Robert Kirkman, born on November 30, 1978, in Richmond, Kentucky, is the most commercially influential comics creator of the twenty-first century. His career began modestly with self-published titles such as Battle Pope in 2000, before he joined Image Comics, first with Tech Jacket and Invincible in 2003, then with The Walking Dead that same year.
The Walking Dead #1, published in October 2003, marks the beginning of a black-and-white post-apocalyptic saga that would run for one hundred and ninety-three issues, ending in July 2019. Drawn primarily by Tony Moore for the first six issues and then by Charlie Adlard for the remainder of the series, TWD sets itself apart through its rejection of moral simplicity, its graphic violence, and its willingness to kill off any character without warning. The AMC television adaptation, launched in 2010, became a global cultural phenomenon, propelling the original comics to record-breaking popularity.
Alongside this, Invincible, drawn by Cory Walker and later Ryan Ottley, ran for one hundred and forty-four issues from 2003 to 2018. This superhero series, which starts as a loving tribute to the genre before pivoting into shocking violence as early as issue 7, is widely regarded as one of the greatest independent superhero series ever published. The animated adaptation by Amazon Prime in 2021 triggered an explosion in demand on the back-issue market.
Kirkman has also been a partner at Image Comics since 2008, the only person to hold that title alongside the original founders. He founded Skybound Entertainment, a multimedia studio that manages his intellectual properties and publishes other creators. His other notable works include Outcast, Oblivion Song, and Fire Power.
For collectors, The Walking Dead #1 is the ultimate modern holy grail: a CGC 9.8 copy has reached impressive heights and the series remains one of the strongest investments on the market. Invincible #1, long undervalued, has seen a meteoric rise in value following the animated series. TWD #19 (first appearance of Michonne) and #27 (first Governor) are major keys. A complete run of TWD or Invincible in single issues represents a true collector's treasure.
The Walking Dead proved that independent comics could become global cultural phenomena. Its success redefined the commercial possibilities of creator-owned comics.
Find Walking Dead #19, #27, #100 and the full 193-issue run for less. Discover the best budget entry points, underrated runs, and where to score cheap deals.
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