- Robert Kirkman
Infobox Comics creator
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nationality = American
area = Writer
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notable works = "The Walking Dead "
"Invincible"
"Marvel Zombies " "Battle Pope " "BRIT"
awards =Robert Kirkman is an American
comic book writer .He is best known for his work on
Image Comics ' series "The Walking Dead " and "Invincible", andMarvel Comics ' "Marvel Zombies " miniseries, as well as the controversial "Battle Pope " miniseriesBiography
Kirkman's first comic book work was self published, through the publisher
Funk-O-Tron . This series was "Battle Pope " (2000 ) produced with artist Tony Moore, an intentionally offensive super-hero parody.While pitching a new series that would be titled Science Dog, Kirkman and artist
Cory Walker were hired to do aSuperPatriot miniseries for Image Comics. While working on that book, a pitch was made by Kirkman and co-creatorE.J. Su for a new ongoing monthly series namedTech Jacket (2002 ). The pitch was accepted by Image, but was canceled after only 6 issues, due to low sales.In 2003, at the request of Image Comics, Kirkman and SuperPatriot artist
Cory Walker created Invincible for a new "superhero" line. The story surrounded the adolescent son of the world's most powerfulsuper-hero , who develops super-powers and starts his own career as a super-hero.Walker later failed to meet the grueling deadlines of a monthly title and was replaced by
Ryan Ottley . [ [http://comics.ign.com/articles/840/840710p1.html "Robert Kirkman on Invincible"] , "IGN ",2007-12-10 . Retrieved on2008-03-15 .] Shortly after the launch of "Invincible", Kirkman and Tony Moore began "The Walking Dead " (2003), an ongoing series set in a world inspired by George A. Romero'szombie movies. Moore, struggling to keep deadlines on interior art was replaced byCharlie Adlard , beginning with issue #7. [ [http://www.comicgate.de/content/view/432/76/1/1/ "Interview with Charlie Adlard"] , "Comicgate ",2006-08-25 . Retrieved on2008-03-15 .] Moore continued to do covers for the book, however, and eventually became one of the most popular cover artists in comics, even being nominated for anEisner Award .These two series have met with critical and commercial success, with Kirkman's work on "Invincible" especially opening the door to more mainstream super-hero work at Marvel Comics.
His work for that publisher has included work on a new "Sleepwalker" series that was cancelled before being published, the first issue eventually included in "
Epic Anthology " #1 (2004 ). He soon became a mainstay at Marvel, writing, amongst others, "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 the canceled "Irredeemable Ant-Man #1-12."Paramount Pictures has announced that they have bought the rights to produce an "Invincible"feature film , and that they have hired Kirkman to write the screenplay. [ [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117918750.html?categoryid=13&cs=1 "Feeling 'Invincible'"] , "Variety",2005-03-01 . Retrieved on2008-03-15 .]Kirkman and artist
Jason Howard launched their new ongoing series for Image, "The Astounding Wolf-Man ," onMay 5 ,2007 as part ofFree Comic Book Day .Kirkman edits the monthly ongoing title, Brit, based on the character he created for the series of one-shots, illustrated by
Tony Moore andCliff Rathburn .Kirkman has two projects he's working on with Image co-founders. He's announced that he's working with
Rob Liefeld onKillraven forMarvel Comics , [ [http://www.marvel.com/news/comicstories.1391.WW_Chicago_2007~colon~_Killraven_by_Liefeld_&_Kirkman "WW Chicago 2007: Killraven by Liefeld..."] , "Marvel News",2007-08-14 . Retrieved on2008-03-15 .] and withTodd McFarlane onHaunt forImage Comics . [ [http://www.spawn.com/news/news2.aspx?id=13180 "Todd McFarlane and Robert Kirkman Announce 'Haunt'"] , "Spawn.com News",2007-08-03 . Retrieved on2008-03-15 .]In late July 2008 it was announced that he would be made a partner at Image Comics and would wind up his Marvel work. [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/22/books/22kirk.html Writer of the Undead Is Reborn as a Partner at Image Comics] , "
New York Times ", July 22, 2008] [ [http://www.newsarama.com/comics/080722-KirkmanPartner.html Robert Kirkman: Image Partner, Done at Marvel] ,Newsarama , Jul 22, 2008]He launched his own website, www.kirkmania.com, for updates, previews, and other Kirkman related news. He has attributed his habitually late shipping of comics to an unhealthy obsession with
Mario Galaxy on the site.Kirkman claims to have named his newborn son Peter Parker Kirkman, [ [http://www.comicbookresources.com/columns/index.cgi?column=bmb&article=2492 "Buy My Books"] , "
Comic Book Resources ",2006-06-14 . Retrieved on2008-03-15 .] and confirmed his son's name in an interview printed in theComics Journal #289.Notes
References
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External links
* [http://www.kirkmania.com/ Kirkmania] Official website
* [http://www.imagecomics.com/messageboard/viewforum.php?f=2 Image Comics' Robert Kirkman Messageboard]
* [http://www.maelmill-insi.de/UHBMCC/ The Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators]
* [http://www.comicbookresources.com/columns/index.cgi?column=19 Buy My Books, a column by Robert Kirkman.]Interviews
* [http://www.popimage.com/content/imageroadtoindy062007.html An Excerpt of George Khoury's Kirkman interview from IMAGE COMICS: THE ROAD TO INDEPENDENCE at PopImage]
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