Mark Millar

This article is about the comic book writer. For the footballer (born 1988), see Mark Millar (footballer).
Mark Millar

Millar at the Big Apple Convention in Manhattan, 2 October 2010
Born Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Nationality Scottish
Area(s) Writer
Notable works
Ultimate X-Men
Ultimate Fantastic Four
Civil War
Wanted
Kick-Ass
Secret Service
http://www.millarworld.tv

Mark Millar (born 24 December 1969) is a Scottish comic book writer, known for his work on The Authority, The Ultimates, Marvel Knights Spider-Man, Ultimate Fantastic Four, Civil War, The Secret Service, Wanted, Chrononauts, Superior and Kick-Ass, the latter five of which have been, or will be, adapted into feature films.

For his work Millar has been nominated for four Eisner Awards and two Eagle Awards, and in June 2013 he was recognized by Queen Elizabeth II as a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for services to film and literature.[1][2][3]

Early life

Millar was born in Coatbridge, Scotland.[4] His parents were also born in Coatbridge; Millar, who spent the first half of his life in the Townhead area of Coatbridge, attending St Ambrose High in Coatbridge.[5] He has four older brothers,[6][7] and one older sister, who are 22, 20, 18, 16 and 14 years older than him, respectively.[7] His brother Bobby, who today works at a special needs school,[8] introduced him to comics at age 4 while attending university by taking him to shops and purchasing them for him. Still learning to read, Millar's first comic was the seminal The Amazing Spider-Man #121 (1973), which featured the death of Gwen Stacy. He purchased a Superman comic that day as well.[7] Black and white reprinted comics purchased by his brothers for him would follow, cementing his interest in the medium[6] so much that Millar drew a spider web across his face with indelible marker that his parents were unable to scrub off in time for his First Communion photo a week later.[7] Millar has named Alan Moore and Frank Miller as the two biggest influences on his career, characterizing them as "my Mum and Dad." Other writers he names as influences include Grant Morrison, Peter Milligan, Warren Ellis and Garth Ennis. More recent writers that have impressed him include Jason Aaron and Scott Snyder.[6]

Millar's mother died of a heart attack at age 64, when Millar was 14, and his father died four years later, aged 65.[7] Although Millar enjoyed drawing comics, he was not permitted to go to art school because his family frowned upon such endeavours as a waste of time for the academic Millar, who studied subjects like chemistry, physics and advanced maths. He initially planned to be a doctor, and subsequently decided that becoming an economist would be a viable alternate plan, but later decided that he "couldn't quite hack it" in that occupation.[6] He attended Glasgow University to study politics and economics, but dropped out after his father's death left him without the money to pay his tuition.[7]

Career

1980s–1990s work

When Millar was 18, he interviewed writer Grant Morrison, who was then doing his first major American work on Animal Man, for a fanzine. When he told Morrison that he wanted to be both a writer and an artist, Morrison suggested that he focus on one of those career paths, as it was very hard to be successful at both, which Millar cites as the best advice he has ever received.[6]

Millar's first job as a comic book writer came when he was still in high school, writing Trident's Saviour with Daniel Vallely providing art. Saviour combined elements of religion, satire and superhero action.

During the 1990s, Millar worked on titles such as 2000 AD,[9] 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, Big Dave.[10]

Millar's British work brought him to the attention of DC Comics, and in 1994 he started working on his first American comic, Swamp Thing. The first four issues of Millar's run were co-written by Grant Morrison,[11] allowing Millar to settle into the title. Although his work brought some critical acclaim to the ailing title, the book's sales were still low enough to warrant cancellation by the publisher. From there, Millar spent time working on various DC titles, often co-writing with or under the patronage of Morrison as in the cases of his work on JLA, The Flash and Aztek: The Ultimate Man,[12] and working on unsuccessful pitches for the publisher.

