The Walking Dead Season 8 Official Comic-Con Trailer

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Alexandria, AMC The Walking Dead, Andrew Lincoln, Carl Grimes, Carol, Danai Gurira, Daryl Dixon, Fear TWD, Lauren Cohan, Lucile, Maggie Green, Melissa McBride, Michonne, Negan, Norman Reedus, Rick Grime, Robert Kirkman, The Kingdom, The Saviors, The Walking Dead, The Walking Dead season 8, The Walking Dead Season 8 SDCC trailer, TWD, Walkers, Zombies

The Walking Dead Season 8 Official Comic-Con Trailer

Check out the new first look trailer from SDCC for The Walking Dead Season 8!

Looking forward to the new season even more now!

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The Walking Dead #141 Review

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Carl Grimes, Charlie Adlard, Image Comics, Michonne, Negan, Rick Grimes, Robert Kirkman, Stefano Gaudiano, The Walking Dead, The Walking Dead #141, The Walking Dead #141 Review, The Whisperers, Walkers, Zombies

The Walking Dead #141

Review by Paul Bowler

Over at the harbor, Rick and Ezekiel greeted Michonne as she returned from sea with her crew and their catch of fish for the communities. Meanwhile, Carl sneaked away from the Hilltop to rescue Lydia from the Whisperers, only to get caught and taken to the Whisperers’ camp where he’s shocked to see how many are living there. Back in Alexandria, when Olivia fails to lock Negan’s cell properly, she unwittingly provides the Saviors’ former leader with a chance to escape. Now as Rick returns to Alexandria in The Walking Dead #141 he must confront Negan once more, while over at the Hilltop community, having survived Gregory’s botched attempt to poison her, Maggie must now decide if he should be allowed to live…

The cliff-hanger ending to last issue heralds what could become the biggest turning point in this current story arc. It was bound to happen eventually, and the prospect of Negan getting out of his cell has kept us all eagerly awaiting this moment. The fact that it’s not the violent bloodbath we might have expected makes this issue all the more impressive, as Robert Kirkam masterfully subverts our expectations, and instead we are treated to a face-off between Rick and Negan that positively crackles with tension and underlying menace.

Negan is at his most laid-back and foul-mouthed best throughout. Seeing Negan so smug and Rick so rattled makes for some of the best scenes so far in this storyline. Negan is never one to mince words, he’s as perverse and disgusting as ever, but amidst all his expletive-ridden diatribe we get a sense of just how well Negan has judged the wider picture beyond the walls of his cell, and the merest notion of what he suggests leads to some unsettlingly dark home truths for Rick and the brave new world he’s worked so hard to establish.

Charlie Adlard’s artwork for The Walking Dead continues to be as impressive as ever. The big highlight this issue is the confrontation between Rick and Negan, with Adlard ensuring every disquieting moment is honed to perfection and the sheer brooding intensity of these scenes certainly leave us with plenty to ponder over. Adlard also gets to feature plenty of other characters during this issue as well. We finally get to see Dwight when he seeks some advice about his leadership of the Saviors from Rick, and it’s really good to catch up with this character after such a long time. Oliva is also brought to task by Rick for not making sure that Negan’s cell was locked correctly, and Rosita makes an announcement to everyone about her and Eugene having a baby, although Rick is quick to note that Eugene isn’t exactly excited about it…

Rick now has to face some difficult issues about the choices he’s made, not least from Andrea, when she questions his reasoning again for not killing Negan after they captured him at the end of All Out War. Of course, Rick still doesn’t know about Carl going off into the Whisperers territory yet, but as he explains to Andrea why he didn’t take the easy option and execute Negan after the war between their communities, he’s also unaware that the very foundation of everything he’s strived to build could already be on the verge of falling apart.

The Walking Dead #141 delivers one of this Image Comics series’ most shocking cliff-hangers so far. Its becoming clear now that Robert Kirkman is paving the way for some extremely challenging times for Rick Grimes and his fellow survivors, especially now the fundamental principles of Rick’s fledgling society are at stake, and the impact of Charlie Adlard’s art in that final scene ensures this disturbing turn of events will be something that you wont forget in a hurry either.

