Rick Grimes 2000 is an alternate universe comic series, serving as a sequel to the non-canon ending of the Issue 75 of the Walking Dead Comics. Each chapter was included an at the beginning of each issue of Skybound X. The series began on July 7, 2021 and concluded on August 4, 2021. It was created and written by Robert Kirkman reuniting with his Invincible partner, artist Ryan Ottley. A hardcover version, containing all chapters was released on June 1, 2022.
Development[]
On April 13, 2021, with the announcement of Skybound X, it was also announced Rick Grimes would return in Rick Grimes 2000, a story originally introduced in the back of The Walking Dead Issue 75.
Plot[]
Rick is surprised to see Lori alive, however before they can rekindle, The Governor interrupts to convince Rick to join the aliens. Rick uses his mechanical hand to reach for an energy sword and fights the Governor. Rick cuts off the Governor's mechanical claw, but before he can execute him, he's held at cannon point by Lori. She tells him the aliens have the ability to bring back the dead to either zombies or like her, so they can live forever. Rick asks her if it's worth living forever if it means being slaves or being on the same side as The Governor. The Governor tells him to reconsider, but before he can explain why, the alien speaks. Rick asks why they are so afraid. The alien then changes into a vicious monster form. The alien begins to attack, Lori interferes and blasts the alien, however it has no effect and the alien then proceeds to tear Lori to shreds and devours her alive before Rick's eyes. Rick, full of anger, tries to attack the alien, but the alien cuts him in half at the waist. Rick, desperate, asks the Governor for help, who responds by telling him to go fuck himself. With all the commotion, zombies begin the make their way towards the alien. The alien cuts them to pieces before he is suddenly shot from behind and destroyed. The shooter is none other than Andrea who tells rick "we don't die". Andrea gives Rick nanites to heal his wounds, The Governor begs for his life and attempts to offer his help, only for Andrea to blast his head off. Andrea picks up Michonne's severed head saying they can't leave her. Andrea explains she and the Freedom Fighters have stolen all kinds of weapons and technology from the aliens, she also explains people can be brought back to life if there's still any neurons firing in the brain. Andrea brings Rick to the secret base, The Sanctuary, where Rick reunites with Carl. Andrea gives Michonne's head to Eugene.
As time goes by, Rick reunites with old friends, meets new people, and forms a relationship with Andrea. As Rick talks with Andrea about feeling hope, Negan and attacks the freedom fighters. Negan then combines his twin bats Lu and Cille together to make "Lucille". Abraham is decapitated by Lucille as Eugene tends to Maggie's wounded arm. Rick then fights Negan as zombies begin to approach. The Freedom Fighters do their best to fend off and escape the zombies. As Negan gets the upper hand on Rick, Michonne emerges as a giant cyborg. While the newly resurrected Michonne battles Negan, Eugene notes how Negan can control the zombies using Lucille and it might be the key to tapping into the aliens' signal. The Freedom Fighters, including Maggie with a new mechanical arm, continue to fight against the zombies and try to come up with a plan to get Negan's bat, but they are then attacked by Alpha and Beta. Alpha and Beta tells them the aliens no longer want the Freedom Fighters to join and instead just want them dead. Alpha and Beta then kiss and the zombies gather around them to form one colossal zombie. The giant zombie grabs Michonne, Andrea, and Carl, Negan tells them how stupid they are for trying to fight it. While Eugene informs Maggie about Negan's bat being able to control the zombies, Michonne cuts herself, Andrea, and Carl free. Rick surfs up to the giant zombie. As he's swatted away, he grabs onto the zombie and cuts his way inside to find Alpha and Beta, who he proceeds to simultaneously stab through the head. Their deaths cause the giant zombie to collapse, shocking Negan long enough for Maggie to come behind him and kill him in one punch. Eugene then grabs Lucille, giving him control of the zombies and Rick leads the rest of the freedom fighters to battle. The Freedom Fighters charge into battle with the aliens, despite being nearly overwhelmed, Eugene managed to take control of the alien's technology and Rick's leadership leads them to victory. With both the zombies and the aliens gone, the world begins to rebuild itself, thanks to Rick Grimes.
The narrator is revealed to be a grown up Carl recounting the events to a journalist, as he watches his daughter play. He mentions that he still sees his father often, but he wanted to live in peace and quiet, while his dad used the left over alien technology to found "Strike Squad" to train for any future alien attacks. Rick meets Andrea on his way to the ship and tells her when the aliens return, they'll be ready.
Credits[]
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Deaths[]
- Douglas Monroe (Flashback)
- Glenn Rhee (Flashback)
- Michonne Hawthorne (Flashback/Resurrected)
- Lori Grimes
- Alien
- Brian Blake
- Abraham Ford
- Alpha
- Beta
- Negan
Trivia[]
- This story continued the story started in bonus ending of Issue 75.
- Chapter 1 includes a story starring Clementine from the Telltale Series.
- Clementine appearing in the comic was hinted in the Letterhack of Negan Lives, where it said "PS Clementine Lives", where in Issue 193 the Letterhack said "PS Negan Lives" and we got a Negan short story.
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