After 16 years, Robert Kirkman’s zombie horror series The Walking Dead ended this week. Kirkman hinted on social media that issue number 193 would be a big one, and that certainly turned out to be the case.

Kirkman penned a farewell message at the end of this week’s issue, confirming the series’ finality.

It’s certainly the end of an era, though comic book shops likely will be feeling the loss more than anyone. The Walking Dead has consistently been a top ten seller for years, and is credited with attracting many customers to comic shops who would not normally be attracted to typical superhero fare. Not too shabby for a humble, black and white horror series.

It is currently unknown whether the decision to end the comic will affect spinoff projects including the television series, but the comics book industry is going to have a massive, festering hole in it come next month.

Is the industry doomed? Will another book rise to fill The Walking Dead‘s boots? Perhaps most importantly, what effect will the loss of such a massive zombie franchise have on the 2020 election?

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