by Paul Bowler:
The Walking Dead #112 follows on after the Saviors arrived early for their next tribute from Alexandria, the survivors were left with no choice but to let them in, and in Rick’s absence Spencer tires persuade Negan to help him kill Rick so he can take over as leader. However, his treachery doesn’t impress Negan, and the Savoirs leader stabs Spencer in front of everyone, spilling his guts all over the sidewalk. The Walking Dead #112 begins as Rick and his team return to Alexandria, where they are attacked by Walkers after nobody is around to open the gate for them.
Michonne quickly covers Rick’s back as Olivia races to the gate to let them in, and she tells them what Negan has just done to Spencer. Rick is furious, he goes and confronts Negan, but the Saviors leader is expecting him. Negan defuses the situation with his own brand of twisted logic, much to Rick’s disgust, but Rick still allows the tribute to go ahead. However, as the Savoirs prepare to leave Rick decides the time has come to strike back and kill Negan…
The Walking Dead #112 hit’s the ground running and Robert Kirkman hardly gives us a moment to pause for breath as Rick leads his people in launching a surprise attack against Negan. All their careful planning with Ezekiel at the Kingdom goes out the window, as Rick, enraged by what the Savoirs leader has done to Spencer, resolves to take Negan out. This is a moment that Kirkman has been slowly building up to for a while now, with Rick and Negan constantly baiting each other, it seem that this time Negan may have finally pushed Rick over the edge.
Negan is as twisted and vulgar as ever in The Walking Dead #112. The way he continues to taunt Rick about how he killed Glenn, while waving his beloved baseball bat “Lucile” in front of Rick’s face, is really chilling. You just know that something is about to give, so when Rick orders Andrea to attack Negan’s truck with her sniper rifle from the bell tower, it looks like Negan is finally about to get what’s coming to him.
The next thing we know Neegan is scrambling from the cab of the truck, clutching for Lucile as Rick advances, gun drawn and ready to blast his brains out. This is the first time we have really seen Negan under attack like this since Carl attempted to kill him back in issue #104, although his initial reaction here is more one of rage than of shock, and it quickly becomes apparent why as Negan swiftly turns the tables on his attackers.
The Walking Dead #112 is a marked change of pace for the series, although it has been great to explore some of the supporting characters in greater detail, events have been moving very slowly over the last few issue as Rick plotted against the Saviors with Ezekiel. With the “All Out War” storyline now on the horizon, an epic 12 issue arc beginning in October that will be published bi-weekly, events look set to kick into overdrive as Rick and his people find themselves on the back foot against Negan and the Saviors once more.
Charlie Adlard’s art for The Walking Dead #112 brings a startling clarity to Rick’s fury he gets up close and personal with Negan, at times Adlard’s work almost makes you feel as if Rick is screaming out the page at you. His rage is then channelled into striking back at Negan, with the final scenes depicted in a fantastic double page spread as the issue races towards its nerve shredding climax.
The Walking Dead #112 may not be one of the best issues the series has had for a while, but it certainly raises the stakes, and sets up the confrontation we have all been baying for ever since Negan killed Glenn. While it may not offer any actual resolution to the conflict, The Waling Dead #112 marks a significant turning point in the hostilities, and it paves the way for the ultimate showdown between the Saviors and the Hilltop communities.
DarkMedia contributor Paul Bowler is a self-Confessed Sci-Fi Geek, Doctor Who fan, and Zombie Disposal Expert. He likes movies, comic books, and all things PS3. He likes to write about his interests, would love to write a novel one day, and also enjoys chatting to the many people he has gotten to know on Twitter. When he’s not busy being an Impossible Astronaut, he likes to take a break from his adventures in time and space to enjoy some of his favourite tv shows and movies – preferably with a nice cuppa tea & a sandwich! You can follow him on Twitter @paul_bowler, or find him at his website, Sci-Fi Jubilee.
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