Robert Kirkman lambasts Marvel for unethical contracts in wake of 'The Walking Dead' success

Renowned comic book writer Robert Kirkman, famous for creating 'The Walking Dead,' has voiced his skepticism towards Marvel due to a negative encounter during his time working on a project for the publisher.

During a recent podcast conversation with Todd MacFarlane, Kirkman disclosed that Marvel unexpectedly halted the release of his Sleepwalker-focused mini-series, despite his substantial involvement in its development.

He recounted how a Marvel executive informed him that the project was cancelled, he was fired, and he wouldn't be compensated for the work done on subsequent issues.

Marvel executive called him and said "Hey, so we shut the whole thing down, you're fired, I know you did a lot of work on issues 2 and 3, but we're not gonna pay you for that, because we're never putting it out."

Kirkman discovered a contract clause that allowed Marvel to dismiss artists without cause, leading him to view the publisher as unreliable and unstable. This incident has influenced his overall trust in Marvel, despite having worked on other projects for them.

Kirkman's experience adds to a recurring issue regarding Marvel's payment practices, with creators often expressing dissatisfaction, such as the case of Yelena Belova creators Devin Grayson and JG Jones, who received a significantly lower payment than expected after the character's appearance in Black Widow.