Walking Dead #116 kicks off part two of “All Out War” and after a long arduous trip Rick’s plan is finally revealed in the initial attack against Negan and it’s a doozy!

Official Description from Image:
ALL OUT WAR’ continues! The first battle of the war rages on!

Last issue of Walking Dead ended in a surprise as Negan had an ace in the hole for Rick’s ultimatum as the leader of the Hilltop secretly aligned with Negan and calling for his people to walk away from this fight. Shocking many of them do and Rick’s back continues to be up against a wall. Finally after several months the wait and slow burn Robert Kirkman has put readers through with the lead up to this war is beginning to show dividends.

It was starting to seem like the zombies have become an after thought, and I suppose after all this time that would become likely, but here Kirkman uses them in way like we haven’t seen very often, if ever, and it really delivers. The talking and planning is over and the majority of this issue focuses on the first strike by the members of Alexandria, Hilltop and Kingdom and fans of big action with guns and zombies will rejoice.

While Negan is on his heels Rick tries to play hero with the best of intentions but there is someone else that will try and carry the fight directly behind Negan’s walls. It high intensity and action but as we’ve come to know with Negan you can never count him out and the results will be brutal now that the fighting has begun. Charlie Adlard gets to stretch his artistic muscles here with the flurry of action and a double page spread of zombies that is a welcome sight.

While I was still hoping for something just a bit more grandiose overall I was not disappointed. This is a return to the grit, horror and grim that the Walking Dead is well known for and I can’t wait to see what Kirkman and Adlard have in store. It was also great to see Rick shed his submissive role he has been wearing since Negan’s arrival and a return to the tough, aggressive leader he has always been. Walking Dead #116 feels like the return of a long lost undead friend and fans should strap in for what’s sure to be an exciting ride during “All Out War.”

4/5