Jump to content

Antony Johnston: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Content deleted Content added
GreenC bot (talk | contribs)
Rescued 1 archive link. Wayback Medic 2.5
m block evasion
 
(31 intermediate revisions by 19 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|British writer}}
{{Short description|British writer}}
{{similar names|Anthony Johnston (disambiguation){{!}}Anthony Johnston}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox comics creator
{{Infobox comics creator
<!-- | name = Antony Johnston -->
| image = 10.12.12AntonyJohntsonByLuigiNovi1.jpg
| image = 10.12.12AntonyJohntsonByLuigiNovi1.jpg
| imagesize =
| imagesize =
Line 10: Line 10:
| birth_name =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1972|8|25}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1972|8|25}}
| birth_place = [[Birmingham]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Summary Bibliography: Antony Johnston|url=https://isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?29481|website=ISFDB | access-date=27 Jul 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=The Dog Sitter Detective – Antony Johnston|url=https://www.myreadingcorner.co.uk/2023/05/the-dog-sitter-detective-antony-johnston-book-review-thedogsitterdetective-allisonandbusby-antonyjohnston-richardsonhelen.html|website=My Reading Corner | access-date=27 Jul 2023}}</ref> England
| birth_place = [[Birmingham]], England
| death_date =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| death_place =
Line 19: Line 19:
| awards = "Best Horror" American Independent Publishing Award
| awards = "Best Horror" American Independent Publishing Award
| website =
| website =
| nonUS = Writer, Podcaster, Dokken Apologist
| sortkey = Johnston, Antony
| subcat = British
}}
}}
'''Antony Johnston''' (born 25 August 1972) is a British writer of comics, video games, and novels. He is known for the [[post apocalyptic]] comic series ''[[Wasteland (comics)|Wasteland]]'', the graphic novel ''The Coldest City'' (adapted for film as ''[[Atomic Blonde]]''), and his work on several [[Image Comics]] series.
'''Antony Johnston''' (born 25 August 1972) is a British writer of comics, video games, and novels. He is known for the [[post-apocalyptic]] comic series ''[[Wasteland (comics)|Wasteland]]'', the graphic novel ''The Coldest City'' (adapted for film as ''[[Atomic Blonde]]''), and his work on several [[Image Comics]] series. In May 2023, Johnston published ''The Dog Sitter Detective'', the first in a series.<ref name="cozy">{{cite web |title=Allison & Busby snaps up cosy crime series from the 'immeasurably talented' Johnston |url=https://www.thebookseller.com/rights/allison--busby-snaps-up-cosy-crime-series-from-the-immeasurably-talented-johnston |website=The Bookseller |access-date=12 March 2023}}</ref>


==Career==
==Career==
Despite an early interest in comics and [[role-playing games]],<ref>[https://www.theincomparable.com/ump/71/ Unjustly Maligned: GURPS]</ref> Johnston started his career as a [[graphic designer]]. He began his writing career with work for role-playing magazines before the Mark Salisbury-edited ''[[Writers on Comic Scriptwriting]]'' ([[Titan Books]], 1999) rekindled his interest in comics.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.antonyjohnston.com/press/about.php |title=Official biography |access-date=5 May 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080310234905/http://www.antonyjohnston.com/press/about.php |archive-date=10 March 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Drawing on his design skills, he now designs many of his own comics and graphic novels.<ref>[http://www.antonyjohnston.com/gtw/ "Getting Things Written: Job Sheets," by Antony Johnston]. Accessed 7 August 2008</ref>
Johnston started his career as a [[graphic designer]].<ref>[https://www.theincomparable.com/ump/71/ Unjustly Maligned: GURPS]</ref> He began his writing career with work for role-playing magazines, then used his graphic design skills to design graphic novels.


