The Walking Dead (With Spoilers)

[Jinjonator]

I wouldn't be totally surprised if Negan has some kinda "shocking" background and turns out to have been a kindergarten teacher or something equally benign, being transformed into who he is by the post-zombie world.

Probably not. I get the feeling Negan was probably already a bit messed up in the head to begin with, and the zombie apocalypse just gave him a context to let loose. I can understand someone losing their moral compass to varying degrees in this world, but Negan has too much fun with the things he does. 'S'just who he is.

[Ragdoll]

spoilers:

Welp, Kirkman freed the Negans. Good luck, Rick. Everyone knows those Whispers respect a real Alpha, and the top dog just broke free of his kennel. DUde is coming back with an army of Whispers and their nuclear zombie bomb. Is there any chance Negan just killed that kid by the exit and then voluntarily goes back to jail and gives Rick the kids body, just like when that dumb girl forgot to lock his cell. Or has he learned his lesson after Rick didn;t let him out last time? I think Negan is still playing some long con on Rick, and can tell that Rick will let him out to kill Whispers if he just gives it a little longer. Negan knows he can do more damage to Rick playing nice than openly evil.

end of spoilers

[Joker]

Good issue. Exciting times ahead!

[JBH3]

So I plowed through from issue #132 to #150 last night. What an AMAZING read. I love this book. I've been a single issue reader since "A Larger World". This is the best book out there. I grab a lot of Marvel & DC stuff w/ a few other indies scattered around. The Walking Dead though has the best story running, any thing can happen, its a rollercoaster ride w/ a ton of characters that can be developed, killed off, introduced, etc.

My jaw dropped though when the Whisperers "marked their territory" with all of those heads on pikes.

[Scott Taylor]

Well, thats one big ugly chicken coming home to roost for Rick. And right after the Saviors lose their current leader.

[Batman#22]

Holy crap it's about time things got exciting again. I mean honestly, there little to interesting things happen since The Whisper's killed all those people. I mean I understand why Robert Kirkman needs to tell the story properly but good lord he spends way to much time on character development. First off, I always hated that little punk ass and his A-hole family since he first appeared. Although I sympathize with what he's going through, like Rick said he came from a family of monsters and he deserved to be treated like one. I'm excited to see where the new alliance the punk is taking with Negan (I just noticed I've been pronouncing it wrong this entire time). I also can't wait to see if the Radio man's group are friend or foe.

[thetrellan]

Well, thats one big ugly chicken coming home to roost for Rick. And right after the Saviors lose their current leader.

I think Negan will surprise everyone. Sure he wants his freedom, but if it turns out he still wants to convince Rick he's useful, this would be a golden opportunity. One he will probably at least partially screw up on account of the fact that he's a psychopath who flat out does not understand ethical behavior. It's actually starting to be amusing, on its way to being chilling. But one can only hope.

Holy crap it's about time things got exciting again. I mean honestly, there little to interesting things happen since The Whisper's killed all those people. I mean I understand why Robert Kirkman needs to tell the story properly but good lord he spends way to much time on character development. First off, I always hated that little punk ass and his A-hole family since he first appeared. Although I sympathize with what he's going through, like Rick said he came from a family of monsters and he deserved to be treated like one. I'm excited to see where the new alliance the punk is taking with Negan (I just noticed I've been pronouncing it wrong this entire time). I also can't wait to see if the Radio man's group are friend or foe.

Foe, I suspect. Considering he made a condition of Eugene not telling anyone about their contact. That's plain suspicious. I mean, yes, that could just be Eugene interpreting the request too broadly, but when they guy didn't correct him it felt wrong to me.

[daningotham]

I think Negan will surprise everyone. Sure he wants his freedom, but if it turns out he still wants to convince Rick he's useful, this would be a golden opportunity. One he will probably at least partially screw up on account of the fact that he's a psychopath who flat out does not understand ethical behavior. It's actually starting to be amusing, on its way to being chilling. But one can only hope.Foe, I suspect. Considering he made a condition of Eugene not telling anyone about their contact. That's plain suspicious. I mean, yes, that could just be Eugene interpreting the request too broadly, but when they guy didn't correct him it felt wrong to me.

A friend of mine thought of this possibility. What if Negan figures out a way to take care of the Whisperers himself? Then he shows Rick's group that he was the one who took action and got revenge. While Rick has been screwing around trying to be safe. Then would Rick's group join and follow Negan? Or lose trust in Rick? That would be an interesting scenario. And there is nothing Rick could do to stop it. Negan just coming back to get vengeance on Rick just seems to obvious, and Kirkman always seems to surprise me. So I'm guessing it won't be just a simple, predictable story like that. I'm guessing it will be something we aren't expecting.

[thetrellan]

A friend of mine thought of this possibility. What if Negan figures out a way to take care of the Whisperers himself? Then he shows Rick's group that he was the one who took action and got revenge. While Rick has been screwing around trying to be safe. Then would Rick's group join and follow Negan? Or lose trust in Rick? That would be an interesting scenario. And there is nothing Rick could do to stop it. Negan just coming back to get vengeance on Rick just seems to obvious, and Kirkman always seems to surprise me. So I'm guessing it won't be just a simple, predictable story like that. I'm guessing it will be something we aren't expecting.

