The Walking Dead Creator Breaks Silence on Negan’s Most Controversial Actions!

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Summary

  • The Walking Dead series spawned spin-offs like Dead City and Daryl Dixon, but fans still love the original.
  • Negan is a controversial villain in the series, shown mistreating women he calls “wives” as his possessions.
  • Creator Robert Kirkman explains the reasoning behind Negan’s controversial actions to reflect realism in the show.

Over a span of eleven seasons, spanning from Halloween 2010 to late 2022, AMC’s hit show “The Walking Dead” has left an indelible mark on zombie enthusiasts worldwide. Despite numerous spin-offs like “The Walking Dead: Dead City,” focusing on Negan and Maggie, or “The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon,” centering around Daryl and Carol, it’s the original series that continues to captivate fans in discussions.

Fans of the TV show “The Walking Dead” have their preferred villain from the series, ranging from the ruthless Governor, the morally ambiguous Shane, the quirky and resourceful Janis, to the chilling leader of the Whisperers, Alpha. It appears that the cruel leader of The Survivors often tops the list for many viewers as the most malevolent character in the show. Negan, who comes across as charming and engaging, displays numerous reprehensible qualities, committing heinous acts throughout “The Walking Dead” series. A less savory aspect of his character is how he treated women, or his “wives” in the sanctuary.

Walking Dead Creator Discusses Negan’s Most Controversial Issue From the Comic

According to ComicBook, Robert Kirkman, the creator of The Walking Dead, shared in the colorized reprint of issue #105 of The Walking Dead Deluxe that he was taken aback by fan reactions on social media about Negan’s “wives.” In both the comic and TV series, Negan is seen with several women whom he refers to as his “wives,” who are intimidated into being with him as his possessions. As a form of reward for their companionship, these women don’t need to earn points to survive like other Saviors. Instead, they live under the protection of Negan. In both versions, Negan makes it clear that being chosen as a wife is completely voluntary, but comes with a steep price: unwavering devotion. He explains, “When I pick a new wife, the decision is entirely voluntary. It’s an honor to be with me, no longer having to trade points for goods and services. But it carries a cost: absolute loyalty. Sometimes, this can be tough for others to accept. However, they must… or face punishment.

In my critique, I’ve chosen not to mince words or sugarcoat reality, as I believe it’s crucial to reflect the grittiness and complexity of our world on screen, without worrying about potential discomfort or offense.

As a dedicated fan of the Walking Dead universe, I was taken aback by the intense criticism surrounding Negan’s harem, particularly his makeup, in the comics. In The Walking Dead Deluxe #105, Robert Kirkman himself acknowledged this, stating that “the harem has been one of the most contentious aspects of this comic on social media, even more so than some of the upcoming Whisperer storylines, which I found surprising.” He added, “I do have a line I won’t cross, no pun intended.”

Kirkman further explained that The Walking Dead, despite its R-rated nature, is less graphic than other zombie series. He emphasized that he always aimed to portray situations in the comics that could realistically occur, rather than for shock value. Kirkman concluded by saying, “I’d often argue that no matter how dark things got in this series, you could always pick up a newspaper and read about events far more gruesome happening in reality.

In the past, Kirkman shared an intriguing tidbit that one ruthless character from The Walking Dead was actually named after his high school tormentor, and he has no intention of bestowing the same name on any good characters in his writings. For enthusiasts eager for more of our beloved villain, it appears that Negan could be revisiting his old ways when season two of The Walking Dead: Dead City premieres this year. Yet, a specific air date remains undisclosed as of now.

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2025-01-22 18:24