The Walking Dead's midseason finale proved to be highly controversial, as Carl was revealed to have been bitten – signalling his impending death.

While many fans have voiced their displeasure at the twist, comics creator Robert Kirkman has defended it, suggesting that the pay-off in the long run will be more than worth it.

"I think [showrunner Scott Gimple] first brought it up to me as a possibility probably about a year ago at this point," he told Entertainment Weekly. "At first, I was kind of like, 'Well, that's a big one, you know?'

Kevin Winter Getty Images

[Above: Robert Kirkman second left at Comic-Con]

"I might have had a little bit of trepidation. But once he laid out to me exactly what his long-term plans were and the things that come out of it and the things that it leads to, it was something I got on board with.

"I know that some fans online have been very upset, but that's by design. We're not supposed to be happy when these characters die. We are supposed to be worried about what comes next and anticipating what comes next and stressing about what comes next. That just shows that you're engaged and you're interested.

"Our job is to now pay that off and fulfil that interest and prove that this was a decision worth making. That's what we've got to do."

Gene Page/AMC

The Walking Dead will actually be switching bosses for the ninth season – as Angela Kang becomes the first ever female showrunner on the AMC drama.

She replaces Scott Gimple, who is moving to his new role of chief content officer, overseeing the Walking Dead TV franchise.

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