Mike Carey (writer) explained

Mike Carey
Birth Name:Michael James Carey
Birth Place:Liverpool, England
Nationality:British
Write:y
Notable Works:Lucifer
Hellblazer
The Unwritten

The Girl with All the Gifts
Awards:Inkpot Award (2012)[1]

Mike Carey (born 1959), also known by his pen name M. R. Carey, is a British writer of comic books, novels and films, whose credits include the long-running The Sandman spin-off series Lucifer, a three-year stint on Hellblazer, as well as his creator-owned titles Crossing Midnight and The Unwritten for DC Comics' Vertigo imprint, a lengthy run on Marvel's X-Men, the 2014 novel The Girl with All the Gifts and its 2016 film adaptation.

Early life and career

Carey was born in Liverpool, England, in 1959. He describes his young self as "one of those ominously quiet kids... [who] lived so much inside my own head I only had vestigial limbs". As a child, he maintained an interest in comics, writing and drawing primitive stories to entertain his younger brother. He studied English at St Peter's College, Oxford[2] and, upon graduation, became a teacher. He taught for 15 years before moving on to writing comics.

Writing career

After a series of one-off jobs for independent comics companies, including a biographical Ozzy Osbourne comic and a fantasy tale starring the band Pantera, Carey became a contributor to the British comics anthology 2000 AD, where he co-created the original series Thirteen and Carver Hale, and wrote two series for The Sandman Presents line published by DC Comics' Vertigo imprint, Lucifer and Petrefax. Lucifer was subsequently extended into an ongoing series, which Carey wrote for its entire 75-issue run. Further work for Vertigo includes a 40-issue run on the imprint's flagship title Hellblazer as well as the spin-off graphic novel All His Engines,[3] several creator-owned endeavors, such as the six-part mini-series Faker with art by Jock[4] [5] and the ongoing series Crossing Midnight with artist Jim Fern,[6] and two more The Sandman spin-offs in the form of graphic novels, The Sandman Presents: The Furies and God Save the Queen, both created with artist John Bolton. In 2009, Carey launched his longest creator-owned series to date, The Unwritten, co-created with the Lucifer collaborator Peter Gross and featuring covers by Yuko Shimizu.[7] [8]

Other work for DC Comics includes the long-delayed reboot of Wildstorm's Wetworks[9] [10] and two graphic novels for the Minx imprint aimed at the teenage female audience, one of which was co-written by Carey with his daughter Louise.[11] In 2003, Carey was announced as the new writer of the Firestorm ongoing series,[12] however, he left the project few months after the announcement as the editors wanted to take it in a different direction.[13] The series was launched in 2004 with Dan Jolley as the writer.

In 2006, Carey took over the writing duties of Marvel's X-Men series, which was soon rebranded into .[14] He saw the title through a number of inter-title crossovers between the various X-Men books such as "Endangered Species", "Messiah Complex", "Original Sin" (a crossover between X-Men: Legacy and that was tentatively titled "Dark Deception")[15] [16] and "Age of X".[17] Carey wrote X-Men: Legacy for six years[18] and contributed a number of X-Men stories to other publications, such as two tie-ins to the "Secret Invasion" crossover storyline, the four-issue mini-series Secret Invasion: X-Men and an eight-page story in the one-shot anthology Secret Invasion: Who Do You Trust? featuring Abigail Brand of S.W.O.R.D.,[19] [20] a retelling of Beast's origin story as part of the X-Men: Origins line[21] and an Iceman serial in the anthology series.[16] [22] Other work for Marvel includes the comic book adaptation of Orson Scott Card's Ender's Shadow.[23]

