| Mark Millar |
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| scottish comics writers | |
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BIOGRAPHY 1990s Millar was inspired to become a comic writer after meeting Alan Moore at a signing session at AKA Books And Comics in the mid 1980s. However it wasn't until experiencing financial problems after his parents died that he decided to drop out of university and take up writing professionally. His first job as a professional comic book writer was with Trident Comics in 1990, writing '' Saviour '' with Daniel Vallely providing art. ''Saviour'' proved to be one of Trident Comics' most popular titles. It provided a mix of Postmodernist storytelling, religion, Satire and superhero action Millar later became known for. During the early 1990s, Millar worked on titles such as '' 2000 AD '', '' Sonic The Comic '' and '' Crisis ''. In 1993, Millar, Grant Morrison and John Smith created a controversial eight-week run on ''2000 AD'' called ''The Summer Offensive''. It was during this run that Millar and Morrison wrote their first major story together, the highly controversial strip '' Big Dave ''. Millar's British work brought him to the attention of called ''Sikeside'' {Link without Title} ''Sikeside'' was cancelled in pre-production and has recently been optioned by Crab-Apple Films for a planned theatrical release. 2000 onwards In 2000 Millar received his big break by replacing Warren Ellis on '' The Authority '' for DC's Wildstorm imprint. Keeping the so-called "widescreen" aspects of Ellis's title, Millar and artist Frank Quitely added a more Polemic style to the story, increasing sales and gathering many awards at home and abroad. The title was a success for Millar and Wildstorm but suffered from self-censorship from DC, which caused friction between Millar and Warner Bros, especially DC publisher '' story - which included revisions written by Millar post-"resignation" from the publisher - was printed after his departure, and Millar has repeatedly stated his desire to recreate the Superman character. During his sabbatical in late 2005, he mended his fences with Levitz & DC Comics. {Link without Title} During 2001 Millar launched '' Ultimate X-Men '' for Marvel Comics ''Ultimate'' Imprint . This imprint was created to make popular Marvel characters more accessible to new readers by Rebooting them, erasing their often decades-long histories and starting from scratch. Millar further expanded the ''Ultimate'' line in 2002 with '' The Ultimates '', the ''Ultimate'' version of Marvel's '' The Avengers '' title. This book proved even more successful than Ultimate X-Men outselling it from the very first issue. Millar earned, and continually attempted to cultivate, a reputation as an often controversial writer. The title '' Trouble '' was one such attempt with its depictions of teenage sex and its suggestions that the characters in the title were younger versions of Spider-Man characters such as May Parker . ''Trouble'' was originally considered by Marvel's editorial group as the possible origin of Spider-Man , but after the book was a failure with both critics and fans - including Millar's own fanbase - the story was declared not "official" Marvel Continuity . Millar left '' Ultimate X-Men '' and wrote '' Marvel Knights Spider-Man '' in 2004, He wrote the first six issues of '' Ultimate Fantastic Four '' with Brian Michael Bendis . After the Arc s by Warren Ellis and Mike Carey , Millar returned to ''Ultimate Fantastic Four'' for a 12-issue run throughout 2005-2006. In a 2005 interview with BBC Radio Scotland, Millar discussed his "dream project," teaming up with top science fiction and comic book writers to create a 21st century version of Karl Marx 's book '' Das Kapital '', with each writer tackling a different aspect of modern life. Millar said that his personal pick would be the educational system. In 2006, Millar, joined by artist Steve McNiven , began writing Marvel's summer crossover '' Civil War ''. This maxi-series has become the biggest success of Millar's career with sales exceeding any Marvel comic since the speculator boom of the early 1990s. With Marvel continuing to offer high-profile work as well as an outlet for creator-owned work, Millar has extended his exclusive contract with Marvel to mid-2008. It has been recently announced that Millar will reteam up Bryan Hitch for an upcoming arc of Fantastic Four . Millarworld In 2004 Millar launched a Creator-owned line called Millarworld that was published simultaneously by four different, competing comic book companies. One book, '' The Unfunnies '', published by Avatar Comics has not yet been completed, apparently due to legal delays. '' Wanted '', published by Top Cow , with artist J.G. Jones is now in production as a motion picture. '' Chosen '', published by Dark Horse, was an updating of Millar's '' Saviour ''. A fourth planned Millarworld title, '' Run '', to be released through Image Central with slated artist Ashley Wood , was never released. The writer has announced that a new series for Marvel Comics, "Kick-Ass" (due 2007), will replace "Run" as the fourth title. As of 2005, Millar had gained mainstream attention for a variety of antics including a lost bet for US$5,000 with , the production company for the project, and appears to have been another publicity stunt to stir up controversy. The movie, which will feature Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman , is now being filmed in Prague and New York for a March 28th 2008 theatrical release. Millar announced 1st November 2005 he would be taking a six-month Sabbatical from comics work to rest up after being diagnosed with Crohn's Disease while in America, although he continued to work in a reduced capacity during this period, working on Ultimate Fantastic Four and Civil War. Future plans include a second set of titles under the Millarworld banner, and "1985", which he has claimed will be "Marvel's of Narnia". He has also stated that '' The Unfunnies '' will be completed, along with a re-release of the first two issues. WRITER PROFILE Mark Millar is one of the most popular writers in modern comics, though he remains a controversial figure. His fans praise him for clever, provocative and edgy plots, which often have a social undercurrent, while his detractors point to an overuse of shock tactics and a tendency towards Polemicism . He has been praised for his ability to inject new life into pre-existing characters, such as The Avengers , although he has also been criticized for his habit of always cherry-picking high-profile, big money projects . Media Profile Mark's online and media presence can be as divisive as some of his writing projects, particularly amongst the online community. Both critics and fans alike have leveled accusations of arrogance, self-promotion and the manufacturing of a "rock-star" persona {Link without Title} . The creation of the web site "Millarworld" and the creator owned comic book runs entitled "Millarworld 1" and the upcoming "Millarworld 2" are arguably demonstrative of an effort to establish himself as a comic book brand-name. BIBLIOGRAPHY UK Publishers
US publishers ''(sorted by year of publication, when available)''
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