Issue 47 is the forty-seventh issue of Image Comics' The Walking Dead and the fifth part of Volume 8: Made To Suffer. It was originally published on March 12, 2008. The deluxe colored version was released on September 21, 2022.
Plot Synopsis[]
Michonne has surprised the Woodbury survivors and is threatening to shoot the Governor. Gabe tells her that she's surrounded, but Michonne simply insults him. Angered, Gabe attempts to shoot Michonne, but the bullet is deflected by her riot suit. This, however, causes her to miss her shot when she tries to kill the Governor, only scratching his cheek. As he throws up, Michonne grabs her katana, kills Raymond, and starts to fire at the Woodbury army. Gabe dives on top of the Governor in an effort to protect him, but the latter angrily tells him to go after Michonne instead. By the time he and the soldiers get up, however, Michonne is already gone. Livid, the Governor sarcastically asks Gabe if it was like this the last time he "blew her fucking brains out".
At the prison, Rick informs Lori that Tyreese is dead. Bursting into tears, Lori furiously starts attacking Rick for just watching it happen, but he explains that there was nothing he could do to save him. Judith starts to cry so Lori leaves to feed her. At the cafeteria, Carl asks Axel what's happened, but he mournfully tells him to ask his father. Once Rick enters, he asks Carl if he'd ever taken his gun out of his holster, which Carl denies and Rick commends him. He then informs Carl of Tyreese's fate, and asks him if he feels sad, but Carl denies this, and states that, while he will miss Tyreese, he knew that he would eventually die, as will everyone. Taken aback by his answer, Rick hands the backpack to Carl, who comments that it's heavy. Rick informs him that the bag is full of canned goods and assures his son that he won't have to wear it and run, and he simply wants him to keep tabs on it and make sure it's ready in case of an emergency. Rick tells Carl that he knows he can count on him, before instructing him to stay with his mother while he checks on everyone.
Outside, Rick inspect their defenses. Hershel thinks that their small numbers could benefit them, as the Woodbury Army is quite disorganized. Their conversation is interrupted by Billy, who yells that the Woodbury soldiers are coming back. Axel and Patricia are worried, but, Rick reassures them that they're going to be fine. When the cars stop and the Woodburians gun down the nearby walkers, the Governor tells them he wants the assault to be quick and clean. Gabe is skeptical and wonders what's going to be different this time, but the Governor brushes his concerns off. As the Woodbury soldiers start firing and the group takes cover behind the cars, Axel is shot in the head and falls down. Patricia cries and holds his body, as Rick tells them to shoot the Woodburians from under the cars. At the tower, Billy throws one of the grenades and blows up one of the Woodbury cars. He then opens fire on the Woodbury soldiers, and the Governor pulls Gabe behind a shelter. Rick yells that Billy should use all grenades, but Hershel tells him not to waste his time, as Billy can't hear him. Meanwhile, Gabe urges the Governor to retreat and regroup, but the latter doesn't want to give up. Suddenly, Gabe is shot in the head by Andrea, who returned to help battle Woodbury.
As Andrea is sniping from the top of the RV, the Governor orders Wes to drive a car into it. Rick is happy about the other group returning, but Patricia somberly says that they were too late. Wes drives a car towards Andrea and, despite being shot by her, successfully rams it into the RV, which throw Andrea off and causes her to cough up blood. Meanwhile, the Woodbury soldiers are getting demoralized due to their mounting casualties. The Governor loses his patience and gets into the tank, and forces Jared to drive over the fences, while the rest of the Woodbury Army follows. Rick, Hershel, and Patricia are trying to get out of the way, and go to get their families. Hershel tells Rick to hurry and yells Billy's name.
Rick runs to his room, and suddenly discovers that somebody is pointing a gun to Lori's head.
Credits[]
- Rick Grimes
- Lori Grimes
- Carl Grimes
- Andrea
- Hershel Greene
- Billy Greene
- Patricia
- Axel
- Michonne Hawthorne
- Wes Strunk
- Brian Blake
- Gabriel Harris
- Alice Warren
- Raymond Hilliard
- Rudy Warburton
- Judith Grimes
- Gloria Pyne
- Lilly Caul
- Johnny Pruitt
- Tom Blanchford
- Jared
- Hap Abernathy
- Red
- Daniel
- Smitty
Deaths[]
- Raymond Hilliard
- Axel
- Charlie Banes
- Rudy Warburton
- Daniel
- Teddy Grainger
- Bart
- Don Horgan
- Gabriel Harris
- Albert
- Johnny Pruitt
- Wes Strunk (Alive)
- Several unnamed Woodbury soldiers
Trivia[]
- Last appearance of Axel.
- Last appearance of Gabriel Harris.
- Last appearance of Raymond Hilliard.
- Last appearance of Rudy Warburton.
- Last appearance of Johnny Pruitt.
- Last appearance of Jared.
- Last appearance of Daniel.
- Last appearance of Wes Strunk. (Alive)
- This issue marks Michonne Hawthorne and Billy Greene's 25th appearance.
- Axel is second character, Robert Kirkman misses and regrets killing.
- This issue's cover has a strong resemblance to the cover of Issue 169.
Cutting Room Floor[]
- Axel's head was originally going to explode when he was shot.
- Patricia, Billy, Hershel, and Lori were all supposed to die in this issue, but their deaths were pushed back to the next issue.
- Additionally, Patricia was supposed to be killed while shooting from underneath the car barricade.
External Links[]
- The Walking Dead #47 Review More of the same insane carnage, IGN, Dan Phillips (March 12, 2008).