Volume 28: A Certain Doom

Volume 28 is the twenty-eighth volume of Image Comics' The Walking Dead that includes issues 163-168.

Plot
Rick and Dwight are shocked to hear the herd so close to Alexandria. Andrea arrives and tells Rick she will gather the horses despite Rick's protests. Dwight tells Rick she will be fine, and heads off to help.

Eugene tells Rick he is going to help lead the herd away. Annie warns the others that they are close. Siddiq asks Rick if they should be evacuating, but Rick says there is no time for that and the walls will hold. Siddiq tells Rick he is about the only man in the world he trusts with his life and not to let them down.

The riders get ready to lead the herd away from Alexandria. Rick tells Eugene they will use the bullets he brought to take down any roamers they are unable to lead away. Siddiq opens the gate and Eugene leads the way.

Annie yells that the herd is in range. Siddiq tells Paula that they will be fine, but she is not so sure. Rick discusses the plan as Negan arrives. Rick tells him he will not get a gun and to go back inside.

A lot of the herd fall into the trenches as they approach Alexandria. Eugene realizes there are too many and they will only be able to shave off a hundred or so at a time. Andrea insists the plan will still work. Jesus questions if they can pull it off due to the size of the herd, and Michonne tells him they will not let the Whisperers win. She climbs down from her horse and starts killing roamers by herself, telling Jesus they will take turns until they have cleared them all.

Back at Alexandria, Rick instructs the others to get their knives out as the herd gathers near the fence. Negan charges forward and orders everyone to start killing the roamers. Rick tells them to listen to the man. The roamers continue to push against the fence and eventually knock it down. Rick tells everyone to get back as Paula is overrun. She asks Rick to find Mikey and keep him safe before being devoured. Rick is knocked to the ground as the others run away. The herd closes in on him, when Negan suddenly stabs one in the head and helps Rick up. He asks if this makes up for everything, and tells Rick he is a hard man to please as he helps him escape.

Meanwhile, John is watching the herd overrun Alexandria through a pair of binoculars. Tara asks him what is going on, and he replies this is going to be a hell of a show.

At the same time, Maggie, Carl and the Hilltop residents arrive at Alexandria to find it overrun. Lydia reassures Carl that doesn’t mean his father is dead, and Maggie tells him she’s right. Michonne and Jesus show up and Maggie and Dante offer to help them lead the herd away. Carl wants to go, but Maggie tells him he is not a good enough rider and to tell Brianna what she’s doing. She asks him to watch the area and keep Hershel safe, and he agrees.

In Alexandria, Rick and Negan are escaping the herd. Rick tells him to run ahead and open a door, which he does, and Rick begs him to wait for him. Negan pulls him inside and slams the door closed. He asks if he thought he was going to lock him out at the last minute and mentions that the others were scared and ran right past him. Rick stays silent. Negan says that they are alike and should get along so much better. Rick tells him that ship has sailed.

Andrea sounds the horn to lead the herd away. Magna and Yumiko return to help her. Connie is in bed recovering and asks what all the noise is, but Kelly tells her it’s nothing to worry about. Siddiq and Annie take shelter in Eugene’s house and notice his radio equipment on the table.

Negan asks Rick what the worst thing he’s ever done is. Rick tells him to fuck off, and Negan teases him about his use of the word. He says they are just killing time, and Rick says it’s hard to narrow it down but the worst thing he ever did was live when so many others who should have didn’t. Negan agrees and reflects on the people who were too weak and he watched die. He says that eventually he started to see everyone as weak which made it easier to ‘bash a man’s brains in’. He tells Rick he knows what he did was wrong and he helped him to see that which is why he stayed in the cell, brought back Alpha’s head and saved his life. He then says the worst thing he ever did was leave his wife to rot because he couldn’t put her down himself.

Eugene and Heath have led some of the herd away and plan to go back for more. Heath tells Eugene he is impressed by his skills at leading them away, and Eugene says they are simple creatures to figure out and that thanks to Rick, he’s safe enough to pay attention to detail. Heath tells him he almost looks forward to days like these because ever since he lost his leg, he feels most useful on a horse. Eugene says it is good for him too, and they head back to Alexandria.