I think you nailed it there. I just had the sense that Negan wanted Rick to see things his way and wasn't sure where that was headed. The idea that he would want to actually please Rick is patently absurd, but I can see him causing all kinds of untold damage just to prove a point.

[Professor Bazinga's C-Men]

A friend of mine thought of this possibility. What if Negan figures out a way to take care of the Whisperers himself? Then he shows Rick's group that he was the one who took action and got revenge. While Rick has been screwing around trying to be safe. Then would Rick's group join and follow Negan? Or lose trust in Rick? That would be an interesting scenario. And there is nothing Rick could do to stop it. Negan just coming back to get vengeance on Rick just seems to obvious, and Kirkman always seems to surprise me. So I'm guessing it won't be just a simple, predictable story like that. I'm guessing it will be something we aren't expecting.

I'm thinking something along these lines myself.
If I was a betting man, I'd put some money on something like that happening. I figure Rick's story will be ending soon, and how fu*ked up would it be if the Rick Grimes entry in the New World's history books mentions the mistakes he made more than his successes and efforts as a leader in the battle to bring back civilization?
History is told by the winning side. If Negan pulls off some kind of coup by bringing about the destruction of the Whisperers, he'll be in control. Rick dies somehow while in disgrace, leaving Carl to try to redeem his father's legacy against an enemy he already has a history with.
Negan vs. Carl seems even more awesome than Negan vs. Rick to me....

[daningotham]

I'm thinking something along these lines myself.
If I was a betting man, I'd put some money on something like that happening. I figure Rick's story will be ending soon, and how fu*ked up would it be if the Rick Grimes entry in the New World's history books mentions the mistakes he made more than his successes and efforts as a leader in the battle to bring back civilization?
History is told by the winning side. If Negan pulls off some kind of coup by bringing about the destruction of the Whisperers, he'll be in control. Rick dies somehow while in disgrace, leaving Carl to try to redeem his father's legacy against an enemy he already has a history with.
Negan vs. Carl seems even more awesome than Negan vs. Rick to me....

Yeah, that would be crazy if Rick dies in the process. Eventually I think Carl will be the main character too like you said. I'm just not sure how soon. Which would really suck for the tv show as I love Andrew Lincoln as an actor. It should be really interesting to see where they go with the story now that Negan is on the loose.

[Professor Bazinga's C-Men]

Yeah, that would be crazy if Rick dies in the process. Eventually I think Carl will be the main character too like you said. I'm just not sure how soon. Which would really suck for the tv show as I love Andrew Lincoln as an actor. It should be really interesting to see where they go with the story now that Negan is on the loose.

Yeah, but the show almost always remixes the comics. For instance, I'm willing to bet Glenn isn't killed by Negan on the show. At least, not right off the "bat". (groan)
But you have to admit Kirkman has been planting the seeds for a long game between Carl and Negan. Add in the facts that Rick didn't kill him when he had the chance and now he's actually trying to get advice from him.....yeah, this isn't going to end well for Rick. When Rick does die, I just hope Kirkman doesn't do another timejump. That's a story I'd really like to see throughout its development.

[Ragdoll]

Negan dialogue was hilarious. It definitely made up for how terrible his TV introduction was. I'm glad that one dude who freed the Negans is already dead, too.

I liked Rick's face when he realized that the kid only shot that dude because Rick had whipped him into a paranoid frenzy. That shooting was another thing to emphasize how this is a metaphor for the war on terror, back after 9/11 when everyone started thinking anyone of their neighbors could be a terrorist and arabs would get beaten up on the street at night by drunk white dudes and arab run stores would get vandalized. Now everyone thinks everyone else is a Whisper.

Yeah, but the show almost always remixes the comics. For instance, I'm willing to bet Glenn isn't killed by Negan on the show. At least, not right off the "bat". (groan)

I haven't looked at the TV forum thread, but I can't be the only one who hated the way the show handled that scene, right?

[Ite]

Negan dialogue was hilarious. It definitely made up for how terrible his TV introduction was. I'm glad that one dude who freed the Negans is already dead, too.

I liked Rick's face when he realized that the kid only shot that dude because Rick had whipped him into a paranoid frenzy. That shooting was another thing to emphasize how this is a metaphor for the war on terror, back after 9/11 when everyone started thinking anyone of their neighbors could be a terrorist and arabs would get beaten up on the street at night by drunk white dudes and arab run stores would get vandalized. Now everyone thinks everyone else is a Whisper.



I haven't looked at the TV forum thread, but I can't be the only one who hated the way the show handled that scene, right?

What was wrong with his TV introduction?

[Professor Bazinga's C-Men]

Negan dialogue was hilarious. It definitely made up for how terrible his TV introduction was. I'm glad that one dude who freed the Negans is already dead, too.

I liked Rick's face when he realized that the kid only shot that dude because Rick had whipped him into a paranoid frenzy. That shooting was another thing to emphasize how this is a metaphor for the war on terror, back after 9/11 when everyone started thinking anyone of their neighbors could be a terrorist and arabs would get beaten up on the street at night by drunk white dudes and arab run stores would get vandalized. Now everyone thinks everyone else is a Whisper.



I haven't looked at the TV forum thread, but I can't be the only one who hated the way the show handled that scene, right?

Ha. Uh, no. Plenty of others were "mildly disappointed".
haha