Career
Walker's professional break in comics came in the early 2000s through a creative partnership with writer Robert Kirkman. The two first collaborated on independent projects. He contributed to Battle Pope, an offbeat superhero parody series published under Kirkman's own label Funk-O-Tron. Battle Pope (launched in 2000) was one of Kirkman's first comics; Walker worked on later issues of the series, which helped establish the duo's creative synergy. [4]
In 2003, Cory Walker and Robert Kirkman launched Invincible through Image Comics (under the Image Skybound imprint). [1] The series follows teenager Mark Grayson, the son of the world's greatest superhero, as he develops his own powers. [5] Walker co-created the characters and world of Invincible and served as the penciler for issues #1-7, establishing the series' visual identity. [3] Critics and readers praised the book's fresh take on superhero mythology and its vibrant visuals. [4]
After the first story arc, art duties were taken over by Ryan Ottley. Ottley would go on to illustrate the majority of the series (drawing roughly 137 of the 144 total issues), but Walker remained closely involved in Invincible's development. Kirkman frequently consulted him on designs and storyline ideas. "People don't realize how much I leaned on Cory throughout the entire process," Kirkman remarked, noting that even when Ottley was drawing the book, Walker often shared a studio with him and provided input on characters and plots. [3]
Walker was credited as co-creator throughout the series' run and returned for occasional issues and story arcs, including issues #25, #50 and #93–96. In 2016, he drew a pivotal story arc spanning issues #127–132. Alongside Ottley, he also contributed artwork to the double-sized Invincible finale issue #144 in 2018. [4]
Polygon noted that Kirkman's lengthy run on Invincible with Walker and Ottley "stands as one of the great accomplishments in modern superhero comics". [6]
Walker's Marvel debut came with a short story in Spider-Man Unlimited (Vol. 3) #4 in 2004. He next contributed to Kirkman's revival of the anthology series Marvel Team-Up. In Marvel Team-Up #14 (2005), Walker drew a crossover story featuring Invincible alongside Spider-Man, a rare instance of Image's Invincible appearing in a Marvel comic. He also penciled Marvel Team-Up #19 (2006). [4]
Walker's primary contribution at DC was on the series Shadowpact – a supernatural superhero team title. In 2006, Walker provided artwork for Shadowpact #3 and #6. [1] These issues were fill-in roles where he stepped in to draw the mystical team (which included characters like Blue Devil and Nightmaster) during the book's first year. [4]
In addition to the major publishers, Cory Walker has worked on several creator-owned and independent projects throughout his career. Many of these were extensions of his collaboration with Kirkman. For instance, Walker drew two issues of Battle Pope when the series was reprinted in color at Image Comics in 2006. [4]
Walker also co-created Science Dog , a comic-within-a-comic that originated as a fictional title in the Invincible universe. Science Dog stories were initially presented as backup features in Invincible, and due to their popularity, two standalone Science Dog special issues were released in 2010–2011, featuring Walker's artwork. [4]
Through the 2010s and into the 2020s, Walker largely stayed associated with Skybound (Kirkman's imprint at Image), contributing artwork sporadically to various projects. He illustrated short stories and covers for various Skybound titles. For example, he drew backup stories and variant covers related to Invincible and other Skybound series, and provided cover art for issues of titles like Void Rivals and Fire Power in 2023–2024. [7]
Artistic style and influence
Visual composition
Cory Walker's artistic style is often described as a blend of classic superhero aesthetics with a modern, streamlined sensibility. His artwork features crisp line work, clear compositions, and expressive character designs. During his run on Invincible, Walker developed a visual style that became synonymous with the title. His characters are drawn with an emphasis on clean silhouettes and dynamic poses. Walker's action sequences are bold and easy to follow, a quality that helped Invincible stand out for its coherent yet kinetic fight scenes. Critics noted that his art brought a "vibrant and dynamic" energy to the comic's pages, complementing Kirkman's storytelling by visually balancing gore, humor, and heartfelt moments.
Character design
Robert Kirkman praised Walker as "one of the greatest character designers" in the industry, lauding his visual concepts as "unique, clean, and exciting" [6] . Throughout Invincible, Walker designed a large cast of superheroes, villains, and aliens, each with distinctive looks that often paid homage to genre archetypes while giving them a fresh twist. For example, the title hero Invincible's costume – a form-fitting blue-and-yellow suit with a sleek, minimalist emblem – reflects Walker's knack for iconic yet simple design. Many of these character designs remained consistent even after Walker left the interior art, testifying to their effectiveness. His designs were not only memorable on the page but also translatable to other media. [6] [8]
Influence
Walker's style has influenced the tone of modern superhero comics outside the Marvel/DC realm. Invincible launched at a time when independent superhero titles were rare, and its success – driven in part by Walker's art – showed that a non-Marvel/DC hero could carve out a space by both embracing and satirizing genre conventions. The comic's art started relatively light and open-lined, and as the series progressed and Ottley took over, the visuals became more highly detailed and visceral. Still, the foundation Walker laid out in the early issues (in terms of character look and world design) persisted. Fans often compare Walker's style with Ottley's; Walker is noted for his slightly more cartoon-influenced, clean approach, whereas Ottley brought increasingly detailed renderings and ultra-violent detail. The two styles meshed well, and together they gave Invincible a consistent visual identity across its long run. [3]
Beyond Invincible, Walker's influence can be seen in how later artists approach creator-owned superhero comics. His art demonstrated that a clear, bold style can deliver both classic superhero action and modern mature content without clashing. The Invincible animated series, which closely mirrors Walker's original designs, further amplifies his impact – introducing his character aesthetics to a wider audience and influencing the show's overall art direction. [6] Walker's ability to distill characters to their visual essentials has earned him high acclaim both amongst other artists and fans. As one Skybound announcement put it, "if you ever need a costume designed, he's the guy", underscoring the regard for Walker's design skills in the industry. [9]
Animated adaptation
Amazon Prime Video announced an adult animated Invincible series to premiere in 2021 with Walker as lead character designer. [2] [9] Walker updated designs for the principal characters Invincible (Mark Grayson), Omni-Man, Atom Eve, and others to match the style of the comics. [6] Early previews of the animation highlighted how closely the character designs resembled Walker's comic art. [3] [9] By Season 2 of the Invincible show, Walker was given dual credit as lead character designer and co-executive producer. [2] [3] [6]
Adaptation to animated series
When discussing the adaptation, Kirkman emphasized Walker's role; "No one on the planet has a better understanding of the visual take on this world and the visual appeal of this world." The duo's partnership is often mentioned in discussions of successful creator teams. They demonstrated a strong creative chemistry – Kirkman would devise plots and scripts while relying on Walker to visualize new heroes and villains. Even after Walker stepped back from full-time penciling, their collaboration continued in different forms (covers, designs, story consultations). [3]
Commercial and critical reception
As the original artist, he has a special status among fans, even those who joined the series during Ottley's long run. Image Comics and Skybound have recognized this fan appreciation; for example, Walker is frequently invited to contribute variant covers or artwork for Invincible special editions and merchandise. Image Comics promotional materials have referred to Walker as a ‘fan-favorite’ artist. [10] The return of Walker for the 2016 comic arc was widely celebrated by readers, and the announcement of his leading role in the animated series was met with enthusiasm and reassurance that the adaptation would honor the comic's look. [9]