In May 2001, Johnston was one of the three founding editors of NinthArt.com, an attempt at taking a [[literary criticism|literary and critical]] approach to the comics medium designed to act as a journal and aimed at "the discerning reader".<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20061115160028/http://www.ninthart.com/about/what_is.php "What Is Ninth Art?" by Antony Johnston, Alasdair Watson and Andrew Wheeler, May 2001]. Accessed ''(via the Internet Archive)'' 7 August 2008</ref> Between 2001 and 2004, he contributed a mostly-monthly editorial entitled "Cassandra Complex",<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20061115160620/http://www.ninthart.com/authorindex.php?author=Antony+Johnston "Cassandra Complex Editorials"] by Antony Johnston at NinthArt.com (21 May 2001 – 30 April 2004). Accessed ''(via the Internet Archive)'' 7 August 2008</ref> and for five years formed one-third of the infrequent "Triple A" discussions, including the last (on 19 June 2006).<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20061115160534/http://www.ninthart.com/authorindex.php?author=Wheeler%2C+Johnston+and+Watson "Triple A"] by the Ninth Art editorial board (Johnston, Watson & Wheeler) at NinthArt.com (11 June 2001 – 19 June 2006). Accessed ''(via the Internet Archive)'' 7 August 2008</ref>
In May 2001, Johnston was one of the three founding editors of NinthArt.com, an attempt at taking a [[literary criticism|literary and critical]] approach to the comics medium designed to act as a journal and aimed at "the discerning reader".<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20061115160028/http://www.ninthart.com/about/what_is.php "What Is Ninth Art?" by Antony Johnston, Alasdair Watson and Andrew Wheeler, May 2001]. Accessed ''(via the Internet Archive)'' 7 August 2008</ref> Between 2001 and 2004, he contributed a mostly-monthly editorial entitled "Cassandra Complex",<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20061115160620/http://www.ninthart.com/authorindex.php?author=Antony+Johnston "Cassandra Complex Editorials"] by Antony Johnston at NinthArt.com (21 May 2001 – 30 April 2004). Accessed ''(via the Internet Archive)'' 7 August 2008</ref> and for five years formed one-third of the infrequent "Triple A" discussions, including the last (on 19 June 2006).<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20061115160534/http://www.ninthart.com/authorindex.php?author=Wheeler%2C+Johnston+and+Watson "Triple A"] by the Ninth Art editorial board (Johnston, Watson & Wheeler) at NinthArt.com (11 June 2001 – 19 June 2006). Accessed ''(via the Internet Archive)'' 7 August 2008</ref>


His fiction debut, ''Frightening Curves'', was an illustrated [[horror novel]] with artwork by [[Aman Chaudhary]], published by now-defunct [[Cyberosia Publishing]] in 2001. The book won the Best Horror Award in the 2002 IPPY awards at [[Book Expo America]].<ref name="independentpublisher.com">[http://www.independentpublisher.com/department.php?page=546 Winners and Finalists for the Independent Publisher Book Awards 2002] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101204173720/http://independentpublisher.com/department.php?page=546 |date=4 December 2010 }}, [[Independent Publisher]]</ref> Johnston would also produce a graphic novel – ''Rosemary's Backpack'' – and a contribution to the first ''PopImage'' anthology for Cyberosia in 2002.
His fiction debut, ''Frightening Curves'', was an illustrated [[horror novel]] with artwork by [[Aman Chaudhary]], published by [[Cyberosia Publishing]] in 2001. The book won the Best Horror Award in the 2002 IPPY awards at [[Book Expo America]].<ref name="independentpublisher.com">[http://www.independentpublisher.com/department.php?page=546 Winners and Finalists for the Independent Publisher Book Awards 2002] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101204173720/http://independentpublisher.com/department.php?page=546 |date=4 December 2010 }}, [[Independent Publisher]]</ref> Johnston also produced a graphic novel – ''Rosemary's Backpack'' – and a contribution to the first ''PopImage'' anthology for Cyberosia in 2002. (Cyberosia appears to have ceased after 2020.)


Johnston's early comics work consisted primarily of non-serialised [[graphic novel]]s for [[Oni Press]],<ref>[http://suicidegirls.com/interviews/+Antony+Johnston/ Suicide Girls interview], [[Suicide Girls]], 3 February 2005</ref><ref>[http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=2556 Three's Not a Crowd: Johnston talks graphic novels at Oni in 2004], [[Comic Book Resources]], 5 August 2003</ref> and authorised comics adaptations of prose and poetry works by [[Alan Moore]] for [[Avatar Press]].<ref>[http://www.comicon.com/cgi-bin/pulse.cgi?http://www.comicon.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=36&t=000421 Johnston's Working in Alan Moore's Courtyard]{{Dead link|date=October 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, [[Comicon Pulse]], 13 November 2002</ref>
Johnston's early comics work consisted primarily of non-serialised [[graphic novel]]s for [[Oni Press]],<ref>[http://suicidegirls.com/interviews/+Antony+Johnston/ Suicide Girls interview], [[Suicide Girls]], 3 February 2005</ref><ref>[http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=2556 Three's Not a Crowd: Johnston talks graphic novels at Oni in 2004], [[Comic Book Resources]], 5 August 2003</ref> and authorised comics adaptations of prose and poetry works by [[Alan Moore]] for [[Avatar Press]].<ref>[http://www.comicon.com/cgi-bin/pulse.cgi?http://www.comicon.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=36&t=000421 Johnston's Working in Alan Moore's Courtyard]{{Dead link|date=October 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, [[Comicon Pulse]], 13 November 2002</ref>
Line 39: Line 36:


In 2006, Johnston and [[Christopher Mitten]] launched ''[[Wasteland (comics)|Wasteland]]'' (2006), an ongoing post-apocalyptic series, for Oni Press.<ref>[http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=6900 The Rising Tide: Antony Johnston talks Oni's Wasteland], [[Comic Book Resources]], 25 April 2006</ref> It ran for 60 issues and concluded in April 2015.
In 2006, Johnston and [[Christopher Mitten]] launched ''[[Wasteland (comics)|Wasteland]]'' (2006), an ongoing post-apocalyptic series, for Oni Press.<ref>[http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=6900 The Rising Tide: Antony Johnston talks Oni's Wasteland], [[Comic Book Resources]], 25 April 2006</ref> It ran for 60 issues and concluded in April 2015.

