Issue 104 is the one-hundred-fourth issue of Image Comics' The Walking Dead and the second part of Volume 18: What Comes After. It was originally published on November 14, 2012.
Plot Synopsis
After Negan whispers his taunt to Rick, he wishes the survivors farewell. He and the Saviors depart the Alexandria Safe-Zone with the seized medication. Denise asks Rick what Negan whispered to him, but Rick says it's not important. When Denise becomes insistent, Rick informs her that Negan is in command from now on. Rick states that anybody can leave the Safe-Zone if they are not satisfied with the new world order. He says the community should gather up their resources into one place for Negan's next visit.
Rick then goes home calls out to Carl, who does not receive a response. As Negan and The Saviors are driving back to their base, Carl is hiding under the mattresses with Abraham's rifle, having stowed away in one of their trucks.
Meanwhile, Dwight is checking his supplies in a Saviors' outpost, when another Savior startles him. The Savior informs Dwight that he has been followed since he left the Alexandria Safe-Zone, and gives orders through a walkie-talkie for another group of Saviors to capture the follower, Paul Monroe. Meanwhile, John, Tara and another Savior have surrounded Paul. John tells him to surrender, promising that he won't be harmed if he does. Tara, on the other hand, threatens him. Paul proceeds to knock all three Saviors on the ground, but ultimately gets knocked out when Tara hits him over the head with the butt of her knife, She is about to kill him, but is stopped by Dwight, who orders Paul to be tied up, since he will be more useful alive. Dwight figures that Paul was sent to find out where the Saviors' base is, and deduces that Rick and his group aren't playing by the rules after all. He tells Paul that Negan is going to have a lot of questions for him.
Dwight and another Savior drive Paul to their base, a factory surrounded by a wall of mutilated and chained zombies. As Dwight turns to Paul, he is shocked to discover their prisoner has escaped. Dwight and the other Savior agree not to say anything about Paul to Negan.
Negan and the rest of the Saviors arrive shortly after with the supplies from the Alexandria Safe-Zone. Negan is surprised to see Dwight alive, telling him "There is always a next time, I suppose,". Negan orders the Saviors to unload the supplies from the truck while he goes to his quarters and sleeps with his wives, which causes Dwight to glare at him, visibly angered. Two Saviors are retrieving supplies from the truck and wonder if they will get some of the mattresses and what they'll have to do to earn one, when one of them spots Carl. Carl opens fire and kills two of them. As the other Saviors rush to the back of the truck, Carl orders them to stay back. He tells them that he only wants Negan and that no one else needs to die.
Negan arrives, wondering if Carl picked the large gun because it looked cool. He goes on to admit that Carl scares him. Carl fires the rifle again, killing several of the Saviors in the process, until he falls backward due to the recoil of the gun. Enraged, Dwight kicks Carl in the stomach and screams that he's going to kill him, but Negan orders Dwight to stop attacking a defenseless child. "Is that any way to treat our new guest?" Negan asks.
Credits
- Rick Grimes
- Carl Grimes
- Michonne
- Aaron
- Eric
- Heath
- Denise Cloyd
- Paul Monroe
- Dwight
- Negan
- Tara
- John
- The Saviors
Deaths
- At least 4 unnamed Saviors
Trivia
- First appearance of Tara.
- First appearance of John.
- When Negan mentions his wives while with Dwight, Dwight is shown for a brief panel glaring at the mention. This was the first hint of Dwight having a partner who had moved on to become one of Negan's wives.
- This issue marks Aaron's 25th appearance.
- In this issue, Dwight says to Negan "reports of my demise were greatly exaggerated." This is taken from a popular Mark Twain misquote, "the reports of my death are greatly exaggerated".
External Links