Robert Kirkman

Robert Kirkman is an American comic book writer best known for his work on The Walking Dead, Invincible and Marvel Zombies.

Biography
Robert Kirkman's first comic book work was Battle Pope (2000), a superhero parody co-created with artist Tony Moore and self-published under the Funk-O-Tron label. Later, while pitching a new series, Science Dog, Kirkman and artist Cory Walker were hired to do a SuperPatriot miniseries for Image Comics. While working on that book, Kirkman and E.J. Su created the 2002 Image series Tech Jacket, which ran six issues.

In 2003, Kirkman and Walker created Invincible for Image's new superhero line. The story surrounded the adolescent son of the world's most powerful superhero, who develops powers and starts his own superhero career. Walker later failed to meet the monthly title's deadlines and was replaced by Ryan Ottley. In 2005, Paramount Pictures announced it had bought the rights to produce an Invincible feature film, and hired Kirkman to write the screenplay.

Shortly after the launch of Invincible, Kirkman and Moore began The Walking Dead (2003), a series set in a world inspired by George A. Romero's zombie movies. Moore, himself struggling to keep deadlines, was replaced by Charlie Adlard, beginning with Issue #7. Moore continued to draw covers until Issue 24 as well as the first four volumes of the trade paperbacks for the series.

Kirkman's work for Marvel Comics has included a revival of the 1990s Sleepwalker series; it was canceled before being published, with the first issue eventually included in Epic Anthology #1 (2004). He soon became a mainstay at Marvel, writing, among other titles, Captain America vol. 4, #29-32 (2004), Marvel Knights 2099 (2004), Jubilee #1-6 (2004), Marvel Team-Up vol. 3, #1-25 (2005), Fantastic Four: Foes #1-6 (2005), Marvel Zombies #1-5 (2005–2006), Ultimate X-Men (starting with issue #66), and Irredeemable Ant-Man #1-12.

Kirkman and artist Jason Howard created the Image series The Astounding Wolf-Man, launching it on May 5, 2007, as part of Free Comic Book Day. Kirkman edited the monthly series Brit, based on the character he created for the series of one-shots, illustrated by Moore and Cliff Rathburn. It ran 12 issues.

Kirkman announced in 2007 that he and artist Rob Liefeld would team on a revival of Killraven for Marvel Comics. Kirkman that year also said he and Todd McFarlane would collaborate on Haunt for Image Comics. In late July 2008, Kirkman was made a partner at Image Comics, and would no longer write for Marvel. In 2009, however, he and Walker produced the five-issue miniseries The Destroyer vol. 4 for Marvel's MAX imprint.

In 2009 Kirkman and Marc Silvestri took over the 2009/2010 Pilot Season for Top Cow Comics. The 2009/2010 Pilot Season contains a series of five one-shot pilot comics that readers will be able to vote on which becomes an ongoing series. Each series is co-created by Silvestri who also provides cover art.

On February 9th, 2012, Robert Kirkman was sued by Tony Moore. Moore says he was duped into assigning his interest in the material over to Kirkman, who has since gone on to fame and fortune. Moore, on the other hand, has received very little compensation and has not be able to access profit statements from properties including Walking Dead, he says. On August 7th, 2012, Moore filed a new lawsuit against Kirkman in order to seek a declaratory judgment that he is a joint author of "The Walking Dead" and other works. Kirkman then filed a countersuit against Moore, claiming that he had actually overpaid Moore for his work and was entitled to his money back.

Trivia

 * Kirkman has mentioned he misses characters of Tyreese, Axel, and The Governor.
 * On Talking Dead, Kirkman said he likes to give beloved characters more memorable deaths. That explains him decapitating Hershel (TV Series) and Tyreese (Comic Series), Bob Stokey (TV Series) and Dale (Comic Series), beating Glenn's (Comic Series) skull in, and having Abraham (Comic Series) shot through the eye with an arrow.

Personal Life

 * Kirkman said he named his son "Peter Parker Kirkman," after Spider-Man's civilian identity, Peter Parker.

Image Comics

 * The Astounding Wolf-Man (2007-2010)
 * Brit (2003-2004, 2007-2008)
 * Capes (miniseries)
 * Haunt (2009-2012)
 * Image United (2009-2010)
 * Invincible (2003-present)
 * Pilot Seasonfor Top Cow Comics a partner studio of Image (2009/2010) 
 * Murderer #1 (W) Robert Kirkman (A) Nelson Blake II (Cov) Marc Silvestri
 * Demonic #1 (W) Robert Kirkman (A) Joe Benitez (Cov) Marc Silvestri
 * Stealth #1 (W) Robert Kirkman (A) Sheldon Mitchell (Cov) Marc Silvestri
 * Stellar #1 (W) Robert Kirkman (A) Bernard Chang (Cov) Marc Silvestri
 * Hardcore #1 (W) Robert Kirkman (A) Brian Stelfreeze (Cov) Marc Silvestri
 * SuperPatriot
 * Tech Jacket (2002-2003)
 * The Walking Dead (2003-present)
 * Thief of Thieves (2012-present)
 * Outcast (2014-present)

Marvel Comics

 * Captain America (2004)
 * Destroyer
 * Epic Anthology
 * Fantastic Four: Foes (2005)
 * The Irredeemable Ant-Man (2006-2007)
 * Jubilee (2004)
 * Marvel Knights 2099
 * Marvel Team-Up (2005-2007)
 * Marvel Zombies (2005-2007)
 * Marvel Zombies (2005-2006)
 * Marvel Zombies: Dead Days (2006)
 * Marvel Zombies 2 (2007)
 * Sleepwalker
 * Ultimate X-Men

Novels

 * The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor
 * The Walking Dead: The Road to Woodbury
 * Just Another Day at the Office
 * The Walking Dead: The Fall of the Governor
 * The Walking Dead: Descent
 * The Walking Dead: Invasion

Other

 * Battle Pope (2000)

Interviews

 * An Excerpt of George Khoury's Kirkman interview from IMAGE COMICS: THE ROAD TO INDEPENDENCE at PopImage
 * Podcast interview at comiXology
 * An Interview with Robert Kirkman about Pilot Season with the Legion of Dudes.

Robert Kirkman