Interesting Facts About Robert Kirkman

Kirkman's parents watched horror films, but he was not allowed. He found a way around it: "...I'd hide behind the couch and sneak peeks," he told.Rolling Stone.

When he turned 18, Kirkman started watching the genre, specifically George Romero films. “One night, after I moved out of my parents' house, there was a local Fox affiliate showing it.”Night of the Living Dead. I thought, ‘This is crazy. People are trapped in this house, and zombies are trying to get in.’ Then I heard George Romero made sequels; I bought them and watched them every night for months.

Kirkman disliked how most horror films end with a few survivors. He focused on the survivors and how they lived. He told Yahoo, “I love zombie fiction and movies, but I noticed none of them last long. They always destroy the world, then they stop. They say, ‘Let’s see a couple of weeks,’ and then it’s over.”

Kirkman has no problem writing for the television series.deviatingfrom his comics.

“Real comic changes happen in the writers' room. Writers discuss things. I feel less true to the comic because I would get bored talking about stuff I wrote six, eight, or ten years ago. I want people to say, ‘This didn't work in the comic,’ without thinking I will get angry.”

Kirkman does not see the in-world apocalypse coming to aconclusion, he says he could write and writeThe Walking Dead. He toldRolling Stonein 2013,

“I'm calculating this. I am 34 now. By 65, I might get far. If I don't get bored and people still enjoy the story, I can do 1,000 issues ofThe Walking Dead. So, a story following civilization's collapse into the dark ages and rebirth is possible, with things completely different. Issue 700 of The Walking Dead could be about people delivering mail. That excites me.”

Both are astudyof an apocalypse of sorts. Kirkman explains, “Many places in Europe were completely bombed, and terrible things happened to people. I looked into that to understand what it is like when people are pushed to their limits.”

Because of hisearly exposureto Marvel, Kirkman became a bigSpider-Manfan. So, he named his son Peter Parker.

When he soldThe Walking Dead, Kirkman kept his cards close. He had big comic ambitions, but past failures taught him not to get too hopeful. In an interview withRolling Stone, he said,

Robert Kirkman planned storylines before starting work on The Walking Dead. He knew the group would reach the prison and build a civilization there.

His local Walmart near Richmond, KY only offered Marvel comics.When he started driving, Kirkman found comic book stores. He discovered DC and indie comics.Kirkman said he wrote the ending for The Walking Dead.

Kirkman stated he has an end planned for the comic. He wrote the final scene recently and knows the ending dialogue. He cannot reveal his plan because the comic will outlast the show, and he does not want his ending spoiled.Kirkman wrote the final scene for The Walking Dead.The Walking Dead

I have an end in mind for the comic; I wrote the final scene recently. I know the final dialogue. This changes, but the interesting point is I cannot tell anyone involved in the show my ending idea because the comic book will likely last longer. I cannot let any part of my plan appear in the show. If the show ends on season 12 but the comic continues for eight, ten, or twenty more years, my ending will spoil. That will anger me.

Kirkman wants to safely store the ending in a vault and tell Scott Gimple, Greg Nicotero, and Gayle Anne Hurd the combination.

In 2013, Kirkman discussed his education with Rolling Stone.Rolling StoneKirkman said he did not do anything in his last year of high school. He studied art, so he told his English teacher he would work on his art project. He then left to hang out and eat at Long John Silver's. He passed with Bs and Cs, but he felt education was not for him.

Part of the job involves killing characters. This is not called...The Walking De— Oops Just Kidding You’re Back Again Next SeasonKirkman finds killing off characters very awkward.awkwardKirkman feels awkward regarding the TV series.

Kirkman felt uncomfortable around actors during a recent on-set death. Everyone on set was sad, and the actor was upset about their show time ending. Kirkman felt he stood out because he insisted on the importance of that death in the writers' room.

Kirkman argued for a character's death. Now, he is surrounded by people who wish that death did not happen. However, having to remove someone from the family is terrible.

Kirkman misses some of the dead characters in his comics.

I do not regret any deaths. I do miss Tyreese... and Axel... and Ezekiel... and... you know... many of them. I wish I had done ANYTHING with Carol as cool as what we did in the show.Kirkman wrote this in a Reddit AMA..