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The Walking Dead #140 Review

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Alexandria, AMC, Carl Grimes, comics, Image Comics, Michone, Michonne, Rick Grimes, The Hilltop, The Walking Dead, The Walking Dead #140, The Whisperers, Walkers, Zombies

The Walking Dead #140

Review by Paul Bowler

Gregory’s attempt to poison Maggie failed when Jesus arrived in time to rescue her. Carl and Lydia have also become close. When the Whisperers arrived at the Hilltop their leader Alpha – Lydia’s mother – offered to trade the men her people had captured in exchange for her daughters return. Afterwards Carl angrily snuck off into the Whisperers territory alone to and save Lydia but Alpha discovered him. Meanwhile at the harbour Rick met with Ezekiel just as Michonne returned from sea with her crew, but as they land their catch of fish for the communities to trade, Rick is sad to learn that Michonne still has no wish to return to Alexandria.

Now in The Walking Dead #140 tensions begin to rise as Robert Kirkman continues to build on the significant changes established earlier in this story arc. Since Negan’s defeat and the jump forward in series’ timeframe, lots have happened, characters lives have changed significantly, and the entire landscape of the world Rick and his fellow survivors inhabit has also altered drastically as a result. The momentum is building gradually, its clear just how much Rick has managed to establish for these communities, but there’s still a long way to go, and there’s a disquieting sense now of just how fragile, and delicately balanced everything still is.

There’s certainly a lot crammed into this issue. Maggie still has to figure out what she’s going to do with Gregory after he tried to kill her as well as decide whether to risk losing more people going after Carl. With the end of their long journey in sight Carl finally gets his first glimpse of the Whisperers camp, and Rick’s persistence in trying to persuade Michonne to stay looks like it might actually pay off. The decisions that Maggie makes in this issue are sure to have some far reaching implications for the rest of this story arc, and it’s great to see her character playing such a pivotal role. Its also good to see Michonne is warming to the idea of staying ashore for a little while longer, she’s been gone far too long, and I hope she can deal with her issues and remain for a while yet as I have a feeling that Rick is going to need her around now more than ever.

Charlie Adlard delivers another great issue of The Walking Dead. The reveal of the Whisperers camp is the big highlight of this issue. I really like it when Adlard gets the chance to introduce an entirely new location like this. Adlard’s sweeping view of the Whisperers camp is really impressive, the intricate level of detail here is stunning, and you’ll find yourself scouring this two-page spread to pick out everything that’s going on. Its taken some time for this plot thread to develop, but its also built up the mystery and suspense of the Whisperers, and I’m really looking forward to seeing the rest of the their camp and learning more about them in future issues.

The Walking Dead #140 is another great issue, there are plenty of intriguing developments, and Robert Kirkman seems to be steering the various plot elements and characters towards what is sure to be another major turning point in this Image Comics series. Charlie Adlard’s art is as reliably impressive as ever, the action and pace hardly lets up for a moment, and the characters realistic expressions convey their emotions perfectly. This issue also ends on a brilliant cliff-hanger, and it’s the one that we’ve all been waiting for!

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The Walking Dead #137 Review

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Carl Grimes, Charlie Adlard, Image Comics, Robert Kirkman, Stefano Gaudiano, The Walking Dead, The Whisperers, TWD, Walkers, Zombies

The Walking Dead #137

Review by Paul Bowler

When two teenage boys attacked Carl and Sophia at the Hilltop, Carl struck back and beat them savagely with a shovel. Maggie placed Carl in a cell for his own protection when the boy’s parents demand justice. During his time in lock-up, Carl befriended Lydia, the young Whisperer that Jesus captured. Now that Sophia has woken from her coma, she is able to verify Carl’s self-defence story, and Carl is soon released. Later he also assumes responsibly for Lydia when she is released from lock-up. Meanwhile, Gregory’s plot to take back control of the Hilltop from Maggie takes a sinister turn. Having bonded over their experiences in the Zombie apocalypse, Carl and Lydia begin to get even closer…

Robert Kirkman continues to keep the focus on Carl Grimes in The Walking Dead #137 as the simmering undercurrents of unrest at the Hilltop threaten to boil over and bring Maggie’s leadership to an end. Ever since the war between the Saviors and the Hilltop communities ended and Negan was imprisoned, the stability and peace that Rick and his fellow survivors established after rebuilding Alexandria has seemed relatively solid. The two year time shift has really allowed the characters grow and evolve, especially Carl, and his decision to move to the Hilltop and learn a trade as a Blacksmith has certainly led to some exciting developments.

