Robert Kirkman, author of the comic books "The Walking Dead" and "Invincible," known for his ruthlessness towards his own characters, acknowledged the authority of the main "executioner" of modern pop culture — George R.R. Martin, creator of "Game of Thrones."
Speaking at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, Kirkman modestly assessed his achievements in eliminating fan-favorite characters:
"He's a master, and I'm just a student. He's much better at killing characters than I am."
However, Kirkman himself regularly demanded "fresh blood" while working on the AMC series adaptation of "The Walking Dead." According to him, he was the one who most often proposed the most radical plot twists in the writers' room.
At one point, the author even actively insisted on the death of Daryl Dixon, played by Norman Reedus. In the end, the character not only survived but became one of the main fan favorites, and later received his own spin-off. Kirkman himself added that he practically asked his colleagues about almost every character in the series at least once: "Why don't we kill him today?"
Currently, Kirkman continues to shock viewers with the animated series "Invincible," which Amazon renewed for a sixth season even before the premiere of the fifth.