The one hundred, fifty-first issue of THE WALKING DEAD is out and it’s in your hands now (hopefully, or else you’re in Spoiler Country), so let us know what you thought down below! We’ll be awarding our favorite comment with a Kirkman-signed copy this very issue! Come strong with those comments! Johnny and I will be picking our favorite next week for the prize!
PREVIOUSLY: Rick is brutally attacked by Morton and Vincent, who both lost family to the Whisperers. But they find Rick Grimes won’t be so easily threatened—or killed. Still bloodied from the ambush, Rick addresses all of Alexandria… announcing plans to build a military large enough to defeat the Whisperers… to thunderous applause.
Loving the potential of DJ Eugene Porter, hopefully, the wastelands will be able to enjoy some sweet dubstep tracks soon enough.
And no one believed poor Eugene, based on the first great Walkie Talkie incident.
Love the implications of this new “contact”. A whole new world. Good issue all around.
Yeah new settlements blah blah blah. Carl is about to lead the saviors! Thats my boy!
I’m worried that rick is going to give Negan another chance and I really hope that carl becomes the leader of the saviors..someday… Great issue, one of the best so far!
Ha ha, great minds think alike! Only I’m not worried… More like hopeful lol
Thinking ol Ricky is feeling like Negan deserves a second chance! He’s got a big heart, which could be his tragic flaw. Negan is a smart mother fucker! He’s been playing Rick and Rick doesn’t even know it! Can’t wait to see Negan reunited with Lucille!
Carl leading the saviors? Definetly did not expect that! But being a story by Kirkman, what can we expect? As I see it, Rick gets weaker and weaker while Carl gets stronger.
Great issue! Now as long as it’s not Lori/Rosita on the other end of the mystery line I can continue to be content.
It’s Travis and Madison from LA on the other end of the radio. 😛
Ugh… please no. I was happy forgetting that show existed.
When Michonne was going on about “Me at the kingdom, Maggie at the Hilltop, you at Alexandria, who will lead the Saviors?” And Rick asked for any suggestions… In my head I was thinking “Oh my god Carl. Please Carl.” And then Michonne asked how old Carl is… I jumped out of my seat and did a fist bump in the air whilst at work. Luckily I was alone. But still I can’t wait *if* he does become the leader of the Saviors. Him and Lydia can lead the Saviors together. Carl can do it, he’s pretty much a soldier and he’s one bad ass mother fucker.
As for Eugene… I was shocked when the voice was heard on the other line and when the voice said Eugenes full name….fuck. could it be somebody in the White House? Or is Eugene going through exactly what Rick went through with the telephone? Can’t wait for next month!!!
Loved this issue. All about redemption. Rick told Vincent that he couldn’t kill him for one bad thing because it would erase all of the good things that he would come to do in the future. This was too true. Rick didn’t kill Father Gabriel for trying to get the group kicked out. If he did, then Father Gabriel would never have contributed to the army in this issue. Rick didn’t kill Dwight for killing Abraham and helping Negan. If he did, Dwight never would have saved Rick’s life in this issue. Rick didn’t kill Eugene for lying to the group about knowing how to stop the outbreak. If he did, Eugene never would have made contact with another community in this issue. And finally, Rick didn’t kill Negan for killing Glenn and countless others. If he did, it would erase everything Negan would do in the future. So now we get the foreshadowing of Negan’s release. Beautiful issue. Abso-fucking-lutely beautiful.
I hope Rick decides to release Negan and put him back into power. That’s more than likely the reason Rick went down to visit him. Even if he ends up backstabbing him, it would be a great storyline.
As for the ending, I know exactly what’s happened. A former government employee is on the other side of that radio transmission. When Eugene talks to him in the next issue, he’ll reveal that the apocalypse was caused by Donald Trump doing when he was voted in for president and released some untested bioweapon weaponry on Iran that infected the world.
Great issue, but the thing that got to me the most were two incidents that came either too swiftly or just before the story ended: 1) Rick’s stop at Negan’s cell. That will haunt me for a long time. Did Rick have something to say that he could not say? Was he going to thank him? And then there is 2) Eugene and the CB radio. Okay, you got me. I can see a whole other arc winding out from this and I want to believe that this is another community that has survived longer than expected… But there is a problem: what kind of range does that kind of radio have? It was used and perhaps missing parts, so it could not really contact someone too far away. And are they friendly?
