The Walking Dead, Volume 26: Call To Arms

I've never been much too impressed with the character of Negan, so color me surprised that in this story of Negan escaping and joining The Whisperers, I find him funny, interesting, and even a voice of conscience! It's the little surprises like this that keep me reading when this series often seems to just retread that same things again and again. Plus there's quite a cliffhanger at the end, but Negan isn't necessarily a reliable narrator so who knows where it will lead to next.

What a wild ride!

More than anything else this volume highlighted just how clever, and utterly merciless, Negan can be. Survival rests entirely upon the decisions the characters make now, and making good choices isn't easy. Was Rick resorting to uniting his people against a common enemy the best choice? Did he act quickly enough, or has stalling doomed him? How about Dwight's decision to no longer lead the Saviors? Will Michonne take over the Kingdom?

Questions, questions, questions. Meanwhile Negan has escaped his cell and gone to pay the Whisperers a visit of his own. What are his longterm plans? And what about the Whisperers? It looks like things are gearing up for a war, whether it's wanted or not.

In the wake of the attack by the Whisperers, Rick has a lot to juggle. With Ezikiel dead, the Kingdom is going to need a new leader and Rick is determined to get someone he trusts in that position. If that were not enough, Dwight not only refuses to head up the Sanctuary, he's not keen in taking a central role in the militia. Now that Rick has gotten control of Alexandria again he has to prepare his people for war. This means going outside of the gate to practice killing walkers. It's just what the people need but unfortunately since the paranoia is high, mistakes are going to be made. Rick's main focus is getting the people to redirect their anger from him and so to prepare for an upcoming war, he doesn't see the danger an old enemy show more just might pose to all of his plans.

Volume 26 starts off very slowly. A large part of the problem with this volume is that there are still too many characters. Yes, I know that they just slaughtered quite a few, including poor pregnant Rosita, but there are too many to keep track of. It's so bad that I had to google a few characters to figure out who they were in relation to the different communities and their history. It's clear with things heating up between Alexandria and the Whisperers that there is a big slaughter on the horizon. I wonder if someone big will die, or if the writers will simply use this as an opportunity to trip the fat from the cast of characters?

One interesting development this volume is the fact that Eugene made contact with someone on the radio. He's clearly despondent with the loss of Rosita and her child that he is reaching outside for something. Eugene tries to be crafty but being Eugene gives away far too much information about Alexandria, the challenges the face and even the number of people they have. Both Eugene and the person he is speaking with agree not to tell anyone in their respective groups about their little chats until both are satisfied they can trust the other. This could really go down one of two ways: Eugene is talking to someone who will later pose a threat to Alexandria, or Eugene is actually having a mental breakdown and speaking to himself. We have seen the later when Lori died and Rick supposedly spoke to her on the phone. Given the fact that The Walking Dead seems to at the very least be rehashing things (see Negan), we might very well be seeing a mental breakdown.

For much of this comic, I found Rick to be pretty insufferable. Due to the challenge to his authority , Rick is determined to create a strangle hold on his power and to place people he can trust (read: manipulate and order around) in positions of power. His first order of business is to place Michonne in charge of the Kingdom in the wake of the death of Ezekiel. This is disturbing given that for a time, The Walking Dead seemed to want to shift the relationship between Rick and Michonne and remind us that they are indeed friends. Now that Rick is threatened however he wants Michonne in a leadership position. They make this work by having Michonne claim that she was thinking of taking over the Kingdom and simply needed a kick in the ass to do so. At this point, I really want to see Michonne get out from under Rick and come into leadership and power on her own accord. I want to see her make her own decisions without always waiting to see what Rick thinks or wants. Finally, I want her to be so much more than Rick's favourite weapon of choice.

In furtherance of his goals, Rick wants Dwight to take over leadership of his newly formed militia. Dwight left the Saviours precisely because he didn't want to lead anyone but his objections mean absolutely nothing to Rick, who declares that it's too late. When we later see Dwight take to zombie training wielding the infamous Lucille, it really is a declaration as to where his head is at. He uses Lucille because he sees it as a symbol of oppression and by not being given freedom of choice to decide what role he will play in the various communities, it's clear that Dwight is once again living under a strongman who simply has the appearance of being kinder.

Somehow, Rick even finds time to be magnanimous while he is having Alexandria covered in propaganda. In the last volume, we saw that the people responded to the attack by the Whisperers by blaming Rick and questioning his leadership. Now that Rick has redirected the community's anger by having propaganda posted, he's more than happy to accept thanks from Vincent for not exiling him. It's absolutely gross to read as Rick tells Vincent that he's giving him the chance to do good in the future and make up for his actions.

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So it turns out I like Negan quite a bit? How did this happen?! I mean, he’s an absolutely vile piece of shit, but man is he entertaining.

My boy Aaron better be okay, you monsters.

Another transitionary volume, obviously setting up some mayhem to come. Personally, I think it's a bit soon for Negan to rear his foul head, but hey, I'm also not the guy that dreamed up a comic and television phenomenon, so what do I know.

Not an awful lot happens here, but when some of the pieces fall together, it's very obvious that these are the first few turds to be flung before the entire shit hits the fan.

Well, my goodness! I'll bump my rating up a star just for that ending.
It started kind of slowly, and I'm not a huge fan of Rick's motives right now, but what a bang-up time once the Whisperers' border was crossed. A new plot element, likely a new danger, is in the works too.
OK, Robert Kirkman, I'm interested again.

Just when you think Negan has a heart, gives you an peek of the important loss he suffered, and you think he could have some softness somewhere inside that dark, cold abyss... Nope, he is still a dick!