2000s work

Millar signing a copy of Superman: Red Son

In 2000, Millar replaced Warren Ellis on The Authority for DC's Wildstorm imprint.[11][13] Millar announced his resignation from DC in 2001, though his miniseries Superman: Red Son was printed in 2003.[14]

In March 2001 Millar sold a vampire horror miniseries he wrote called Sikeside to Channel 4 in the UK. The department that bought it had created a program called Metrosexuality that was received so poorly that the department was informed by its superiors that the network would not make any other project commissioned by that department again, thus cancelling Sikeside's development. Millar subsequently sold the movie rights to Sikeside to his friend, movie producer Angus Lamont.[15][16]

In 2001, Millar launched Ultimate X-Men for Marvel Comics' Ultimate Marvel imprint.[17] The following year he collaborated with illustrator Bryan Hitch on The Ultimates, the Ultimate imprint's equivalent of The Avengers.[11][18] Millar's work on The Ultimates was later adapted into two Marvel Animated Features.[19][20]

After 33 issues, Millar left Ultimate X-Men. In 2004 he wrote the Marvel Knights Spider-Man series,[21] and co-wrote with Brian Michael Bendis the first six issues of Ultimate Fantastic Four.[22] He later returned to that title for a 12-issue run throughout 2005–2006,[11] and his storylines during that period led to the creation of the Marvel Zombies spin-off series.

In 2006, Millar, joined by artist Steve McNiven, began writing the Marvel miniseries Civil War.[23] In February 2008 he began a run on Fantastic Four, with artist Bryan Hitch.[24][25] That same year he wrote the miniseries Marvel 1985,[26] with artist Tommy Lee Edwards,[27] which "is about the real world, the world we live in right now, dealing with the villains of the Marvel Universe finding us."[28] He wrote the "Old Man Logan" storyline which appeared in the Wolverine series and was set in a possible future.[29]

Millar was among a group of writers enlisted by Iron Man director Jon Favreau to give advice on the script. It was Millar who suggested dropping the Mandarin as the villain, and replacing him with Iron Monger, who was originally intended as a villain for the sequels.[30]

Millar announced a new British comics magazine anthology in early May 2010 to be launched in September with the name CLiNT, which would feature a sequel to Kick-Ass, as well as work from Jonathan Ross and Frankie Boyle.[31]

In September 2012, Millar was brought on to oversee Fox's cinematic universe as a creative consultant for the X-Men film franchise and Fantastic Four.[32]

Millarworld

Millar and his Wanted collaborator J. G. Jones at the Big Apple Convention, 2 October 2010

In 2004, Millar launched a creator-owned line called Millarworld that published the books Wanted, Chosen, The Unfunnies, Kick-Ass and War Heroes by four different publishers. Wanted, published by Top Cow Productions, was loosely adapted into a feature film by Universal Pictures, released on 27 June 2008.[33] Chosen, published by Dark Horse Comics, was described by Millar as a sequel to the Bible, and has been optioned by Sony Pictures. The Unfunnies was a funny animal horror story published by Avatar Press. Kick-Ass, which was illustrated by John Romita, Jr. and published by Marvel, was adapted into a film of the same name by Matthew Vaughn, and released in the United Kingdom on 26 March 2010 and the United States on 16 April.

In September 2008 it was announced that War Heroes had been optioned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, with Michael DeLuca as producer and Millar taking an executive producer role.[34]

Millar has stated that whenever he sells the film adaptation rights to one of his creator-owned comics properties, he gives half of the money to the artist who illustrated the comics, despite his agent's reaction to this, saying, "Everything, all the money from the advance, the toys, the games, 50-50, so it's fair. I see it as a collaboration. If I drew, I could keep everything for myself, but I actually like the idea of having a talent that I'm not selling. One of my friends said, 'You could make even more money by drawing, too,' and I said, 'Yeah, and I suppose I could make even more money by lap dancing. It's nice to have something that's just for me."[7]

Millar indicated in 2008 that he would return to Chosen, which he revealed was only the first part in a planned trilogy, American Jesus. Moving the title to Image Comics, he will write two more miniseries to complete the story, and release a collection of the first one with the title American Jesus Volume 1: Chosen.[35]

In 2010 Millar wrote two other creator-owned superhero titles through Marvel Comics' Icon imprint, Nemesis with artist Steve McNiven,[36] and Superior with artist Leinil Yu.