We are in for a very disturbing ride, I think…
GREAT ISSUE!!!!! Lots of hints
Dwight+lucille= BOSS
With my mom being really sick but a HUGE fan of TWD, I’d bash in a million pizza delivery boy’s heads in with Lucille to get this signed issue for her. (Sorry, I just re-read compendium 3 and it’s all I can think about.)
Eventually is it possible that Maggie will meet her demise leaving her child with either Michonne to take as her own or Andrea. However, I think Michonne would make a great mom again.
Anybody else think it’s Dr. Robert Neville on the other end of that radio?
Mirror mirror on the WALL
I love that Michonne is gonna be kingdom leader. I hope we get more lights on the kingdom in the future. But on another note, this is possibly my favorite issue ever. It had everything.
Great issue…this issue had the best shocking ending I have ever seen in my life…I was expecting to see Dwight encounter some Whisperers but when I saw the ending…It was better than I expected..One again,Great issue
Such a good issue. One of my most recent favorites. Breath of fresh air to see the story moving along at a decent pace. I wasn’t so sure of Dwight right from the get go but this issue really brought him into light for me.
Eugene has either actually found government officials, some people hiding out in a “doomsday bunker” since the beginning or the Whisperers.
This is exciting and really the best the series has ever been!
Loving these covers and the layers to the story! The New Beginning ERA story is better than I ever expected!!
This is the best issue I have ever..It’s so amazing how the creator keeps the story going..Looks like The Walking Dead just got better than ever.!!!!!BEST ISSUE EVER
Ground Control to Major Eugene! That possibility window is wide open; Love It!
Best issue ever. Eugene has finally made contact with someone on the radio.I hope we find we find out who is this person and is he good or bad. Once again…BEST ISSUE EVER!!!
This was a great issue. The road to redemption begins to come full circle for Eugene and the CB radio. Are we in for a redemption for Negan as well? I just have to believe that the Negan circle will have to be a much longer arc. Bravo
When Gabriel asked Rick about wanting to start training, I half-expected Rick to say “No, anyone else?”
How is it possible to keep me on the edge of my seat with every issue? I really have this love/hate relationship with Negan. A part of me hopes that Rick gives him a second chance, but then he could be a bit too much at times.
And holy crap!
Eugene.
The radio.
Someone.
Good? Bad?
This is insane!
I cannot wait to see what happens next!
I have not read. Waiting for special copy from Robert 🙂
another dope issue. and i’m loving that the schedule bumped up to week one. i didn’t even realize 151 came out yesterday until about midday. nice surprise for a long week.
a couple points:
-with the increased military activity, the gunfire is going to be drawing in all the zombies in the area. the whispers tend to nomadically travel within herds; there’s a possibility that training this army could bring the threat closer to home sooner than expected, no?
-Dwight: give the poor guy a break. he may be leader material, but he knows what comes with that. “Heavy Hangs the Head.” early speculation: maybe Dwight turns to Negan for help. that way he can go back to being right hand hand man.. only to be betrayed and murdered by Negan, who still holds a grudge; i.e. the blood on the floor – issue 153.
-Rick/Negan: Rick told Negan he is NEVER getting out… but Rick used to say a lot of things. “if you kill, you die.” He realized how wrong he was after the fact. Is this a situation where he should be second guessing his ruling again? Rick was so focused on the idea of punishing Negan that he was the exception. Rick knows better than anyone that they have all done things that not only they are less than proud of, but some are downright ashamed. Rick’s rebuilding of society/community is all about redemption. Coming back from where they’ve been. Making it better. Redeeming mistakes.. Negan was stripped of that opportunity. But what is he REALLY guilty of? sure, he killed Glenn. That was wrong. But the things he did, were actions of a leader. He had good intentions; leading and protecting his people, though his morals were a little twisted and sometimes questionable. Does that mean he shouldn’t be allowed to become a better person? and who is Rick to say he can’t? I think these are all things going through Rick’s head right now. But can Negan be trusted? was he a troubled individual that needed rehabilitation? if so, is he rehabilitated? or have Negan’s motives been less than clear? Is this part of a bigger scheme, or has Negan realized that maybe his way wasn’t really the right way? Negan’s been with us for over 50 issues now, more than most characters in the entire series, and he continues to be an enigma.
