| Kieron Gillen | |
|---|---|
Gillen at the 2011 New York Comic Con | |
| Born | Kieron Michael Gillen[1] 30 September 1975 |
| Nationality | British |
| Area(s) | Writer |
Notable works | Phonogram Uncanny X-Men Young Avengers The Wicked + The Divine Star Wars: Doctor Aphra |
| Awards | Inkpot Award (2016)[2] |
| kierongillen | |
Kieron Michael Gillen (/ˈɡɪlən/; born 30 September 1975)[3] is a British comic book writer and former video game and music journalist. In comics, Gillen is known for Phonogram and The Wicked + The Divine, both co-created with artist Jamie McKelvie and published by Image, as well as numerous projects for Marvel, such as Journey into Mystery, Uncanny X-Men, Young Avengers and Eternals. In video game journalism, he is notable for creating the New Games Journalism manifesto.[4]
As a reviewer, Gillen has written for publications such as Amiga Power (under the pseudonym "C-Monster"), PC Gamer UK, The Escapist, Wired, The Guardian, Edge, Game Developer, Develop, MCV/Develop, GamesMaster, Eurogamer and PC Format, as well as the PC gaming-oriented website Rock Paper Shotgun, which he co-founded in 2007. In 2000, Gillen became the first-ever video game journalist to receive an award from the Periodical Publishers Association, for New Specialist Consumer Journalist.[5] Gillen is a fan of the work of the video game developer Warren Spector, having written positive pieces on several Spector's games, most notably Deus Ex and Thief: Deadly Shadows, both produced by Ion Storm.
In addition to his work as a reviewer, Gilen has acted as a guest speaker at numerous video game industry conferences.[6][7]
In a September 2010 post at Rock Paper Shotgun, Gillen announced he was leaving full-time video game journalism to devote his time to comic book writing.[8]
Gillen's earliest work in comics was published in various British small-press anthologies and Warhammer Monthly. Between 2003 and 2007, Gillen collaborated with artist Jamie McKelvie on a comic strip for PlayStation Official Magazine – UK, entitled "Save Point", following up with the pop music-themed urban fantasy series Phonogram, which was described by Gillen as his "first real comic".[9] Veteran comics writer Warren Ellis dubbed the series "one of the few truly essential comics of 2006."[10] The first issue, published by Image Comics, went on sale in August 2006, with the first series running for six issues. The sequel, a series of one-shots subtitled The Singles Club, launched in December 2008.[11] Between 2014 and 2019, Gillen and McKelvie collaborated on The Wicked + The Divine,[12] an Image series that has won Gillen multiple awards, including nominations for the Eisner Award for best new series,[13] and for the Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story.[14] Gillen's other creator-owned work includes Three, a mini-series about the helots of Sparta,[15][16] and The Ludocrats, initially announced in 2015 as a collaboration between writers Gillen and Jim Rossignol and artist David Lafuente.[17] The series was eventually published in 2020 with art by Jeff Stokely.[18]
On 14 April 2008, it was announced Gillen would collaborate with the artist Greg Scott to expand on Warren Ellis' newuniversal series with "a story about killing the future" set in 1959.[19] That year, Gillen also wrote Crown of Destruction, a Warhammer Fantasy comic.[20] [21] Further Marvel assignments included a Dazzler short story and a Beta Ray Bill one-shot, which was followed by a three-issue mini-series.[22] Gillen's workload at Marvel increased in late 2009. At HeroesCon, it was announced he would be writing a tie-in to the "Dark Reign" storyline, the mini-series Dark Avengers: Ares,[23] and, during the 2009 Chicago Comic Con, it was announced that he will collaborate with Steven Sanders on S.W.O.R.D, an X-Men spin-off series.[24][25] Gillen took over Thor following a run by J. Michael Straczynski, writing issues #604[26] to 614.[27] In late 2010, Gillen launched another X-Men spin-off Generation Hope that picked up plot threads from the end of the "Second Coming" storyline.[28][29][30][31][32] Gillen wrote the title for twelve issues before passing it to James Asmus.[33] After co-scripting a few issues of Uncanny X-Men with outgoing writer Matt Fraction, Gillen took over the series with issue #534.1.[34] His time on the title saw the book through the 2011 "Fear Itself" storyline, a renumbering to #1 in the wake of the "Schism" storyline, and a tie-in with the "Avengers vs. X-Men" storyline. After finishing his run with issue #20, Gillen penned a five-issue epilogue miniseries AvX: Consequences that dealt with the aftermath of that event.[35] In 2011, Gillen returned to Marvel's Asgard with a run on Journey into Mystery (the original name of the Thor series, continuing its original numbering), starting with issue #622 and finishing with #645 in October 2012. As part of the Marvel NOW! relaunch, Gillen wrote two books: Iron Man (again taking over from Fraction) with art by his frequent Uncanny X-Men collaborator Greg Land, and Young Avengers with Jamie McKelvie.[35][36]
In June 2020, Marvel announced that Gillen would write Warhammer 40,000: Marneus Calgar, the first series in a line of Warhammer comics published by the company.[37] In 2021, Gillen began writing the Eternals ongoing series, illustrated by Esad Ribić.[38]
Gillen was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Arts by Staffordshire University in 2019 for his work both as a journalist and a comic book writer.[39]
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Eagle Award | Favourite Newcomer Writer | — | Nominated | [40] |
| 2014 | GLAAD Media Awards | Outstanding Comic Book | Young Avengers | Won | [41] |
| 2016 | GLAAD Media Awards | The Wicked + The Divine | Nominated | [42] | |
| 2019 | GLAAD Media Awards | Star Wars: Doctor Aphra | Nominated | [43] | |
| 2020 | GLAAD Media Awards | The Wicked + The Divine | Nominated | [44] | |
| British Fantasy Award | Best Comic / Graphic Novel | Die | Won | [45] | |
| Hugo Award | Best Graphic Story or Comic | The Wicked + The Divine, Volume 9: "Okay" | Nominated | [46] | |
| Hugo Award | Best Graphic Story or Comic | Die, Volume 1: Fantasy Heartbreaker | Nominated | [46] | |
| 2021 | British Fantasy Award | Best Comic / Graphic Novel | Die, Volume 2: Split the Party | Won | [47] |
| Hugo Award | Best Graphic Story or Comic | Die, Volume 2: Split the Party | Nominated | [48] | |
| Hugo Award | Best Graphic Story or Comic | Once & Future, Volume 1: The King is Undead | Nominated | [48] | |
| 2022 | British Fantasy Award | Best Comic / Graphic Novel | Die, Volume 4: Bleed | Nominated | [49] |
| Hugo Award | Best Graphic Story or Comic | Die, Volume 4: Bleed | Pending | [50] | |
| Hugo Award | Best Graphic Story or Comic | Once & Future, Volume 3: The Parliament of Magpies | Pending | [50] | |
| 2023 | GLAAD Media Awards | Outstanding Comic Book | Immortal X-Men | Pending | [51] |