On 9 April 2011, Millar was one of 62 comics creators who appeared at the IGN stage at the Kapow! convention in London to set two Guinness World Records, the Fastest Production of a Comic Book, and Most Contributors to a Comic Book.[37][38] The book was completed in 11 hours, 19 minutes, and 38 seconds, and was published through Icon on 23 November 2011, with all royalties being donated to Yorkhill Children's Foundation.[37]

In August 2013, when Millar was asked by Abraham Riesman of The New Republic about the use of rape as a plot device in more than one of his comics, he responded, "The ultimate [act] that would be the taboo, to show how bad some villain is, was to have somebody being raped, you know. I don't really think it matters. It's the same as, like, a decapitation. It's just a horrible act to show that somebody's a bad guy." The comment drew criticism from critics, including Laura Hudson of Comics Alliance, who stated, "There's one and only one reason that happens, and it's to piss off the male character. It's using a trauma you don't understand in a way whose implications you can't understand, and then talking about it as though you're doing the same thing as having someone's head explode. You're not. Those two things are not equivalent, and if you don't understand, you shouldn't be writing rape scenes."[39][40]

In October 2014, following months of delays for Jupiter's Legacy #5, Millar stated that beginning in April 2015, all Millarworld series would be completely drawn before the publication of their debut issues, in order to maintain a monthly schedule.[41]

Awards and accolades

In August 2011, Millar appeared in his native Coatbridge to unveil a superhero-themed steel archway beside the Monkland Canal that was created by sculptor Andy Scott, with help from the students at his alma mater, St Ambrose High School.[5] The six metre-high archway, which was inspired by Millar's work, depicts a superhero named Captain Coatbridge and two female superheroines, and was created as part of efforts to regenerate the canal.[42]

In June 2013, Millar was appointed a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to film and literature on the Queen's Honours Birthday list.[1][2][3]

Award nominations

Personal life

When Millar was 17 he began dating a woman named Gill, who lived nearby and attended the same school. They married in 1993, but in early 2009, they separated amicably.[7] They have one daughter[4] who, like Millar himself, was born in Coatbridge.[5] In November 2011 Millar's new partner, Lucy,[1][3] gave birth to their first child (and Millar's second).[4][47] They live in a palatial mansion in the heart of Glasgow’s West End.[4][8]

He is a practising Catholic who does not swear in his personal life.[7] Although he says he was not cut out to be an economist, he is still "obsessed" with that subject, and reads the Financial Times online before reading Comic Book Resources each morning.[6]

He has named Superman, Flash Gordon, The Spy Who Loved Me, Star Wars and The Incredibles as his five favorite films.[48]

Bibliography

UK publishers

Trident

Fleetway

DC Comics/Vertigo

Marvel Comics

Icon Comics

Other US publishers

Feature film adaptations

Year Title Director(s) Studio(s) Based on Budget Box office Rotten Tomatoes
USD$
2008 Wanted Timur Bekmambetov Universal Studios Wanted by Millar and J. G. Jones $75 million $341,433,252 71%[49]
2010 Kick-Ass Matthew Vaughn Lionsgate Films
Universal Studios
Marv Films
Plan B Entertainment
Kick-Ass by Millar and John Romita, Jr. $30 million $96,188,903 76%[50]
2013 Kick-Ass 2 Jeff Wadlow Universal Studios
Marv Films
Plan B Entertainment
Kick-Ass 2 and Hit-Girl by Millar and John Romita, Jr. $28 million $60,795,985 29%[51]
2015 Kingsman: The Secret Service[52] Matthew Vaughn 20th Century Fox
Marv Films
The Secret Service by Millar and Dave Gibbons $81 million $413,998,123 [53] 73%[54]
2015 Fantastic Four[55] Josh Trank 20th Century Fox
Marvel Entertainment
Marv Films
Ultimate Fantastic Four by Millar, Brian Michael Bendis and Adam Kubert $120 million $167,750,924 [56] 9%[57]
2016 Captain America: Civil War[58] Anthony and Joe Russo Marvel Studios
Walt Disney Studios
Motion Pictures
Civil War by Millar and Steve McNiven $250 million N/A N/A
2017 Untitled Wolverine Film James Mangold 20th Century Fox
Marvel Entertainment
The Donner's Company
Old Man Logan by Millar and Steve McNiven N/A N/A N/A

