Issue 71

Issue 71 is part 5 of Volume 12: Life Among Them.

Plot Synopsis
The issue begins with Douglas apologizing to Heath for his outburst after Heath mentioned Davidson at the end of Issue 70. Regina remains suspicious of Rick and the rest of his group.

Outside, a confrontation has erupted between Carl and another boy named Mikey over Carl's gun. After Carl refused to let Mikey see his gun, Mikey pushed Carl. Rick arrives just after Carl knocks down Mikey in retaliation. Rick understands Carl's actions, but tells him to restrain himself with the other kids. Carl apologizes, but Mikey rejects his apology and runs to tell his father, Nicholas.

Afterwards, Douglas checks in on Rick and compliments him on settling in so quickly. Douglas readies the group for a tour of the community, but tells them they must sequester their weapons in the armory while in the community.

Nicholas arrives with Mikey and is immediately hostile and confrontational towards Rick. Nicholas is further incensed when he finds out Rick is Carl's father and that Carl has a gun. However, Rick remains calm and successfully placates Nicholas with diplomacy.

Douglas shows the group the armory and clarifies that even though their weapons will be stored and locked, the weapons will still be their individual property. Michonne wants to keep her katana out of sentiment, to which Douglas initially refuses, but Olivia persuades him so that Michonne is allowed to keep it as a memento inside her house.

At the infirmary, Heath visits a bedridden Scott, who asks about the new group, to which he is slightly wary. Dr. Denise Cloyd arrives to check in on both of them. Meanwhile, Douglas ends the tour by showing the group three houses for them to share. Rick divides the group primarily according to families and couples. Rick reluctantly places Eugene with Abraham, but Abraham does not object as he no longer holds a grudge against him. Abraham voices concern that the multiple houses may be a ploy to divide the group, and they agree that everyone will covertly sleep in one house during the first few days. The secrecy behind this plan is short-lived, as Douglas immediately perceives their actions while visiting Rick's house at night while inviting the group for Halloween the next day.

The next day, the community's children happily trick-or-treat throughout the neighborhood as Douglas explains that Halloween is a daytime event to reduce the scariness and admits that they're not entirely sure it's October 31. Carl initially reluctantly participates but quickly loses interests as he doesn't want to let his guard down and adjust to the relaxed state of the community. After Rick takes him home, Douglas assigns the group to occupations to which Rick mostly agrees, with the exception of Andrea, whom Rick suggests as the community's lookout.

Later that night, the group settles in a house, in which most of them are shown in blissful disbelief about their new situation. Andrea talks with Rick about her unease with the complacent air and fragile defenses of the community, to which Rick speculates that if they wanted to, the group could easily take over.

Credits

 * Rick Grimes
 * Carl Grimes
 * Morgan Jones
 * Michonne
 * Andrea
 * Glenn
 * Maggie Greene
 * Sophia
 * Sgt. Abraham Ford
 * Rosita Espinosa
 * Dr. Eugene Porter
 * Fr. Gabriel Stokes
 * Heath
 * Scott
 * Dr. Denise Cloyd
 * Douglas Monroe
 * Regina Monroe
 * Nicholas
 * Mikey
 * Olivia
 * Alexandria Safe-Zone citizens.

Deaths

 * None

Trivia

 * First Appearance of Nicholas


 * First Appearance of Mikey.


 * First Appearance of Dr. Denise Cloyd.