===''The Coldest City'' and ''Atomic Blonde''===
{{anchor|The Coldest City|Coldest City|Atomic Blonde|Atomic Blond|The Coldest Winter|Coldest Winter}}
In 2012, Johnston wrote ''The Coldest City'',<ref name="comicbookresources.com">[https://www.cbr.com/antony-johnston-infiltrates-the-coldest-city/ Antony Johnston infiltrates the Coldest City], Comic Book Resources, 1 May 2012</ref> an original hardback graphic novel in the [[Cold War]] [[espionage fiction|espionage]] genre, intended to be the first in a series of books all set in Berlin during the Cold War.<ref name="comicbookresources.com"/> A prequel, ''The Coldest Winter'', was released in 2016. Both titles were published by [[Oni Press]].<ref>[https://ew.com/article/2016/07/11/exclusive-preview-cold-war-graphic-novel-coldest-winter/ Cold War graphic novel Coldest Winter: Exclusive, extended preview, [Entertainment Weekly], 11 July 2016</ref>

At the [[Cannes Festival]] 2015, [[Focus Features]] announced they had acquired North American distribution rights to ''The Coldest City''. Starring [[Charlize Theron]] and directed by [[David Leitch (director)|David Leitch]],<ref>[https://deadline.com/2015/05/charlize-theron-the-coldest-city-focus-features-cannes-1201423704/ Focus Pre-Empts N.A. Rights To 'The Coldest City;' Charlize Theron To Star, 'John Wick's David Leitch & Chad Stahelski Directing: Cannes], ''[[Deadline Hollywood]]'', 9 May 2015</ref> the film, retitled ''[[Atomic Blonde]]'', premiered in March 2017 at the [[South by Southwest]] festival.{{cn|date=August 2023}}

===Brigitte Sharp spy thriller series===

Johnston began publishing a series of spy thriller novels about elite MI6 hacker Brigitte Sharp in 2017. The series follows her after being sidelined for years at a desk job after her first field operation went sour through conspiracies and threats to global stability.

The series currently consists of ''The Exphoria Code'' (2017), ''The Tempus Project'' (2020), and ''The Patrios Network'' (2022).<ref>{{cite web |title=Lightning scoops Johnston's MI6 thriller after TV deal |url=https://www.thebookseller.com/rights/atomic-blonde-author-johnston-publish-thriller-series-eye-books-642592 |access-date=12 March 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Lightning scoops cyber-thriller sequel |url=https://www.thebookseller.com/news/lightning-scoops-cyber-thriller-sequel-965076 |access-date=12 March 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Lightning scoops Johnston's MI6 thriller after TV deal |url=https://www.thebookseller.com/rights/lightning-scoops-johnstons-mi6-thriller-after-tv-deal-1249116}}</ref> In 2020, Red Planet Pictures optioned the first book for a TV series.<ref>{{cite web |title=Red Planet Pictures To Bring Antony Johnston’s ‘The Exphoria Code’ To Television |url=https://www.comicon.com/2020/12/10/red-planet-pictures-to-bring-antony-johnstons-the-exphoria-code-to-television/ |access-date=12 March 2023}}</ref>

===''The Dog Sitter Detective'' Series===

Johnston signed with Allison & Busby in 2022 to deliver a series of books in the [[cozy mystery]] genre.<ref name="cozy"></ref> The first, the eponymous ''The Dog Sitter Detective'', was released in May 2023. The second, ''The Dog Sitter Detective Takes the Lead'', was published in January 2024. The publisher extended the deal in 2023 to a third and fourth book, which are expected in January 2025 and 2026 respectively <ref>{{cite web |title= Allison & Busby bags two more in Johnston's 'charming' Dog Sitter Detective series|url= https://www.thebookseller.com/rights/allison--busby-bags-two-more-in-johnstons-charming-dog-sitter-detective-series |access-date=28 January 2024}}</ref>