Now we get a sense of how quickly loyalties can be swayed in this new alliance, when Gregory, having stirred up trouble between Maggie and the parents of Carl and Sophia’s attackers for his own gain, seizes his chance to strike at Maggie under the pretence of friendship. It’s dark, foreboding stuff, especially when Maggie finds herself in dire peril. Let’s hope there’s some serious payback waiting for Gregory in the not too distant future!

Carl’s new friendship with Lydia also plays a pivotal role in this issue. Carl has grown so much as a character over the last few issues, moving from Alexandria to the Hilltop, protecting Sophia from their attackers, and now he even takes on responsibility for Lydia after she is released. The chilling introduction of the Whisperers, people who wear the skin of the dead so they can travel alongside the Walkers, has also become one of the most intriguing aspects of this storyline.

Robert Kirkman has gradually built up the mystery surrounding the Whisperers for a while now, even with everything Lydia revealed about them and their way of life, I think we’ve only just begun to scratch the surface as far as the Whisperers are concerned. The friendship between Lydia and Carl has continued to blossom since their time spent in the adjacent cells in the lock-up, after Carl was released he even returned to give her his hat so she wouldn’t feel so scared and insecure. The moments they share in this issue are extremely moving. Even so, I still don’t trust Lydia, and I’m sure her seduction of Carl is some kind of sinister deception on her part.

Charlie Adlard excels this issue; his art wrings every ounce of drama and emotion from Kirkman’s script. The Walking Dead is often at its most compelling and dark during these seemingly quieter instalments, and this issue is no exception. Adlard conveys the characters emotions perfectly, while Stefano Gaudiano’s inks and Cliff Rathburn’s grey tones enhance the atmosphere of every scene with ominous shadows and intense attention to the finest detail.

The Walking Dead #137 is another great issue. Sure, the pace is still a little slow, but events during this issue sets in motion some significant developments that could potentially herald some major turning points in this storyline.

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The Walking Dead #115 Review

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10th Anniversary, All Out War, Carl Grimes, Charlie Adlard, Ezekiel, Image Comics, Michonne, Negan, Rick Grimes, Robert Kirkman, The Saviors, The Walking Dead, The Walking Dead #115

The Walking Dead #115

Review By Paul Bowler

 

The Walking Dead #115 is the beginning of the 12 part All Out War story arc to celebrate the 10^th Anniversary of  Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard’s epic comic book series. This monster event will tear through the lives of everyone as All Out War breaks out in The Walking Dead #115, the first chapter of a storyline that will see Rick Grimes and his group of survivors fighting for their lives in a conflict involving all factions of the Walking Dead universe: The Saviors, The Hilltop, and The Kingdom.

With the help of Jesus and Ezekiel’s troops, Negan and the Saviors were driven out of Alexandria. Now the battle lines have been drawn, sides have been chosen, the Kingdom and the Hilltop communities are united with Rick’s fellow survivors. Together they prepare to go to war with the Saviors and bring Negan’s reign of terror to an end…

The Walking Dead #115 beings with moments of quiet reflection as Rick wakes early, the responsibility of the war he is about to start weighing heavily on his mind. Andrea reassures Rick that he has made the right choice, and that no matter what it takes to win this war, she knows the outcome will be worth it. Meanwhile, Ezekiel and Michonne have spent the night together, although neither are willing to commit to anything just yet. Whether anything will come of their relationship remains to be seen, however, Michonne does believe their time together may have the potential to “mean” something more eventually.

With everyone working flat out to prepare for the attack on the Saviors, Rick, Jesus, and Ezekiel get ready to move out, but before they leave Rick stands up and addresses everyone. Rick knows that everybody has put their lives on the line by supporting him in his fight against Negan, he thanks them all before they set out, saying how he believes the dark path they are about to take will lead them to a better place in the end.

Andrea, who is still recovering after fighting one of Negan’s men in the Bell Tower, is staying in Alexandria with Carl. Before he goes, Rick entrusts Carl with more responsibility, seeing as he did so well at organising the people on the wall after Rick’s failed attempt to kill the Saviors Leader backfired and left them easy targets for Negan’s snipers. Rick and the others board the trucks and drive to the Saviors base, where Rick issues his demands as Negan looks on. Rick offers Negan a chance to surrender peacefully or face the consequence, but Negan has a very different plan, and a surprise of his own waiting for them.

