Gods, swords and popculture: Kieron Gillen’s world
24 April 2026
Kieron Gillen can blend mythology, music, history and modern popculture into absolutely immersive stories. From his journalistic beginnings, to best selling graphic novels, to original RPG systems – his journey is an example of how a passion for storytelling can turn into one of the most recognisable careers in the industry. If you want stories that pack a punch, great dialogues and ideas that stay in your head long after, meeting Gillen at Pyrkon got to be on your “must see” list.
From critic to creator
Before he became one of the most important graphic novel writers of his generation, Kieron Gillen was a journalist and a critic for the gaming industry. He wrote for titles such as PC Gamer, where he gained experience analysing narratives and mechanics. That’s where he honed his distinctive style: intelligent, sarcastic and full of pop culture references.
Moving to comics was one small step for man, but a leap for the medium. Gillen has quickly started writing his own stories, merging his interests in music, history, and mythology. Even his first projects have shown that he is a creator with an expressive voice.
Hit comic books and professional recognition
He has gained most recognition with his original series like The Wicked + The Divine, DIE, Once & Future or Phonogram. Each of them shows a different facet of his creativity – from modern gods as pop stars, to dark fantasy inspired by TTRPGs, to reinterpreted arthurian legends.
Gillen has also co-created several titles for Marvel, working on titles such as X-Men, Thor, Iron Man and Star Wars. His stories often stood out thanks to bold approach to the characters and deeper storyline.
Under his belt, he has numerous nominations and awards in the industry, including the Eisner and British Fantasy Awards, which only confirms Gillen’s status as one of the most interesting scriptwriters of modern comics.
New projects and the world beyond comics
Lately, Gillen is not slowing down. He’s still working on his original series, such as The Power Fantasy, and at the same time he’s developing projects in other mediums. One of the examples is DIE RPG – a tabletop roleplaying game based on his graphic novel, which was well received by both fans and critics.
Gillen is present on the scene and keeps experimenting with narrative forms, balancing between graphic novels, games and geek culture in general. He’s an author who’s not afraid of taking risks and that’s why his projects stay with the readers for a long time.
If you want to meet a creator that is redefining the modern comics and hear him talk about gods, games and geekery, be sure to visit the Comicbook Zone. It’s the perfect chance to get an autograph and join a meeting with one of the most intriguing comic book writers of our time.
Michał Szczepański
Minion Chaosu, Faila i samounicestwienia. Przy okazji kawosz, kociarz i rpgowiec.