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Typing On The Dead #123 – Fate In The Balance

Published Fri, 14 Mar 2014 15:00:00 -0500

by Hannah Means Shannon

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Welcome to another week of Typing on The Dead, Bleeding Cool's Walking Dead recap column. This week All Out War come to the hilltop community as Rick's alliance and Negan's Saviors begin what might be their final battle. As always *SPOILER TAG for the following article.

The Walking Dead #123 by Robert Kirkman and Charles Adlard

After last month's revelation that Negan was ready for battle with the hilltop before Rick and his group could finalize their plans, we pick up with the Saviors ready to mobilize. Back at Negan's home base, Carson is ready to break out Eugene and the rest of the captured survivors as only a skeleton crew was left to defend. Carson, much like Dwight is no master spy and ends up getting caught by one of Negan's wives and her former lover. No surprise, neither are happy with the living arrangements and want to leave as well.

Back at the hilltop its meal time and people are ready to share feelings. Andrea starts off by trying to comfort Maggie, still feeling the sting of Glenn's death. Andrea assures Maggie Glenn's death will only makes her stronger and she'll find someone else. Maggie wanting none of it, let's Andrea know she plans on being alone till the day she dies.

Carl and Sophia get a brief moment to reconnect, Sophia tries to grade school flirt with Carl but he's content to be a brooding jerk and chases her away with his attitude. Rick and Andrea share a brief moment of hope for the future, Rick says he intends on rebuilding their town and has a moment of optimism looking over the huge group of people working and living together at the hilltop.

The moment is brief as Negan is ready to go to war. The Saviors unpack their biological weapons, and march up to the hilltop gates to request Rick's presences. Hilltop guardsman Kal wants to take charge and lets Negan know what his chances are, Negan promptly has him shot in the head.

Negan only wants to deal with Rick, and after not being able to resolve the situation with surrender lets everyone know this is it. Negan's men are able to storm the gate with a military transport, but Rick and his group are able to stop it by killing the driver. Negan had backup plans as motorcycles and cars continue the auto assault. Rick falls back and has the women and children get to safety as the Saviors assault presses on, Ezekiel and Marcus are ambushed from behind, and Marcus becomes the first victim of Negan's chemical warfare. Michonne gets the save and does her best impression of Deathstroke in Teen Titans.

Negan and Dwight make their way through the compound and have caught Rick with his back turned. Negan wants Dwight to take Rick out with a zombie diseased bolt. Dwight lingers for a moment, and ultimately Rick ends up with an arrow in his side.

We end this month with Negan sure Rick will be dead one way or the other.

It's a really exciting issue this week; I felt a lot of tension through the entire book. A couple of things really stood out this week, as Carson and the Savior defectors will be playing some larger role in the future. Maggie decreed that she would be dying alone, maybe a subtle nod that she might not make it through this arc? Andrea tells Carl she needs him for what's to come, so I'm assuming Rick has something big in mind for a counter attack. Of course Rick being struck with an infected bolt, I'm just going off a gut feeling, but I bet that bolt wasn't infected.

That's all for this week, and remember to check out my Live(ish) From The Games Shop column too.

Jared Cornelius is some guy from New Jersey's coast who thinks he's a writer. If you'd like to publically mock me, you can do so on Twitter @John_Laryngitis

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