All Out War gets under way as Rick and his new allies embark on their mission to deal with Negan once and for all. The Walking Dead #115 opens with a brooding sense of anticipation, as Robert Kirkman shows us how Rick manages to face up to his own doubts and rally his forces in the build up to the confrontation with Negan. Kirkman includes some great scenes between Rick and Andrea, and there is a nice moment between Rick and Carl before he leaves for the battle.

We also discover that Ezekiel stayed over at Michonne’s, not that surprising really, as the chemistry between them has bee simmering ever since they first met. Its going to be interesting to see how their relationship develops over the course of All Out War, and I expect if they are going to live together, then Ezekiel’s pet tiger, Shiva, is going to have to be housetrained!

Negan is as vile as ever, delivering a foul mouthed diatribe at Rick from his vantage point above the Zombie infested barricade of the Saviors base, yes we do get to see some Zombies this issue as well! Of course no one seriously expects that Negan will give in to Rick’s demands, even though he is faced with the combined might of the hilltop communities, Negan has got a counter proposal that manages to keep him one step ahead of his enemies.

Charlie Adlard’s art on The Walking Dead is as excellent as ever, there are some great full page scenes crowded with characters, and the attention to detail is quite remarkable given how much the cast has grown recently. As The Walking Dead is now going bi-weekly during Al Out War, Adlard is assisted by Stefano Gaudiano’s inks, which  brings an added depth to the grey tones.

Along with the standard cover, The Walking Dead #115 has been released with a series of 10 individual connecting covers, each marked B-K, while cover O was a special NY Comic-Con- exclusive  that was only available at the show. Each cover draws on the major events over the last ten years of The Walking Dead comic series, and collectively they certainly get these 10^th anniversary celebrations of to an impressive start.

The Walking Dead #115 if a confident opening to All Out War. The Battle is about to begin, all the major players are in position, and if the closing moments of this issue are anything to go by, the carnage is about to be epic.

The Walking Dead #113 Review

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Andrea, Carl Grimes, Charlie Adlard, Image Comics, Lucile, Negan, Rick Grimes, Robert Kirkman, The Saviors, The Walking Dead, The Walking Dead #113

The Walking Dead #113

Review by Paul Bowler

Furious after discovering that Negan has killed Spencer, Rick orders a lockdown at Alexandra, while Andrea takes up a sniping position in the bell tower to cover their attack. Negan is left scrabbling in the dirt as Andrea takes out his guards, leaving Rick free to close in for the kill. But before Rick can take out the Saviors leader, Negan‘s snipers open fire, quickly turning the tide of the battle as Rick and his fellow survivors find themselves outgunned and at Negan’s mercy.

It would seem that Rick has made a critical mistake as The Walking Dead #113 opens after his plan to kill Negan backfires. Andrea watches from the bell tower as Rick and his people are surrounded outside the gates of Alexandria. Before Andrea can help, one of Negan’s men sneaks into the bell tower and attacks her. In an attempt to help his father, Carl shoots at Negan, but misses and takes a chunk out of Lucile instead.

Enraged that his beloved baseball bat has been damaged, Negan demands that Carl is handed over to him, or he will pound in the skulls of all four of the hostages with his barb wire encrusted weapon, in exactly the same way he killed Glen. When they refuse to give Carl up, Negan prepares to carry out his threat and kill the hostages. Rick looks up at the bell tower as Negan stands poised to strike and watches in horror as a body tumbles from the tower…

The Walking Dead #113 has Rick being beaten down yet again by Negan, as his attempt to kill the Saviors leader goes disastrously wrong. Now that Negan wants Carl to pay for what he’s done to Lucile, we see Rick at his most desperate as Negan resolves to break him by taking his revenge on his son. In fact Negan seems more incensed by Carl shooting Lucile than Rick’s attempt on his life. The sight of Negan cradling the weapon in his arms, ranting about the unforgivable act Carl has inflicted to his “lady”, is almost as perverse as it is pathetic.

Robert Kirkman continues to make Negan one hell of a compelling character, sick, twisted, and lewdly psychotic, he has become a fearsome nemesis for Rick and the survivors. This issue also sheds some light on the barbed wired love of Negan’s life, Lucile. Although he may have an entire hareem of women broken to his will back at his camp, it is Lucile who Negan truly loves. This inanimate object has become something to be cherished, having saved his life many times over, and the leader of the Saviors is only too happy to share the intimate details of exactly how much pleasure she brings him.

