Issue 143

Issue 143 is the one-hundred and forty-third issue of Image Comics' The Walking Dead and the fifth part of Volume 24: Life and Death. It was published on June 24, 2015.

Plot
Earl Sutton continues speaking with Alpha at the fair. As she walks off, Ezekiel approaches Earl and mentions that Alpha seems strange. Pete joins the conversation, telling him that they should speak about Michonne. Pete points out that it is obvious that Michonne still likes him and that Ezekiel should come talk to her and hopefully snap her out of whatever made her distant. Ezekiel runs off overjoyed and promises to never give up on Michonne.

Elsewhere, Rick, Dante, Michonne, and Andrea are on horseback riding through an extremely overgrown suburban area. Rick apologizes to Dante about being harsh with him about Carl. Dante accepts Rick's apology and explains how the Whisperers took him even farther out than the area where he was captured and that he is fearful of them. Rick mentions that he has to hold out on Carl being alive. Dante reassures Rick and Andrea mentions that Carl is a badass.

A Whisperer then walks out saying "your son is quite handful," prompting Rick to pull his gun out. Rick threatens the Whisperer, ordering him take the group to Carl. The whisperer then tells Rick that he should be mindful of who is listening to his threats. Just then, a group of Whisperers emerge from behind wreckage. The group is surrounded as the whisperer tells Rick that he take him only to Carl and that everyone else must stay put under guard.

Back at the fair, Jesus and Maggie are discussing how they are going to go about telling Rick that they have killed Gregory. Maggie tells Jesus that is was not a good time to tell Rick after she had just mentioned the issue with Carl. She also states that she is the Hilltop leader and that it is not Rick's business to know what she does. Maggie mentions that she does not even want to think about Carl and what had happened to him. Jesus reassures her that Carl is okay by saying he has probably only grown stronger, to which Maggie agrees.

Back at the Whisperer camp, Carl is being held back by Lydia as he demands to know where Alpha has been all day. A Whisperer tells Carl that he shouldn't care what others are doing. Another Whisperer approaches and calls out that he "caught one" on the road. Carl sees Rick and is surprised, but apologizes for scaring him. Rick is surprised Carl does not have his glasses on.

At the fair, Eugene and Rosita are shopping for maternity clothing. Rosita mentions that after she has the baby she is going to need all the incentive possible to get back into shape. Eugene replies that he does not care what she looks like and will accept her in whatever shape is comfortable for her. Rosita begins to cry and says that she is terrible. The two hug and apologize as Eugene says that Rosita is only human. As Rosita leaves crying, Eugene buys a broken CB radio from a seller for a beer.

Back at Whisperer camp, Rick and Carl are talking while Lydia sits nearby listening. Rick wants Carl to come with him but seeming as Lydia won't leave, neither will Carl. Rick stresses about the dangers of this group as Carl responds by saying that he never asked his dad to come. Rick puts his hand on Carl's shoulder and tells him that he is getting him out of here.

Carl pushes his father's hand away as Rick looks shocked. Carl tells Rick that ever since his eye was taken and he was disfigured, no one would look at him without flinching, even him and Andrea. He then goes on to say that the only person who accepts him for it is Lydia and says she looks at him like he is normal. He then tells Rick that Lydia is special to him and that they care about each other. He states that he has finally found something good in this world and that he wants to hold on to it. Rick, looking defeated, sighs and says that he understands.

Alpha then approaches and says that she isn't impressed upon seeing Rick after all of the things she had heard about him. Rick tells him that he does not appreciate being held captive and that he would like to leave with Carl. Alpha says that she wishes he was never held captive. Alpha is holding a blood-stained machete.

Alpha says that she encountered some trouble on the road home and that is was unavoidable. Rick asks her what she has done and if she has hurt Andrea or Michonne before being punched by a Whisperer. Rick says that he will remember this as he wipes blood from his mouth. Alpha tells one of her people to go clean the machete and then tells Rick that he is in no position to threaten her and needs to be broken of the habit of threats. She tells Rick that the two of them will be going for a walk as Rick shouts that he will not leave Carl. Alpha threatens to kill Carl if Rick does not comply, forcing him to cooperate.

Alpha holds Rick at gun-point as they walk. The duo pass an overgrown gas station and a freeway. Rick asks her that if she planned on killing him that she could have saved them both a lot of time. Alpha states that although she is willing to kill Rick, she has no desire to. Alpha tells Rick to stop talking and to keep his voice down. Rick then asks Alpha where she is taking him as Alpha points to a building ahead of them.

Rick and Alpha approach a four-story building with a small water tower on top. Alpha tells Rick that the building is clear and the two go all the way to the roof of the building. Alpha tells Rick to go to the edge and look. She tells Rick that she wants him to see that she will destroy everything he has built in this world, everyone he has loved in this world, and that this is not an empty threat. Rick then looks over the edge with Alpha to see a massive herd below.

Credits

 * Rick Grimes
 * Carl Grimes
 * Andrea
 * Maggie Greene
 * Michonne
 * Rosita Espinosa
 * Eugene Porter
 * Paul Monroe
 * Earl Sutton
 * Ezekiel
 * Dante
 * Alpha
 * Pete
 * Lydia
 * Alexandria Safe-Zone Residents
 * Hilltop Colony Residents
 * The Kingdom Residents
 * The Saviors
 * The Whisperers

Deaths

 * None

Trivia

 * In Letter Hacks, editor Sean Mackiewicz suggested that the "horde" seen at the end of this issue might be the largest ever encountered by the survivors.