Robert Kirkman Writes His Own Comic Book Destiny

If you’re a comic book fan, it’s very possible that you’ve heard of Robert Kirkman, the writer and creator of various series such as teenage superhero story “Invincible,” the gory and gruesome “The Walking Dead” and “Marvel Zombies,” which is just what you’d imagine.

Kirkman rose quickly to fame, especially after his intentionally offensive comic “Battle Pope” in 2000.

Kirkman had started his own independent publishing company Funk-o-tron and released “Battle Pope.”

However, 2003 was the year for Kirkman when he released two series, “The Walking Dead,” and “Invincible.”

These opened the door for him to work at Marvel Comics, where he became a mainstay and wrote for “Captain America,” “Marvel Knights: 2099,” “Jubilee,” “Marvel Team-Up,” “Fantastic Four,” the previously mentioned mini-series “Marvel Zombies,” “Ultimate X-Men” and the now canceled “Irredeemable Ant-Man.”

But this July, Kirkman split with Marvel after his contract ended and was offered a partnership at Image Comics to reward him for working through them over the years and because “Invincible” and “The Walking Dead” have earned their place in the Image line-up.

In an article with The New York Times, Kirkman said, “I enjoyed my time at Marvel, and I have an affinity for their characters, but they are their characters.”

“I wouldn’t feel creatively fulfilled if I was 40 and still writing Spider-Man and hadn’t done anything on my own,” he continued.

Also in the article, Kirkman said he appreciated “the unprecedented amount of freedom that they offer.”

He later added, “If I wanted to kill Invincible, I wouldn’t have to get clearance. At the end of the day, the decisions fall on me and my creative team.”

As of the last few months, Kirkman has gained notoriety by calling on fellow creators to “save the comic book industry” by publishing more creator-owned comics instead of pre-established characters. Read more

The Walking Dead #51 - My Initial Reaction

There are some comic book series that, when I get a hold of the latest issue, I do a quick scan to see what happens as fast as possible, then I go back and read it through a little more slowly. Then there are other series that when I open up the first page, I’m carried along at a violently quick pace as if I was on a raft in the rapids. The Walking Dead #51 falls somewhere in between those two extremes, although I did go back to one particular page about three times to make sure I didn’t miss something (when you read it you might know which page I’m talking about). Read more

Image United - Crossover Written By Robert Kirkman

At the San Diego Comic-Con Image Comics announced Image United, a six-issue crossover/jam event written by new Image Partner (see “Kirkman Made New Image Partner”) Robert Kirkman (Invincible, The Walking Dead) that will feature five of the original founders of Image Comics, Marc Silvestri, Jim Valentino, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, and Rob Liefeld (plus Whilce Portacio) each drawing his own characters throughout the mini-series. Read more

Review: Irredeemable Ant-Man, Small Minded Digest

Moe Zilla over at Helium has an interesting take on the Ant-Man graphic novel by Robert Kirkman…

There was one graphic novel in 2007 with a special fascination. “Irredeemable Ant-Man Volume 2: Small-Minded Digest” collected the last six issues of the Marvel comic book. The book’s ill-fated publishing history ultimately affected its plot, both in good ways and bad.

The last six issues continued the original story from Volume 1. The new Ant-Man was Eric O’Grady, who was young, irresponsible, and able to shrink himself to the size of an ant. In an exciting premise, he’s a fugitive from the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents (from whom he stole the suit). Living on the run - and trying to hustle dates - he audaciously finds work by posing as an entirely different superhero, named “Slaying Mantis.” There’s a final reckoning at the end, but it only proves what an effective anti-hero Eric was. There’s a real question as to whether he’ll do the right thing - and since he’s been such a consistent jerk, it’s a much more interesting dilemma.

But the comic book’s low sales also led the plot into several unexpected gimmicks. The first story in this collection finds Ant-Man sneaking into Ms. Marvel’s headquarters, and stumbling into the middle of a fight with the Avengers. (”The world’s most shameless tie-in” the cover art promised.) The next issue’s cover tried an even more desperate gimmick, using an especially sexy cover that showed Ant-Man peeping on a woman in a shower. Two issues later came the tie-in issue with Marvel’s popular “World War Hulk” series. (Ant-Man fights the Incredible Hulk by diving down his throat.) These gimmicks worked with the ongoing story arc about Eric’s gradual transformation. “It’s time to play hero!” he says at one point. “For a little while at least. Then it’s time to play looter…”

There’s a rush in the final issues to tie up hanging storylines - but some new characters had also been introduced to complement Eric’s new life. He encounters a rival looter named the Grey Fox, an aging jewel thief who later bonds with Eric over games on the Wii. Eric also gets into a healthy romantic relationship with a superpowered co-worker named the Visioneer. (”I can read your emotions, you jackass. I know you’re in love with me…”) Even characters from the early stories reveal new facets to their personalities - for example, agent Mitch Carson, who’s pursuit of the fugitive left him disfigured and vengeful. And the final issue re-visits Eric’s rejected girlfriend from the earliest issues. Through these encounters, Eric comes to a surprising decision about what he has to do.

The answer finally arrived in “Avengers: Initiative” (issue 8). But for those who want to see how the irresponsible superhero got there, his early adventures wait in “Irredeemable Ant-Man Volume 2: Small-Minded Digest.”

Source: Helium