Jesus also makes an important discovery this issue, when he investigates the outpost that Dwight told Ezekiel about. Apparently it was still in use, however it is completely deserted. Now would certainly be a good time for Jesus to bring in some much needed reinforcements from Ezekiel and the other Hilltop communities to help Rick. The deserted outpost also raises some doubts about Dwight, he is still a relatively unknown quantity, and it’s entirely possible that he could have been lying about wanting to help them just so he could uncover the full extent of their plans.

The Walking Dead #113 also features some great artwork by Charlie Adlard, with the tension building on the ground as Negan confronts Rick; it is Andrea’s brutal fight with one of Negan’s men in the bell tower that really makes this issue. Every moment of this savage attack is conveyed over a series of intensely structured pages by Adlard, Her spirit remains unbroken, despite the terrible beating she suffers, if anything it seems to strengthen her resolve, and she dishes out just as much punishment to her attacker n return.

The final moments, with Andrea and her assailant struggling precariously on the edge of the window is absolutely nail biting stuff. Back on the ground Rick glances upwards and sees a body fall from the bell tower. Believing that Andrea is dead Rick crumples to his knees, overwhelmed with grief and shock, seemingly resigned to his fate as Negan closes in to enact his revenge. “You and me, that’s the rule, we don’t die…” Andrea’s words from earlier resonate over this issues closing moments. This mindset has served them well in the past, keeping them both alive when all has seemed lost, and it must surely become one that the remaining survivors will have to adopt if they are to stand any chance against Negan and the Saviors.

This is another great issue by Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard, with events clearly building towards the All Out War storyline, it looks as if our patience is about to be rewarded. It has been just over a year since Negan and the Saviours were introduced, ever since Negan killed Glenn in issue #100 the plot has dragged a little at times, but now things are set to really kick into overdrive. It has taken a long time to get to this point, lets just hope that All Out War can live up to all the hype, and that Kirkman has something really special in store for us.

The Walking Dead #108 Review

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Alexandria, Andrea, Carl Grimes, Charlie Adlard, Dwight, Ezekiel, Jesus, Michonne, Negan, Rick Grimes, Robert Kirkman, Shiva, The Kingdom, The Saviors, The Walking Dead, Tiger, Walkers, Zombie Apocalypse, Zombies

The Walking Dead #108

Review by Paul Bowler

Now that Carl has returned safely from the Saviors stronghold Rick is more determined than ever to strike back at Negan. With the information they now possess about the strength of Negan’s forces, Rick and Jesus attempt to forge an alliance with the leader of another group of settlers. While Carl and Michonne deal with a pack of Walkers outside the gates of Alexandria, Rick and Jesus are allowed to enter The Kingdom settlement by the horseback patrols and make their way towards the headquarters inside the school for an audience with King Ezekiel and his pet tiger.

The meeting with Ezekiel goes well. Rick is relieved to learn that Ezekiel wants to be rid of Negan and the Saviors as much as he does, and the information Rick provides about Carl’s time inside Negan’s base makes Ezekiel feel confident that the time has come to attack the Saviors.

Ezekiel finally agrees to help Rick and the people of Alexandria bring Negan’s reign of terror to an end, while also offering the services  of a new ally who has decided to join their fight against the Saviors, one of Negan’s own lieutenants – Dwight.

Although Rick warns Ezekiel not to trust Dwight, the Kingdoms leader allows Dwight to make his case. Dwight reveals how his wife, Sherry, became one of Negan’s wives and how after the Savior’s leader caught them together again, he branded Dwight’s face with a hot iron, scarring him horribly for life for daring to defy him. He realizes that he can never make up for the terrible acts he has carried out for the Saviors, all Dwight asks is for a chance to help so he can save his wife from this tyrants clutches and be reunited with her again. An uneasy silence hangs in the air as Dwight vows to reveal Negan’s secrets so they can plan their attack…

The Walking Dead #108 finally sees Rick beginning to take some decisive action against Negan and the Saviors. We have watched as Rick has been forced to submit to Negan’s demands, handing over precious supplies to ensure the safety of his group, and even being beaten up and humiliated in front of his son, now the time has come to strike back. Robert Kirckman has taken Rick Grimes to the edge and back with this incredible new storyline. We have begun to see just how resourceful Rick can be, how he will stop at nothing to protect those closest to him, even if he has to risk alienating people to gain the advantage they need to defeat the Saviors.

