The Walking Deadis known primarily for two things: zombies and its willingness to kill off beloved characters. While the latter hasn’t always left its audience happy, it furthered the narrative and changed the story in a way many creators are simply unwilling to do, or unable to pull off quite so well. Saying goodbye to established characters isn’t easy, though, and it came at a price for TWD’s creator.
Walking Dead Deluxe#110, written by Robert Kirkman, with art by Charlie Adlard, is a full-color re-release of the issue, first published in 2013, and the reprint includes the original letters section.
Notably, this included one exchange in which a fan asked Kirkman if he was “able to detach” himself from characters he had invested a lot of time and energy into, when it came time to kill them off;Kirkman admitted that it was difficult to say goodbye, especially if further inspiration for the long-gone character struck in stories they couldn’t participate in.
Looking back at Robert Kirkman’s comments on character deaths fromWalking Dead#110 is especially fascinating considering it came in the wake of the infamous death of Glenn at Negan’s hands. It is also an interesting inside look at the process of creating and then killing characters who take on a life of their own, one that is worth looking at a bit more closely. The concept of death isbaked thoroughly intoThe Walking Dead, but that makes losing complex characters matter more instead of less. As Robert Kirkman described the experience of killing off characters:
It’s upsetting….I mean, it’s not like a real person dying…but it sucks. It doesn’t really hit me until I’m writing issues they’re not in. From time to time I think of something to do with Glenn and I’m like, ‘Well, damn it.’
But I’m not in a support group or anything.
8 Times The Walking Dead Proved Humans Are Way Scarier Than Zombies
The Walking Dead is famously all about the zombie apocalypse, but interestingly enough, the zombies themselves aren’t as bad as some of the humans.
Robert Kirkman’s response is further assurance to fans thatevery death inThe Walking Deadcame with purpose. Most creators pour a great deal of thought and love into the characters they bring into the world, but in a story likeThe Walking Dead, it is undeniable thatKirkman’s survivors, especially his heroes, were essentially created to suffer.There are few happy endings to be found, which makes it even more necessary that death itself be meaningful. WhileThe Walking Deadhad a lot of practice with that, it came with a mourning period for writer and reader alike.
It’s Necessary For Tragedy
Saying a final farewell to his characters wasn’t easy for Robert Kirkman, yet he certainly managed to amass a high body count. The Walking Dead boasts some of the most brutal character deaths of any long-standing series, including the aforementioned Glenn, who was brutally beatento death by Negan, Hershel, Tyreese, and many others, including protagonist Rick Grimes himself by the series' conclusion. Yet, despite the trail of fallen characters, each death managed to be impactful and leave a lasting impression that fans are still reeling from years afterThe Walking Dead’sfinal issue.
Robert Kirkman struck a commendable balance between killing established characters and storytelling inThe Walking Dead, despite the feeling of loss it evoked.
If there’s a single takeaway from Kirkman’s comments, it’s that character death is sometimes necessary; although it may be difficult to contend with for fans and for the writer alike, and, of course, it removes the chance to bring them into future stories in a concrete way, it has its place.The Walking Deadwould have charted a different courseif not for some of its most devastating deaths, and, ultimately, the story would likely have suffered for it. Robert Kirkman struck a commendable balance between killing established characters and storytelling inThe Walking Dead, despite the feeling of loss it evoked.
The Walking Dead Deluxe#110is available now from Image Comics.
The Walking Dead
The Walking Deadis a massive multimedia franchise that began with a comic book series created by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, and Charlie Adlard. The franchise gained widespread popularity with the launch of the television seriesThe Walking Deadin 2010 on AMC, which chronicles the lives of survivors in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies, referred to as “walkers.” The success of the original show has led to numerous spin-offs, web series, video games, novels, and other media. The franchise explores themes of survival, human nature, and the breakdown of society in the face of an existential threat, making it one of the most successful and influential horror series of the 21st century.
