The Walking Dead creator reflects on character deaths and Invincible
Summary
– Robert Kirkman revealed he once pushed to kill off Daryl Dixon during The Walking Dead’s early years
– Kirkman praised George R. R. Martin as a better master of character deaths
– He also discussed Invincible, including an early movie script he called horrible
Robert Kirkman once had a very different idea for Daryl Dixon’s future on The Walking Dead.
During a masterclass at Annecy, Kirkman said he regularly pushed for major character deaths during the early days of the series. That included Norman Reedus’ Daryl Dixon, who later became one of the franchise’s most popular characters.
Kirkman joked that he was often the person in the writers’ room suggesting bold deaths, even for main characters. Daryl survived those discussions, and that decision proved important for AMC’s franchise.
Daryl had no comic book counterpart, but he became a breakout figure on the television series. His popularity eventually led to The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, which has become a major part of the franchise.
Kirkman also praised Game of Thrones creator George R. R. Martin. He said Martin is far better at killing characters and called himself the learner compared to Martin’s mastery.
Kirkman explained that adapting The Walking Dead became difficult because the comic gave viewers a roadmap. The show changed major events, which later created problems when comic storylines had to be adjusted for characters who were alive in one version and dead in another.
He also spoke about Invincible, saying he learned from that experience and chose not to worry as much about matching the comic exactly. Kirkman said he values the characters deeply and wants the show’s biggest fights to feel historic.
Kirkman also admitted that an early Invincible movie screenplay he wrote was terrible. He said the experience taught him a hard lesson, but the project ultimately found the right path through Skybound and Prime Video.
