One of the problems with comic books such as the X-Men, Batman and other comic series is that that death is seldom permanent. Even if a comic book writer decides to dispose of one of more characters, there's a pretty good chance another writer will resurrect them later. Unless, that is, you're talking about 'The Walking Dead' - the long running zombie series from Robert Kirkman, also responsible for 'Marvel Zombies' and 'Invincible'. While the Walking Dead does take place in a world where the dead walk, any characters who are killed off do not return, and are dead and buried. Which makes the latest Walking Dead story arc, 'Made To Suffer', a real shocker.

The Walking Dead revolves around the lives of a group of roughly twenty survivors who, after much time spent on the road, are living in an abandoned prison, safe from the living dead milling around outside. The problem is that the leader of another settlement, Woodborough, has discovered the existence of the prison, and intends to take control of it. He's a bit of a nutter, although this isn't entirely an 'us versus them' scenario. Because while he's a vicious sod, the inhabitants of Woodborough aren't - they trust him so implicitly that the believe his stories about the inhabitants of the prison themselves being savages.

Unsurprisingly, there's a bit of a set to, with the prison survivors having to deal with the invaders from Woodborough. And you know what? It doesn't end well. I'm not going to spoil things by telling you exactly what happens, or who lives and who dies. But the real shocker is just how many regular characters, characters who the author has spent a good forty or so issues developing, end up meeting their maker. Absolutely none of the characters are safe. And given that the series is really about the characters themselves, not the zombies, this is one hell of a bold move on Kirkman's part.

If you've not read The Walking Dead, then it's a good idea to start from the beginning. But if you really don't have the patience, then 'Made To Suffer', soon to be available as a collected paperback, is well worth checking out. Just be prepared for one hell of a shock.