The 48-page story will be revealed with four pages per month as part of previews catalog "Image+."

Jeffrey Dean Morgan may have just made his debut as Negan on AMC's The Walking Dead, but his comic book counterpart has been around for nearly 50 issues, none of which have revealed his backstory … that is, until now.

As part of Image+ — a monthly previews catalog for all things from the comic book publisher — Walking Dead's Robert Kirkman and artist Charlie Adlard are exploring how the F-bomb dropping baddie came to be, and THR has the exclusive first page of his mysterious backstory.

Here's Negan will be told in 48 pages — with four a month included in Image+. (The latter will also be part of Diamond Comic Distributors' monthly Previews Catalog and available to buy separately for $1.99.)

The first page of the Negan story is quite powerful while revealing nothing about the character. It's Negan creating his trademark weapon of choice: Lucille. Take a look, below.

As for the AMC series, Morgan said this week that he hopes Kirkman's upcoming Negan backstory comic series will be weaved in onscreen. "I talked to Robert Kirkman after we did Talking Dead, and he is doing the backstory of Negan right now. But whether or not — or when — we see that, and I hope we do, I can't answer that. But hopefully we'll find out more as we go," he told THR during a conference call with reporters. "I approach [Negan] … like he used to be a used-car salesman. That's what I know, and there's not a lot beyond that. … He's a car salesman who has survived as long as Rick and his gang, so what has he done to get there?"

The first issue of Image+ will hit stands April 27 and will feature other bonus creator-owned comics content.

For more Walking Dead coverage, go to THR.com/WalkingDead.