It seems like not that long since we left them, but the zombies are closing in again. At the Comic Con panel for its insanely popular horror drama, AMC announced Sunday, October 13th at 9 pm as the return date for The Walking Dead. The structure of the next season will include sixteen episodes broken into two segments, with the second portion resuming sometime in February of next year. On top of all that, theres a lengthy (and exciting) new trailer for the fourth season that hints at all the usual returning faces, although David Morrissey (who was at the Comic Con panel) is nowhere to be seen as the villainous Governor, (spoiler) who escaped at the end of last season. Sure, there are about three too many scenes of people poking a zombie in the eye through a fence, but otherwise this is exactly the kind of tease fans want to see, suggesting the shape of next seasons story and how things are going to hell, but clearly holding enough back to intrigue us. What we know about the fourth season, from this preview and from the panel and other sources, is that Rick and the gang have pulled together a fruitful enclave within the walls of the prison, while the dead are tearing at the fence and threatening to upend the safety. There are the usual forces from outside and within that will challenge the heroes, and it appears someone is feeding those zombies dead rats. Amongst the new characters is Bob Stookey, a favorite of mine from the comics, and played here by The Wires Lawrence Gilliard Jr. When the fourth season does return, Walking Deads VIP Greg Nicotero, the shows make-up artist, will be directing the premiere. What do you think about Walking Dead Season 4? Does the trailer show us too much, or is it the right kind of mid-summer reminder we need before launching back into undead carnage come October?