Carey's first novel, The Devil You Know, was released in the UK by Orbit books in April 2006, and as a hardcover in the US in July 2007. Its sequel, Vicious Circle, was published in October 2006, and the following three novels in the series, Dead Men's Boots, Thicker Than Water, and The Naming of the Beasts, followed in September 2007, March 2009 and September 2009, respectively. What would have been Carey's first feature film, the erotic ghost story Frost Flowers, was reported to be in pre-production in June 2006, with filming to begin that September under the direction of Andrea Vecchiato.[10] Carey was also reported to work on the TV adaptation of his comic book series The Stranded, a co-production between Virgin Comics and the Syfy network.[24] Also for Virgin, Carey took part in the short-lived Coalition Comix project created in association with Myspace, where users could suggest ideas for a comic which then would be used during its production.[25] [26]

In 2014, Carey published another novel, The Girl with All the Gifts. That same year, the screenplay of the same name, written by Carey concurrently with the novel, appeared on the Brit List.[27] Filming began in May 2015, with Colm McCarthy directing and Gemma Arterton, Paddy Considine, Glenn Close and Sennia Nanua starring.[28] The story, depicting a dystopian future where most of humanity is wiped out by a fungal infection, focuses on the struggle of a scientist, a teacher and two soldiers who embark on a journey of survival with a special young girl named Melanie.[29]

Bibliography

Comics

Early work

"The Comeback" (with Tom Kyffin, one-shot, 1993)

"Power in the Darkness" (with Trevor Goring, one-shot, 1994)

"A Night 2 Remember" (with Anthony Williams, one page in 2000 ADs 25th anniversary strip featuring a D. R. & Quinch cameo, in #1280, 2002)

DC Comics

SFX #2: "Schrödinger's Catflap" (with Tana Ford, anthology, 2015) collected in SFX (tpb, 296 pages, 2016,)

Marvel Comics

"What If the Fantastic Four were Cosmonauts?" (with Marshall Rogers, one-shot, 2006) collected in What If: Mirror Mirror (tpb, 152 pages, 2006,)

"Ethical Dilemmas in Modern Science" (with Stefano Caselli, co-feature in one-shot, 2019) collected in Fantastic Four: Thing vs. Immortal Hulk (tpb, 120 pages, 2020,)

"In Plain Sight" (with Timothy Green II, anthology one-shot, 2008) collected in Secret Invasion: Who Do You Trust? (tpb, 176 pages, 2009,)

Werewolf by Night: "Smalltown Girl" (with Greg Land, co-feature in one-shot, 2007) collected in Legion of Monsters (hc, 280 pages, 2007,)

"Duel in the Dark Dimension" (prose story with illustrations by Marcos Martín, anthology one-shot, 2010) collected in Doctor Strange: The Flight of Bones (tpb, 192 pages, 2016,)

Other publishers

"El Genio Eterno de Leonardo" (with Victor Santos, anthology graphic novel, 120 pages, Semana Negra de Gijón, 2004)

"Triolet for Orlando" (poem illustrated by Craig Hamilton, anthology graphic novel, 144 pages, 2016,)

"Rosalind Franklin" (with Eugenia Koumaki, anthology graphic novel, 240 pages, 2018,)

Poetry and short prose

Uncollected

Year Title Source Publisher Notes
2002"In Thule with Jessica"Xconnect: Writers of the Information Age Volume 5CrossConnect
2006"Auszug"Mike Carey's One-Sided BargainsDesperado PublishingPublished with an illustration by Michael Gaydos
2009"Now! and Then"Murky Depths #10The House of Murky Depths
2016"The Ornament"O Horrid NightFunDead
2019"There Were No Birds to Fly"Titan Books
2020"War Crimes"NewCon Press
2023"Mr. Thirteen"Titan Books

