(Image Comics, 2014)

Written by Robert Kirkman
Pencil and Cover by Charlie Adlard
Inking by Stefano Gaudiano
Gray Tones by Cliff Rathburn
Lettering by Rus Wooton
Cover Colors by Dave Stewart

The Walking Dead #125: All Out War (Chapter 11 of 12)

Please Robert Kirkman! End this prolonged madness that you have incited on the zombie-filled world. Have you ever actually read your Letter Hacks? Don’t you know that people are the source of your income? Why do you continue to draw out this never ending saga of - who has the bigger stick?

With the ranting out of the way, Chapter 11 of All Out War, finally gives some plot that is worth reading. I believe that there were even a few pages with more than ten words. For those that love The Walking Dead comics, this will hopefully rejuvenate your interest in the series. If you haven’t been paying attention, just wait two months and jump on board with the next story arc.

Issue 125 surrounds the “last straw” sequence before the supposed big battle. Ric’s crew has recently been attacked by Negan’s Saviors and they have been injured badly. Brilliantly, in issue 124, the Saviors infected their weapons with zombie juices to make sure that Ric’s allies were halted permanently when struck. During the skirmish, Dwight (a traitor to the Saviors) shoots Ric with an arrow that Negan believes to be the deathblow to his greatest challenger. What Negan doesn’t know is that the arrow was not laced in zombie guts and Ric only acquired a flesh wound.

This issue brings out the truth about Ric’s injury when he confronts Negan outside the gates of Alexandria. The comic never really states, but I believe that at this point Negan still believes that Ric has been infected. The two start a multiple page dialogue where Ric presents that the two become allies. They have been fighting all this time when they really should have been helping one another. Ric believes that they should work together to build a better world, make cherry pie together and go dancing through the streets.

As one might imagine, Negan’s response to this is overtly sarcastic and he is completely unaware of what lies in store for him on page 24. I hate spoiling comics for people, but I also hate Negan. So, therefore, I have no problem telling you that Ric slashes Negan right across the neck. That’s right! One fail swoop, Negan is unexpectedly bleeding like a stuck pig before a luau. Is he dead? Well, that is undetermined in this issue; but rest assured that the finale for All Out War is only a few weeks away.

I have no clue if Negan is really dead or not. I hope that he is, but this book seems to always have new nice surprises waiting towards the end of each story arc. If all goes according to plan, this saga will hopefully move in to a more structured order throughout The Walking Dead comic world. As I have stated in previous reviews of this series, I believe that The Walking Dead best functions when the character’s greatest threat are zombies. All of this recent fighting shows their arrogance towards the problem that got them into this in the first place.

If I know anything about Robert Kirkman its that he doesn’t like order either, so there is a good chance that we are headed back to where this series belongs. Bravo to you, sir! This comic was great and worth your time, especially if you want to watch Negan bleed all over the pages of your book.

Galen is a Graphic Designer in Wake Forest, NC. He is the husband of a wonderful Oklahoma girl and dad of a future Marvel Comics fan. He enjoys comic-related anything, the Boston Red Sox and sharpening his axe for the zombie apocalypse.