The Walking Dead creator, Robert Kirkman, has made his stance on Negan crystal clear with an NSFW note directed at fans—and one TWD cast member—who despise the brutally sadistic antagonist. While the passion in his statement is undeniable, it also provides a glimpse into Kirkman’s creative process, something most writers can likely relate to or, at the very least, yearn for.

…Kirkman acknowledges that not all fans share his affection for Negan…

Robert Kirkman, Charlie Adlard, Dave McCaig, and Rus Wooton’s The Walking Dead Deluxe #103 is a particularly special issue as it marks Negan’s complete takeover with him forcing Rick Grimes out of his leadership role and triggering extraordinary changes in the group’s dynamics.

Beyond this pivotal moment in the series, the deluxe edition also includes words from Robert Kirkman, where he answers fans’ pressing questions about Walking Dead lore and shares his own insights and opinions. Among them is an impassioned statement about Negan, in which Kirkman bluntly tells fans who dislike the character to “… f***ing f*** the f*** off.”

Robert Kirkman Tells Fans Who Don’t Like Negan to “F***ing F*** the F*** Off”

Main Cover by David Finch & Dave McCaig for The Walking Dead Deluxe #103 (2024)

When discussing Negan, Kirkman revealed that the antagonist quickly became one of his favorite characters because of the strong, impassioned voice he brought to the narrative, making the writing process “easy.” Kirkman described this state of flow, saying, “…I’d get to a scene with Negan and I’d just…rattle off horrific dialogue rapid fire and it would just EAT pages.” What Kirkman seems to describe here is a state of creative flow that all writers long for—where dialogue and narrative come effortlessly. For Kirkman, it’s clear he credits Negan’s character with helping him achieve this ease in writing.

Kirkman elaborated further, “[Writing Negan] made issues feel 12 pages long to me sometimes. Oh, Negan talks here….OOPS that’s 8 pages… almost half the issue is DONE.” This explanation highlights the passion, excitement, and thrill Kirkman experienced when writing the character, explaining why he holds Negan in such high regard, despite the character’s atrocious actions. However, Kirkman acknowledges that not all fans share his affection for Negan, concluding his spirited comments with, “I know some people hate Negan. Those people can f***ing f*** the f*** off. (Sorry, Steven).”

Robert Kirkman Gives Humorous Apology to Walking Dead Actor Steven Yeun

Cover B Variant by Charlie Adlard for The Walking Dead Deluxe #103 (2024)

Kirkman’s suggestion for those who hate Negan to “f***ing f*** the f*** off” is undeniably funny and clearly meant to be taken lightly, as evidenced by the humor he adds at the end with, “Sorry, Steven.” This apology is likely directed at Steven Yeun, who played fan-favorite Glenn Rhee in The Walking Dead series. As fans of both the TV show and comics know, Glenn was killed by Negan in one of the story’s most brutal moments, beaten to death with Negan’s infamous barbed-wire-covered baseball bat, Lucille. It’s easy to see why The Walking Dead’s Steven Yeun might not share Kirkman’s fondness for the character.

The Walking Dead Deluxe #103 is available now from IMAGE COMICS!