-and finally, Eugene. wow, great surprise, although i did see it coming after seeing him tinker with the radio in the first few pages. now the big question of the issue: who dat is?? is it another community? is it the government? is it an isis-like militia assembled form the broken remnants of the woodbury army who have searched for the infamous Rick Grimes and his band of misfits for 3+ years, hellbent on revenge?? highly unlikely. a more realistic twist, however, is the possibility that ol’ ‘Gene is coming down with a case of the Ricks. he just lost Rosita two weeks ago (maybe less?) and has been doing nothing but working on that radio since.. Could Eugene be losing it? Personally, what i think will happen is a mix of both possibilities. Eugene will bring this astounding news to Rick and his people. When he tries to show them, it won’t work out. for whatever reason, Eugene will not be able to establish a connection with the group in front of anyone else to prove they exist. Rick, having been delusional at one point (talking to Lori on the phone after her murder), will think Eugene is falling apart. I think he will convince Eugene he is nuts until it is revealed that the survivors on the other end are in fact real — when they show up at alexandria’s doorstep. If Eugene believes the people on the other end aren’t real, he will speak with them in comfort, possibly providing sensitive information. That’s just my speculation though. Everyone is thinking the same thing though. Are these new allies to add to the growing community network? or more baddies that need to be taught a lesson in Ricktatorship?
AHH GOOD STUFF
The storyline I am most interested in following is the impending devil’s 3-way between Dwight, Lucille and Laura.
Said it before, and I’ll say it again: “Rick eats with the same hand he wipes with and that is disgusting.” Over.
As expected this was another EPIC issue !! But there’s something that i have noticed when Rick was talking to the guy that attacked him from the previous issue, so he was talking about how “doing a bad thing” doesn’t make you a bad person, then he went silence thinking, and then he went to check up on Negan ?! and so i wondering was he , in some sort, referring to Negan by saying that ?? is Rick actually considering trusting Negan ??
Another thing, are we going to have a better and closer look to the kingdom in the coming issues with Michonne becoming it’s new leader,, , cause it’s been a while since we’ve seen it 🙂 Oh and i would say Carl would make a good leader for the saviors, i mean just imagine him slicking his hair back and showing his facial injure, he would fit in perfectly between the saviors, it’s true he’s still young and may be reckless but he’s not a coward and he’s the son of Rick Grimes !!!
Anyway, I just wanna say i really enjoyed reading this issue like always 😉 Keep up the Awesome job Robert !!!
Oh and ,i almost forgot, that cliffhanger was EPIC !!!!
That’s the kind of ending I expected last month. But the most surprising thing for me was Rick missing the zombie headshot. Rick’s powers are fading.
Rick going down to Negan’s cell was an amazing moment. He’s not so sure about all his actions in the past.. particularly the ones he can still have an effect on. Heavy is the head..
But I’m most interested in Eugene somehow. Never thought I’d say that. Is he losing it the same way Rick did? I would guess he isn’t, because why revisit the exact same concept? However, Eugene’s response has to be a wise one. What reason does he have to trust the person on the other line, and are they smart enough to know they can’t blindly trust him? I would guess so, because once again… We don’t need a Welcome to Alexandria Pt. 2.
Perhaps Eugene will lose contact and Rick will think he’s experiencing the delusion he once found himself in. So many questionsssss!!!
Also Carl can’t lead shit. He’s still too irrational and emotional.
Rick is getting old, he is becoming too old for this stuf, Carl will maybe replace him in the future but not yet and not in Saviors territory. By the way Shopia is going to kick Lydia’s ass (I hope so) in some point. Jesus could be a good leader for the Saviors…Alpha is going to reject her acts soon, it will be a awesome partner for Negan…behind the bars
I am in, that this was one of the best issues. Ah to know a fresh storyline will be starting concurrently with the exciting Whisperers one we are immersed in now!