References

  1. 1 2 3 Armitage, Hugh (17 June 2013). "Kick-Ass Mark Millar on Queen's Birthday Honours List". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 8 February 2014.
  2. 1 2 Parkin, JK (16 June 2013). "Mark Millar honored by Queen Elizabeth II". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on 20 June 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 Johnston, Rich (16 June 2013). "Mark Millar MBE". Bleeding Cool. Archived from the original on 23 June 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Bendoris, Matt (28 October 2011). "Mark Millar: I want my films to do for Scotland what Lord of the Rings did for New Zealand". The Sun.
  5. 1 2 3 Mitchell, Robert (24 August 2011). "Mark Millar opens Coatbridge superhero archway". Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser. Archived from the original on 27 June 2012.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "The Third Degree: Mark Millar". Jupiter's Legacy #1 (April 2013). p. 27 Image Comics.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Mark Millar's graphic novels really are graphic but the Coatbridge boy behind Wanted and new teen film Kick-Ass is surprisingly mild-mannered". The Scotsman. 13 December 2009. Archived from the original on 8 February 2014.
  8. 1 2 Millar, Millar (w), McNiven, Steve (a). Nemesis 1: 25 (May 2010), Marvel Comics
  9. Lien-Cooper, Barb (August 2000). "Speaking with the Authority". Sequential Tart.
  10. Holder, Geoff (1 October 2011). Millar&f=false The Little Book of Glasgow. The History Press Ireland. Archived at Google Books. Retrieved February 14, 2 016.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Mark Millar at the Grand Comics Database
  12. Manning, Matthew K.; Dolan, Hannah, ed. (2010). "1990s". DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. Dorling Kindersley. p. 275. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9. In April [1996], writers Grant Morrison and Mark Millar introduced Aztek in a self-titled ongoing series that ran for a mere ten brilliant issues.
  13. Darius, Julian (29 April 2000). "Mark Millar on The Authority". Sequart.org. Archived from the original on 8 October 2013.
  14. Cowsill, Alan "2000s" in Dolan, p. 309: "Mark Millar was never a writer to shy away from a controversial topic or from taking a unique concept to its shocking conclusion. With Superman: Red Son, he did both by presenting Superman as a communist and giving the conclusion a surprise twist."
  15. Ellis, Warren (18 February 2000). "Come In Alone: Issue #12". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on 14 August 2013. Archive requires scrolldown
  16. McAllister, Matt (17 February 2010). "Mark Millar: Just for Kicks". Total Sci-Fi Online. Archived from the original on 6 October 2010.
  17. Manning, Matthew K.; Gilbert, Laura, ed. (2008). "2000s". Marvel Chronicle A Year by Year History. Dorling Kindersley. p. 304. ISBN 978-0756641238. Looking to repeat the success of Ultimate Spider-Man in 2000, the second major title of this alternate universe was crafted by esteemed writer Mark Millar along with the famed Kubert brothers, Andy and Adam, taking turns at the drawing table.
  18. Manning "2000s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 311: "With Ultimate Spider-Man and Ultimate X-Men serving as two of Marvel's most consecutive best seller, it was only a matter of time before the decision was made to reinvent one of the most popular teams of heroes, the Avengers, into this fresh new universe. And writer Mark Millar and artist Bryan Hitch were up to the challenge."
  19. Salisbury, Brian (April 26, 2012). "'Ultimate Avengers': Superhero Movies Don't Have to Be Live Action Epics". Hollywood.com.
  20. Tabu, Hannibal (August 6, 2005). "WWC, Day 2 – "Ultimate Avengers" Panel, DVD in February, 2006". Comic Book Resources.
  21. Cowsill, Alan; Gilbert, Laura, ed. (2012). "2000s". Spider-Man Chronicle Celebrating 50 Years of Web-Slinging. Dorling Kindersley. p. 282. ISBN 978-0756692360. Mark Millar had become one of Marvel's most important writers...When he took the helm for a new Spider-Man series, together with artist Terry Dodson, it was always going to be something special.
  22. Manning "2000s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 320: "Ultimate veterans Brian Michael Bendis, Mark Millar, and Adam Kubert reexamined Marvel's first family, creating this alternate version of the Fantastic Four."
  23. Manning "2000s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 332: "Writer Mark Millar and artist Steve McNiven unleashed Civil War on the public, an epic seven-issue limited series that sparked some of the most heated fan debate in the history of Marvel Comics."
  24. Boyle, Sean (12 February 2008). "Mark Millar: Tripping the Light Fantastic". Comics Bulletin. Archived from the original on 15 May 2008.
