Walking Dead Issue #100

Spoilers throughout!
If you are reading this then you have either heard of the Walking Dead series or you are morbidly fascinated by zombies.  Being there are a video game, a TV show, and an extensive comic book series I am going to assume you have knowledge of the series.  The most recent issue of this epic series it the milestone #100.  It is the longest issue to date and Robert Kirkman has pointed out it is one of the most violent and disturbing issues to date.  Having read this issue I have to agree...to a point.  It is extremely violent, for a couple of pages.  Not the explosive violence we saw in issue #48 (The demise of the Governor and Lori) but the violence that we are subjected to is brutal and all focused on one main character.  As far as disturbing goes, well I must agree this issue is disturbing.  Is it worse than Michonne getting rapped and systematically beaten for days on end by the Governor?  The actions are not worse but what happens and the way it happens is more disturbing.

The story of the book continues with the "Something to Fear" saga and this is part 4 out of 6.  I must give credit to Kirkman for staying true to his 6 part series within the Walking Dead even though it must have been tempting to take a different route and maybe even end this arc early due to the milestone issue.  Instead Kirkman was able to hold true to form and make this milestone issue, something memorable without tainting his own story and rushing to a conclusion. 

The issue itself really happens fast.  It takes place in less than one night and the events are dramatic.  We left off with Rick and his company facing off against the Saviors and Negan.  In this specific issue Negan and his band of 50 Saviors ambush Rick, Heath, Glenn, Carl, Maggie, Sophia, and Michonne.  The main characters who were bum rushed here are lined up on their knees in front of the series new antagonist Negan.  Negan begins to monologue about how he is the boss and Rick is the past.

To  enact revenge and show he is not kidding he chooses one of the characters who is on their knees at random to kill with his trusty weapon Lucille which is a baseball bat wrapped in barb wire.  The unlucky victim is Glenn who is stood in front of Negan as Maggie and Sophia cry and sob.  Glenn attempts to talk Negan out of it and Negan then smashed Glenn's head with Lucille.  He then goes on to taunt Glenn who is a dead man walking (pun definitely intended) while Glenn tries to say Maggie's name.  Negan responds to this by continuing to beat Glenn to death with the bat.  Negan then tells Rick that he now owns the Alexandria safe zone, and that Rick must pay half of their possessions as their normal tax.  He leaves the group of Rick and company with the dead disgusting corpse of Glenn.

Besides from Glenn being brutally murdered the most disturbing part of the issue is how hopeless things seem.  Even with the Governor we knew that there was something, a glimmer of hope.  With Negan he blindsided the group, he murdered a fan favorite, and the way he spoke made you actually fear him.  He is a scary bastard and only time will prove how bad he truly can become.

 Comparisons will be drawn between the Governor and Negan.  A key difference is that the Governor is a sadistic psychopath while Negan is a sadistic sociopath.  The psychopath is driven by psychosis and insanity while the sociopath has no empathy and feelings for anyone.  He is like a serial killer let loose in the apocalypse.  It is likely that while the Governor rapes, murders and tortures Negan will do similar things in a much more violent and disturbing manner.  The Governor kept his daughter as a zombie as a pet.  Negan is not the type of man who would do this, he is the type of man who would bury Lucille into the head of his daughter if it suited his needs.  Is the Governor the worst of the worst?  Or is this Negan more of a Dark Lord that has much more control than the Governor could ever even ask for.  Speaking of which what the hell kind of name is Negan anyway? 

The main cover of this issue showed Lucille and Negan.  They stood in a menacing stance that let you know upon holding the book things are going to be very bad.   It is the type of cover to introduce a character.  The reason I bring up the cover art is not issue 100, but issues 101 and 102.  Issue 101 is a man holding a crossbow but his head is not revealed.  Speculation is that this character is Dwight from the Saviors, but I for one do not believe it is him.  I think this is the first comic appearance of Daryl Dixon from the television series. Compare the crossbow it is the exact same piece.  The introduction of this anti-hero could be what Rick and his company need to overcome the Saviors. 

Daryl Dixon is that you?

I'm going to leave you with these questions.  Do you think that Daryl Dixon is on the cover.  The logic makes sense to introduce a character of this magnitude in issue 101 when things seem hopeless.  Also who do you think is brandishing the machete on the cover of issue 102?  Maybe Daryl's brother Merle?  If it is Daryl do you think he is a defector from the Saviors or maybe a drifter, how could be introduced to the series and make it work?  Time will tell. 

 

Who do you think this character is?