Robert Kirkman
VOLUME 17 (#97-102)
Abraham goes to see Eugene who has made a list of places that might have what they need to make bullets. He tells Abraham that Rosita is happier with him and Abraham leaves. Rosita isn't happy that Eugene said they were together. Rick has become optimistic about their situation since visiting the Hilltop. On their way back, they are told to pull over by Negan's men. Rick pulls over and has Andrea ready with her gun. When the men, Negan's self proclaimed "Saviors," demand all of their supplies, Rick refuses and Andrea, Michonne, and Glenn kill them. They get back to their town and Maggie tells Glenn that she is pregnant. Rick tells everyone that the Hilltop has enough food to trade with them. However, the Alexandrians only have strength to trade for it. Everyone is for Rick's proposal to protect the Hilltop. That night, Rick decides that he and Andrea can be a couple and they sleep together. The next morning, Eugene takes Abraham out to check out the bullet making supplies. Abraham is shot through the head with an arrow on the way. The Saviors, led by Dwight, try to hold Eugene captive to get into the city, but Rick and the others are able to scare them away without any other losses. Glenn wants to move his family to the Hilltop to keep them safe. Everyone mourns Abraham's death, including Rosita, who gives her condolences to Holly. Rick plans to go back to the Hilltop one more time before Negan gets another chance to attack. Andrea stays behind and keeps watch. She keeps finding herself on the wall and relieved that no one in shooting at her. Meanwhile, Dwight gathers Negan's men to attack them the next day. Rick is on watch when their small group is confronted by Negan and fifty of his men. He knows they don't have a chance to fight, so they listen to Negan tell them how they are now going to give him half of their supplies. To drive the point home, Negan uses a baseball bat with barbed wire wrapped around it to kill Glenn. They leave the pitiful group alone. Maggie punches Rick until Carl pulls out his gun on her. Sophia attacks Carl, but the fight is broken up quickly. They decide to get Maggie and Sophia to the Hilltop. When they get there, Rick punches Gregory to thank him for not informing them of Negan's forces. Jesus decides to return with them. They get back to Alexandria as quickly as possible, but the place has obviously been attacked. Nicolas lets Rick in the gate and Andrea explains what happened. Fifty or so men came to attack, but were scared off when they killed a dozen or so. They have Dwight as a captive, but Rick wants to keep him as an advantage. He talks it over with Michonne before deciding that they are going to give Negan what he wants. He tells the community and Andrea is furious. The prisoner is set free and Rick sends Jesus to follow him and scout out Negan's forces.
VOLUME 18 (#103-108)
Rick reveals to Andrea that he hasn't really given up to keep her from leaving him. Negan comes to take half of their supplies and everyone is unhappy about it. Carl tells Negan what he thinks and then hides away in the supply truck to stow away back. When Negan's men start unloading the truck, they find Carl with a machine gun. He is able to take a few of them out before he looses control of the gun and is caught. Negan drags him around the factory they live in. He shows him his wives and tells him about his new world order. One of his wives has been cheating on him. He gives her the option of going back to her lover and living off a point system or staying with him. She decides to stay with Negan, so he burns the face of her lover, Mark, with an iron. He makes Carl take off his bandages and sing him a song while he swings his bat around. He wants to really punish Carl, but is having trouble finding something that is worse than what he has already been through. Rick has been taking Michonne, Heath, and Andrea out to look for Carl everyday, but he thinks that Negan took him during his visit. When Jesus returns, he shows them the way to Negan's home. Negan meets them on the way to give them Carl back to show that he can be reasonable. Rick reassures the people of Alexandria that the future is looking up and that Negan is reasonable. Carl tells them about what he saw at Negan's camp. Jesus takes Rick to meet King Ezekiel, who also doesn't want to put up with the tyranny they have all been forced to live under. Ezekiel is willing to team up with Rick now that they know that the entire factory isn't filled with soldiers, but normal people. Dwight is already there to help them, but Rick is weary of his help. Dwight assures them that he wants to help because he can't live without his wife, Sherry, who is now one of Negan's wives.
