Robert Kirkman: is a best-selling author known for reflecting the cultural zeitgeist of the comic book industry. He was recently made partner at Image Comics. AMC adapted his best-selling series, "The Walking Dead," into a TV series. His latest publication is "Super Dinosaur, Volume 1."
The following isn't meant to perfectly represent what was discussed at the panel, just my interpretation:
Kirkman started off with a joke, saying how he preferred quantity over quality when discussing how The Walking Dead comic series had hit #100. As for the television series, he's happy with how it is turning out. As for the comic book versus the television show, he finds that they're rather separate as the comic book is far ahead of the television show and in the comic book Rick has gotten a little crazy due to all he's gone through. The comic is special as it existed before the show.
In terms of Rick, he has a plot laid out where he wants Rick to do certain things and it is interesting how the character sometimes takes over the plot.
He isn't worried about creative stamina as this is all he ever wanted to do: a long running comic book that he could do with what he wanted. He hasn't noticed that he's done this for almost a decade.
He related this to The Hulk, where the original writer of this comic book is still involved.
He finds it to be a challenge going from a comic script to a television script. A television script is read by more people and so the script has to be entertaining. A comic script is more of a long e-mail. Television writing is like writing with a safety net. Comics are more of a collaboration with the artist. An artist can spend 10-12 hours on a single page.
He appreciates the fact that he writes other comic books than just The Walking Dead. He'd be depressed if he just wrote that series.
Casting the Governor was hard. You wanted to find an actor who didn't mind being the most hated character that ever lived. David Morrissey embraced that idea.
A joke: Maybe creating a book called Walking Dead for Kids and in small print: Not for Kids.
The firing of show runner Frank Darabont was a difficult time for the show. He can't talk more highly of Glen Mazarra: the pressure of coming in during the second season and did it without a shutdown.
None of the characters are exactly like him, but will write a dialog like how he'd say it, but then tweaks it.
Zombie fans are awesome and passionate.
Zombies make you very engaged. While sitting on your coach, it puts you in a very dangerous situation and makes you wonder how you'd react.
Fan criticize the show, but he takes the harshness with a grain of salt as it shows they love the show.
He has thought about bring Daryl and Merle into his comic book, but feels that would be unfair. He'll see how it goes.
His favorite episode this past season was when Dale died. Loved the Hershel/Glenn talk about Maggie. But he also thought the scene in another episode where the zombie got ripped in half when getting pulled out of the well was cool.
He writes knowing that he needs to hit the climax in his book by page 16 so that he can reach a conclusion. He does always wear read socks.
His advice to comic book writers who want to break into the scene is to find an artist and write a scene, a short story. Put together a short pitch.
If someone doesn't want to get ahead of the television series, they can safely read the first two volumes.
Thief of Thieves maybe heading to television. It is a story about a thief who wants out. AMC has optioned it, but it is still a long process before it even gets aired. He is now writing the pilot.
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