Got the Negan backstory. It was fine. Provided some context. But even a short graphic novel with the mouth Negan’s got on him is hard to take. I’m still trying to figure out how he can hate rape so much and yet coerce women to be part of his harem of wives. ( )

I read the first two Walking Dead novels about the [b:Rise of the Governor|10869746|Rise of the Governor (The Walking Dead #1)|Robert Kirkman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1366212058s/10869746.jpg|16460463] because it seemed like it might be interesting to see how this major villain came to be. But it wasn't. And now the creative team behind the Walking Dead have done the same thing for Negan. It's an origin story that can only disappoint or take away from the character, and is better left untold, just like [b:Wolverine: Origin|22469|Wolverine Origin|Paul Jenkins|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1320663605s/22469.jpg|1409945]. ( )

Heeeeeere's Negan!

This was a book that could never entirely live up to the expectations that reader's placed upon it. No matter how good the story was, or how inventive, it just wouldn't truly do Negan justice. How could it? He's a charismatic villain of epic proportions who tells the truth more than any of our heroes would care to admit. Beyond that, at times he doesn't even truly qualify as a villain. How could he, when he was never as awful as the Governor, nor as inhuman as the Whisperers can be? He's had motivation for everything he's done and taken little pleasure in the killing.

If the story had been told from his perspective to begin with, we'd be calling the Saviors heroes. That's the whole of it, really, and this slim volume did a great job of showing that.

In truth, this is somewhere between the two and three star rating with a leaning towards three. I give it two instead to dissuade those wanting to go out and buy it from doing so - I'd never pay as much for this as I would for a normal volume (and it is priced around the same amount.) So, get it in an omnibus if it's in one or grab it from the library. Negan's story isn't that impressive or different from the rest, but it's still cool to see him humanized a bit more and the early days with Dwight and Sherry. I just love when they give a character more depth and backstory. ( )

Here's Negan FINALLY gives us the backstory that we've been craving for, for so long! It's not anything like I expected, but honestly I don't know what I was expecting. In this short comic we find out that Negan was in fact a gym teacher, as well as a smart mouthed, cheating, asshole husband. He changes his tune though when his wife is diagnosed with cancer and he tries to become a better person and is for once, completely devoted to her. While she is dying in the hospital the zombie apocalypse occurs and slowly we begin to see bits of Negan that we know and love, emerge. He didn't become a bad-ass over night, but he still came around pretty quickly. A must read for all Walking Dead fans. ( )

I believe villainy has a lot to do with perspective and I anticipated Negan might be less evil than he looks on the surface. Negan's origin story did not disappoint. I see him in a slightly different light now. I am more versed with the television show. I have read a few Walking Dead comics mostly from the beginning of the series. I can't judge how this story compares to Negan's comic incarnation. My only complaint is that comics take very little time to read. The wait between installments is worse than a tv show, although not as bad as waiting for an epic fantasy novel. I imagine this is why I don't invest more time and effort in comic book reading. ( )