Robert Kirkman Denies Superhero Fatigue, Blames Bad Writing Instead

Robert Kirkman, best known for his work on comic series like Invincible, The Walking Dead, and Ultimate X-Men, is no stranger to the world of superheroes. As reported by Popverse, he believes the real reason interest in superhero stories has gradually dwindled over the years has nothing to do with the superheroes themselves: the problem lies within the quality of the writing.

On the Empire Escape Pod Podcast, Kirkman elaborated on why he believes many of the biggest franchises in the superhero world, namely Marvel and DC, have lost some luster in the eyes of fans.

Robert Kirkman Explains That the Novelty of Superheroes Has Faded

Many consider the 2010s the heyday of superhero comics and films. In 2019, Marvel released its highest-grossing movie of all time, Avengers: Endgame, which amassed a whopping $2.79 billion globally and has yet to be dethroned. Likewise, DC's highest-grossing film, Aquaman, debuted in 2018 and earned $1.15 billion worldwide.

Despite these successes, which have not been replicated since, Kirkman does not believe superhero fatigue is the explanation. Rather, Kirkman cites over-saturation of the genre as the true issue, stating, "I think that the superhero genre has become so popular, and has become so prevalent, that the novelty of it, in and of itself, has worn off. You could just do a movie with Iron Man where Iron Man does Iron Man things, and people would go, ‘Oh my god, I can’t believe Iron Man is doing this in a movie.’ And then ten years later you’re like, ‘I need Iron Man and twelve other guys, and they need to be like fighting in space, and maybe there are fourteen other guys from another movie too.’ And that’s what you need to get excited about a superhero thing.”

People Still Love Superheroes, Fans Demand Higher-Quality Writing and True Originality

Gone are the days when the simple presence of a superhero on the silver screen or in the pages of a comic book was enough to get audiences excited. Now, there must be something unique to set the story apart from the array of others all competing for fans' attention. Kirkman explains, "I think that if you say superhero fatigue is that superhero movies really have to deliver something unique to stand out, then okay, sure. But if you say people in general are just sick of superhero stories, it’s not a thing. I think that things that don’t stand out are going to get forgotten, because there’s so much stuff going on."

Invincible, the successful comic series turned animated show, is living proof that viewers are still seeking superhero stories. Kirkman credits Invincible's emotional depth as a key factor in its success, elaborating that the series goes "heavier than a lot of movies are willing to go." With a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score and numerous Amazon Prime Video records broken in the wake of its sixth season, Invincible has had no problem holding its own.

Fans still crave action-packed sequences, larger-than-life heroes and villains, and the emotional power comics and superhero films hold. In the era of streaming, where thousands of films and television shows are accessible at any given moment, innovation and creativity matter now more than ever.

Invincible is now streaming on Prime Video.