Comic book writer Mark to make an appearance at Airdrie town hall

Oct 1 2008 by Robert Mitchell, Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser

HE’S gone from Monklands to Hollywood – but this Saturday will see writer Mark Millar in Airdrie’s Sir John Wilson Town Hall.

The Coatbridge man is one of the top-selling comic book creators in the world and he is now making a name for himself in the movie business as well.

Summer blockbuster Wanted – starring Angelina Jolie and James McAvoy – was adapted from one of his titles and grossed over $300 million at the box office.

Another one of Mark’s comics called Kick Ass is currently being made into a movie starring Oscar-winner Nicolas Cage, and tells the story of a teenager with no powers who decides to put on a superhero costume and fight crime.

Studio bosses are also fighting over a Millar comic called War Heroes, about US soldiers being given super powers to fight terrorists. On top of that, the Coatbridge writer is waiting to hear if will be writing the next Superman movie.

Millar’s comic book work made worldwide headlines earlier this year when a story called Civil War unmasked Spider-Man’s identity and became the biggest-selling comic of the last 20 years. Wanted and Kick Ass are the two best-selling creator-owned comics of the last decade.

During his time working with comics publishers Marvel and DC he has worked on household names like Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, the Hulk and the X-Men.

Millar is appearing at Airdrie’s Sir John Wilson Town Hall on Saturday, October 4, at 12.30pm as part of North Lanarkshire Council’s Words 2008 Festival of Books and Writing. Entry is free, but please check with the box office on (01698) 403120 to make sure seats are still available.