New 'Walking Dead' Season 3 Poster: Has the Group Finally United?

Last month at the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con, AMC gave us a taste of this year's upcoming season of their post-apocalyptic drama The Walking Dead by releasing the first season 3 teaser poster and the epic four-minute trailer that featured not only new characters, but new locations ' including The Governor's Woodbury Estate and the fateful West Central Prison.

Now the cable television channel has released the official season 3 cast poster of The Walking Dead, and it appears to be very telling. Note how everyone seems to be clustered in certain alliance-styled groups ' especially the little lost Andrea (Laurie Holden), who was separated from her group at the end of last season and rescued by the sword-swinging Michonne (Danai Gurira).

Check out the poster below (click to enlarge):

For those unfamiliar with The Walking Dead, the Emmy Award-winning series tells the story of County Sheriff Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) as he travels with his family and a small group of survivors in an endless search for safety following a pandemic zombie apocalypse. The relentless pressure of fighting not only the dead (known as 'walkers'), but the increasingly savage living takes a heavy toll, turning some members of the group into monsters ' both figuratively and literally.

In the season 2 finale, we saw Rick officially become the leader of the group of survivors by laying down the law that it's his way or the zombie-riddled highway. Following the betrayal and death of his (somewhat) psychotic best friend Shane, it seems that this year Rick, while still remaining polite, will no longer put up with any backtalk about his tough survival choices from anyone (including his wife, Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies), and his ever-maturing son, Carl (Chandler Riggs).

It also looks like Rick's new firm attitude may form some secret alliances amongst his group - at least until the entrance of the sinister Governor threatens to take away the secure West Central Prison they now call home. For fans of The Walking Dead comics, The Governor is expected to be just as violent and evil as he was in the comics, and his presence is going to impact every character in a  different and newly dangerous way.

The Walking Dead returns October 14th @9pm ' followed by post-show series Talking Dead  - on AMC.