===Other projects===
===Other projects===
Line 48: Line 61:
In 2013 Johnston began publishing with [[Image Comics]],<ref>[https://twitter.com/ImageComics/status/352121695613628417], Image Comics twitter, 2 July 2013</ref> starting with the "dark fantasy" Umbral in November 2013,<ref>[http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=preview&id=18914 Umbral preview], Comic Book Resources, 9 November 2013</ref> and [[science fiction|sci-fi]]/[[crime fiction|crime]] series The Fuse in February 2014.<ref>[http://imagecomics.com/content/view/science-fiction-and-crime-investigation-collide-in-the-fuse-1 Science-Fiction and Crime Investigation Collide in THE FUSE #1], Image Comics website, 12 November 2013</ref> In 2015, he launched ''Codename Baboushka'', an espionage thriller.<ref>[http://comicsalliance.com/antony-johnston-codename-baboushka-interview/ Bullets, High Kicks and Humanity], Comics Alliance, 14 January 2016</ref>
In 2013 Johnston began publishing with [[Image Comics]],<ref>[https://twitter.com/ImageComics/status/352121695613628417], Image Comics twitter, 2 July 2013</ref> starting with the "dark fantasy" Umbral in November 2013,<ref>[http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=preview&id=18914 Umbral preview], Comic Book Resources, 9 November 2013</ref> and [[science fiction|sci-fi]]/[[crime fiction|crime]] series The Fuse in February 2014.<ref>[http://imagecomics.com/content/view/science-fiction-and-crime-investigation-collide-in-the-fuse-1 Science-Fiction and Crime Investigation Collide in THE FUSE #1], Image Comics website, 12 November 2013</ref> In 2015, he launched ''Codename Baboushka'', an espionage thriller.<ref>[http://comicsalliance.com/antony-johnston-codename-baboushka-interview/ Bullets, High Kicks and Humanity], Comics Alliance, 14 January 2016</ref>


Johnston worked with doom metal band [[Waves of Mercury]] on their 2013 EP [[As Seasons Fleet]].<ref>[http://sorroweternal.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/waves-of-mercury-as-seasons-fleet-ep.html Review of ''As Seasons Fleet''], Sorrow Eternal, 26 September 2013</ref> In 2015 he started two [[podcast]]s: [[Unjustly Maligned (podcast)|Unjustly Maligned]] at [[The Incomparable]] network,<ref>[https://www.theincomparable.com/ump/], The Incomparable, 2 March 2015</ref> and the independent heavy-metal podcast Thrash It Out.<ref>[https://thrashitoutpodcast.com Thrash It Out]</ref> That year he also launched a [[dark ambient]]/[[drone music|drone]] music project, SILENCAEON.<ref>[http://silencaeon.bandcamp.com/], Bandcamp, 29 May 2015</ref>
Johnston worked with doom metal band [[Waves of Mercury]] on their 2013 EP [[As Seasons Fleet]].<ref>[http://sorroweternal.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/waves-of-mercury-as-seasons-fleet-ep.html Review of ''As Seasons Fleet''], Sorrow Eternal, 26 September 2013</ref> In 2015, he launched a [[dark ambient]]/[[drone music|drone]] music project, SILENCAEON.<ref>[http://silencaeon.bandcamp.com/], Bandcamp, 29 May 2015</ref>


In 2020, Johnston published [[The Organised Writer]], a book describing a productivity system for writers.<ref>[https://thewritingcoach.co.uk/the-organised-writer/ The Writing Coach]</ref><ref>[https://www.buzzsprout.com/536413/11073947-season-2-episode-6-antony-johnston-gets-organised Authors' Matters by ALCS]</ref>
===''The Coldest City'' and ''Atomic Blonde''===
{{anchor|The Coldest City|Coldest City|Atomic Blonde|Atomic Blond|The Coldest Winter|Coldest Winter}}
In 2012, Johnston wrote ''The Coldest City'',<ref name="comicbookresources.com">[http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=38428 Antony Johnston infiltrates the Coldest City], Comic Book Resources, 1 May 2012</ref> an original hardback graphic novel in the [[Cold War]] [[espionage fiction|espionage]] genre, intended to be the first in a series of books all set in Berlin during the Cold War.<ref name="comicbookresources.com"/> A prequel, ''The Coldest Winter'', was released in 2016. Both titles were published by [[Oni Press]].<ref>[https://ew.com/article/2016/07/11/exclusive-preview-cold-war-graphic-novel-coldest-winter/ Cold War graphic novel Coldest Winter: Exclusive, extended preview, [Entertainment Weekly], 11 July 2016</ref>


