Image Comics' The Walking Dead series is teasing that main character Rick Grimes could be getting a 'new bro' in the not-so-distant future.

After 15 years of walkers and whisperers, bats and bad guys, The Walking Dead has made it to 175 issues. The landmark installment of the comics saw Michonne discover that her daughter Elodie is still alive out there among the 50,000 survivors of The Commonwealth. However, away from the main storyline and the first part of the New World Order saga, the Letter Hacks page promised that Rick could be getting some much-needed support in the near future.

Related: The Walking Dead May Have A ‘Few Seasons’ Left

It was an action-packed issue of big revelations, but Letter Hacks revealed what could be next for the gruff Grimes. UK reader Gemma Fischer asked whether Rick's would be getting a 'bro' in the wake his recent losses, and Skybound's Sean Mackiewicz responded with a cryptic reply:

“You’re on to something. Maybe Rick’s new bro has already been established recently.”

While some could take this to be the new introduction of The Commonwealth worker Lance Hornsby, the answer could be much more literal than that. Robert Kirkman's spinoff digital title The Alien is confirmed to be official canon with the rest of his zombie world, which is interesting because it contained Rick's actual biological brother - Jeffrey Grimes.

So, what could this mean for AMC's popular TV show of the same name? Just like Issue #175 of the comics could lead to the resurrection of Michonne's long-dead son Andre on The Walking Dead, Mackiewicz's words could lead to the arrival of Jeffrey Grimes somewhere down the line. Given that Chandler Riggs is set to bow out as Carl in the midseason premiere, the number of Grimes men is set to fall. Also, with everyone looking ahead to a time when Andrew Lincoln finally puts down his sheriff's badge as Rick, the introduction of Jeffrey could keep the family name alive and be another potential guardian for Baby Judith.

However, the word 'bro' really could just mean a shoulder to cry on. In the comics, Rick is currently rocked by the death of his love interest Andrea. On the show, the likes of Glenn and Daryl have been the closest that the live-action Rick has had to a brother, but with Glenn dead in both the comics and the show and Daryl only existing in the screen version, comic book Rick is a little lonely right now. Admittedly, The Alien is set in Barcelona, so Jeffrey would have to do some traveling, but with an ever-expanding world and hints of air travel through planes and helicopters, it isn't outside the realms of possibility for AMC's show to cast their own Jeffrey Grimes on The Walking Dead. Either way, comic book readers had better keep 'em peeled, it looks like there is a bromance on the cards.

More: Carl is Not Well in Walking Dead Images

Source: Image Comics