Issue 9

Issue 9
Release Date	June 15, 2004
Est. Sales	11,286
Creator, Writer	Robert Kirkman
Penciler, Inker	Charlie Adlard Cliff Rathburn
Volume	Volume 2: Miles Behind Us
Part	3 of 6
Preceded By	Issue 8
Succeeded By	Issue 10

Issue 9 is the ninth issue of Image Comics' The Walking Dead and the third part of Volume 2: Miles Behind Us. It was originally published on June 15, 2004.

Plot Synopsis

Rick wakes up in the new place the group has found, Wiltshire Estates. Rick calls for Lori, and she tells him to be quiet so Carl won't wake up. Lori tells Rick she's been up a while. Rick says that the deaths of Jim, Amy, and Shane must be hard on Carl. Lori exclaims she is sad that her baby will not know anything about the world they used to know, and Carl won't get a driver license or take a girl to a movie. Lori asks Rick if they'll ever be able to fix everything, but, Rick doesn't know. Meanwhile, Carol and Tyreese get closer.

Donna is thinking about Dale and Andrea. She thinks they both have something in common, that they both lost someone important. It gives Donna hope when she sees them together. Lastly, she says they are really lucky and thinks she could be happy in their new home. Allen asks if she wants to have sex, and Billy and Ben look over at them and Billy asks, "What's a 'segs'?". Donna thinks that answered his question.

In the morning, Rick tells everyone to search the houses, and clear any possible zombies and search for food and supplies. They could also find more people hiding in the houses. Julie and Chris are staying in another house, and Rick thinks Andrea could stay with the children. Rick gathers up the teams and goes to get Tyreese a gun from the RV.

Rick goes to get Tyreese a gun from the RV, and Allen hopes the houses are empty. Tyreese goes with Carol to see the yard of the house. Donna wants to take a peek inside the house. Allen tells her to be careful, but she tells him he worries too much while, unbeknownst to her, a roamer approaches from the house. Suddenly, Rick discovers a fallen sign at the entrance, which reads "ALL DEAD DO NOT ENTER". He starts to run back into Wiltshire.

Meanwhile, Donna gets bitten near her eye by a roamer. Everyone returns and Rick tells everyone not to use their guns. Allen tells the roamers to go away, but, Tyreese captures him and tells him there's nothing he can do. Allen starts to yell, and shoots with his pistol. The shots get the zombies attention, as Donna is devoured.

Rick tells everyone to leave, and goes to get Allen. Rick tells him to leave the place, but, Allen wants to stay. Rick tells him to think about his children, and if they don't leave now, they're both dead. Allen comes into his sense and is ready to leave. Tyreese goes to get Dale and the others, and tells them to get their children. Tyreese runs upstairs to get Julie and Chris, and catches them trying to have sex.

Rick takes Allen into the RV, and tells Lori that Donna is dead. Rick goes after Tyreese, and is able to get to the house. Tyreese tells Chris and Julie to get their clothes on. Rick gets to the house and tells him they can't get out downstairs. Tyreese yells they have to go through the window. They discover the ground floor is full of zombies, and Dale drives his RV through the zombie horde. Rick and the rest jump onto the RV's roof. The twins ask about the location of their mother. Allen starts to cry and tells them she's dead. The party stops for gas and Rick says he doesn't know what to say. Allen says he doesn't have to say anything.

Rick is worried about Allen, and Dale says they can't bring Donna back, and tells him to let Allen mourn. Dale knows how losing a wife feels like. Lori says they're almost out of everything. Carol wishes they could have picked up some food from Wiltshire. Rick, Glenn, and Tyreese are checking a food shop, but, they find nothing. Rick thinks they have to start hunting.

Rick tells the others that they have to get back before dark, even if they don't find food. If they hear a shot, Tyreese, Rick, and Carl will come back as fast as they can. Carl wants to come too, and Rick tells him not to shoot unless he says so. Rick tells Lori she should keep an eye on Allen, he's worried he will hurt himself, or worse.

Tyreese asks what Rick thinks about Allen and Rick tells him what Allen was doing in Wiltshire, and doesn't know what's going through his mind. Rick doesn't know what to think after what happened to Shane. Tyreese tells him he heard the story from Carol. Rick overhears a voice and thinks somebody is after them, and just then, a bullet goes through Carl.

Carl falls down much to Rick's shock and horror. Tyreese asks who's shooting at them. A man, named Otis, appears and tells them it was an accident. Rick believes that Carl is dead and becomes erratically aggressive towards Otis, as he apologizes to him. Rick points his gun into his cheek and screams that he's going to kill him.

Credits

• Rick Grimes
• Lori Grimes
• Carl Grimes
• Glenn
• Andrea
• Allen
• Ben
• Billy
• Sophia
• Dale
• Carol
• Donna
• Tyreese
• Julie
• Chris
• Otis

Deaths

• Donna

Trivia

• First appearance of Otis.
• Last appearance of Donna.
• Donna is the last character to die in a one-digit issue of The Walking Dead.

Goofs/Errors

• When the group escapes the community, the sign on the gate is misspelled. It reads "Wilshire" instead of "Wiltshire".