Even after more than 20 trade paperbacks, I still get stupid excited every time a new Walking Dead trade comes out. Kirkman still finds a way to keep the story of Rick and the survivors interesting. After 130+ issues, that's no easy feat, and yet he keeps the reader hooked. The thing about zombie apocalypse stories is that, much like in real life, it's easier to destroy than to create. The earlier story arcs of Walking Dead paint a portrait of a ruined civilization. Now, in the wake of a war and on the ashes of modern society, Rick and his people have an opportunity to create. Kirkman blazes new territory here, reforming civilization from scratch. It takes a lot of imagination and knowledge, yet he pulls it off. But make no mistake: just because life is become more stable, it doesn't mean the tension of the series has been deflated. On the contrary, it's all the more rich. The dangers are more subtle, and the characters have so much more to lose.