Johnston appears regularly on podcasts on [[The Incomparable]] network, where he produced [[Unjustly Maligned (podcast)|Unjustly Maligned]] for 87 episodes from 2015 to 2017.<ref>[https://www.theincomparable.com/ump/], The Incomparable, 2 March 2015</ref> He independently produces the heavy-metal podcast Thrash It Out.<ref>[https://thrashitoutpodcast.com Thrash It Out]</ref> Johnston also hosts and produced Writing and Breathing, a podcast in which he to spoke to authors about their working methods, across 32 episodes in 2020 and 2021.<ref>[https://writingandbreathing.com Writing and Breathing]</ref>
At the [[Cannes Festival]] 2015, [[Focus Features]] announced they had acquired North American distribution rights to ''The Coldest City''. Starring [[Charlize Theron]] and directed by [[David Leitch (director)|David Leitch]],<ref>[https://deadline.com/2015/05/charlize-theron-the-coldest-city-focus-features-cannes-1201423704/ Focus Pre-Empts N.A. Rights To 'The Coldest City;' Charlize Theron To Star, 'John Wick's David Leitch & Chad Stahelski Directing: Cannes], ''[[Deadline Hollywood]]'', 9 May 2015</ref> the film, retitled ''[[Atomic Blonde]]'', premiered in March 2017 at the [[South by Southwest]] festival.


==Awards==
==Awards==
Johnston's 2001 novel ''Frightening Curves'' won the 2002 American Independent Publishing (IPPY) "Best Horror" award at [[Book Expo America]].<ref name="independentpublisher.com"/><ref name="Blank">Antony Johnston biography in Horowitz/Johnston/Kanako/Yuzuru ''Point Blank: The Graphic Novel'' (Philomel, 2007) {{ISBN|978-0-399-25026-2}}</ref>
Johnston's 2001 novel ''Frightening Curves'' won the 2002 American Independent Publishing (IPPY) "Best Horror" award at [[Book Expo America]].<ref name="independentpublisher.com"/><ref name="Blank">Antony Johnston biography in Horowitz/Johnston/Kanako/Yuzuru ''Point Blank: The Graphic Novel'' (Philomel, 2007) {{ISBN|978-0-399-25026-2}}</ref> His scriptwriting for the character [[Lady Dimitrescu]] in ''[[Resident Evil Village]]'' had won him a [[D.I.C.E. Award]] for "[[D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Achievement in Character|Outstanding Achievement in Character]]" in [[25th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards|2022]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.interactive.org/games/video_game_details.asp?idAward=2022&idGame=1836 |title=D.I.C.E. Awards By Video Game Details Resident Evil Village |publisher=[[Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences]] |website=interactive.org |access-date=17 August 2023}}</ref>


Additionally, Johnston has been nominated for the following awards:
Additionally, Johnston has been nominated for the following awards:
Line 137: Line 148:


===Prose===
===Prose===

*"Panel Beating: Geek To Chic/Mule Variations/Let's Kill Comics" in ''POPIMAGE, Vol 1'' (Cyberosia Publishing, 2002)
====Nonfiction====
*"Pick Up the Phone" in ''[[Alan Moore: Portrait of an Extraordinary Gentleman]]'' (Abiogenesis, 2003)

*"Acid Burns", part of the ''Project Blackstone'' lore series for [[StarCraft II]] ([[Blizzard Entertainment]], 2013)
* ''The Organised Writer'' ([[Bloomsbury Yearbooks]], November 2020, {{ISBN| 978-1472977182}})


====Novels====
====Novels====
* ''Frightening Curves'' ([[Cyberosia Publishing]], July 2001, {{ISBN|0-9709474-0-2}})
* ''Frightening Curves'' ([[Cyberosia Publishing]], July 2001, {{ISBN|0-9709474-0-2}})
* ''(Dreams of Inan:) Stealing Life'' ([[Abaddon Books]], January 2007, {{ISBN|1-905437-12-9}})
* ''(Dreams of Inan:) Stealing Life'' ([[Abaddon Books]], January 2007, {{ISBN|1-905437-12-9}})
* ''The Exphoria Code'' ([[Lightning Books]], December 2017, {{ISBN|978-1785630613}})
* ''The Tempus Project'' ([[Lightning Books]], May 2020, {{ISBN| 978-1785631795}})
* ''The Patrios Network'' ([[Lightning Books]], September 2022, {{ISBN|978-1785633034}})
* ''The Dog Sitter Detective '' ([[Allison & Busby]], forthcoming May 2023, {{ISBN|978-0749029944}})
* ''Death in Little Venice'' ([[Allison & Busby]], forthcoming January 2024, {{ISBN|978-0749030100}})