The Negan situation ( BTW Sean Matthews,, I thought it was NEEGAN too!) Remember before Rick slashed Negan’s throat at the “showdown”? Prior to the slashing, Rick had CONVINCED Negan that there was a better way that would work for all, they could work together to build something amazing yada yada,,,, And Negan was buying it! He was convinced that it could happen and he was ready to lay down Lucille and join forced with Rick and co, then he was slashed and that plan all went to hell for him. I am sure Rick remembers that conversation, and the fact that Negan might be an asset to the communities. Rick is having an internal struggle, should he embrace his idealism of people make mistakes and should be forgiven, thus let Negan out? Or should he hold true to his promise that Negan will never get out, and thereby saving his own ass because Maggie would be none to happy to kick it for him is Negan is let out. Rick is a reflective kind of guy, maybe he realized that ripping a guys throat out might have gone against his new found forgiveness state of mind too.
Another thought is that we have had Rick since the beginning and now he is showing his weaknesses to us, maybe someone or something will kill him, then the new leader will let Negan out? I like Rick but he has to die sometime, everyone in the series does, that is what makes it a great series.
Carl as the leader of the Saviors? Hmmm would he garner enough respect at his young age to be the leader there? I am sure he has the skills but there are lots of seasoned folks around who could step up I am sure. Also the Saviors are sort of the red headed stepchild of communities, every one looks down on them. Maybe they need a moral builder, and is that really Carl?
MIchonne at the Kingdom is a nice fit. I agree, I would love to see more of the inner workings of the Kingdom.
My final thought on this ramble is, maybe it is the Whisperers on the other end or Eugene’s radio? After all, they are in pretty close proximity. Of course they won’t SAY they are the Whisperers, that would be counter productive 🙂
I LOVE Negan and can’t wait for his eventual release as this issue is showing it’s going to happen fairly soon. For the communities though, I think it’s a stupid move. He didn’t just kill Glenn, he quite happily beat him to death and laughed and joked the whole time. He has reacted with nothing but joy with every killing he’s done. This wasn’t a man reluctantly doing what he had to. This is a psychopath. Even in prison, does he seem the least bit like he feels guilt for his actions, like he’s tormented? Because if that’s how he is, I’m missing something. If they pull a redemption arc with Negan it’s going to be completely out of character. He may have felt he needed to do these things, but they were taken to sadistic extremes and he loved every second of it.
As for the issue. This one should have been issue #150. I expected more and was a bit underwhelmed by #150, but this one more than made up for it. It leaves so much open for new exciting story arcs. This has me excited for nest month. I can’t wait!
It’s amazing how people interpret Negan differently! I see him as no other way than what you just described! Psychotic in plain view!
150 meant way more than you think.
after I told my mother what had happened in this issue , which it has not yet had time to read , she poured my borsch(Traditional Russian soup) sold my Shapka and let release my bear. How am I going to go to university ?!
Borsch is traditional Ukraine soup. Asshole
I really like this comic. Robert, I’m THAT man who loves absolutely EVERYTHING in that comic. Issue 151 seemed me other than the past. Everybody here gave time. Negan still under arrest. I don’t understand why do people want to let go him? It cannot be. Kirkman, don’t do that shit. Let him be as the supplement. Wtf is going on with Eugene and his radio? I’ll know it soon, i hope so. Is that his imagine or is REALLY? Don’t like to guess. Robert, your comic really fucking awesome, don’t let it end.
I’m from Ukraine and even in my country your comics are the best ones. I can’t imagine a month without a comic “The Walking Dead” I even learned English to read your comics in the original.
I like Maruchan Ramen noodles… the shrimp flavored ones!
First Time Again
Everyone else said it already, this issue was amazing. So much happened and it really sets the tone for the future. And if anyone thinks you can beat the Whisperers with out Negan they are wrong!
Why do I feel that in 150 and 151, Rick is being corrupted by evil?
I mean, Rick has this speech in which the first part is about his fear of things going back to how they were. Especially because I see Rick Grimes’s personality as one of a free man before any other things, I think he is more afraid of the social restrainings and dangers that this world has encountered, even before the zombie apocalypse (wars, greed). He’s always been. I see the zombie apocalypse as a second chance to Rick’s dreams, and in these two issues it feels like he is throwing it all away by repeating history, signing the sentence one again. “Priority number one: Move forward. Don’t go back.” – I suggest you remember this one.