Collected

The Complete Short Stories of Mike Carey (PS Publishing, 2019,)
Title Year Originally published in Originally published by Notes
"Iphigenia in Aulis"2012An Apple for the CreatureAce Books
"Zuleika"2012The Steel SeraglioChiZine
"The Sons of Tammany"2013Beyond Rue MorgueTitan Books
"We'll Always Have Paris"2017Dark CitiesTitan Books
"Second Wind"2010The New DeadSt. Martin's Griffin
"The Demon in the Well"2014The House of War and WitnessGollancz
"My Life in Politics"2018PhantomsTitan Books
"The Tale of Salt-Carrier Va"2018The Highest HouseIDW Publishing
"The Non-Event"2010MaskedGallery Books
"In That Quiet Earth"2017Nights of the Living DeadSt. Martin's Griffin
"The Gold of Anwar Das"2012The Steel SeraglioChiZine
"Take Two"Unpublished story commissioned by a national newspaper
"Face"2008Subterranean Press
Also published as a short comic with art by Sonny Liew
in Liquid City Volume 1 (Image, 2008,)
"The Ordeal"2014The House of War and WitnessGollancz
"Taproot"2019Ten-Word TragediesPS Publishing
"Reflections on the Critical Process"2011ChiZine #47ChiZine
"All That's Red Earth"
"The Soldier"2014The House of War and WitnessGollancz

Novels

Year Title Series Publisher ISBN Notes
2006The Devil You KnowFelix CastorOrbit Books1-84149-413-5
(Paperback, 480 pages)
2006Vicious CircleFelix CastorOrbit Books1-8414-9414-3
(Paperback, 512 pages)
2007Dead Men's BootsFelix CastorOrbit Books1-841-49415-1
(Paperback, 544 pages)
2009Thicker Than WaterFelix CastorOrbit Books1-841-49656-1
(Paperback, 512 pages)
2009The Naming of the BeastsFelix CastorOrbit Books1-8414-9655-3
(Paperback, 512 pages)
2011The Dead Sea DeceptionHeather KennedySphere Books0-7515-4573-2
(Paperback, 400 pages)
  • Written under the pseudonym Adam Blake
2012The Steel SeraglioChiZine1-926-85153-6
(Paperback, 400 pages)
  • Co-written by Carey with his wife Linda and daughter Louise
  • Published as The City of Silk and Steel in the UK
2012The Demon CodeHeather KennedySphere Books0-7515-4578-3
(Paperback, 576 pages)
  • Written under the pseudonym Adam Blake
2014The Girl with All the GiftsThe Hungry PlagueOrbit Books0-3565-0015-2
(Paperback, 512 pages)
2014The House of War and WitnessGollancz0-5751-3272-8
(Paperback, 528 pages)
  • Co-written by Carey with his wife Linda and daughter Louise
2016FellsideOrbit Books0-3565-0358-5
(Hardcover, 496 pages)
2017The Boy on the BridgeThe Hungry PlagueOrbit Books0-3565-0353-4
(Hardcover, 400 pages)
2018Someone Like MeOrbit Books0-3565-0946-X
(Hardcover, 512 pages)
2020The Book of KoliRampart TrilogyOrbit Books0-356-50955-9
(Paperback, 400 pages)
2020The Trials of KoliRampart TrilogyOrbit Books0-3565-1349-1
(Paperback, 480 pages)
2021The Fall of KoliRampart TrilogyOrbit Books0-3565-1350-5
(Paperback, 560 pages)
2023Infinity GateThe PandominionOrbit Books0-3165-0438-6
(Paperback, 544 pages)
2023The Ghost in BoneFelix CastorSubterranean Press1-6452-4133-5
(Hardcover, 144 pages)
2024Echo of WorldsThe PandominionOrbit Books0-3565-1808-6
(Paperback, 496 pages)