Kirkman thinks the show’s success connects to the world's unrest.He explains the unrest in the world.He says, “It's the global economic crisis, income inequality, the post-9/11 world. Everyone is scared sh*tless. It's not the worst time ever to be alive, but you know, it's tough out there. I feel like if you worry everyday about the world around you and then you go home and watch a guy get chased by zombies — it's like, well, could be a lot worse. Listen, if I could wave a magic wand and make the world a better place and make Walking Dead less successful, I would wave it without hesitation. I feel like I'm a misery profiteer sometimes."

The global economic crisis, income inequality, and the post-9/11 world make everyone scared. It is not the worst time to be alive, but things are tough. Worrying daily about the world and then watching someone get chased by zombies feels like something much worse. If I could change the world, I would. He explains the unrest in the world.He says, “It's the global economic crisis, income inequality, the post-9/11 world. Everyone is scared sh*tless. It's not the worst time ever to be alive, but you know, it's tough out there. I feel like if you worry everyday about the world around you and then you go home and watch a guy get chased by zombies — it's like, well, could be a lot worse. Listen, if I could wave a magic wand and make the world a better place and make Walking Dead less successful, I would wave it without hesitation. I feel like I'm a misery profiteer sometimes."

Kirkman said“People would ask me, ‘Wouldn't it be awesome if it was a TV show or a movie?’ I would always say, ‘Well, it'll never be a TV show or a movie.’ There's never been anything like this on television. Zombies are essentially people who eat people, so it's a cannibal show. I was like, ‘I he can't foreseethere being a cannibal show on television!’ Little did he know that his wouldn't even be the only cannibal show on television: NBC's HannibalHannibalThe Walking Dead

is wildly popular and a ratings monster for AMC, but the critics are snooty about the show filled with walkers and baseball bat-wielding bad guys. Yet Kirkman isThe Walking Dead is wildly popular and a ratings monster for AMC. Critics, however, are snooty about the show filled with walkers and people with baseball bats. Kirkman remains.about the Emmy shut-out.“I think it would be nice to have an Emmy just because I'm from Kentucky – none of my friends have Emmys. But I'll take the ratings over the Emmy any day. Plus, there's like a thousand great shows on television right now. So I can't complain about The Walking Dead

I think I would like an Emmy just because I'm from Kentucky; none of my friends have Emmys. I will take the ratings over the Emmy any day. There are a thousand great shows on television now, so I can't complain aboutThe Walking Deadbeing snubbed when I would rank 15 shows aboveBreaking Bad, Mad Men, Homeland, Homeland, The Americans, andAmerican Horror Story..

KirkmantoldRedditors, “He smells like everything you want out of life... which for me is pumpkin pie. He is a human being that smells like pumpkin pie. He is not safe around me.”

“It used to haunt me that this thing I came up with when I was 23 years old would define me," Kirkman admits. "Mytombstonewill say 'Here lies the idiot who made The Walking Dead'. But hey, there are worse things. I'm okay with that now.He's okay with being branded The Walking Dead Guy… NowHe's okay with being branded The Walking Dead Guy… Now

Kirkman puts bits of himself into the comics. He calls his contributions “stupid stuff.” But it’s cool to know how Glenn got his former job before the world fell.He draws from his own experiences for details about characters' lives.He draws from his own experiences for details about characters' lives. He calls his contributions “stupid stuff.” But it’s cool to know how Glenn got his former job before the world fell.

“I worked at a pizza place, and so that's why Glenn worked at a pizza place. One fun thing is that I didn't have any kids when I started The Walking Dead. So when I would write Rick and Carl's relationship, I was Carl and my father was Rick. Then my son was born around the time of issue 30, and so now, when I'm writing it, I'm Rick, and my son is Carl.”. So when I would write Rick and Carl's relationship, I was Carl and my father was Rick. Then my son was born around the time of issue 30, and so now, when I'm writing it, I'm Rick, and my son is Carl.”When writing Rick and Carl's relationship, I wrote Carl and my father was Rick. Then my son was born around issue 30. Now, I write it as Rick, and my son is Carl.