Negan continues to rule over his people through fear and intimidation. Even a simple game of table tennis becomes a lurid double-entendre dripping with threats of violence and the imminent sexual degradation of Dwight’s wife. The Saviors may be the biggest settlement amongst the Hilltop communities but they are not as well trained as Rick’s people or those of the Kingdom. However it would seem that Dwight’s betrayal could well be the key to Negan’s downfall.

Ezekiel is another fantastic new character, and brings a much needed splash of dark humour to the pages of The Walking Dead. Indeed, Ezekiel has never been a party to Negan’s truce, and crowned himself King of his own Kingdom to keep his people safe. He seems to hold nothing but contempt for Negan and the Saviors, and has often felt exacerbated by the way Negan gained such power on the back of so many lies and heinous acts against his own people. Ezekiel also knows Jesus very well, considering him a true friend, and is grateful that he has brought Rick to meet him. The look on Rick’s face when he sees Ezekiel’s tiger, Shiva, for the first time is priceless. Quite how Ezekiel managed to own a pet tiger remains to be seen, it certainly adds an intriguing dynamic to the character, and he certainly doesn’t have to worry about any Zombies getting too close with Shiva around!

The art by Charlie Adlard in The Walking Dead #108 perfectly illustrates the harsh realities of the Zombie apocalypse, and the scene where Michonne and Carl have to face a horde of Zombies outside the gates of Alexandria really ups the stakes when Cark is caught of guard and nearly overpowered by a Walker. After helping Carl get free, Michonne drags him inside and chastises him for disobeying her direct order to retreat, but when Carl says he feels worthless because he is blind in one eye Michonne is quick to reassure the boy – reminding him how his father coped after he lost his hand; and that Carl will also learn to adapt to his limitations over time.

It’s great to see the bond that has developed between Michonne and Carl. There is also another great scene with Michonne and Andrea where they discuss how much their lives have changed while they enjoy a quiet lunch together. Andrea points out how they always used to be on edge, ready for the Walkers to attack at any time, and how the relative safety of living in Alexandria makes it possible to enjoy the simple pleasure of having lunch with a friend again. Sadly the Zombie Apocalypse has brutalized Michonne so much that she doesn’t believe she has any social graces left. She reveals how she used to be a chatty and friendly person before the outbreak, and it’s heartbreaking to watch her admit that she doesn’t think she could ever be that person again.

While a brief interlude between Spencer and Father Gabriel, where Spencer goes to solemnly pray at the altar for the strength to grant his request, may seem superfluous to the overall plot, it could nevertheless herald a significant development for the future. The Walking Dead #108 is another fine issue by Robert Kirckman and Charlie Adlard. The new alliance between Rick and Ezekiel offers a wealth of possibilities for the future, there is some superb character development for Michonne, and it looks like Rick will soon get the chance to take revenge against Negan and the Saviors for all the atrocities they’ve committed.

The Walking Dead #107 Review

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Andrea, Carl Grimes, Charlie Adlard, Image Comics, Jesus, Michonne, Negan, Rick Grimes, Robert Kirkman, The Saviors, The Walking Dead, Walkers, Zombies

The Walking Dead #107

Review by Paul Bowler

After learning from Jesus that his son has been taken captive by Negan after attacking the Savior’s camp with Abraham’s machine gun, Rick sets out with Andrea, Jesus, and Michonne to rescue Carl. On the road to the Savior’s base they encounter a Negan and his men in a truck. The tense standoff between Rick and Negan quickly explodes into violence, but Rick comes off worse when Negan beats him up, only for the Savoir’s leader to reveal that no harm has come to Carl. Even though Carl killed some of his men, Negan just wanted to make a point, that even he can be reasonable and merciful – so long as Rick and his group obey his rules.

When Negan and his men leave, Rick and his friends take Carl back to Alexandria. Still keeping the up pretence that he is serving Negan, he instructs everyone to prepare some supplies for their next tribute to the Saviors, while continuing to plot with Andrea and Jesus to find a way to strike back and kill Negan. As the people of Alexandria struggle to come to terms with Rick giving in to Negan’s demands, Jesus reveals that he knows someone who might be able to help, telling Rick that he thinks its time for him to meet Ezekiel.

