Invincible’s Robert Kirkman Celebrates Artist Cory Walker’s Contributions to the Animated Series

Before Invincible became a popular streaming series thanks to Prime Video, the property was a long-running comic under Image Comics’ Skybound imprint. There, the series was created by Robert Kirkman and Cory Walker, with the latter handling artwork on the first seven issues of the series. Eventually, Ryan Ottley took over art duties, illustrating the vast majority of the remaining 137 issues of the series.

Even though Ottley is often associated as the primary artist on the series, Walker is still listed as the comics’ co-creator. Not only that, but he has a sizable role alongside Kirkman on Prime Video’s animated series.

“It’s not even really that different. I think people don’t really realize how much I leaned on Cory throughout the entire process, even with the issues that Ryan was drawing, Cory and I shared a studio space almost the entire 15 years,” Kirkman tells us of his and Walker’s collaborative process. “There were a few years where I was in LA and he hadn’t quite moved to LA yet where we weren’t quite together, but I would still call him on the phone and ‘I’m working on this story line. Does this work? Do you like this? I think this character is going to do that. Is that OK?’ Or he’d just come in with a drawing and be like ‘I did this. What do you think of this guy?’ And that guy would show up in the book and it’s no different on the show. “

Kirkman adds that Walker attends virtually every meeting held during the development of the show and has an integral role in approving animatics.

“I mean, he’s in every meeting, he’s overseeing all the character designs, he’s giving notes on all the animatics, he’s right there next to me, 90% of the meetings we do on the show. We go to sound mixes together,” the writer continues. “It’s great having him, he’s a co executive producer, 100% a part of the process and his voice is essential. No one on the planet has a better understanding of the visual take on this world and the visual appeal of this world. He’s been great the entire time, it’s awesome to be able to continue working with him.”

Who’s all cast in Invincible Season 2?

Skybound says, “Based on the groundbreaking comic book by Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker, and Ryan Ottley, the story revolves around 18-year-old Mark Grayson, who’s just like every other guy his age—except his father is (or was) the most powerful superhero on the planet. Still reeling from Nolan’s betrayal in Season One, Mark struggles to rebuild his life as he faces a host of new threats, all while battling his greatest fear – that he might become his father without even knowing it.  

Starring Steven Yeun, with Sandra Oh, Zazie Beetz, Grey DeLisle, Chris Diamantopoulos, Walton Goggins, Gillian Jacobs, Jason Mantzoukas, Ross Marquand, Khary Payton, Zachary Quinto, Andrew Rannells, Kevin Michael Richardson, Seth Rogen, and J.K. Simmons. The executive producers are Kirkman, David Alpert, Catherine Winder, Simon Racioppa, Margaret M. Dean, Rogen, and Evan Goldberg, and the co-executive producers are Helen Leigh and Walker.”

The second season of Invincible hits Prime Video while the first season is now streaming on the platform.