====Essays====
====Essays====
* "[https://web.archive.org/web/20061115160620/http://www.ninthart.com/authorindex.php?author=Antony+Johnston Cassandra Complex Editorials]" by Antony Johnston at NinthArt.com (May 2001 – April 2004) <small>''(via the Internet Archive)''</small>
* "[https://web.archive.org/web/20061115160620/http://www.ninthart.com/authorindex.php?author=Antony+Johnston Cassandra Complex Editorials]" by Antony Johnston at NinthArt.com (May 2001 – April 2004) <small>''(via the Internet Archive)''</small>
*"Panel Beating: Geek To Chic/Mule Variations/Let's Kill Comics" in ''POPIMAGE, Vol 1'' (Cyberosia Publishing, 2002)
*"Pick Up the Phone" in ''[[Alan Moore: Portrait of an Extraordinary Gentleman]]'' (Abiogenesis, 2003)
* "[http://www.antonyjohnston.com/gtw/ Getting Things Written]" by Antony Johnston, August 2007
* "[http://www.antonyjohnston.com/gtw/ Getting Things Written]" by Antony Johnston, August 2007
*"Acid Burns", part of the ''Project Blackstone'' lore series for [[StarCraft II]] ([[Blizzard Entertainment]], 2013)


====Games====
====Games====
*''[[Dead Space (video game)|Dead Space]]'' ([[EA Redwood Shores]], 2008)
*''[[Dead Space (video game)|Dead Space]]'' ([[EA Redwood Shores]], 2008)
*''[[Dead Space: Extraction]]'' ([[Visceral Games]], 2009)
*''[[Dead Space: Extraction]]'' ([[Visceral Games]] and [[Eurocom]], 2009)
*''[[Dead Space Ignition]]'' ([[Visceral Games]] and [[Sumo Digital]], 2010)
*''[[Dead Space Ignition]]'' ([[Visceral Games]] and [[Sumo Digital]], 2010)
*''[[Dead Space (video game)|Dead Space (Mobile)]]'' ([[Visceral Games]], 2011)
*''[[Dead Space (mobile game)|Dead Space (Mobile)]]'' ([[Visceral Games]] and [[Firemonkeys Studios|IronMonkey Studios]], 2011)
*''[[Binary Domain]]'' ([[Sega]], 2012)
*''[[Binary Domain]]'' ([[Sega]], 2012)
*''[[CSR Racing]]'' ([[Natural Motion]], 2012)
*''[[CSR Racing]]'' (Natural Motion, 2012)
*''[[ZombiU]]'' ([[Ubisoft]], 2012)
*''[[ZombiU]]'' ([[Ubisoft]], 2012)
*''[[CSR Classics]]'' ([[Natural Motion]], 2013)
*''[[CSR Classics]]'' (Natural Motion, 2013)
*''[[Shadow of Mordor]]'' ([[WB Games]], 2014)
*''[[Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor]]'' ([[WB Games]], 2014)
*''[[Resident Evil Village]]'' ([[Capcom]], 2021)
*''[[Resident Evil Village]]'' ([[Capcom]], 2021)
*''[[Silent Hill]]: Ascension'' ([[Konami]], 2023)


== See also ==
== See also ==
Line 177: Line 198:
* [http://antonyjohnston.tumblr.com/ Antony Johnston on Tumblr]
* [http://antonyjohnston.tumblr.com/ Antony Johnston on Tumblr]
* [http://www.antonyjohnston.com/gtw/ "Getting Things Written" by Johnston]
* [http://www.antonyjohnston.com/gtw/ "Getting Things Written" by Johnston]
* [http://www.sidelinesagency.com/what-we-do/ Sidelines Agency - What We Do]
* [http://www.sidelinesagency.com/what-we-do/ Sidelines Agency - What We Do] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151003115712/http://www.sidelinesagency.com/what-we-do/ |date=3 October 2015 }}


===Interviews===
===Interviews===
Line 190: Line 211:
[[Category:British comics writers]]
[[Category:British comics writers]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Birmingham, West Midlands]]
[[Category:Writers from Birmingham, West Midlands]]
[[Category:Video game writers]]
[[Category:Video game writers]]

Latest revision as of 13:36, 14 August 2024

Antony Johnston
Johnston at the 2012 New York Comic Con
Born (1972-08-25) 25 August 1972 (age 52)
Birmingham,[1][2] England
Area(s)Writer
Notable works
Wasteland
The Coldest City
Dead Space
Awards"Best Horror" American Independent Publishing Award

Antony Johnston (born 25 August 1972) is a British writer of comics, video games, and novels. He is known for the post-apocalyptic comic series Wasteland, the graphic novel The Coldest City (adapted for film as Atomic Blonde), and his work on several Image Comics series. In May 2023, Johnston published The Dog Sitter Detective, the first in a series.[3]

Career

[edit]

Johnston started his career as a graphic designer.[4] He began his writing career with work for role-playing magazines, then used his graphic design skills to design graphic novels.