VOLUME 19 (#109-114)
Maggie visits the only grave in the Hilltop, Glenn's, when Brianna approaches her to talk. She goes to the doctor to make sure the baby is doing okay. Jesus comes to visit her to tell her to keep an eye on Gregory and that if she notices anything to tell Hal. Jesus finds out that Hal has left to tell the Saviors what Jesus is planning with Rick and uses a horse to catch up with him. Hal has already set off the flare to notify Negan's men, so Jesus tells them they wanted to give them a heads up on their offering being a little light that week. Rick takes his best people to meet with Ezekiel (and his tiger), but tells the community he is going on a supply run. Michonne blows the king off at first, but he confronts her and tells her how he came to be a king. He was a zoo keeper and raised the tiger from when she was born. He saved her when she fell into a pit and she has been by him ever since. She starts to accept him. The next day, Rick's group checks out the abilities of Ezekiel's and finds that they will be very useful in the upcoming war. Jesus arrives with Hal and his men as well. Negan shows up at Alexandria and Olivia lets them in. He sets him and his men up in a vacant house. Spencer comes to talk to him. He suggests that Negan kill Rick, who is unpredictable, and put Spencer in charge. Negan thinks Spencer is a coward and stabs him to death. Rick takes some supplies, but is surprised to find Negan already there. He acts compliant, but secretly gathers people to kill him as they leave the town. Andrea goes up to the bell tower and is able to kill the truck driver. She is eventually found by one of Negan's shooters and they fight. Meanwhile, Negan wants to kill Carl to teach Rick a lesson. Andrea throws the man out of the tower, but Rick thinks it is her falling. Jesus, King Ezekiel, and some of his men show up to help them. Negan gets away and Ezekiel keeps everyone from going after him when they are not prepared to. Jesus explains to Rick that they need him to continue to inspire bravery and be the leader. Negan explains to his men that they are going to war.
VOLUME 20 (#115-120)
Rick, Ezekiel, and Jesus’ groups wake up and prepare to go to war. Rick tells his group that many of them will have to go and fight. He leaves Carl in charge with Andrea to help him. The people load up and stand in front of Negan’s warehouse. Rick offers them peace for their surrender. Negan refuses and has a representative from the Hilltop. The man says that if they don’t surrender, all of their families will be thrown out of the community. When only eight men are prepared to leave at Negan’s threat, he kicks the man away. His men start shooting and Rick’s army starts fighting back. They hide behind the bus and vehicles and continue to shoot. Once enough noise has been made, Rick tells everyone to get on the bus to get out. He goes to open up the gate so that the Saviors will be trapped. Holly points out that he can’t risk himself like that and knees him in the stomach. She drives a truck through the gate to let the zombies in. Negan finds her. Rick catches up to the rest of the group and tells them the war is just starting. Negan thinks that Holly is Andrea and that Rick will come crying for her. Holly tells him he has the wrong girl and he decides to hold her while he deals with the oncoming zombie horde. Rick explains to his group that they need to split into two groups and start attacking the Savior’s outposts before they realize what has happened. Michonne will stay behind to watch over the community incase Negan manages to free his people and attack. Negan thinks they can handle the zombies if they just take them one at a time, but it gets to crowded and they have to retreat. David goes to visit Holly and tries to rape her. Negan stops him and slits his throat. He wants to be able to work with the people after he wins the war. Rick’s group goes to the most fortified outpost and takes it over. Eric is shot in the head and Aaron charges forth with a fury. Things don’t go as well for King Ezekiel. His group is quickly overtaken and the surviving members of his team split up in all directions. Ezekiel himself is almost over taken by zombies, but Shiva sacrifices herself to save him. He tells Michonne about it and is ashamed to be alive. Rick arrives back at Alexandria and hears about Ezekiel’s group failing. He immediately starts preparing everyone for Negan to attack them. A grenade blows up one of the empty houses. Negan says he just wants to talk and offers Holly back. Rick agrees to talk after Holly is back inside. They get her in and Denise takes the bag off of her head to reveal that she is a zombie. Denise is bitten and Negan calls for the attack to start. He has his men spread out along the walls to keep throwing grenades over. Jesus is able to throw one back. Dwight takes out a few of Negan’s men and tells Jesus to let Rick know that he is on their side. Heath is hit by an explosion and Denise refuses to let Rick amputate her arm so that she can save him. Negan’s men start getting attacked from the nearby buildings are are forced to retreat. Maggie has lead some of the people from the Hilltop to help.
