Nah, I think it's just a metaphor for Negan making Rick his bitch.

 

This thread kinda falls under spoiler... But I doubt it. Weve seen a cover w/ a gun to Ricks head. The description is interesting though. I suspect Rick and Co. will be under Negans foot for a while yet. I predict Negans group will start to split. Some of his people will defect to Ricks group. And there will be a series of wars. Hilltop will get involved too.

 

I'm pretty sure Andrea or Michonne is going to take the lead.

More likely Michonne. She did get her own origins comic printed in Playboy in 2 parts.

Michonne was also the only one that didn't seem to lose her composure when the latest person died. She almost never does, she also never makes mistakes. With this and her background of being a lawyer, she seems to fit the ENTJ personality type; which would make her a naturally born leader.

 

I never really thought the covers matched up to the story.

Not until Issue #100.

The cover of Rick walking away from the pile of dead past group members can signify his upcoming decision to step down as leader as he associates their deaths with his recklessness.

The cover of Rick as a zombie with a gun to his head next to Lori's grave can signify that after Glenn's death, he now feels dead inside and [again] thinking that all this death is his fault, including his wife's and unborn child and contemplates suicide as he feels that is what is owed to them and everyone else. I know some are not taking Glenn's death as serious as it was meant to be, but to Rick, it was the thing that broke him for good. Keep in mind, Glenn was the third person Rick met after waking up, Glenn saved his life as well as reunited him with his family [something he felt he could never repay.] Someone pointed out that besides Lori and his unborn daughter Judith, Glenn was the only death in which he cried for. In the cover, there is his Sheriff's hat. The same hat he had given Carl, it signifies the father-son bond. Carl is not wearing it and there is no sign of him being dead. This purposeful placing of this imagery can signify Rick's desire to separate himself from Carl out of fear, being the father that he is, he will not be able to consciously do that and so he feels suicide is the only route that would ultimately leave Carl better off.

The cover with just Rick and Michonne [the copy I purchased purposely,] sent the most ominous and obvious vibe to me. It wasn't just Rick alone. I feel that observation and planning as the result of too many group deaths is going on between the two. This meeting is perhaps the transference of leadership over the group.

Cover with just Michonne. This confused the Hell out of me when I saw it. But now that I've read the story and am convinced that she will take control, just depicts the obvious to me.

The old lady zombie cover...Before the release of #100, there was speculation that this woman was the dreaded "Lucille." That doesn't have to be completely incorrect. Notice her attire and horn-rimmed glasses. That is not someone that adapted to modern times. Her vintage vibe reflects and corresponds to the time-period of Negan's personal style; the 1950s. I feel she could be Negan's mother figure, in the form of either his actual mother or his grandmother depending on his age. It goes without saying that I think that Negan adopted this woman's name [Lucille] for his bat as a way to pay homage. Interesting that a bat is his weapon of choice, as he must have observed that a destroyed brain negates reanimation. I feel that is another tip o' the hat to dear old mum as his way of saying "I won't contribute to creating more of those 'things' that caused your death." Now, bringing the clothing observation to full circle, you may think 'Even if that was his mother, why would he dress similarly?' Negan shows signs of Narcissistic Personality Disorder, and one cause of this is Narcissistic Parenting. Where the parent lives vicariously through their children as an extension of themselves. I feel Negan is an only child, fatherless and under the warped relationship of covert-incest [which is psychological as opposed to physical incest...] This will create a similar character as Norman Bates, you know, the creeper in Alfred Hitchcock's "Pyscho?"

I can't remember the other covers as I'm referencing them from memory...but you get the gist.

Which brings me to the topic of #103's cover; Yes, Rick obviously won't retain the position of leader. It can be symbolic and reiterate Rick's succumbing. Or it can be literal, where Rick simply offers himself or willingly allows Negan to kill him in his desolate and desperate state of mind.

Or I could just be overanalyzing. Who knows.

 

I wouldnt read too much into the alternate covers. Pretty sure they gave the artists free reign and told em to have fun.

 

The best part of TWD, all of our speculation is generally wrong and Kirkman always is able to surpise us. I mean, after all the dust settles on Negan, it could be that Rick and Carl barely escape and are back to square one like after the prison - hopeless, directionless...or it could be that the next frame of the comics is Paul, throwing a knife through Negan's skull as he walks away from Rick and Glenn's crushed skull, afterwhich, Paul proclaims himself leader and Rick as second in command and all Saviour's follow because they hated Negan anyway.

I HOPE however, the show and the comic can continue their astounding coexistance inwhere, somehow, what happens in one does not affect how I feel in enjoying the other and they seemingly are two seperate entities while at the same time are the same exact story. I don't know how the hell they do it, but it is brilliant! I have expected for a while that my interest in one would fade, not even close....

 

That's for sure. My coworkers must think I'm crazy for gasping and saying "Oh my God," or "What the ****!" whenever I read a new issue. And the occasional laughter.

 

I dont know about that. I find all the Alexandria characters to be very boring. And Heath hasnt shown any signs of being tough like Abraham or Tyreese.

 

It's quite interesting to think of fellow Alexandria residents turning on Rick (Nicholas, of all people, definitely will). They'll realize that the Safe Zone from here on out won't be safe at all anymore knowing that the Saviors will be breathing down their backs. If some happen to leave the premises, I can only wonder what results that'll bring....

 

Tyreese in a room of 50 zombies...alone.

...Makes it out alive with just a blunt object.

Honestly, the only people I can see matching up to him are Andrea and Michonne.

 

This is the thing the bugged me about Tyrese going when he did. We never got that, "Tyrese, I gotta know... How the Hell did you kill all those zombies?" Always felt like the group wouldve had this eerie respect for him after that.

Michonne, maybe. Just for being an all around badass. Andrea no way. Shes handy w/ the gun. But neither one of em are as tough as Tyrese. Nothing can touch 50 zombies and a blunt object.

 

Hey, now! Just moved from NH County, still work here though. I live in Hartford County for the time being, way up near MA.

 

Oh no, definitely not blunt objects, but with their preferred weaponry respectively. Hell no, they wouldn't survive in those conditions otherwise.

Honestly, Tyreese was an ex football player for a little while. He had that to his advantage, as well as being in a room. Whatever he couldn't get with a hammer, he probably charged the **** out of. Probably small groups and used the walls in the room to smash their skulls.

 

Im re-reading this... And all of the sudden Im not so sure about Rick. Ive always said if Rick dies it would almost be like TWD Volume 2. And I just noticed the description says "...it could have easily been a new first issue..."

 

Rick won't die anytime soon, and Negan has a good 3 volumes before he dies off at the least.