In May 2001, Johnston was one of the three founding editors of NinthArt.com, an attempt at taking a literary and critical approach to the comics medium designed to act as a journal and aimed at "the discerning reader".[5] Between 2001 and 2004, he contributed a mostly-monthly editorial entitled "Cassandra Complex",[6] and for five years formed one-third of the infrequent "Triple A" discussions, including the last (on 19 June 2006).[7]

His fiction debut, Frightening Curves, was an illustrated horror novel with artwork by Aman Chaudhary, published by Cyberosia Publishing in 2001. The book won the Best Horror Award in the 2002 IPPY awards at Book Expo America.[8] Johnston also produced a graphic novel – Rosemary's Backpack – and a contribution to the first PopImage anthology for Cyberosia in 2002. (Cyberosia appears to have ceased after 2020.)

Johnston's early comics work consisted primarily of non-serialised graphic novels for Oni Press,[9][10] and authorised comics adaptations of prose and poetry works by Alan Moore for Avatar Press.[11]

In 2002, he began his association with Oni Press by writing the five-issue miniseries Three Days in Europe (with art by Mike Hawthorne).[12] After this initial mini-series, Johnston penned a number of graphic novels for Oni Press – Spooked (with Sophie Campbell), Julius (with Brett Weldele) and Closer (with Mike Norton) released between February and May 2004; The Long Haul (with Eduardo Barreto) and F-Stop (with Matthew Loux) released in February and April 2005.

Wasteland

[edit]

In 2006, Johnston and Christopher Mitten launched Wasteland (2006), an ongoing post-apocalyptic series, for Oni Press.[13] It ran for 60 issues and concluded in April 2015.

The Coldest City and Atomic Blonde

[edit]

In 2012, Johnston wrote The Coldest City,[14] an original hardback graphic novel in the Cold War espionage genre, intended to be the first in a series of books all set in Berlin during the Cold War.[14] A prequel, The Coldest Winter, was released in 2016. Both titles were published by Oni Press.[15]

At the Cannes Festival 2015, Focus Features announced they had acquired North American distribution rights to The Coldest City. Starring Charlize Theron and directed by David Leitch,[16] the film, retitled Atomic Blonde, premiered in March 2017 at the South by Southwest festival.[citation needed]

Brigitte Sharp spy thriller series

[edit]

Johnston began publishing a series of spy thriller novels about elite MI6 hacker Brigitte Sharp in 2017. The series follows her after being sidelined for years at a desk job after her first field operation went sour through conspiracies and threats to global stability.

The series currently consists of The Exphoria Code (2017), The Tempus Project (2020), and The Patrios Network (2022).[17][18][19] In 2020, Red Planet Pictures optioned the first book for a TV series.[20]

The Dog Sitter Detective Series

[edit]

Johnston signed with Allison & Busby in 2022 to deliver a series of books in the cozy mystery genre.[3] The first, the eponymous The Dog Sitter Detective, was released in May 2023. The second, The Dog Sitter Detective Takes the Lead, was published in January 2024. The publisher extended the deal in 2023 to a third and fourth book, which are expected in January 2025 and 2026 respectively [21]

Other projects

[edit]

In 2006, Johnston adapted Anthony Horowitz's Alex Rider series for Walker Books,[22] beginning with Stormbreaker: The Graphic Novel. Johnston also wrote Wolverine: Prodigal Son, a Marvel Comics-licensed original English-language manga version of Wolverine, .[23] Other Marvel work by Johnston included several Daredevil comics.[24][25]

In 2008 Johnston wrote the script for the video game Dead Space[26] as well as a comic book prequel to the Electronic Arts videogame.

In 2013 Johnston began publishing with Image Comics,[27] starting with the "dark fantasy" Umbral in November 2013,[28] and sci-fi/crime series The Fuse in February 2014.[29] In 2015, he launched Codename Baboushka, an espionage thriller.[30]

Johnston worked with doom metal band Waves of Mercury on their 2013 EP As Seasons Fleet.[31] In 2015, he launched a dark ambient/drone music project, SILENCAEON.[32]

In 2020, Johnston published The Organised Writer, a book describing a productivity system for writers.[33][34]

Johnston appears regularly on podcasts on The Incomparable network, where he produced Unjustly Maligned for 87 episodes from 2015 to 2017.[35] He independently produces the heavy-metal podcast Thrash It Out.[36] Johnston also hosts and produced Writing and Breathing, a podcast in which he to spoke to authors about their working methods, across 32 episodes in 2020 and 2021.[37]

Awards

[edit]

Johnston's 2001 novel Frightening Curves won the 2002 American Independent Publishing (IPPY) "Best Horror" award at Book Expo America.[8][38] His scriptwriting for the character Lady Dimitrescu in Resident Evil Village had won him a D.I.C.E. Award for "Outstanding Achievement in Character" in 2022.[39]

Additionally, Johnston has been nominated for the following awards:

