Latest Comic Guest Announcement - KIERON GILLEN

[showmasters]

Latest Comic Guest Announcement - Kieron Gillen

 

Attending: Saturday & Sunday

 

Writer: Darth Vader, Star Wars, Phonogram, Thor; Uncanny X-Men; Ion Man; Uber; The Wicked + The Divine

KIERON Gillen's first major foray into comics came 11 years into his career as a games and music journalist. Launched by Image in 2006, the Jamie McKelvie-illustrated Phonogram immediately propelled the writer and his artistic collaborator along the fast track to comicbook superstardom.

Prior to the release of the Image six-parter Gillen had dabbled in comics primarily within the British small press and on the 'Net although he'd also contributed briefly to Warhammer Monthly. In addition, with McKelvie he has been producing the still-running Save Point strip for the Official Play Station 2 Magazine since 2003, which was when he scripted a 24-page one-shot that promoted the Chaos League game.

In 2008 he debuted at Marvel with Newuniversal: 1959 #1 (and only) and also authored the four-issue Warhammer: Crown of Destruction for BOOM! Studios. That was followed by Phonogram: The Singles Club, a McKelvie-drawn seven-parter, after which came contributions to brace of Image and Tokypop anthologies and a smattering of Marvel comics that included 2009's X-Men Origins: Sabretooth and Secret Invasion Aftermath: Beta Ray Bill – The Green of Eden one-shots.

The latter led to the three issues of Beta Ray Bill: Godhunter with Dark Avengers: Ares, another three-parter, following hard on its heels. Then came 2010's S.W.O.R.D., and – mid-way through that five-issue mini – Thor.

Writing an 11-issue run on the Asgardian god's title, his highest profile assignment to date, garnered Gillen a great deal of praise. Before it was over he'd been signed exclusively to Marvel, retiring from journalism at the same time.

Before 2010 was out the writer had the Siege: Loki one-shot and the two issues of World War Hulk: Spider-Man vs. Thor under his belt as well as the launch of Generation Hope for which he scripted the first 12 issues.

With his output for the House of Ideas gathering pace Gillen's 2011 credits also included a 14-issue run on Uncanny X-Men (initially in partnership with Matt Fraction) as well as a return to Asgard as he became regular writer of Journey into Mystery. In that he directed the course of the Thunder God's life across 23 issues with a run on The Mighty Thor running in parallel with his last five issues.

In 2012 Marvel relaunched Uncanny X-Men and Gillen segued from the original series to the new incarnation for which he authored all 20 issues.

As the year drew to a close the writer embarked on the weekly AvX: Consequences, a tie-in to Avengers vs X-Men 2012's mega crossover event. With that five-parter and Uncanny X-Men behind him, his first move in 2013 was to relaunch Iron Man for which he wrote all 28 issues.

With Ol' Shellhead's new series barely underway, Gillen instigated two more new titles. One was a relaunch of Young Avengers (on which he was joined by McKelvie) for which he wrote all 15 issues.

The other was Uber, his first significant non-Marvel work in almost four years. Lasting 27 issues it was published by Avatar while Three, a five-parter that he originated later in 2013, was released by Image.

With Young Avengers heading to a close the writer took on a sequel to a 2001 mega-successful mini that had revealed much of Wolverine's mysterious history. Released in 2014, the five-issue Origins II was Gillen's most high profile Marvel project up to that point.

Later in 2014 the writer and McKelvie returned to Image for The Wicked + The Divine (a continuing series). As the year closed he also launched the Angela: Asgard's Assassin six-parter for Marvel.

Beginning 2015 with a jump back to Avatar – where he subsequently launched the ongoing Mercury Heat – for five issues of Crossed: Badlands, Gillen swiftly followed up by spearheading the very first Darth Vader comic as Marvel reacquired the licence to George Lucas's blockbusting Star Wars movie franchise.

Later came a return to Image and Phonogram (sans McKelvie). That was a six-parter as was 1602: Witch Hunter Angela, which Gillen premiered at Marvel at the same time. Also for the House of Ideas he authored the four-issue Siege

While still scripting Darth Vader, as 2016 dawned Gillen took over as regular writer of the core Star Wars comic

[Zombiebeegee]

Great announcement!!! Have to bring along all my darth vaders 😁😁😁

Edited February 2, 2016 by Zombiebeegee

[Iceman71]

Excellent announcement. Will get a couple of signatures. It's a shame Salvador Larroca couldn't make it last time.

[Zombiebeegee]

Excellent announcement. Will get a couple of signatures. It's a shame Salvador Larroca couldn't make it last time.

I know !!! Hopefully they're get him back, loving the darth Vader series

[D4vem88]

Definitely bringing my Vader books. And I concur with the Salvador comments, would love to have him back for another London/Brighton con.

[Jemzamia]

Yes! I love Wicked and the Divine!