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Peter B. Gillis

Peter B. Gillis (December 19, 1952 – June 20, 2024) was an American comic book writer best known for his work at Marvel Comics and First Comics in the mid-1980s, including the series Strikeforce: Morituri and the digitally drawn comic series Shatter.[1]

Biography

Peter B. Gillis' first work in the comics industry was as a freelance writer for Marvel Comics. His first published comics story was "Saturday Night Furor" in Captain America #224 (Aug. 1978).[2] He then wrote various issues of Marvel Two-In-One, What If...?, and Super-Villain Team-Up from 1978 to 1980. The irregular publishing frequency of the final issues of Super-Villain Team-Up was due to a legal maneuver to prevent DC Comics from trademarking the term "supervillain".[3] Starting in 1980, Gillis then worked as editorial director for the Florida-based publisher New Media Publishing's new line of magazines; he left that position in June 1981.[4]

He is best known for the digital comic Shatter (1985–1988) and First Comics' Warp (1983–1985). Gillis co-created Strikeforce: Morituri (1986–1988) with artist Brent Anderson. Gillis wrote the entire runs of Micronauts: The New Voyages (1984–1986)[5] and Strange Tales vol. 2 (1987–1988); other Marvel work included numerous issues of What If (1980–1984), The Defenders (1984–1986),[6] The Eternals vol. 2 (1985–1986), Doctor Strange vol. 2 #76–81 (1986–1987) and Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme #1–4 (1988–1989). The Defenders was Gillis's first ongoing assignment; he recounted, "I had been working for a while at Marvel, and was constantly pumping for more work, and specifically a series of my own. So when I heard DeMatteis was leaving Defenders, I was in [editor] Carl Potts' office like a shot, and I got the gig."[6]

His creations for other companies include Blaze Barlow and the Eternity Command and the Black Flame for First Comics; and Gammarauders, a tie-in to the Gamma World role-playing game, for DC Comics' short-lived TSR Games line. He also wrote the science-fiction miniseries Tailgunner Jo with art by Tom Artis for DC.

Gillis returned to comics in 2010 when he wrote the six-issue comic adaptation of Peter S. Beagle's The Last Unicorn for IDW Publishing.[7]

Gillis who lived in Earlville New York, for several years also served on the Earlville Free Library's board. He also served as the library's treasury liaison.[8][9] Gillis died in Albany, New York on June 20, 2024, at the age of 71.[10]

Bibliography

Comico

DC Comics

First Comics

IDW Publishing

Marvel Comics

References

  1. ^ Miller, John Jackson (June 10, 2005). "Comics Industry Birthdays". Comics Buyer's Guide. Iola, Wisconsin. Archived from the original on February 18, 2011. Retrieved December 12, 2010.
  2. ^ Peter Gillis at the Grand Comics Database and Peter B. Gillis at the Grand Comics Database
  3. ^ Carson, Lex (August 2013). "Bring Together the Bad Guys: Super-Villain Team-Up". Back Issue! (66). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 41. The revival and annual publication of SVTU was part of the legal maneuvering on Marvel's part to keep DC from trademarking the term 'Super Villain' as in 'Secret Society of'. For that, annual publication was enough, and by the second year, the legal tussle was resolved.
  4. ^ "NMP Editorial Shake-Up". Comics Feature (12/13). New Media Publishing: 18. September–October 1981.
  5. ^ Lantz, James Heath (October 2014). "Inner-Space Opera: A Look at Marvel's Micronauts Comics". Back Issue! (76). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 51–53.
  6. ^ a b DeAngelo, Daniel (July 2013). "The Not-Ready-For-Super-Team Players A History of the Defenders". Back Issue! (65). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 15–16.
  7. ^ "The Last Unicorn". Publishers Weekly. n.d. Archived from the original on August 29, 2015.
  8. ^ https://www.facebook.com/EarlvilleFreeLibrary/photos/pb.100064838762004.-2207520000/1903262643089137/?type=3 [bare URL]
  9. ^ https://www.uticaod.com/story/mid-york-weekly/2016/10/26/a-busy-month-to-be/24676374007/ [bare URL]
  10. ^ Cronin, Brian (June 21, 2024). "Longtime Marvel Comics Writer Peter B. Gillis Passes Away". CBR. Retrieved July 1, 2024.

External links