VOLUME 21 (#121-126)
Maggie’s group goes to gather people to the Hilltop. Eugene’s group is stuck in his bullet making factory. One guy goes outside to relieve himself, but Negan and his men are out there and take them all captive. Rick wakes up from a concussion and visits Heath first. He is trying t enjoy his last minutes with Denise. Michonne tells Rick that Ezekiel is ready to leave. Rick asks him to consider leaving with the rest of them. Negan has Eugene, who refuses to make more bullets for him despite Negan’s threats. Dwight goes back to visit Eugene after Negan goes to bed. He tells him he wants Negan dead and will help if he can. Carson overhears Dwight and tells him there are many people that would join his cause. Rick tries to prepare the Hilltop for an attack. Ezekiel’s people join them. There is a small town a little while away that Rick wants to set up as a staging and rendezvous point in case the Hilltop falls. Negan is already looking down on them, prepared to attack at Sundown with his weapons that he had people rub on the zombies to get their disease. Dwight and Carson help Eugene’s group and some of their own people escape the factory while Negan is away. Everyone tries to get some rest and food before the attacks start, but Negan arrives right in the middle of dinner. He calls for Rick to come to the wall and shoots a man off who refuses. They bust into the Hilltop with their trucks and Rick’s group is there waiting for them. Dwight is by Negan, who tells him to shoot Rick with the infected bolt from his cross bow. Dwight does it and shoots Rick in the side. Carson drives the refugees to the Hilltop at night. Eugene makes him turn his lights on and sees a shooting on one of the roofs of a building. Rick and Nicholas lead Negan’s men to a large building. Once most of the men are gathered, Michonne and Ezekiel turn on head lights to flood them out. People in the windows start shooting them and Negan calls for the retreat. They camp in the woods nearby. Rick and Nicholas are getting medical attention from Doctor Carson when they start to realize that people are getting fevers. Michonne and Jesus find a knife with zombie matter on it and take it to the doctor. They realize everyone with a small wound from a weapon will become a zombie, including Rick. Negan doesn’t have a worry in the world as he knows Dwight shot Rick and he will soon become a zombie. Jesus, Aaron, and a few others sneak out of the Hilltop to flank Negan’s men. It isn’t long before the Survivors show up at what is left of the gate. Rick goes out to talk to him. He explains that they should be working together to make a community that works. They could rebuild life so that it is even better than how it was before the zombies started. Negan starts to understand what Rick is saying and starts contemplating joining his cause. Rick slices him with a knife.
