In the Negan Lives! one-shot comic, The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman reveals he originally had Maggie kill Negan back in issue #174.
The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman revealed the comic's original plan was to have Maggie shoot Negan dead. For casual audiences,The Walking Deadis best known for the popular AMC television show. Debuting in 2010, AMC'sThe Walking Deadtells the story of a group of survivors in a zombie apocalypse. Last month, it was statedThe Walking Deadwas thehighest-watched scripted show on cable this year, but ofcourse, the show would not exist without the successful comic book from Image.
The long-running comic book came to a surprise end last year in issue #193. This past week, Kirkman released a newWalking Dead one-shot titled, "Negan Lives!", bringing back the fan-favorite character.The Walking Dead ran for 193 issues, featuring several memorable characters. Easily one of the most memorable was Negan. The bat-wielding villain made quite the entrance in the comic's 100th issue, brutally murdering Glenn. Negan made his final on-page appearance (before Negan Lives! later) in #174. Fans may be surprised to learn Negan was originally meant to die there.
Related: Everything That Happened In The Walking Dead Comics' Ending Time Jump
Robert Kirkman is no stranger to revealing tidbits and fun facts regarding The Walking Dead's development in the letters section. It's no different in Negan Lives! Here, Kirkman confirmed (via Insider) something he teased in the letters section of issue #176: Maggie originally shot Negan in issue #174 instead of letting him go. In fact, Kirkman says he "even wrote the full issue script, ending with Negan's death." What stopped the writer from going through with this plan? Kirkman said it was an email from Walking Dead artist Charlie Adlard that changed his mind. Check out the email below:
"I know Negan wasn't going to last, so this issue came as no surprise, unlike the Andrea saga, but it's still sad to see him go. Nicely done... except... I'm a bit unconvinced by the way Maggie shoots him. Are you trying to say that this is some sort of "id" thing where deep down inside, that's what she wants to do, even though she's being convinced she doesn't have to shoot him. It just feels a bit forced. As I said, the more I got to know Negan especially over these last few years the more I wished he'd stayed around till the end. I wish redemption would've worked for him. This is absolutely no criticism of you at all, but more a criticism of western [at least] literature/entertainment, where, because the majority of us find the death penalty therefore an eye for an eye adage abhorrent, we carry it out in fantasy. Hardly any western villain gets away with not dying at the end. We, as an audience, always demand the ultimate punishment for our fantasy bad guys. It's a shame we didn't break the mould with Negan... the baddest of bad guys, but very far down the road to redemption and forgiveness, who pays the usual ultimate price death. Imagine, if he lived, what we could say about our society?"
Interestingly, in the show, The Walking Dead producer Greg Nicotero wanted Maggie to kill Negan. Like the comic, that did not take place.Negan was instrumental in season 10, becoming involved with the Whisperers' storyline. Despite numerous opportunities to kill him off, showrunners won't get rid of Negan, and for good reason. It's hard to picture Jeffrey Dean Morgan's portrayalcome to a close, andviewers would surely miss seeing the fan-favorite character on screen each week.
While Negan was almost killed in the comics, Adlard's email "moved" Kirkman to redo the last six pages of issue #174. In the story, Maggie confronts Negan inside a house with the intent to kill him. Instead of resisting, Negan welcomes death, saying he deserves it. In the end, Maggie decides not to kill him, but to let him live with what he's done.Theoriginal ending likely would not have been as well-received by comic fans.Fans of the comics and the TV show wouldprobably agree that killing Negancould haveruined both thecomics and TV series as it could have derailed Maggie's character arc. While it would have been something to see Negan taken out, the decision to keep him alive waslikely the better route to go.
Next:Why Glenn Had To Die On The Walking Dead
Source: Insider
What Happened To Summer Glau
Daniel is a News Writer at Screen Rant. He covers movie and TV news of varying subjects. You can also find his work over at another Valnet site: TheGamer, where he writes news articles and video game reviews. In the past, he's written for ComicBookMovie, Unleash the Fanboy, and 411 Mania. Daniel graduated from Thomas Edison State University with a B.A. in Communications. He loves science fiction, and comic book movies. However, his main interest is Japanese monster movies, known as kaiju films. He knows all about the Godzilla series, and can talk about it for hours upon end. His reviews and retrospectives on Godzilla have been published in G-FAN. Besides Godzilla, he enjoys watching Ultraman, the ultimate superhero.When he's not watching a Godzilla movie, Daniel can be found playing his Nintendo Switch or reading comics. He also enjoys a good anime. He can be contacted directly at djdjalvarez(at)gmail(dot)com.
