I can't wait to read what happens to the survivors next.
Profile Image for Becky.
1,493 reviews1,876 followers
January 4, 2016
It's been a while since I read Volume 8, so it took me a bit to get back in the swing of things with this series, but after that, it was smooth sailing. For me, not the characters. They definitely are dealing with some shit.

Rick and Carl are on their own and trying to figure out what to do... Rick is sick And Carl is struggling to cope with the possibility of losing his father too.

Rick is having a hard time keeping it together. The mental strain of being the responsible one, the leader, and having it all fall apart is starting to get to him, and he's identifying and understanding Michonne more than ever. His only concern is Carl's safety. Now there's a new decision to be made, and new people to trust, perhaps, and Rick is in this emotional wasteland where he's shut out everything but Carl.

This volume is definitely a bit slower than some of the last few I'd read, but it packs an emotional punch. Looking forward to getting back into this series!
Profile Image for Cathy .
1,819 reviews275 followers
May 3, 2020
Rick and Carl managed to get away. Rick is not doing so well, dealing with his injury...

I don‘t like Carl, the little brat. Does anybody?

Toilet paper is a precious commodity. Sounds familiar. And canned goods.

Picking up the pieces from the catastrophe at the end of the last volume... looking for a safe place, looking for potential survivors... this feels very much like an in-between volume. And eventually, towards the end, we start the journey into a new story arc...

Does Michonne look a little different in this one?

Bottomline, this is a quieter offering. Ok, yes, there is some zombie-slashing and gore spraying. The usual, you know... I actually like the quieter, less frantic setting, the conversations, the introspection... nonetheless, I think I am somewhere around 3.5 stars, rounded up. It was ok, but it lacked the frenetic drive of the previous volumes.
Profile Image for Jeff .
912 reviews773 followers
September 9, 2013
This is Robert Kirkman’s best writing so far. He explores how the accumulated trauma and stress are starting to wear away the sanity of the characters. The rendering of the Carl/Rick relationship is incredibly well done.
Profile Image for Gabby.
1,553 reviews28.9k followers
December 3, 2015
This one picks up right where the last one ended. The prison has been overrun and they all had to leave, and they were all separated. I was fangirling over how similar this volume was to the show. It was probably the most accurate out of all the volumes I've read so far. Especially seeing Rick and Carl off on their own, Rick passing out for a couple of days because he's sick, and Carl blaming Rick for everything that happened. Then Carl thinking Rick turned into a zombie, it was so amazing! It was JUST like the show it made me so happy. We also finally get introduced to Abraham, Rosita, and Eugene which is also exciting! The way they meet in the comics is slightly different than how they meet in the show. I really like Abraham's character, he cracks me up.

SPOILERS BELOW
I thought it was a little too easy for the entire group to be reunited as easily as they were after all the shit at the prison. I feel lie that's why in the tv show they spent nearly half a season of showing the characters try to find their way back to each other. It seems unrealistic that they would all just run into each other on the street, but then again Hershel's farm is still intact and that's where they all ended up going and meeting again. I think it's funny how they met Abraham and all them just because they pulled up onto Hershel's farm looking for supplies.

My favorite part of this volume was the last scene with Rick and Carl, when Rick gave him the incredibly famous speech saying: "You are not safe. No matter how man people are around you, or how clear the area looks. It only takes a second and it's over." It's so iconic and amazing because it's almost word for word exactly how it is in the show and I love when that happens!
Profile Image for Ayman Gomaa.
488 reviews718 followers
March 25, 2016
good volume , yea not many things happened and it was kind slow but after all the killing that happened in the last volume i guess we need a break and less violence and no more dead chracters plz :D .
well first of all Rick starting to lose his mind :D :D and i can't blame her after the massacre from the last volume , but ya this volume focused a lot about his feelings and his thoughts about his loss and feeling guilty about it , finally abraham , rosita and eugene showed and their mission start xD
Profile Image for Michael Finocchiaro.
Author 3 books5,972 followers
December 25, 2023
In the aftermath of the escape from the prison, Rick and Carl have to fend for themselves. Rick starts to lose it a bit. As always, excellent character development and gripping action with gory graphics. A great WD episode dealing with the separation of the group and a reunion near the end. We meet some critical new characters as well: Abraham, Eugene, and Rosita.
Profile Image for Justine.
1,276 reviews349 followers
June 20, 2020
In the aftermath of the prison fight, Rick and Carl hole up for awhile and Rick just loses it. Hopefully he gets himself back together soon.

The remnants of the group reform, adding Abraham, Rosita, and the inimitable Eugene. It's back on the road again and on to the next misadventure.

I appreciated Rick telling Carl not to be fooled by how many adults are around, that he's NEVER safe. It's about time the adults realised that in this world, kids aren't made safe by keeping them insulated. Just the opposite.
Profile Image for Darren Hagan-Loveridge.
272 reviews40 followers
January 2, 2016
*4.5 stars*
**SPOILERS**

This one isn't so action packed as the last one but they did just get royally f*cked at the prison so I'm not too bothered about that. However it does have some good character development. Carl is forced to grow up and take care of himself when Rick falls ill, and Rick blames himself for everything that has happened and all the losses from Volume 8. He refuses to be the decision maker anymore so other members have to figure out where to go next.

