***Contains Spoilers***
The Walking Dead Compendium Three runs from issues 97-144. This volume covers the arrival of the Saviors and their leader Negan, expands the world to new communities such as the Kingdom and Hilltop, and evolves the story beyond just being a zombie thriller. From this point forward, “the DEAD” is now more background props, and the focus is entirely on human conflict.
One of the standout moments is the introduction of Negan as a villain. He is charismatic and terrifying, quickly becoming my favorite villain in the series and quite possibly the most entertaining villain of all time — if you can handle the language. The RV scene where Negan is first introduced is fantastic, and the loss of a beloved character like Glenn only adds to the impact.
The introduction of new communities like the Kingdom and Hilltop, and their leaders, Ezekiel and Gregory, respectively, add fresh perspectives and dynamics to the group we have been following. With his tiger Shiva, Ezekiel is an exciting addition to the series. Andrea becomes a standout badass, and it is great to see her relationship with Rick and Carl evolve.
As always, death is around the corner. The death of Abraham is handled differently from previous main character deaths, as it is more anti-climatic than expected. But it is nice that the series is not afraid to handle death differently to keep us on our toes. The death of Shiva, as she sacrifices herself for Ezekiel, is a sad moment in the series.
The shocking conclusion at the end of the fair with the death of Rosita and Ezekiel leaves the readers on a cliffhanger and has left me eagerly waiting for the next issues. Overall, these issues of The Walking Dead are a strong addition to the series. I give it 5 stars.
Feature Image Walking Compendium Three Cover art by Charlie Adlard and Cliff Rathburn