Issue 100

Issue 100 is the one-hundredth issue of Image Comics' The Walking Dead and the fourth part of Volume 17: Something To Fear. It was originally published on July 11, 2012.

Plot Synopsis
The three Saviors that were seen in Issue 99 are complaining about the plan to attack the Alexandria Safe-Zone at dawn. One of them says that he is going to head for an unknown man by the name of Paul, whose group is farthest away.

The Alexandria Safe-Zone citizens are seen praying for their lives. Spencer approaches Andrea while she is keeping watch on top of the wall. Andrea is reluctant to talk to him when he starts to mention her and Rick, possibly thinking he's going to act jealous, but he instead reveals that he's happy for her and Rick.

Eugene is seen mourning over Abraham's grave, while Gabriel is in the church, praying. Aaron and Eric prepare for The Saviors, taking an inventory of the Safe-Zone's guns and ammunition.

While on the road, Michonne states that the group will not make it to the Hilltop Colony in time. Glenn is still optimistic about it but they stop the van for the night.

Michonne and Rick are talking nearby at the van. Rick thanks Michonne for everything, and says they'll have to be on the road by dawn. Rick says goodbye to Glenn, and states that he is happy for him. Rick then begins his shift of standing guard. Negan, with fifty other Saviors, sneak up on the group and subdue a sleepy Rick by surprise.

The Saviors line up the survivors from the van (Rick, Carl, Glenn, Maggie, Sophia, Michonne, and Heath) on their knees before Negan. Negan informs the group that he wants revenge for the dead Saviors that Rick and his people killed. Negan then dictates the terms for the group's survival; everything in the Alexandria Safe-Zone now belongs to the Saviors. Negan further states that there is a new world order and that Rick and his people now follow Negan or they will die.

Negan then tells Rick that he is going to kill one of the group to show Rick's people that he is in charge. Negan introduces his weapon of choice for the execution: Lucille - a baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire. After a long narrative from Negan about who should be killed with Lucille, Negan, using a counting rhyme, picks Glenn as his victim. Maggie panics, as Glenn begs Negan not to kill him. Rick tries to intervene, but Negan snaps at Rick, telling him that there are fifty men surrounding them and they will all die if they try to stop Glenn's execution. Rick and the others remain silent and watch in horror and cry with bowed heads as Negan smashes Glenn's head in with Lucille. The first blow fractures Glenn's skull and pops out an eye. Everyone cries, looking horrified and angry at Negan. Negan then taunts the still conscious and now brain-damaged Glenn, who reaches out and calls for Maggie. Negan then repeatedly and brutally smashes Lucille into Glenn's head, leaving a mass of broken bone, smashed brains, and spattered blood.

Negan informs Rick and his group that The Saviors will be back in one week to collect half of everything in their community. He turns around, leaving the survivors with Glenn's mangled corpse.

Credits

 * Rick Grimes
 * Carl Grimes
 * Glenn
 * Andrea
 * Sophia
 * Maggie Greene
 * Michonne
 * Eugene Porter
 * Gabriel Stokes
 * Aaron
 * Eric
 * Heath
 * Spencer Monroe
 * David
 * Connor
 * Negan
 * Mike
 * The Saviors

Deaths

 * Glenn

Trivia

 * First appearance of Negan.
 * First appearance of Mike
 * First mention of Paul.
 * Last appearance of Glenn. (Alive)
 * The figure on the cover is Negan, wielding "Lucille".
 * This issue had the most variant covers of any issue so far, with sixteen different covers by authors such as Charlie Adlard, Todd McFarlane, Sean Phillips, Marc Silvestri, Bryan Hitch, Frank Quitely, Ryan Ottley, and Matthew Roberts. For all the variant covers, see Volume 17: Something To Fear Gallery.
 * A program called The Hero Initiative had artists draw covers for the monumental issue. These covers were auctioned off to support struggling comic writers and illustrators.
 * Robert Kirkman stated that "Issue #100 is going to easily be the most gruesome, most violent, disturbing issue of The Walking Dead yet."
 * One of the variant covers shows Rick Grimes standing amongst a landscape of dead bodies which include every prominent character that has died within the Comic Series.
 * Image Comics released a teaser for Issue 100 that states, "Lucille Is Coming", with The Walking Dead logo beneath it.
 * This was a hint to Negan's weapon of choice: his baseball bat with barbed wire around the end.
 * The Walking Dead #100 sold out of its initial 383,612 issue order, breaking the record for best-selling comic book in initial orders for any publisher since 1997.
 * Since The Walking Dead #100 sold out of its initial issue order, it went to a second printing. The second printing included a new cover featuring Negan with his signature weapon, "Lucille".
 * The second printing of Issue 100 also sold out and went to a third printing. The third print had the 4th part of the continuing landscape image featuring Negan and his weapon of choice, "Lucille", that began with issues #97 to #99.
 * It was announced that certain retailers are to receive a special "appreciation" cover of The Walking Dead #100 featuring Negan's weapon of choice, "Lucille". The issues are signed by Robert Kirkman and are limited to 500 copies.
 * This Issue marks the end of the longest running relationship in the comics to date (between Issue 10 and this Issue), between Maggie and Glenn.