Missing issue #126
VOLUME 22 (#127-132)
Magma and her group are on top of a semi trailer drawn by horses. They get caught in a herd that Jesus, Rosita, Eugene and a few others are trying to lead away from the Kingdom. After the trailer tips over, Jesus finds them and tells them to get on the horses and get to the trees. They loose a man named Bernie. Jesus explains the process they will go through if they would like to stay in Alexandria (hand over their weapons, meet with Rick, etc). They agree to the terms and are brought in. Andrea checks on the construction crew to see how their hotel is coming along. They want to be able to hold the fair and make sure visitors have a comfortable place to stay. With so many on the crew diverting the herd, progress is slow. Alexandria has borrowed from several other communities to get plants and animals. Eugene has gotten a bread factory together in addition to the bullets that are being made. Carl talks to Rick about going to live in the Hilltop to learn how to become a blacksmith. Rick says he will think about it. Carl goes to the basement to talk to Negan about what is going on. Negan appreciates their talks and asks Carl If he still wants to kill him. He says he does, which surprises Negan, who thought they had become friends. Andrea questions the new arrivals. They are not sure that they can trust Rick and his people. Magma thinks they are hiding something and wants to find out what. Rick goes around town to look at the progress they have made. Olivia is running the bread mill and they think it will become a valuable commodity for trade. Rick asks Eugene if Rosita is okay, but Eugene doesn't really know how his relationship works. Rick agrees to let Carl go to the Hilltop. The next day, Carl delivers a unicorn he carved as a trade to his friend Josh. Josh tells him Anna is looking for him. She gives him a letter before he and Rick leave in horse drawn cart. As they travel down the road, guards let them know the path is safe. When they stop for lunch, they are attacked. Rick tries to take out the zombies, but Carl ends up having to shoot a few. The guard returns and Rick goes off for him, explaining that keeping the road safe is the most important job for communication between communities. Magma takes the two guys in her group to the jail, not wanting to wait until Rick returns like he suggested. They find Negan, who asks if they are going to rescue him for the terrible people. Two men from the Hilltop, Marco and Ken, go after a few horses in the wild, but are unable to catch them. They are attacked and Ken's horse falls on him. Marco is able to get it off and throw Ken over the back of his horse. When Ken falls off the back, Marco goes to help him and looses their other horse. They continue on in uncharted territory knowing they can't stay still long. Magma doesn't believe Negan's story and they leave the jail. Rick and Carl arrive at the Hilltop and are escorted in. Carl goes to visit the blacksmith, but he already has an apprentice that started the previous week. Rick is overwhelmed with all of the people that want to meet him. Maggie tells them they will have plenty of time with him and then shows him her son, Hershel. Marco is found on the road and taken to Dr. Carlson. He wakes up and says he left Ken by a barn far out. He says that the dead have started to talk. Maggie sends Dante and a few men out to find Ken. Along the way, Dante explains that his desire to sleep with Maggie is all that keeps him going. They find Marco's hat in a barn and call out for him. The zombies come. Two boys start to beat up another boy, Brian, but Sofia comes and saves them. Carl approaches her and she hits him thinking he is one of the other boys. She apologizes. Carl talks to Earl about his plans to move to the Hilltop and apologizes for not convincing his dad to let him before he got an apprentice. Earl says that he doesn't have a limit to the number of people he can take on. Carl is thrilled and starts moving his stuff into the community housing. Sofia is happy that he is moving in. Magma's people take hold of Andrea to ask her questions. She tells them to ask their questions, but warns them that if they hurt her, they will not escape alive. Rick, Maggie, and their respective kids appreciate how boring it is to watch the sunset. They all realize how much better things have gotten. Dante's men make it out of the barn, but are surrounded by more zombies. There are only a few left when they are attacked by zombies using weapons. They start talking and Dante kills the last one. He checks the body and finds that people are making the zombies into a second skin that they wear. There are more that come up and capture him.
VOLUME 23 (#133-138)