  • 2006: Nominated (for Wasteland) for the "Best New Series" Harvey Award
  • 2007: Nominated (for Wasteland) for "Favourite Black and White Comicbook – American" Eagle Award

Bibliography

[edit]

Comics

[edit]

Prose

[edit]

Nonfiction

[edit]

Novels

[edit]

Essays

[edit]

Games

[edit]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ "Summary Bibliography: Antony Johnston". ISFDB. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  2. ^ "The Dog Sitter Detective – Antony Johnston". My Reading Corner. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Allison & Busby snaps up cosy crime series from the 'immeasurably talented' Johnston". The Bookseller. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  4. ^ Unjustly Maligned: GURPS
  5. ^ "What Is Ninth Art?" by Antony Johnston, Alasdair Watson and Andrew Wheeler, May 2001. Accessed (via the Internet Archive) 7 August 2008
  6. ^ "Cassandra Complex Editorials" by Antony Johnston at NinthArt.com (21 May 2001 – 30 April 2004). Accessed (via the Internet Archive) 7 August 2008
  7. ^ "Triple A" by the Ninth Art editorial board (Johnston, Watson & Wheeler) at NinthArt.com (11 June 2001 – 19 June 2006). Accessed (via the Internet Archive) 7 August 2008
  8. ^ a b Winners and Finalists for the Independent Publisher Book Awards 2002 Archived 4 December 2010 at the Wayback Machine, Independent Publisher
  9. ^ Suicide Girls interview, Suicide Girls, 3 February 2005
  10. ^ Three's Not a Crowd: Johnston talks graphic novels at Oni in 2004, Comic Book Resources, 5 August 2003
  11. ^ Johnston's Working in Alan Moore's Courtyard[permanent dead link], Comicon Pulse, 13 November 2002
  12. ^ Rob Allstetter, "Oni's THREE DAYS IN EUROPE" at Mania.com, 26 July 2002. Accessed 7 August 2008
  13. ^ The Rising Tide: Antony Johnston talks Oni's Wasteland, Comic Book Resources, 25 April 2006
  14. ^ a b Antony Johnston infiltrates the Coldest City, Comic Book Resources, 1 May 2012
  15. ^ Cold War graphic novel Coldest Winter: Exclusive, extended preview, [Entertainment Weekly, 11 July 2016
  16. ^ Focus Pre-Empts N.A. Rights To 'The Coldest City;' Charlize Theron To Star, 'John Wick's David Leitch & Chad Stahelski Directing: Cannes, Deadline Hollywood, 9 May 2015
  17. ^ "Lightning scoops Johnston's MI6 thriller after TV deal". Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  18. ^ "Lightning scoops cyber-thriller sequel". Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  19. ^ "Lightning scoops Johnston's MI6 thriller after TV deal".
  20. ^ "Red Planet Pictures To Bring Antony Johnston's 'The Exphoria Code' To Television". Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  21. ^ "Allison & Busby bags two more in Johnston's 'charming' Dog Sitter Detective series". Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  22. ^ Publisher's book page Archived 17 April 2008 at the Wayback Machine, Walker Books
  23. ^ Another look at the manga-style Wolverine, X-Men Archived 17 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine, Newsarama, 22 April 2008
  24. ^ Manning, Shaun (18 December 2009). "Antony Johnston: A "Daredevil" in a "Cold City" "Wasteland"". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on 28 April 2010. Retrieved 11 May 2010.
  25. ^ Richards, Dave (26 March 2010). "Antony Johnston Deals with the Daredevil". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on 30 March 2010. Retrieved 11 May 2010.
  26. ^ Chuck Gets Animated, Dead Space blog, 18 April 2008
  27. ^ [1], Image Comics twitter, 2 July 2013
  28. ^ Umbral preview, Comic Book Resources, 9 November 2013
  29. ^ Science-Fiction and Crime Investigation Collide in THE FUSE #1, Image Comics website, 12 November 2013
  30. ^ Bullets, High Kicks and Humanity, Comics Alliance, 14 January 2016
  31. ^ Review of As Seasons Fleet, Sorrow Eternal, 26 September 2013
  32. ^ [2], Bandcamp, 29 May 2015
  33. ^ The Writing Coach
  34. ^ Authors' Matters by ALCS
  35. ^ [3], The Incomparable, 2 March 2015
  36. ^ Thrash It Out
  37. ^ Writing and Breathing
  38. ^ Antony Johnston biography in Horowitz/Johnston/Kanako/Yuzuru Point Blank: The Graphic Novel (Philomel, 2007) ISBN 978-0-399-25026-2
  39. ^ "D.I.C.E. Awards By Video Game Details Resident Evil Village". interactive.org. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Retrieved 17 August 2023.

References

[edit]
[edit]

Interviews

[edit]