CSBG Archive
A Month of Writing Stars – Kieron Gillen
Every day this month I’m going to feature a current comic book writing “star,” someone who I think is a very good writer.
I’m mostly going to try to keep from the biggest names as much as possible, because, really, do I need to talk more about the awesomeness of Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman and Warren Ellis?
Here is the archive of previously featured writers.
Today we look at a nifty rising star!
Enjoy!
Kieron Gillen worked for a number of years as a journalist, specifically a video game journalist, and soon became one of, if not the, most acclaimed video game journalists out there.
A few years back, Gillen made the move to the comic book world, after doing a comic strip about video games with artist Jamie McKelvie, the pair combined to do the great 2006 mini-series for Image Comics called Phonogram, about a “phonomancer,” a music magician, for lack of a better term.
The series was unique and Gillen’s voice was an engaging one.
Warren Ellis chose Gillen to do a one-shot with his newuniversal project, and it was a very well-done work (in the context of a one-shot of fairly obscure characters not of his own creation).
What I love about Gillen is that he’s also clearly growing as a writer – the latest Phonogram mini-series is leaps and bounds better than the first one, which was already a strong work.
His skills have not gone unnoticed by Marvek, and he’s been getting a lot of assignments from them recently, including an upcoming Sabretooth one-shot and an upcoming Beta Ray Bill one-shot.
I look forward to more work by Gillen!
Here‘s his blog.
9 Comments
Ian A.
January 19, 2009 at 11:14 am
I don’t know that I’ve actually read anything by Gillen, but he’s certainly gotten a lot of acclaim recently. And, it can’t ever hurt to have Ellis backing you.
Speaking of newuniversal supplement writers, I hope Simon Spurrier makes this list.
Kieron Gillen
January 19, 2009 at 12:36 pm
Spurrier is awesome. As is Mr Cronin, the sweetie.
KG
dudelebowski
January 19, 2009 at 3:34 pm
I agree, Spurrier should be in the list too, he and Gillen and Hickman are the new guy at marvel I look forward the most.
Dan Felty
January 19, 2009 at 4:05 pm
Phonogram was good. I look forward to seeing more from Gillen, but I hate seeing so many promising writers moving from idiosyncratic, novel, genre bending works to mainstream superhero fare. (Consider Jonathon Hickman, Jason Aaron, or Matt Fraction.) They may elevate the properties that they take over, but I would much rather see them pushing in new directions.
Lierson
January 19, 2009 at 4:23 pm
I won’t mind Si Spurrier too, but I’d love to see D. Curtis Johnson get a mention.
And all success of the world for Kieron Gillen.
Drancron
January 19, 2009 at 5:53 pm
Kieron Gillen is a writing legend. And from who else can I get comics that pay homage to the magic of Britpop and reference Kenickie, Manic Street Preachers and the Pipettes?
Dan Bailey
January 19, 2009 at 7:56 pm
I have to agree with Dan Felty here. It’s *almost* enough to make me take Robert “Look at Me! Look at Me!” Kirkman’s little manifesto seriously, y’know …
Otherwise, yeah: PHONOGRAM was great & the follow-up is looking all sorts of good, too.
Kieron Gillen
January 20, 2009 at 6:45 am
Mr Kirkman’s manifesto really wasn’t aimed at guys like Jamie and I. It was specifically addressed at serious sellers. We’re totally not.
But for those of you who were worrying, of what I’ve got coming out this year, three projects are totally skewed genre work for adults. And that’s not including Phonogram.
KG
Dan Felty
January 20, 2009 at 8:07 pm
Hooray! I’m looking forward to them!