Issue 70

Issue 70 is the seventieth issue of The Walking Dead and part four of Volume 12: Life Among Them.

Plot Synopsis
The survivors have been taken into a walled-in, zombie-free community. Aaron, a recruiter for the walled-off community, informs Rick that their leader, Douglas Monroe, will interview each member of Rick's group in turn. Aaron then goes to tell the populace that they've discovered new arrivals. Rick passes on to Abraham that they're all going to be interviewed and he thinks it's strange. Abraham says everything is going to be different from now on. Rick then notices a group of children playing, but he particularly notices a child with a black eye.

Aaron attempts to cheer Rick up by telling him Carl will make new friends here. Rick agrees and is surprised to see the children so happy, since that is something he has not seen in quite some time. Aaron explains that they're trying to live the life they had before and tells him that Douglas is ready to see him. Aaron shows him Douglas' house, and Rick proceeds into it.

Douglas welcomes Rick into his home, introduces himself, and the two sit down for a chat. Douglas informs Rick of a very morbid story about a father that was on some sort of hallucinogen and proceeded to eat his own son's eyeballs. Douglas explains that the reason he told that horrific story was because he wanted to remind Rick that there was evil in the world, even before the dead started walking. Rick learns a little about the origins of the town and Douglas himself. There was some sort of power struggle and some fairly heinous activities which were stopped. Lastly, Douglas welcomes Rick and his group to the Safe-Zone.

Outside, Rick recommends Andrea to go in and see Douglas. She enters the house, and Aaron informs Rick that the members of his group are all taking showers. Suddenly, Rick realizes he can't see Carl anywhere. Aaron calms him down, and tells him Carl is playing with the other children along with Sophia. Rick calms down, and changes the topic to the showers. Andrea introduces herself to Douglas. Douglas asks what her job was before the apocalypse, and she says she was a file clerk at a lawyer's office. She mentions she is good with a gun. Douglas asks if she is single, as it supposedly helps them to plan the housing.

While Rick's shaving his grizzly facial hair, a woman named Olivia knocks on his door. She brings some clothes to him and informs him that she can cut his hair if he would like her to. While having a haircut, Rick asks how this is all possible, and Olivia tells him a man named Alexander Davidson started to build the fence. Also, the area is run by an isolated solar power grid. Rick thinks that it is amazing, but Olivia says it doesn't work like it was supposed to. Rick still thinks this is great, compared to where they just came from.

Abraham and Maggie praise Rick's haircut. Rosita is inside talking to Douglas and Michonne tells Rick they're about to go on some kind of tour around the Zone. Rick goes to see Carl, who tells him that everything is great. Rick asks the blacked-eyed boy, named Ron, what happened to his face. He says a ball hit him in the face, and Rick says it makes him look tough. Rick leaves and tells Carl to have fun. Suddenly, an older woman runs towards Rick, apologizing. Rick asks who she is, and Aaron tells him that she is Douglas' wife, Regina Monroe.

Regina rushes into her house, where Douglas and Heath are in the middle of a conversation. She's mad about the new arrivals, and wants Douglas to tell her immediately what he knows about them. He tells her they're good people, and they have nothing to worry about and that they need them all, Rick especially. Heath says he might turn out to be another Davidson, which enrages Douglas. Douglas grabs Heath and tells him he never wants to hear that man's name ever again, after what he made them do.

Credits

 * Rick Grimes
 * Carl Grimes
 * Morgan Jones
 * Michonne
 * Andrea
 * Glenn
 * Maggie Greene
 * Sophia
 * Sgt. Abraham Ford
 * Rosita Espinosa
 * Dr. Eugene Porter
 * Fr .Gabriel Stokes
 * Aaron
 * Eric
 * Heath
 * Douglas Monroe
 * Regina Monroe
 * Ron Anderson
 * Olivia
 * Tobin
 * Bruce
 * Alexandria Safe-Zone citizens

Deaths

 * None

Trivia

 * First appearance of Douglas Monroe.
 * First appearance of Regina Monroe.
 * First appearance of Ron Anderson.
 * First appearance of Olivia.
 * First appearance of Unnamed Alexandria Boy.
 * According to Rick, meeting Douglas Monroe occurs 14 months after the apocalypse began.
 * The story Douglas tells Rick is a refrence to a Bakersfield Californiaarticle.

Previews

 * "Not a single zombie appears to harass Rick and his friends. But as a testament to Robert Kirkman's skill at building tension, that doesn't mean readers will cease to fear for their safety. Far from it."