A controversial addition to the world of Rick Grimes' attempts to hold on to his group's humanity. Now, new insight from series creator Robert Kirkman reveals this is exactly why he was introduced in the first place.
In a series known for unchained depravity and ethical complexity, the villain Negan stands out not only for his strength of character and charming (though disturbing) quirks, but for the journey he undergoes as a genuinely repentant evildoer following his reign as the charismatic leader of a cult-like army of bandits. Brought to life by actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan in the popular television series adaptation, Negan is ed by fans as a morally compromised but somewhat sympathetic figure whose larger than life persona would sometimes give way to a keenly insightful mind. A mind, like many in The Walking Dead, revealed to be greatly warped by loss and violence.
In a recent line of commentary for issue #42 of The Walking Dead Deluxe (a series of color reprints of the original run), Kirkman notes that he had planned for a more vulgar line to be said by Dale, but couldn’t quite justify it with the kind and gentle character. "If only there was a character in this book that could say any harsh, crass, offensive thing I could think of, and it would be in character...” he writes, noting that, 58 issues later, he would solve this “problem” with the introduction of the murderous, arguably psychotic evil-doer Negan. He also adds his awareness that some fans believe Negan “ruins the book.” The issue comes from Kirkman, Charlie Adlard, and Dave McCaig.
By Kirkman's ission, Negan offers a way to say the unsayable that was lacking in earlier chapters, where there were no characters who could believably come out with the creator's more outrageous lines. Negan is particularly useful in turning subtext into text, as he calls out the motivations and flaws of characters who would otherwise be able to hide them. His outspoken nature ironically also makes his true motives unguessable, as the sense that he has nothing to hide makes it especially shocking whenever he acts without warning.
Negan is a cautionary tale ing hard times as an excuse to lose oneself to ego and solipsism. Though he has a sardonic sense of humor and strong will, Negan is depicted as an unforgivably cruel man whose hypocrisy towards those he claims to protect makes him the dark opposite to Rick Grimes. The addition of Negan signaled a further descent by The Walking Dead into the savage anarchy of a true post-apocalyptic world, and perhaps the biggest ideological challenge to Rick's vision for the future, as the villain showed how beneficial it could be to abandon one's humanity and live without rules or a filter.
The Walking Dead Deluxe #42 it out now from Image Comics.