During Kirkman's Reddit AMA, useris_that_normalasked him to name three favorite things: his favorite vacation spot, favorite video game, and favorite board game. He responded,

“My house... I'm very boring.”

Destiny right now. Historically,Mario Galaxy. Soon: Uncharted 4.

My 10-year-old son slaughters my whole family at Monopoly constantly. It's absurd. He memorizes every property rent and knows your spot before you even count. It irritates me. I hate Monopoly. What was the question?

Kirkman says he has a good relationship with eachshowrunneron The Walking DeadHis attitude is, “I’m at your service.” Kirkman says Gimple has the final say on storylines.

“Scott Gimple is the final word. If Scott wants a story and I don't, I might talk to him and suggest a different path. But I see the show and the comic; I control the comic. I can do what I want in the comic.”

People repeatedly questioned Kirkman about the Season 6 finale ofThe Walking Dead. A Redditor asked Kirkman and Scott Gimple during an AMA. Kirkman did not avoid the question. The entire exchangeis worth reading because the fan shared the anger many others felt, and Kirkman gave an honest answer.The Walking Dead is worth reading because the fan expressed the anger many others felt, and Kirkman’s response was honest.

“My question is this: What the heck was the Season 6...finale? You had a perfect script ready, but instead, we got a cheap ratings grab with zero emotional payoff. This could have been TWD's "Red Wedding" TV moment, but it is ruined. There will be no emotional impact when we learn who died in season 7. The scene aims to show raw, uncut brutality. It offers characters and the audience an eye-opening experience. Why did they throw it away?”

“What the f*ck was the Season 6 finale? You had a perfect script ready, but instead, we got a cheap ratings grab with zero emotional payoff. This could have been TWD's "Red Wedding" moment, but it is ruined. There will be no emotional impact when we find out who died in season 7. The scene aimed to show uncensored, undivided brutality and an eye-opening experience for characters and the audience. Why did they throw it away?

Fans (comic and show) were outraged by the terrible writing—all buildup, zero delivery—yet the show's producers called them immature children and promised it was 'a gift to the fans! Something 'fun' for us all to talk about for the next seven months!' This insults a loyal fanbase that cares about the show's quality and story. I feel like an idiot hyping people for Negan and getting them excited for that finale.

Goldeneye 64Goldeneye 64Kirkman:

Kirkman:

“I just want to point out that much of what you dislike about the finale stems from your guesses about how season 7 will start. The death will have no impact now, etc. I assure you it will. You can be unhappy with the episode that aired. Was it a mistake? Maybe. Only time will show.

Also, there are many assumptions about why they acted that way, "ratings grab," which is also untrue.

I value your support for watching six seasons and reading the comic. I regret you are unhappy. Standing by our decision does not mean I think you are immature or wrong to feel that way. The fanbase is treasured and respected behind the scenes; people making many assumptions upsets me.

Scott Gimple is a great guy every fan would like to know. He loses sleep trying to make the fanbase happy. It seems different, but it is true. He loves the comic as much as die-hard fans do; he was a die-hard fan before the show existed.

Hopefully, you will like season 7 better. If not, I recommend...OUTCAST... or Game of Thrones... or The Americans... or Better Call Saul. There is a lot of amazing television available now. I liked Bloodlines on Netflix. If you like animation,...RICK & MORTYThis is the BEST THING BEING MADE THESE DAYS.

Secondly, Scott Gimple is a huge...Goldeneye fan and is angry that you called the game 'sh*tty.'

Money was tight at the start. Kirkman told...Rolling Stone he was just how broke he was.

“It happened fast, but by the time I made money, I was $40,000 in debt and earning $200 a year. I had a publishing company; I would make a comic, costing $3,000 to make. But I pre-sold it, expecting $3,500. I would use a credit card for printing, get the $3,500, take the $500 profit for the workers, and live off the $3,000 I put on the card.”

“That is how I was going. I did the math: At one point, I had 12 credit cards, and it cost $3,000 a month just for minimum payments. I thought, ‘This is really bad.’”

Kirkman wants the writers to mix things up in the writers' room. It is too... comfortable in there.