Read the original:
The Walking Dead Originally Had Maggie Kill Negan In The Comics - Screen Rant
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Episode 5 Trailer - ComicBook.com - March 24th, 2024
- What The Song Means In The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Episode 4 (Does It Reveal The Ending?) - Screen Rant - March 24th, 2024
- Invincible Season 2 Is Avoiding A Problem That Nearly Killed The Walking Dead - Screen Rant - March 24th, 2024
- Invincible Season 2 Has A Walking Dead Easter Egg You Might Have Missed - Looper - March 24th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Episode 4 Review What We - Den of Geek - March 24th, 2024
- 'The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live' Episode 4 Recap: It's Rick, Michonne, and Carl? - Collider - March 24th, 2024
- The Walking Dead Includes a Rare Sex Scene on The Ones Who Live: 'It Is About Pain,' Says Andrew Lincoln - PEOPLE - March 24th, 2024
- Daryl Dixon Season 2 Release, Cast & Everything We Know - The Direct - March 24th, 2024
- The Ones Who Live Episodes 5 & 6 Get Ominous Tease From Walking Dead EP - Screen Rant - March 24th, 2024
- TWD The Ones Who Live Episode 5 Trailer: Rick & Michonne Find Trouble Escaping - Screen Rant - March 24th, 2024
- Does Rick Leave the CRM on The Ones Who Live? - CBR - Comic Book Resources - March 24th, 2024
- Into The Kirkmanverse? Invincible Teases A Major Connection To The Walking Dead - Screen Rant - March 24th, 2024
- The Ones Who Live Pulled a Bait-and-Switch on Walking Dead Fans, But It Works - CBR - Comic Book Resources - March 24th, 2024
- Well, That Was The Walking Dead's Raunchiest Episode Since The Show Began In 2010 - Screen Rant - March 24th, 2024
- Invincible x The Walking Dead Crossover is Now Likelier Than Ever Due to This Season 2 Character - imdb - March 24th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live episode 5 - Release date & time, where to watch, and more - Sportskeeda - March 24th, 2024
- Rick Grimes Just Massively Insulted Lori, 12 Years After Her Walking Dead Exit - Screen Rant - March 24th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Ep. 4 Review: "What We" Needed - Bleeding Cool News - March 24th, 2024
- I Asked AI What TV Characters Who Died Too Soon Would Look Like If They Still Alive Today - BuzzFeed - March 24th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Rick has a tough decision to make in "What We" - Winter is Coming - March 24th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live - A Testament to Survival and Humanity - Age Of The Nerd - March 16th, 2024
- Which Side Thorne Is On In The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live? Why She Tries To Shoot Michonne Explained - Screen Rant - March 16th, 2024
- Where The CRM's New US Mountain Base Is Located In The Walking Dead - Screen Rant - March 16th, 2024
- The Ones Who Live Season 2 Gets Cryptic Tease From Walking Dead Showrunner - Screen Rant - March 16th, 2024
- The Ones Who Live Theory: The CRM's Echelon Briefing May Have Sinister Plans - CBR - Comic Book Resources - March 16th, 2024
- What Would Happen To The Walking Dead's Main Group If The CRM Found Alexandria - Screen Rant - March 16th, 2024
- Predicting The CRM's 500-Year Plan In The Walking Dead - Screen Rant - March 16th, 2024
- Walking Dead's Creator Admits 1 Criticism of the Franchise Is 100% True - IMDb - March 16th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Episode 3 Clip Shows Rick Trying To Make A Deal With Jadis - Screen Rant - March 16th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live leaves us on the edge of our seats in Episode 3 - Winter is Coming - March 16th, 2024
- The Ones Who Live's Villain Just Nailed Rick Grimes' Entire Walking Dead Story With One Line - Screen Rant - March 16th, 2024
- The Best Horror Games Where Your Choices Matter - TheGamer - March 16th, 2024
- 'The Ones Who Live' Showrunner Wants to Keep Future Plans Open - Collider - March 16th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Star Addresses Shocking Return (Exclusive) - ComicBook.com - March 16th, 2024
- Five Thoughts On The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live's Bye - Multiversity Comics - March 16th, 2024
- Walking Dead: Ones Who Live Star Explains Why Jadis Is Loyal To The CRM - Screen Rant - March 16th, 2024
- Pollyanna McIntosh Breaks Down Jadis' Return In The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live - Screen Rant - March 16th, 2024
- Walking Dead's Danai Gurira on the "big question mark" in The Ones Who Live - Digital Spy - March 16th, 2024
- A Major General Beale Clue Supports 1 Exciting Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Ending Theory - Screen Rant - March 16th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Tests A Time-Honored Relationship - SlashFilm - March 16th, 2024