  25. Richards, Dave (11 August 2007). "WWC: Mark Millar is the New Fantastic Four – Man". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on 26 May 2013. Retrieved 26 May 2013.
  26. Richards, Dave (29 February 2008). "World Without Heroes: Millar Talks Marvel 1985". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on 5 April 2008.
  27. Wickliffe, Andrew (9 April 2008). "'80s Icon: Edwards talks Marvel 1985". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on 13 April 2008.
  28. Boyle, Sean; Wallace, Dave (29 February 2008). "Mark Millar Takes Marvel Back To 1985". Comics Bulletin. Archived from the original on 15 May 2008.
  29. Brady, Matt (25 January 2008). "Millar On 'Old Man Logan'". Newsarama.com. Archived from the original on 22 January 2009.
  30. Johnston, Rich (6 May 2008). "Lying in the Gutters". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on 8 May 2008.
  31. "Jonathan Ross and Frankie Boyle sign up for comic strip". BBC News. 4 May 2010. Archived from the original on 7 May 2010. Retrieved 4 May 2010.
  32. Keyes, Rob (27 September 2012). "Mark Millar to Oversee Fox's Marvel Cinematic Universe". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on 13 July 2015.
  33. Snyder, Gabriel (3 March 2004). "U nabs Wanted man". Variety. Archived from the original on 8 February 2014.
  34. Graser, Marc (26 September 2008). "Sony, DeLuca gear up for War". Variety. Archived from the original on 8 February 2014.
  35. Phegley, Kiel (28 September 2008). "Millar Resurrects Chosen As American Jesus". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on 29 March 2009.
  36. Renaud, Jeffrey (4 December 2009). "Nemesis Asks: What if Batman was The Joker?". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on 9 December 2009. Retrieved 6 December 2009.
  37. 1 2 Butler, Tom (14 April 2011). "Kapow! '11: Comic History Rewritten On The IGN Stage". IGN. Archived from the original on 19 January 2014.
  38. "Guinness World Records at Kapow! Comic Con". Guinness World Records. 9 April 2011. Archived from the original on 15 April 2011.
  39. Puchko, Kristy (12 August 2013). "Why Kick-Ass 2 Creator Mark Millar's Rape Comments Have So Many People Angry". Cinema Blend. Archived from the original on 10 May 2015. Retrieved 11 March 2015.
  40. Clark, Noelene (8 August 2013). "Mark Millar’s rape comments, 'Superheroes' TCA panel: The comics world responds". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 6 August 2015. Retrieved 11 March 2015.
  41. Gerding, Stephen (20 October 2014). "Exclusive: Millar Expands Jupiter's Legacy World with Prequel Series". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on 18 November 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2015.
  42. "Monkland Canal hosts 'Mark Millar superhero sculpture'". BBC News. 19 August 2011. Archived from the original on 8 February 2014.
  43. 1 2 "2000 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Nominees and Winners". Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  44. 1 2 "2001 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Nominees and Winners". Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  45. Weiland, Jonah (7 September 2004). "2004 Eagle Award Nominees Announced, CBR Nominated". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on 8 February 2014. Archive requires scrolldown
  46. "Previous Winners: 2005". The Eagle Awards. n.d. Archived from the original on 23 October 2013. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  47. Hoskin, Peter (11 May 2013). "Comic-book writer Mark Millar interviewed". The Spectator. Archived from the original on 15 September 2013.
  48. "Kick-Ass creator Mark Millar: The Star Wars prequels were the Kennedy assassination for my generation". Metro. 13 December 2013. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013.
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  51. "Kick-Ass 2 (2013)". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved January 25, 2015.
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External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mark Millar.
Preceded by
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1994–1996
(with Grant Morrison in 1994)
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n/a
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(with Grant Morrison)
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Mark Evanier
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2000–2002
Succeeded by
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n/a
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2001–2003
Succeeded by
Brian Michael Bendis
Preceded by
n/a
The Ultimates writer
2002–2007
Succeeded by
Jeph Loeb
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n/a
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Warren Ellis
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Greg Rucka
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