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The Walking Dead (Volume 18) What Comes After by Robert Kirkman

"A frightening glimpse into Negan's "new world order" and the introduction of another community who's numbers may help in Rick's fight against the Saviors. "

5 Stars. 

Pros:  This volume showed what Negan's world is like. It's insane and terrifying but in a way, it makes sense. He's uncouth and revolting but as long as everyone follows the rules, he let's them live in relative comfort. 

Cons: Michonne and her need to hook up with every person who's taken, though when she makes advances on Heath, he lets her down gently and for that, he get's a point. But Michonne, just, have some self respect lady. 

Full Review: 

Jesus follows Dwight and manages to get a glimpse of where Negan lives. It's a factory. Rick explains his plan to Andrea, so she won't move out and they can continue their relationship. Meanwhile, Negan pays his first visit. He takes half of everything they have, as he promised. On his way back, we see Carl hiding in the van with Abraham's machine gun. 

Once they start unloading the van, Carl jumps out and mows down at least six people. Negan is impressed, to say the least. So he decides to show Carl around. He shows him his "wives", women who have decided to leave their husbands and be devoted to Negan so they don't have to work or earn points for their food. It turns out the one rule is that his wives do NOT cheat, if they do, there will be consequences. Amber, one of his wives, was caught with her former husband, Mark and Carl gets to witness what happens when one of Negan's wives cheat. Negan takes an iron and presses it to the side of Mark's face, thus marking him forever. It will be a constant reminder of what happens when the rules are not follow. 

Afterwards, Negan brings Carl upstairs to his pent house. He has him unwrap the bandages around his eye to show him the damage that was done. And as uncouth as ever, Negan is like a kid opening present on Christmas. He then asks Carl to sing him a song, all while swinging Lucille (the barbed wire wrapped baseball bat) around. If this wasn't frightening enough, Negan explains that Carl killed six of his men and he must be punished.  

Back at Alexandria, Rick continues to search for Carl. Jesus returns and says that when he was escaping from Dwight, he heard automatic weapons fire and Rick puts two and two together. Abraham's machine gun is missing, so Carl must have gone to Negan. They hit the road since Jesus now knows where Negan lives and they just happen to run into him on the road. 

Negan and Rick have a tense stand off but eventually Negan shows him Carl, safe, sound and unharmed. It's Negan's way of showing that he can, in fact, be reasonable, as long as people follow the rules. They return to Alexandria and Negan back to the Sanctuary (where he and the Saviors live.) Once everyone settles in, Jesus returns and speaks with Rick and Andrea, explaining that now that they know where Negan lives and that, as far as Carl could see, there weren't many soldiers in the Sanctuary, they might have a chance. Jesus says that he think it's time for Rick to meet Ezekiel. 

Eugene, Rosita and Holly have made it to the shop where Eugene had been going with Abraham before when Dwight attacked them. It has everything Eugene needs to start making bullets. Eugene is thrilled and Rosita gives him a compliment, perhaps she's warming up to him. 

Rick and Jesus head to the Kingdom, where Rick meets Ezekiel. He is a dramatic, theatrical man who has claimed himself King of his Kingdom. He also has a pet tiger, Shiva, if things in the Kingdom weren't strange enough (no cars, only horses etc.) With the information that Rick and Jesus have shared, Ezekiel says that this must be a lucky day and asks that his other traveler reveal himself. 

It turns out to be Dwight, Negan's lieutenant, who killed Abraham. Rick attacks him, explaining to Ezekiel that this man cannot be trusted. That if he's allowed to leave the Kingdom then he'll just go back to Negan and explain their plans. But Dwight tells Rick that he's through with Negan. That Negan is the reason his face is burned. The first woman Negan took as a wife was Sherry, Dwight's wife. They thought it would help them, but it turned out they couldn't handle being separated and Negan caught them together. He punished Dwight with the iron and since then Dwight has done everything Negan's asked him, he's been a good solder. But now, after hearing Jesus and Rick's plan, he wants in and he knows that he's the only one who can help them get the advantage over Negan.  

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