Carl sends his reply to Anna's love letter back with his dad, asking him not to read it. Andrea tells Magma's group the history behind Alexandria. When Jesus comes to check on her, she tells him she is fine. He insists on checking, but she assures him she really is fine before sending him away. Carl really enjoys working as a blacksmith and starts hanging out with Sophia again. Jesus goes to check on a patrol and the leader says they have a man missing. They head out on horseback to look for him, but after a while, have to turn back and leave him on his own. They have been followed by the men in the zombie suites and the men are taken out quickly, leaving Jesus alone to defend himself. He starts fighting them off and the zombie's whispers turn into screams. One woman asks him not to kill her and he spares her. Darius is still alive, so he promises to get him help. The two boys that were beating up Brian com back for Sophia. They hit Carl across the head with a brick and he runs away. They start to beat up Sophia, but Car returns with a shovel and beats them. They find Maggie and tell her what happened. Jesus comes in with Darius and their prisoner. Carl and Sophia immediately go to tell Maggie what happened. Everyone is taken to the doctor for treatment after Sophia passes out. Jesus takes his prisoner, Lydia, to a holding cell and starts asking her questions. She says that the dead protect them and they protect the dead. The two boys' parents come into the infirmary and start yelling about how Carl is unsafe. Carl protests and Maggie points out what they did to Sophia. She tells them they have to leave and they do. They start complaining about how Maggie is the leader and will play favorites with Carl. Gregory suggests they kill her. Maggie locks Carl in a holding cell, explaining that he took it too far and is undermining what Rick is working for. On her way out, she asks Jesus about Lydia. She drags him out when he says that they were wearing masks to look like talking zombies. Carl talks to Lydia through the wall. She explains that they ran into a lot of bad people and got into the habit of killing them before they created problems for them. She is sorry for her part in it and didn't realize there was anyone like there is at the Hilltop. Sophia wakes up and tells Maggie what happened. Maggie lets Carl out, but the parents of the two unconscious boys are not happy about it. One agrees that Maggie has to die and says that Carl has to as well. Carl goes to visit Lydia and gives her his hat to help with her confidence. Maggie finds Carl talking to Lydia and shoos him away. When she and Jesus can't get anything out of her, they agree to let Carl be responsible for her. He tells her that if she tries anything, he will kill her. He shows her around town and they stay further towards the edge by the chicken coops. The two like each other and she says she will show him how to have sex. Meanwhile, Maggie goes over to Gregory's to discuss the angry parent situation. He poisons her by putting something in her wine. Jesus walks in just as Gregory is gloating over her. They lock him in a cell despite his ranting that Maggie is trying to frame him. Lydia’s mom, Alpha, comes to the gate with Dante and Ken. She wants to trade them for her daughter. Carl tries to argue that Lydia has been hurt by her people and shouldn’t go back, but Maggie can’t risk the lives of her people for someone he has only known a day.
VOLUME 24 (#139-144)
Rick and Ezekiel both arrive at the dock, waiting on Pete’s ship to come in with the fish they have caught. Maggie and Jesus realize that Carl has left the Hilltop to go after Lydia. Dante goes to see if he can find him. Michonne arrives on Pete’s ship and doesn’t pay attention to Ezekiel. She tells Rick the story about how she left her daughters with her husband while she went to live closer to work. When everything started happening, she was unable to get to them. She doesn’t feel like she deserves to be happy. Rick tells her she does and that she should go home. Carl is brought to the Whisperer’s camp as Lydia starts to get reacquainted into the group. Maggie and Jesus decide that Gregory is too much of a threat because the people are too easily persuaded by him. Olivia , under heavy guard, goes to help Negan get clean and cut his hair. The door doesn’t lock when she leaves and it opens up. As Rick returns to Alexandria, he is stopped by Dwight. He doesn’t want to be a leader and wants Rick to assign the job to someone else. Rick tells him he will have to resign and let his people pick their new leader. He goes to find Negan still sitting in his open cell. Negan wants to use the fact that he didn’t escape as a start to building trust between them. Rick knows that will never happen. Rosita announces that she is pregnant. Rick confronts Olivia about leaving the door open and warns her not to let it happen again. Maggie hangs Gregory and has him cut down once he is dead. She explains to her people that this should be the end of the executions, not the start of a pattern. Lydia tries to explain the animalistic way of the Whisperer’s to Carl. Alpha comes to talk to him. She decides she needs to learn about his people. People have arrived in Alexandria for the fair. Maggie tells Rick what has happened to Carl. He and Andrea get ready to leave immediately. Michonne and Dante decide to join them. Alpha visits the fair and talks to Earl, the blacksmith, who is selling his stuff in a booth. She leaves before anyone gets too suspicious. Peter convinces Ezekiel that Michonne still loves him, but won’t let herself be happy. Rick alone is taken to the Whisperer’s camp. He tries to convince Carl to leave, but he won’t go without Lydia. Alpha takes Rick to a rooftop nearby. She has him look over the edge to see a giant horde. When they get back to the camp, Carl explains that Alpha allows Lydia to be raped by their people. Lydia starts crying and Alpha banishes her for being weak. As they head back, Alpha tells them not to cross back onto her side of the border or else she will release her horde on them. They find two of the horses and go to find the others. They find the border first: the heads of their friends and loved ones on pikes, including Rosita and Ezekiel. Andrea, Michonne and Dante find them and ask what they are going to do next.