So he talks about a dedicated force to keep to people safe. That’s justifiable I guess, I never knew how to argue with this. But, that’s completely denied when, later on in the speech, he specifies a couple of times “wiping” or just completely destroy the Whisperers. Well, there’s a difference between being safe, and going after poeple killing them. I mean, look at the last panel with him in 150 when he says “so we can silence the whispers once and for all!” , he’s totally gone mad for a moment. He wants it badly, he’s made a choice, that’s the moment of decline. You can see clearly that in that moment all he wants do to is kill the Whisperers. Oh, and guess what? Jesus is the only one not smiling at all in that moment of cheering.
And here goes, In 151, Norton comes up to Rick to thank him and stuff, for a second chance, right? And Rick says “That’s not who we are anymore. […] If we wrote you off after that one mistake… thing of all the good you’re going to do that would be erased.” AND, here goes: “Don’t you get it? THAT’s what we’re doing here.” says Rick slightly smiling. In the next panel he drops mad serious declaring “…” (absolutely nothing because HE HAS NO WORDS TO DESCRIBE ONE SLIGHT MOMENT OF REALIZATION THAT YOU’RE DOING SOMETHING FUCKED UPPLY WRONG). They need to move on, they need to hope for a better future. Rick suggests it, but that’s exactly the opposite he’s doing with the Whisperers, and he knows it, from the moment he says “THAT’s what we’re doing here”.
Priority number one: “Move forward. Don’t go back.” , right? Well, Rick is going exactly where it all started. It’s not about the zombies anymore, it’s never been. He’s not giving a second chance, and he is not moving on, the decision he makes can deal a lot more pain to a lot more people that he drags into all this shit. He starts persuading Michonne, even though SHE FREAKIN WANTS TO BE ON THE BOAT, just to ask her to go lead the Kingdom, so it will be also in Rick’s control, and they even talk about putting Carl as a leader for the Saviors. It’s like a political family. It’s just too much.
I do think Father Gabriel’s decision of joining the army could be a symbol of evil defeating good, of start of decline that would really bring an end to the world this time, sooner, or even way later. As if “hey, who cares about deciding what’s good and bad now? I’m useless” , and even he is losing his faith. It’s gone wrong again. The whole people gone wrong again.
… And hearing the cheering of his own RIck Grimes muppet show, the devil smiled and said: “Atta boy.”
I liked this issue. Very great. I’m just concerned whether or not Father Gabriel is going to follow through on his plan on being a soldier. You disappear for 50 issues (more or less) since you last had a whole page dedicated.
.
Other than that, everything in this issue was awesome. Anyone else have nostalgia when Rick brought that group to shoot some roamers? Prison Memories!
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Also, here’s a colored drawing (That I did) of Carl:
Am I the only one who thinks that Dwight might only be there to break Negan out of jail? Think about it; he doesn’t want to lead the Saviors anymore, but maybe he feels guilty for leaving them without a leader so he goes back to Alexandria, and just so happens to bring Lucille? Could it be he want’s to free Negan and get back in his good graces by delivering Lucille to him? And when Rick goes down to check on Negan, everyone is talking like he is maybe thinking about giving him another chance, but maybe he was just checking on him to see if he was still there? Am I alone in this though process?
I realize it is a ridiculous long shot, but I really hope that the voice on the other end of the radio is someone from one of the many other iterations of The Walking Dead, i.e. Kenny from the game or even someone from Fear the Walking Dead. But it more than likely won’t be, but I hope that it is someone that can team up with the group against the Whisperers to be able to blindside them. Could be interesting!
I really hate to say this but, I get the feeling that Eugene maybe hallucinating voices through the radio, like rick on the phone.. I’m betting to say Eugene is hallucinating Abaraham’s voice.. Just a theory ok?!
I really hate to say this but, I get the feeling that Eugene maybe hallucinating voices through the radio, like rick on the phone.. I’m betting to say Eugene is imitating Abaraham’s voice.. Just a theory ok?!
I can’t wait for the upcoming shit storm with the fucking Whisperers, lacking a good shocking death 😉
P.S. 1 week is seven days, ahahah