Expectations for issue #107 of The Walking Dead have been immense. However, the resolution to last issues gut wrenching cliff-hanger is somewhat anticlimactic. The fight between Rick and Negan has been a long time coming, but it’s all over rather quickly. Negan’s twisted moral code and set of rules is the absolute antithesis of everything Rick stands for, but with Rick still secretly planning against Negan, he inevitably comes off looking a lot worse after being beaten up by the Savior’s leader.

What is really interesting about Negan is the way Robert Kirckman is gradually reinforcing Negan’s character, the differences between him and The Governor are becoming more apparent with every issue. The way Negan enforces his rules using his twisted sense of logic are as unflinching as they are violent, but the way he continually refers to Lucille, his beloved baseball bat, reminds us of just how far Negan is prepared to go to enforce his will. I still shudder to think how Negan used this barbwire encrusted weapon to bash Glen’s head into a bloody pulp, and hearing Negan patriotically rationalize his actions while alluding to Glen’s execution is deeply disturbing.

The rest of The Walking Dead #107 touches on the conflicts brewing amongst Rick’s group, romantic tensions run high, but the scenes with Michonne seemed a little awkwardly staged for my linking and do little do advance the plot. Although the discovery of a workshop where they could make ammunition will no doubt soon have a part to play, especially after everything Carl has discovered about the strength of Negan’s forces. The art by Charlie Adlard is a little below par this issue, with some poorly defined layouts, but with the shift towards such a dialogue-heavy instalment and lack of Zombie action, this issue invariably feels a bit sparse.

The Walking Dead #107 shows just how isolated Rick is becoming now, with the people of Alexandria doubting his every move; it makes you wonder if they will rally to help Rick when the time comes for the inevitable showdown with Negan and The Saviors. It may be a slow burner of an issue, but The Walking Dead #107 sets things up nicely for the introduction of a new character, and will no doubt lead to one of the bloodiest conflicts yet for Rick and his friends.

The Walking Dead #106 Review

Tags

Andrea, Carl Grimes, Charlie Adlard, Image Comics, Jesus, Michonne, Negan, Rick Grimes, Robert Kirckman, The Governor, The Saviors, The Walking Dead, Walkers, Zombies

The Walking Dead #106

Review by Paul Bowler

Having managed to smuggle himself into the Saviors camp and killed some of Negan’s men with an Abraham’s machine gun, Carl is captured and is now Negan’s guest. Negan delights in tormenting his young captive, introducing him to his harem of wives, forcing Carl to remove his bandages and reveal his wounded eye socket, before allowing him to watch as Negan savagely punishes a man who has been foolish enough to have an affair with one of his wives. Negan brands Mark with a hot iron, melting his face, so everyone will know his crime – a knowing look between Dwight and another of Negan’s wives indicates that this is something he once endured as well at Negan’s hands. Negan leads Carl away, telling Carl that he will have to pay for killing his men.

This issues eye catching cover with Rick, Michonne, Jesus, and Andrea grouped together and fighting back the advancing Walkers

After escaping from Negan’s men, Jesus manages to hotwire a car to escape from a pack of Walkers, and sets off for Alexandria to tell Rick where The Saviors camp is. Rick has enlisted the help of Michonne and the others to help him look for Carl, but they are almost overrun by Zombies, and are forced to call off the search and retreat to the safety of Alexandria. Jesus sneaks into Rick’s house while Rick and Andrea are sleeping to tell him what he has discovered about The Saviors.

Together with Michonne, Jesus, and Andrea, Rick takes a van to drive out to The Saviors camp, where Jesus tells them about the undead killing field surrounding Negan’s base, where Zombies have either been staked to the ground or chained to the fences to act as a terrifying first line of defence. Before they can arrive, a truck carrying Negan and his men block their path. Rick gets out and confronts Negan, where Glen’s murderer gloats that he can’t wait for Rick to see what he’s done to Carl!

Robert Kirckman and Charlie Adlard continue to build on the plight of Carl’s perilous situation as The Walking Dead #106 sees Rick going all out to find his son. Not everyone at Alexandria shares his views though, some like Spencer have serious doubts about the choices Rick has made, while Erick and Aaron begin to consider leaving Alexandra for good. While these new character may not have quite the same impact as their predecessors, they have a lot to offer, and provide a clear indication of just how tenuous Rick’s leadership is at the moment.