External links

Interviews

Notes and References

  1. https://www.comic-con.org/awards/inkpot Inkpot Award
  2. Comic Stripped . Oxford Forum . Autumn 2005 . Carey . Mike . 54–55 . 27 July 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20071008213513/http://theoxfordforum.com/pdf/Oxford%20Forum%20Issue%203.pdf . 8 October 2007 .
  3. http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=3966 CCI, Day 2: Keanu Sold Separately: Carey talks "Hellblazer: All His Engines" OGN
  4. http://www.comicon.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=36;t=005432;p=0 Mike Carey'a A Faker For Vertigo
  5. http://www.comicsbulletin.com/features/119363154913343.htm Carey's Faker: A Thriller Rooted in Paranoia, With Some Existentialism Thrown In
  6. Web site: Comic-Book 2006: Mike Carey's Vertigo Trio . Hilary . Goldstein . 21 July 2006 . IGN.com . 23 September 2016.
  7. http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=20594 Vertigo's 'The Unwritten': Mike Carey & Peter Gross
  8. Ekstrom, Steve. "Life as Fiction? Mike Carey on Vertigo's 'The Unwritten'", Newsarama, 26 March 2009
  9. http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=2917 Wildstorm Takes The Plunge: Mike Carey talks 'Wetworks'
  10. http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=7394 Take A Dive With Mike Carey Into "Wetworks: Worldstorm"
  11. http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=10291 Confessions Of a Carey: Louise Carey talks "Blabbermouth" & Minx
  12. Web site: Arune . Singh . GOODNESS, GRACIOUS, GREAT BALLS OF FIRE: CAREY TALKS 'FIRESTORM' . Comic Book Resources . 27 February 2003 . https://web.archive.org/web/20030325102731/http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=1937 . 25 March 2003 . dead .
  13. Web site: Arune . Singh . IN THE END, WE ALL GO TO HELL! MIKE CAREY TALKS THE END OF 'LUCIFER' & NO MORE 'FIRESTORM' . Comic Book Resources . 16 May 2003 . https://web.archive.org/web/20030604163458/http://comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=2245 . 4 June 2003 . dead .
  14. http://www.comicsbulletin.com/features/1201196023194.htm Mike Carey: Carrying on the X-Men Legacy
  15. Richards, Dave. "Mike Carey & Daniel Way's "Dark Deception", Comic Book Resources, 6 June 2008
  16. Ekstrom, Steve. "Sins, Destines & Legacies: Mike Carey Talks X-Men", Newsarama, 8 September 2008
  17. Web site: Mike Carey reveals the "Age of X" . comicbookresources.com . 23 September 2016.
  18. Web site: Marvel Announces Mike Carey's Final "X-Men Legacy" Arc . comicbookresources.com . 16 August 2011 . 23 September 2016.
  19. http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=152328 Mike Carey on Secret Invasion: X-Men, FCBD X-Men, Legacy and More
  20. Richards, Dave. "Mike Carey's 'Secret Invasion' Plans", Comic Book Resources, 7 May 2008
  21. Dallas, Keith. "Mike Carey: Re-Telling the Origin of The X-Men's Beast", Comics Bulletin, 2 September 2008
  22. Richards, Dave. Carey on "Manifest Destiny" and "X-Men Origins: Beast", Comic Book Resources, 28 August 2008
  23. Ekstrom, Steve. "Enrolling in School: Carey on Ender's Shadow: Battle School", Newsarama, 2 December 2008
  24. Brady, Matt. "The Virgin Days Of Mike Carey – Talking The Stranded And Voodoo Child", Newsarama, 9 October 2007
  25. Manning, Shaun. "Mike Carey talks Virgin & MySpace's Coalition Comix", Comic Book Resources, 8 May 2008
  26. http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/virgin-comics-brings-directors-cut-comics-to-life-with-animated-trailers-57341057.html "Virgin Comics Brings Director's Cut Comics to Life With Animated Trailers"
  27. Web site: 'Matinee Idol' & 'Gateway 6' Top Annual Brit List . Ali . Jaafar . 20 November 2014 . . 23 September 2016.
  28. Gemma Arterton, Paddy Considine, Glenn Close to Star in 'She Who Brings Gifts' . Leo . Barraclough . 23 March 2015 . Variety . 23 September 2016.
  29. Web site: Glenn Close Among Cast of UK Zombie Thriller 'She Who Brings Gifts' . Nancy . Tartaglione . 23 March 2015 . Deadline Hollywood . 23 September 2016.