It all started with a frame grab off the Walking Dead Season 7 trailer. This one below in fact. But mow there is a new rumor suggesting that The Whisperers could be coming to the Walking Dead sooner than expected.
Of course this is just speculation and there are a million ways that it could not be them. But the theory that the Whisperers could show up in Season 7 started with the ashy grey walkers above. When the Season 7 trailer was available, people started to wonder if these walkers were actually Whisperers. The Whisperers first appear in Walking Dead #130.
Now there is a casting call for a new “leader” that has people thinking Alpha is being cast. Alpha first appears in Walking Dead #132. There is also the Loot Crate Variant.
From Comicbook.com:
In an interesting turn of events, The Walking Dead is apparently casting for another leader-type role despite having actors for Rick, Gregory, Ezekiel, and Negan all in place as respective leaders to the only known upcoming communities.
According to The Spoiling Dead Fans, a casting call has gone out for a character by the name of Brion — a name never mentioned in The Walking Dead comic books. “Brion is an educated, poker-faced leader who has a superior air and does not let his/her motives be known,” the casting call’s description says.
The only comic book character this sounds like is Alpha who likely won’t be introduced until at least Season 8 (for those unfamiliar, Alpha is the female leader of the savage Whisperer group currently at war with Alexandria in recent issues). Furthering this possibility though, is more description consistent with the character. “Brionuses as few words as possible and keeps his/her emotions in check — we do see amusement, annoyance, displeasure,” the call reads. “Brion just doesn’t wear their emotions on their sleeve; he/she is confident, quiet, and chiefly concerned with how anything may benefit him/her and those he/she knows.”
The call is careful not to reveal a gender for the 30- to 40-year-old character but rules the role a recurring guest star for Season 7, with Episodes 7×10 and 7×12 as locks and 7×15 and 7×16 as possibilities.
Of course they also provide one of the many outs:
Perhaps Brion will be the leader of the unnamed group Paul “Jesus” Monroe encountered in the comics. The character is called Magna and while she doesn’t match the descriptions quite as well as Alpha does, she would be a more likely candidate to be introduced in Season 7 than the leader of the creepy new group.
In the comics, Magna meshes into the Alexandria community with her group. She sounds like the safest bet for Brion unless Scott Gimple and company are looking to start seriously disregarding the source material by creating another community. Still, introducing Magna in Season 7 would mean the series covers a lot of ground in its 16 episodes or alters the timeline, seeing as the character was not introduced until issue #127 and season 6 left off in the midst of issue #100.
Let’s not forget that Tara and Heath look to have encountered a new group out in the woods somewhere in Season 7. This Brion character could also be the leader of whoever the pair encountered despite not appearing in the already-filmed first half of the upcoming season.
Key Books to look for :
Walking Dead #130 First Whisperers
Walking Dead #132 First Alpha
Walking Dead #133 First Lydia
Walking Dead #154 First Beta
While this could be easily disproved, it is still a good time to grab these issues while they are fairly cheap, and before the official announcement is made.
Isnt 138 the 1st full apearance
132 even though it is an unnamed cameo, has been confirmed by Kirkman.
I also thought it was 138 cuz my LCS are asking $15 for that one and $5 for 132.
138 is first appearance where she’s unmasked. Both still a good pickup.
Don’t forget issue 127 and 138 (Alpha named and face shown)
Thanks Brian. Good points. To be honest, if you find any walking dead book under 140 any more for cover, now is the time to buy them. I have multiples going down to 100 or so. I need to start listing them.
I am so ready for the Whisperers.. I got my comics loaded and ready for a pump and dump! 😉
Same here. Got extra copies from 127 and on.
Not as much as you Poyo or Tony lol
Haha.. I loaded up on 130, 132, 133, 138 and 154.
130 = First Whisperers
132 = 1st Appearance of Alpha
133 = 1st Lydia
138 = 1st Alpha unmasked
154 = 1st Beta
I think Lydia’s 1st appearance is flying under the radar. She appears in becoming a prominent figure since she’s banging Carl.. yeah, I said banging, cause that’s what it is. Teens don’t know what love is, just like Forrest Gump! 😛
Oh and for you perverts out there.. 137 is when Carl loses his you know what to Lydia. So when it happens in the show, this is the issue to get or have! 😉
It’s cuz love is like a box of chocolates, you never know what your going to get lol.
I’m pretty sure Kirkman or one of the heads nixed that for this season on talking dead. Hope the masses forget that until my books sell.
Yeah, honestly they could pull off doing Negan and All Out War story line for 2 seasons. I would welcome Whisperers on the show starting in season 9. Seems like they’re pushing further and further into comic story line, don’t want them surpassing it cause then the show will introduce characters before the comic, so then it’s not as big a deal, kills spec’s.