Review

"You are not stupid people don't allow your leader to ruin your lives." - Maggie Greene

Life under Negan's tyrannical rule isn't pleasant but Rick is the man with the plan that comes to fruition when his team visit The Kingdom. Ruled by the lordly Ezekiel the community is a throwback to medieval times, complete with armoured knights and a tiger called Shiva. The Kingdom is strong in manpower but lacking in firepower. Rick immediately determines the way forward, if all three communities, including Hilltop, combine they will have an army to hopefully match Negan's saviours. Of course just how much manpower Negan has is an unknown variable at this stage. There are a couple of flies in the ointment of course, principle one being the cowardly Hilltop leader Gregory.

While Rick and crew are out gather supplies to pay their tithe, Negan come's a visiting Alexandria with a few troops. Naturally Spencer sees his chance to dispose of Rick once and for all, but while being a psychopath Negan has a few principles and guts Spencer for his troubles. This leads to a confrontation with the newly arrived Rick and Negan leaves with half the supplies the Alexandrians have gathered. Thinking they have a chance to finish it once and for all Rick and team spring into action attempting to ambush Negan. They would have succeeded except for the extra troops Negan has outside the town, and the locals are quickly subdued, well except for Carl who takes a pot shot at Negan, putting a hole in Lucille. Negan is incensed, it's his beloved bat, and demands Carl be thrown over the wall else there will be a pounding on a few heads. Thankfully Jesus and the volunteers from The Kingdom arrive and we hit stalemate. Negan withdraws with his men, but I guess the die is cast. Rick launches an audacious plan and attacks Negan's stronghold, achieving the first part of his overall campaign strategy, but at the loss of Holly and later a lot of Kingdom troops. Hold onto your knickers Kids, we're headed to all-out war!

Book Ten of The Walking Dead zombie epic brings us two new story arcs to feast our eyes on, Chapter 19 - March To War and Chapter 20 - All Out War Part One. If you are following the television show then you may want to avoid reading this review as, well, the comics are out in front of events on the small screen. In Book Ten we are in the midst of Rick's planned rebellion against Negan and the escalation of troubles to full out war between the four communities. And it's about time, I'm with Maggie, time for some pay back for Glenn and to a lesser degree Abraham. What's cool about this book is the further exploration of a couple of characters who are clearly going to play major roles going forward, oh and Carl further enhancing his reputation as a total bad ass.

I was taken with the new character Ezekiel; the dude has a tiger on a leash which is only one step down from riding a Raptor people! But I was mainly taken with Ezekiel due to the time spent developing his character, call out to Robert Kirkman there. Okay he might come across us some sort of noble out of a fictitious Hollywood Arthurian drama, but underneath the flamboyant exterior Ezekiel knows he is giving people hope and a community, his scenes with Michonne were simply excellent storytelling.

You know I hate to say this after Glenn and all but I have a soft spot for Negan, guess it's of the "villain we love to hate" sort. The dude might be an out and out psychopath but he does have his own set of rigid rules. Besides which you got to love a character that can drop that many f-bombs into a single comic frame while explaining his latest outrage was perfectly normal, the other guy should apology or thank him for it. Negan has a warped view of the world, but thus far The Walking Dead crew have pretty much kept him on track, Negan surprisingly doesn't go off script, this isn't a character who does things out of the blue. There's a strange code there, backed up by a view that the world should almost worship him. Is his saviour crew kept in check by fear, or is there something else going down in Negan's group?

One of the strange notions I have about The Walking Dead universe that was reinforced with this book is that there are consequences for your actions, no matter how well intentioned. Mort just pointed out that is really hammered home in episode 1 of the new season of the television show, 7 I think. Rick decides the time is right for fighting in the streets and goes off the reservation in an attempt to assassinate Negan, of course this doesn't work and if it weren't for the sudden arrival of Jesus and a contingent of Kingdom troops a number of people were going to pay for Rick's sudden decision. But what would have happened if Rick had achieved his goal? Negan is removed but the Saviours are still a force to be reckoned with, could a new leader have emerged who is even more cut throat and savage than Negan? Well we don't know, but strangely I'm going to call a parallel with the invasion of Iraq and removal of Saddam by Dubya and minions, looking at you Howard. A number of Middle Eastern experts had indicated the removal of the Iraqi tyrant would leave a power vacuum that could be filled by something worse; enter ISIS and their particular blend of medieval barbarism. Not entirely sure Kirkman and crew are drawing that long a bow, but food for thought, and not bad for a book about "what happens after the movies end".

Seems suddenly we have a lot of new players on the board, some minor some major, this being The Walking Dead expect some culling to go down over the next few plot arcs. The series had always been good at ensuring we don't get too attached to one set of characters, excluding possibly Rick, Carl, and Michonne. I think Kirkman is setting us up for some major carnage when two tribes go to war, and my thanks to Frankie for the swing on the quote. Who will survival is probably going to be something of a concern going forward.

Charlie Adlard, Cliff Rathburn, and Rus Wooton once again have the story rocking with the drawing being totally engrossing. Loved a number of double page single frames highlighting a major plot point or an intensely emotional display. While the art remains firmly black and white, it definitely has me humming along like the teams' backup vocalist. Each time I get a new book in this epic series I devour it like a little fat guts pig, stories are absorbing to the max - word to your mother, but then I do a second run through taking time to pause and admire the scenery the art team have laid on for me, haven't been disappointed so far.

You know I realised picking up this book that The Walking Dead is the longest comic series I have ever followed. Not being a super hero type of guy I normally zero in on one shots, or at the most a story arc running graphic novel length, but have never had the dedication to follow a series down the years, The Walking Dead has changed all that in a big way. As long as the story has the ability to throw fresh ideas, new and interesting characters, and generate the compulsive reading I'm hooked. Book Ten continues the good work of the previous volume, Negan is bringing the action that has been missing for a few story arcs previously, we're at all out reading guys. Highly recommended, a truly engrossing read that shows no sign of running out of steam anytime soon.

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