“I get disappointed sometimes because I hear stories about other writers' rooms where people throw their lunch against the wall and leave. That sounds exciting to me! Our writers' room is more like eight people hanging out in a living room just chatting about things they like.”

Tony Moore, the original artist on The Walking Dead comic, got into a legal scrapeover profits with Kirkman. Moore sued Kirkman in 2012, claiming he co-createdThe Walking Deadcomics and should receive credit. The suit settled later that year. Kirkman says the situation is mostly settled. He toldRolling Stone,

“[Tony] just did a cover for issue #150, so yeah [I still talk to him] from time to time. He has his view, I have mine, and we just agree to disagree for the rest of our lives.”

When asked about his favoriteWalking Deadcharacter, he said,

“I don't play favorites. They all die eventually.”
…
Carl.”

He also said he prefers NeganHe has a favorite Walking Dead character, but he pretends not to.He likes Negan because he is so fun.

Robert Kirkman is a big deal in TV.He is an executive producer on a popular TV show, yet he feels guilty about it.He says, "I didn't struggle in TV. I don't know what the normal experience feels like, and that sometimes bums me out. I know I would have had a better time and appreciated it more if I had any idea of what it takes to do all the work on a TV show and then have the world go, ‘How about f*ck you?’"

How many people know who would say, "Yeah, man, I wish things hadn't been so easy for me?" That shows serious humility.

As the show's success grew, Kirkman cannot be counted on for many "Oh, sh*t!" moments. It is just not his thing.

He thinks he annoys people because he is not very excitable. He knew they were one bad news story from zombies failing on TV. After the pilot aired, Joel Stillerman, the AMC programming head, called him. Stillerman told him about 5.3 million viewers. Kirkman replied, "Cool. So... is that good?" He does not know how many people watch TV.Kirkman's first comic was called Between the Ropes.He wrote and drew the entire thing, which was about wrestling. He sent it to Diamond Comic Distributors hoping for a publication. They sent him a rejection letter stating it lacked "professional quality." Kirkman since called it "a horrible little piece of trash."

I piss people off sometimes because I lack excitement. We were one bad news story from zombies never making it to TV. After the pilot aired, Joel Stillerman, the AMC programming head, called me. He said about 5.3 million people watched it. I asked, 'Cool. So... is that good?' I don't know how many people watch TV.

He watched him go into a bathroom at Comic-Con once, while Walking Dead was still a comic. He thought, "Should I be that guy and try to talk to George Romero?" He waited for him to leave, then had to do a panel. He does not know if Romero likes the show. Kirkman turned the material into a goofy soap opera, believing Robert Kirkman is to George Romero as Stephanie Meyer is to Bram Stoker.Romero does not like The Walking Dead.He wrote and drew the entire thing about wrestling. He sent it to Diamond Comic Distributors hoping for a print run. They sent back a rejection letter. They said it lacked "professional quality." Kirkman has since...He called it.He called it "a horrible little piece of trash."

Kirkman holds a serious admiration for George Romero.Kirkman has a serious admiration for George Romero..

I watched him go into a bathroom at Comic-Con once, during Walking Dead.Walking DeadWalking Dead was still a comic. I thought, ‘Should I be that guy and try to talk to George Romero?’ I waited for him to exit, then I had to do a panel. I don't know if he likes the show. I turned this concept into a goofy soap opera. I believe Stephanie Meyer is to Bram Stoker as Robert Kirkman is to George Romero.

Romero does not like Walking Dead.The Walking Dead, calling the seriesHe called it "a soap opera with a zombie occasionally." Maybe Kirkman did not catch up with him at Comic-Con.

Kirkman talks about living in Kentucky like he is on the moon. He speaks of the initial TV show proposal.The initial TV show proposal,

He said, "There was some interest in comics I had done before. But I was in Kentucky—the whole movie and TV industry concept felt like fairy dust to me. When someone told me Frank Darabont wanted to do Walking Dead as a TV show, I thought, ‘Who is Frank Darabont? What is The Shawshank Redemption? Never heard of it.’"Walking DeadFrank Darabont?The Shawshank Redemption? Never heard of it."