Comics
Review: ‘The Walking Dead’ # 114
Robert Kirkman kicks ‘The Walking Dead’ in the ass as he builds to “All Out War.” The stage is set, and the pacing has never been better. Rick’s quest against Negan begins this month and won’t let up anytime soon. Yet, Rick forgets that war and conquest bring casualties.
WRITTEN BY: Robert Kirkman
ART BY: Charlie Adlard
PUBLISHER: Image
PRICE: $2.99
RELEASE: September 11, 2013
The issue begins in the dire depths of hell. Rick believes Negan has finally gained the upper hand. Negan’s a confident bastard and makes sure to revel in this moment. His ego circles Rick, and we get slight insight into Negan’s warped mind. Kirkman brings a warped sense of morality to Negan that makes him irresistible to read, but so easy to detest.
Things seem hopeless. Jesus arrives, bringing Negan’s whole plan to shit. For the first time Kirkman allows another character to get the upper hand on Negan, and it is fucking fantastic. Jesus kicks Negan’s ass. Adlard’s art manages to make it look easy. Jesus dodges and counters Negan and his crew. The whole thing culminates as Jesus catches Lucille, gives Negan a mean right hook, and takes him hostage at gunpoint.
As if that wasn’t enough, the cavalry arrive. Finally Ezekiel feels like he is being used, and his absence in earlier issues completely pays off here. The residents of The Kingdom burst into the scene in one of the most riveting moments in the series this far.
Adlard’s art is some of the best he’s ever churned out. The sheer terror in Negan’s eyes as Jesus holds him hostage is perfect. His pencils transform someone we’ve seen as the embodiment of confidence to a scared child in one panel. It’s truly awesome stuff. Adlard gives us a taste of his skills in the midst of a giant battle, and I’m happy to report that “All Out War” has a lot to live up to. A new standard has been set.
The ramifications of this issue are not immediately clear. Negan is incredibly pissed off, and we’re about to head into a year of the largest conflict this comic has ever seen. This war will have many sides, it is clear that some believe in Rick, but not everyone.
My fear is that Negan’s demise will simply be the tip of the iceberg. Ezekiel is a powerful and wise man, and once all other threats are eliminated, where does the violence stop? Kirkman has built an incredible depth to this new story, and things are surely to get even more intense. It is clear that this next year is going to be something truly special. Hopefully this increased pacing keeps up, and the plodding nature of “The Walking Dead” can be a thing of the past. Plus has anyone seen any walkers lately?
Rating: 4.5/5 Skulls.
The supernatural world of Korean folk horror movie Exhuma grows larger with the arrival of prequel spinoff webtoon Maengjong this weekend, Variety reports today.
Naver Webtoon debuts Maengjong on May 30.
The series hails from Haemuri (Olgami) and will trace the high school origins of how shaman duo Hwarim and Bonggil, played by Kim Go-eun and Lee Do-hyun in the 2024 film, came together to face occultish threats.
The story is set to begin when “Hwarim, who has been concealing her identity following a childhood encounter with a snake spirit called Jin, crosses paths with Bonggil at their school.”
Variety notes that Exhuma director Jang Jae-hyun participated in the project’s early concept stage.
“We are presenting ‘Maengjong,’ a new series capturing the appeal of the horror-occult genre, ahead of the full summer season,” said Lee Jeong-geun, Naver Webtoon’s Korea webtoon content leader. “With the high school story of Hwarim and Bonggil, who left a strong impression in the film ‘Exhuma,’ enhanced by Haemuri’s characteristic tense direction, we expect it will be a welcome work for genre fans.”
“It is meaningful that the spin-off story of ‘Exhuma,’ loved by many audiences, expands by meeting the new grammar of webtoon,” said Lee Hyeon-jeong, managing director of the film business division at Showbox, which distributed the film. “We hope it will be a fresh experience for both film fans and webtoon readers.”
Exhuma was a breakout hit in 2024, becoming the first Korean occult film to surpass 10 million ticket buyers and the country’s highest-grossing film of the year. I wrote in my review that “the intricately woven Exhuma delivers one of the year’s biggest surprises in horror so far.”
The bond between Hwarim and Bonggil was one of the film’s highlights, making this prequel webtoon a must for fans.
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