Negan brands Mark with a hot iron, melting his face

The scenes involving Negan and Carl as they goad one another are extremely chilling, and continue to form the most interesting aspect of this new storyline. Negan may be a ruthless monster, but he’s not as crazy or deranged as the Governor, which perhaps makes him even more dangerous. Although it might seem that this story was initially going to be a retread of the Governor story arc, it’s slowly evolving into something far more unsettling. Carl gives as good as he gets as he stands up to Negan, at times it almost seems as if Negan is encouraging Carl’s violent outbursts, perhaps seeing something that reminds him of his own childhood in Carl. Of all the characters in Kirckman and Adlard’s nightmarish Zombie apocalypse it is Carl who has arguably suffered the most. Having lost everything he’s ever known, with his face now horribly mutilated, Carl’s future could well see him become just as psychotic and twisted as Negan or the Governor should he survive into adulthood.

The Walking Dead #106 contains a good amount of Zombie action this time around, with Charlie Alard’s shambling Walkers making their presence felt at every opportunity to hamper Rick’s quest to find Carl. I also really liked this issues eye catching cover as well that showed Rick, Michonne, Jesus, and Andrea grouped together and fighting back the advancing Walkers. This issue ends with a tense standoff between Negan and Rick, with Carl’s fate still hanging in the balance, and the people of Alexandria doubting his leadership; Rick Grime’s looks set to risk everything in order to rescue his son from Negan and The Saviors.

The Walking Dead Issue #105

Tags

Carl Grimes, Charlie Adlard, Dwight, Image Comics, Negan, Robert Kirckman, The Saviors, The Walking Dead, Walkers, Zombies

The Walking Dead #105

Review by Paul Bowler

Having taken his first tribute from Alexandra and humiliated Rick in front of his friends, Negan and his men drive away with their spoils. Determined to get revenge, Carl secretly hides in the truck and gets a ride all the way back to the Saviors camp. Once they are inside the heavily fortified perimeter of the compound, Carl leaps from the truck and opens fire with an assault rifle, killing some of Negan’s men before he is overpowered by Dwight and brought before Negan.

The Walking Dead #105 sees Robert Kirckman and Charlie Adlard place Carl right in the heart of enemy territory, leaving us on the edge of our seat as Negan casually takes the boy under his wing and shows him around. We get to see another, even darker side to Negan as we witness the almost fanatical devotion of his followers, who seem willing to submit to his oppressive regime in return for food and shelter from the Walkers.

Negan introduces Carl to his harem of wives before finally being left alone in the tyrant’s private quarters. What follows is both horrifying and tragic as Negan bullies Carl into removing his bandages to reveal the gaping wound where his right eye used to be, reducing Carl to tears as he callously admires the gory wound of ragged flesh and bone. Negan seems to enjoy threatening his trembling captive, goading and taunting him, before making Carl sing a song while he practices some killing moves with his prized baseball bat Lucille (the deadly weapon he used to beat Glen to death with).

With this scene Robert Kirckman shows just why The Walking Dead is the leader of the pack with its uncompromising vision of the Zombie Apocalypse. This brief moment is really unsettling, particularly when Carl breaks down after Negan forces him to confront the reality of his injuries. This series is never afraid to give its characters room to grow and evolve, even though the pace may seem to slow dramatically while the main characters are effectively sidelined for an issue, it is these quiet interludes that make The Walking Dead so riveting. This issue may be devoid of Zombie action, but Charlie Adlard still captures our attention with ever panel as we follow Carl’s progress through this industrial nightmare.

If the scenes between Negan and Carl weren’t unpleasant enough, what follows is a lesson in just how tight a grip Negan has over his followers. On learning that one of his wives, Amber, has “cheated” on him with her former partner, Negan exacts a terrible punishment on the man. To be chosen as one of Negan’s wives is deemed a privilege, one that will ensure the woman no longer has to earn points to trade for goods inside the camp. However, if she is ever caught with another man, that man must then be punished with a molten hot iron and have the flesh seared from one side of his face so that everyone will always know the shame of what he has done.

As Negan brands the offender before a baying mob, a knowing glance between Dwight and another of Negan’s wives seems to indicate the reasons behind Dwight’s horrible scars. With a wealth of unspoken history between Negan and Dwight conveyed in a single panel, The Walking Dead #105 continues to play with all our expectations, and as Negan leads Carl away to face an uncertain fate we are left wondering how on earth he is going to escape this hellhole alive.