Book Review: The Walking Dead Vol. 21 All Out War Part II by R. Kirkman et al.

The Walking Dead Vol. 21 All Out War Part II by Robert Kirkman and others

The war between Rick's people and Negan's gang continues in this issue. Negan had just fire-bombed Rick's compound, forcing them to flee to the Hilltop. Rick regroups there and makes plans for his next move while Neegan discovers the ammo-making place that Eugene had set up. So both sides are restocked with bullets and Neegan has potential to negotiate. Things go back and forth for a while until the final confrontation at the end of the book.

The tactics used on both sides are fairly interesting and exciting. The ultimate resolution is unsatisfying. As a villain, Neegan is little more than a sweary version of the Governor. He's brutal and comes up with some tough tactics. His crazy, over-the-top routine eventually wears out the loyalty of his followers. Rick's big speech before the final confrontation also seems like it was cribbed from the speech he gave to the Governor on the TV show before their final confrontation at the prison. I was experiencing some deja vu, and not in a good way. Rick's final decision about Neegan is a big change but I worry the writer did it more to drag out the drama than as to put an interesting new angle on things.

The next volume doesn't come out till November 2014 and I'm not sure I will read it. I guess I'll get it from the library but The Walking Dead comics are no longer a high priority for me.