I actually liked this one, even though it is a bit slower.
Profile Image for Anna.
606 reviews115 followers
January 17, 2016
amazing, brilliant, terrific. The battle for life against zombies keeps going in the aftermath of last chapter's losses and destruction of the safe place
Profile Image for Nicholas Karpuk.
Author 4 books71 followers
July 3, 2012
I stopped reading The Walking Dead for a while after Volume 8. It's not that it became a bad read, Kirkman has an oddly consistent track record, it's just that the level of misery became so great that I felt I needed to take a break from the series.

This collection was the wind down and reset that the series needed. There's no major revelation, just characters coping with the most tremendous loss they've suffered. It's far more compelling than it would seem as a summary.

There's a bit involving Rick's conversations on a home phone that border on heartbreaking.

Part of what's got me back into comics is the purchase of a tablet with access to the Comics app by Comixpedia.

Comics take up a stupid amount of space and weigh a ridiculous amount, which I've dealt with as a renter who moves every couple of years. Combine that with the irritation of finding the graphic novel you want with the anemic selection both at comic shops and book stores, and it gets tiring just trying unless you're only into manga (in which case you seem to be reading entire books while sitting in the aisle at a Barnes and Noble).

So I picked up on a couple series where I'd left off about a year ago with digital issues, and Walking Dead seemed like the perfect place to start. Should be a lot easier to deal with the misery when I don't have to struggle to purchase it.
964 reviews252 followers
December 17, 2012
After the disgusting brutal violence handed to us by the Governor, I considered finishing my relationship with the Walking Dead for good. Gratuitous violence is not something I a a fan of, although I'm aware that a graphic novel series about zombies is of course going to be full of said violence. The Governor took it too far. But now he's gone, and everyone's moving on with diminished numbers and increased neuroses.

Introduction of new characters means a slightly new dynamic again, and I think I'm being drawn back in to the plot. Maybe my love affair with this series isn't over yet!
Profile Image for Sesana.
5,782 reviews335 followers
July 12, 2012
Checking in at around the midpoint of the trades published so far. Damn you, Robert Kirkman. The last couple volumes have been so wrenching that I almost wish Kirkman had suddenly turned into a bad writer. That would allow me to get away from the horribly depressing world he's created and let go of the characters he seems to so delight in torturing. So curse you, Robert Kirkman, for keeping The Walking Dead absorbing and compulsively readable. You monster.
Profile Image for Lesincele.
1,048 reviews114 followers
February 7, 2017
Este volumen es más de transición y por ello se lee muy rápidamente. Pero nos ayuda a comprender aún más a los personajes y a su proceso de duelo cuando ven como van perdiendo a sus seres queridos sin poder hacer nada por remediarlo. Con ganas de saber qué ocurrirá en el siguiente volumen ahora que han aparecido nuevos personajes.
Profile Image for Drew The Reviewer.
99 reviews88 followers
October 10, 2015
This volume is really focused on character development and the characters recovering from the war they just had with The Governor. Even though there is hardly any action in this, I loved seeing the character's personality grow.
Profile Image for Nicole Alycia.
665 reviews42 followers
January 3, 2017
Definitely one of the slower comics but Abraham, Rosita, and Eugene were introduced so things should get interesting soon.
Profile Image for Alexandra.
305 reviews52 followers
August 6, 2022
I'm addicted to these comics, they're entertaining and I like comparing them to the tv series! Apart from romance mangas and webtoons, I had never showed an interest in any other graphic novels or mangas. During my work break, I was reading a certain scene that also happens in the series, and my colleague asked what I was reading. Lmao I kinda rambled on about this comic series and a certain scene with Rick.

If anyone has any good recs for similar comics/graphic novels, I would appreciate it!
Profile Image for Ashley.
3,185 reviews2,194 followers
July 28, 2013
I'm glad I took time off from reading this series. That last volume was brutal.

Vol. 9 of The Walking Dead handles the events of Vol. 8 the only way it could (and still keep readers from wanting to kill themselves from sadness). The first half is relatively quiet, with Carl and Rick moving slowly down the road, ambling to nowhere basically, and dealing with their grief over the loss of Lori and baby Judy, as well as their other friends.

I can't help but feel like there's no way any of this could ever get better, that the series will inevitably end with literally everyone dying, but until that last shred of hope is extinguished (and Kirkman won't do this if he has even one working brain cell in his head), I guess I'll keep reading.
Profile Image for Alondra Miller.
1,044 reviews54 followers
April 3, 2015
3.5 Stars

Aftermath from the prison. Lives are lost, friends are found and we move on. Our group is on their way to Washington DC; with barely any hope, but a lot of survival instinct.

I am not sure how many more I can read without getting ahead. Decisions, decisions.

Displaying 1 - 30 of 773 reviews

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