Charlie Adlard refused to draw panels for The Walking Dead issue 33

The Walking Dead comic book series has been a source of many intense moments. There were triumphs and defeats, complicated issues, and some brutally disgusting moments that left a significant impression on readers. There were panels for issue #33 of The Walking Dead comic book series that Charlie Adlard initially refused to draw some disgusting acts.

One such moment came in issue #33 when Michonne and The Governor went face-to-face, and the results were some of the most disturbing content of the entire series run that involved a drill and some interesting revenge.

It was revealed in the Cutting Room Floor section of The Walking Dead Deluxe that Robert Kirkman was approached by artist Charlie Adlard about the content of the issue and initially refused to create it for the book.

What was Adlard’s problem with The Walking Dead issue 33?

Robert Kirkman’s goal was to create an issue so gross that fans of the series who hated the Governor might find a little bit of sympathy for him after everything that was done to him in the issue.

According to Kirkman, Adlard approached Kirkman and urged him to “reconsider what I’d done and re-write it.” However, Kirkman was set in his ways, and the issue was drawn as planned out initially.

Kirkman explained to Adlard that the violence in the issue wasn’t a celebration of gore and violence. Instead, the acts in the issue served as a method to “make the reader uncomfortable.” And it’s obvious that it was successful in accomplishing that, and he eventually got Adlard to agree to draw it.

Robert Kirkman admitted that it was a bit “over the top” and later took Charlie Adlard’s advice to tone down a later issue of The Walking Dead. But it’s hard to imagine this series without the disturbing imagery associated with issue #33.

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