Dwight tells Laura they need to lead more of the herd away and asks her to fire a few shots. She says they will get surrounded, but Dwight orders her to do it. She fires her gun and the roamers start to follow them. They run into Andrea, Magna and Yumiko and he tells her to sound the horn. Eugene and Heath return to help.

Negan tells Rick it is starting to thin out. Rick stands up and says he wants to do something instead of hiding all day. Negan tells him no and that he will do something, but Rick has to stay. He tells him to stay by the door and cover him, and not to shoot him unless he still thinks he deserves it. Rick says nothing, and Negan asks if he can believe they are working together.

On the perimeter, Carl tells the Hilltop residents to gather their weapons because they need to help the others. Lydia smiles at him.

Meanwhile, Tara asks John how things are looking. He says it’s time to pack up and get ready to go. In a couple of hours, they can go in and clean up what’s left.

Back in Alexandria, Rick watches from the door as Negan kills roamers outside. Just as he is commenting that nobody gets bit these days, a roamer attacks him from behind, but Rick shoots it. He covers Negan as he dives back inside the house. He tells Rick he saved his life and asks if they are becoming friends. Rick suggests they try a different door.

In Eugene's house, Siddiq is trying the radio. Annie tells him she hears gunshots and it is time to fight back. Siddiq swears he heard a a woman's voice on the radio, but Annie says they should go and will worry about that later.

Kelly is about to go outside to help clear the roamers, but Connie insists she will go with him. Dwight, Laura, and Heath are clearing roamers outside Alexandria. Maggie, Michonne, Jesus, and Dante have led some of the herd away, but Jesus comments it is still too close.

Magna asks where Eugene is. Andrea says he was lagging behind. Eugene appears and asks if the plan is working. Roamers tumble into the ocean. They comment on how the area is ruined and they will need to warn Pete in case he did any fishing there. Magna says they should head back, but Eugene notices some stragglers and Andrea orders them to get the horses.

Back in Alexandria, the residents continue to fight the herd. Vincent leads a group as Julia asks if he is scared. He says he is too scared to be scared. Connie insists Kelly let her help. He says he will never let her get hurt again.

Andrea and Eugene work to keep the herd together. Eugene doesn't know how much more he can take, but Andrea insists he keep going. Michonne and Jesus continue to drive the herd towards the coast. Carl instructs the Hilltop residents to let the roamers come to them. He asks Lydia if she is OK, and she says she feels alive.

Dwight asks Laura where Heath went. Heath is thrown to the ground by John – the Saviors have arrived. John punches Dwight and asks Sherry if there are any restrictions due to them once being close. Sherry says he chose his side as John grabs Dwight by the throat.

Maggie and Dante rejoin Michonne and Jesus. Michonne suggests they stay put and make sure the roamers head for the ocean. Dante says he hopes Alexandria is still standing or they won't have a place to sleep tonight. Maggie reminds him of their priorities, and he says he is worried about the people too. Jesus notices horses in the distance.

Andrea, Eugene, Magna, and Yumiko are surrounded. As they ride away, Eugene asks Andrea to give him the horn so he can distract some of the herd. Andrea is reluctant, but Eugene takes the horn and tells her to go. Eugene blows the horn, but is soon thrown from his horse. As the roamers surround him, Andrea shoots them and tells him to run. Magna and Yumiko shoot as Andrea rides in to save Eugene. He tells her to leave him, but she refuses. Magna says they're not going to make it as they both climb back on the horse. Magna is relieved, until she notices Andrea's face – she has seemingly been bit on the neck.

Credits

 * Rick Grimes
 * Carl Grimes
 * Andrea
 * Maggie Greene
 * Michonne
 * Eugene Porter
 * Heath
 * Paula
 * Paul Monroe
 * Earl Sutton
 * Brianna
 * Dwight
 * Negan
 * Tara
 * John
 * Sherry
 * Magna
 * Yumiko
 * Kelly
 * Connie
 * Annie
 * Siddiq
 * Dante
 * Lydia
 * Julia
 * Vincent
 * Laura
 * Members of The Saviors

Deaths

 * Paula
 * One unnamed Horse

Trivia
(To Be Added)