Michonne

Michonne Hawthorne is one of the most iconic survivors to emerge from Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard's landmark Image Comics series The Walking Dead. A former attorney turned ruthless post-apocalyptic warrior, Michonne made her explosive debut in The Walking Dead #19 (2005), arriving on the scene with her signature katana and two armless, jawless walkers in tow — an unforgettable entrance that immediately signaled she was unlike any character readers had seen before. That first appearance has become one of the most sought-after single issues in modern horror comics collecting, and it remains a cornerstone book for fans of the series.

Over the course of the sprawling Walking Dead run, Michonne evolved from a mysterious loner into one of Rick Grimes' most trusted allies and a cornerstone of Team Grimes. Her arc spans survival, trauma, vengeance, and ultimately justice — she is a woman who never stopped being a lawyer even when the world stopped needing them. Her brutal reckoning with the Governor across the Prison storyline stands as one of the most viscerally powerful sequences Kirkman ever wrote, cementing her as a character defined by both ferocity and fierce moral conviction. Her swordsmanship and combat mastery make her the deadliest human fighter in the series, but it is her psychological depth that keeps readers invested across hundreds of issues.

Michonne's cultural footprint expanded dramatically when Danai Gurira brought her to life in the AMC television adaptation, driving renewed collector interest in her key issues and making Walking Dead back issues hotter than ever on the secondary market. Her appearances across the main series, spinoffs, and the Deluxe full-color reprint editions give collectors multiple entry points into her story, from affordable reprint trades to high-grade raw and slabbed copies of her first appearance.

For collectors, Michonne represents the best of what Image Comics produced during its modern era — a fully realized, original character with no superhero IP baggage, whose key books have demonstrated consistent long-term value. Whether you are chasing a raw first print of Walking Dead #19, a CGC-graded 9.8, or a complete run of the series featuring her full story, Michonne's books are essential holdings for any serious Image or horror comics collection.