- The Walking Dead Makes 1 Important Change To Rick Losing His Hand In The Ones Who Live - Screen Rant - March 8th, 2024
- 'A's and 'B's: How 'The Ones Who Live' Solves A 'Walking Dead' Mystery - TV Insider - March 8th, 2024
- The Walking Dead Explains A Mystery From Season 10 (Then Immediately Ruins It) - Screen Rant - March 8th, 2024
- 'The Ones Who Live' Pulls Off a Feat 'The Walking Dead' Failed For Years to Accomplish - Pajiba Entertainment News - March 8th, 2024
- The Ones Who Live Just Introduced The Walking Dead's Most Impressive Zombie Weapons Yet - Screen Rant - March 8th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Episode 2 Review Gone - Den of Geek - March 8th, 2024
- What keeps "The Walking Dead" moving forward? Showrunner Scott Gimple insists "love is the fuel" - Salon - March 8th, 2024
- Rick and Michonne's 'The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live' Reunion Isn't What We Expected - Collider - March 8th, 2024
- The Ones Who Live Is Subtly Teasing A Major Walking Dead Character Cameo - Screen Rant - March 8th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Episode 1 Twist Explained - TheWrap - March 8th, 2024
- How Well Do You Know the Cast of 'The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live'? - Collider - March 8th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Stakes Out AMCs Best Premiere Viewership In 6 Years - Deadline - March 8th, 2024
- Andrew Lincoln On Scaring Jon Bernthal And Makeup On The Walking Dead' - UPROXX - March 8th, 2024
- Will There Be 'The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live' Season 2? The Stars Weigh In. - The Mary Sue - March 8th, 2024
- INTERVIEW: TWD: The Ones Who Live's Matthew August Jeffers on "Terrifying" Plot Twist - CBR - Comic Book Resources - March 8th, 2024
- 'Lots of Tears': Danai Gurira Opens Up on Michonne's Return in TWD: The Ones Who Live - CBR - Comic Book Resources - March 8th, 2024
- Five Thoughts On The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live's Gone - Multiversity Comics - March 8th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Needs to Quit All the Time Jumps - Den of Geek - March 8th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Episode 2 ending explained: Rick bringing Michonne to the CRM becomes a ... - Sportskeeda - March 8th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live first two episodes, now that's a love story! - Undead Walking - March 8th, 2024
- Walking Dead just did something with Rick Grimes that it said it never would - Digital Spy - February 28th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Season 1 Episode 1 Review: Years - TV Fanatic - February 28th, 2024
- How to Watch The Walking Dead and its Spinoffs in Order - MovieWeb - February 28th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Episode 1 recap: The return of Rick - Dexerto - February 28th, 2024
- The Ones Who Live finally solves huge Walking Dead mystery - Digital Spy - February 28th, 2024
- There is no imminent plan for all 'Walking Dead' shows to link up - Entertainment Weekly News - February 28th, 2024
- Who is Craig Tate who plays Lt. Col. Donald Okafor in The Ones Who Live? - Undead Walking - February 28th, 2024
- 'The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live' Episode 1 Recap: Rick and Michonne Are Back! - Collider - February 28th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live surprise viewers with that scene in episode 1 - Undead Walking - February 28th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Episode 1 Review Years - Den of Geek - February 28th, 2024
- Will There Be a The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Season 2 Release Date & Is It Coming Out? - ComingSoon.net - February 28th, 2024
- How to watch The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live - Dexerto - February 28th, 2024
- How Did the CRM Hurt Rick Grimes in The Walking Dead? - CBR - Comic Book Resources - February 28th, 2024
- What Walking Dead Shows You Should Watch Before The Ones Who Live - Screen Rant - February 28th, 2024
- How to watch The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live (for free) - NJ.com - February 28th, 2024
- Walking Dead Boss Reveals If World Beyond Is Required Viewing For The Ones Who Live - Screen Rant - February 28th, 2024
- Walking Dead Finally Delivers a Rick Grimes Moment Fans Have Been Waiting For - Den of Geek - February 28th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Actor Comments on Shocking Debut - CBR - Comic Book Resources - February 28th, 2024
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live: Everything to Know Before Rick and Michonnes Reunion - Hollywood Reporter - February 28th, 2024
- 'The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live' Opening Minutes Rick Is at His Lowest - Collider - February 28th, 2024
Reviewed and Recommended by Erik Baquero