The Walking Dead #164 might just pack in more zombies per square inch than any issue of the series to date. That's what happens when Alexandria runs afoul of the Whisperers. But even as our heroes battle for their very lives against a massive horde of undead, this issue finds a surprising amount of room to explore character dynamics and get a little closer with a few key players. It's a weird combination of elements, but one that works pretty darn well all the same.

The series has seen its share of ups and downs lately, but one thing that's remained constant for the past couple years is that Negan is really the book's shining star. Negan has lost none of his foul-mouthed charm since the days where he still qualified as the main villain of The Walking Dead. But lately that hard edge has become tempered. There is indeed a depth to Negan that's begin to reveal itself, and never to better effect than in this issue. Robert Kirkman focuses a significant chunk of his script on Rick and Negan's interaction as they find themselves holed up in an abandoned house. Negan, ever the conversationalist, takes the opportunity to pick Rick's brain and prove that the two men aren't so different.Their interaction is amusing, but more importantly, it helps to highlight the painful journey both men have taken since the zombie apocalypse. They've both lost and both been molded into something they never would have expected back in the civilized world. Negan winds up proving his point rather convincingly. And while there's always a wild card quality to Negan in that you can never quite be sure how much of his soul-baring is actually genuine, he does come across as especially vulnerable for a change. Keeping this character in the forefront is easily one of the wisest decision Kirkman and Charlie Adlard ever made with this comic.The rest of this issue isn't quite so juicy, but Kirkman still has more memorable characterization to offer as various heroes rise to the challenge of defending Alexandria. The series is locked in a very ambiguous state post-Whisperer War. It's tough to say if we're looking at the dramatic fall of civilization, as it were, or if this attack is merely another bump along the road to a lasting peace. I've noted my fears about the former possibility, as the last thing I want is for The Walking Dead to revert to being a story about immediate survival horror. But that unpredictability is also a good thing, as there's little telling what state these characters will be in a few months from now.You really have to hand it to the art team for managing to deliver two issues of the series in one month, especially coming right on the heels of "The Whisperer War." Nor is there any dip in quality. If anything, the series has benefited from the return to a more traditional presentation. The intricate, 16-panel grid layouts in "The Whisperer War" were impressive, but Adlard's work really needs a little extra breathing room. Especially when so many panels are clogged with the undead. This issue allows Adlard and his partners ample opportunity for both gory horror and intimate character drama, and they don't disappoint in either area.