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'The Walking Dead' returns with 6 exclusive EW collector's covers

 takes you behind the scenes of the series that lives to shock. In this week’s cover story on the pulse-pounding return of 

 we’ll take a deep dive into the jaw-dropping twists, scripts that made the cast physically ill, and a new villain who’s more terrifying than any zombie. To buy all six collectible covers, head here – and subscribe now for the exclusive interviews and photos, only in EW. And for more 

Death is everywhere in the zombie apocalypse. It explains why so many people have come and gone on

(and you can see an incredible reunion and gallery of 11 such deceased characters right here). An actor’s life on this show is a tenuous one indeed, but there are six individuals who have somehow managed to beat the odds and survive. Andrew Lincoln (Rick), Chandler Riggs (Carl), Steven Yeun (Glenn), Melissa McBride (Carol), Norman Reedus (Daryl), and Lennie James (Morgan) were there at the beginning in season 1 and their characters are all still alive and kicking as we now head into the back half of season 6.

We sat down with the original six in a hotel in midtown Manhattan — where fans were lined up outside hoping to catch a glimpse of their favorite stars — and over the course of a reflective afternoon discussed who almost died, who was initially scared of whom, how they felt about the dismissal of the man who gave them their jobs, dealing with Emmy snubs and viewer discontent, and how much longer they plan to keep battling the undead.

You can find this extensive and wide-ranging roundtable discussion in the new issue of

(which, again, you can get right here), and we already gave you an intriguing excerpt as Melissa McBride found out from Andrew Lincoln that it was Sarah Wayne Callies who saved her job back in season 3. 

But for now, enjoy this lighthearted moment of the Original 6 as they goofed off at

’s Comic-Con suite in San Diego last summer. And let’s hope all six are still standing once this season is complete.

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