Abnett, Dan 1965-
Abnett, Dan 1965-
PERSONAL:
Born 1965. Education: Oxford University (graduated).
ADDRESSES:
Home—Maidstone, Kent, England.
CAREER:
Writer, novelist, comic book writer, and editor. Worked as an editor of comics and children's books.
AWARDS, HONORS:
Best Writer Now award, National Comic Awards, 2003.
WRITINGS:
COMIC BOOKS AND GRAPHIC NOVELS
(With Bo Hampton) Uther, the Half Dead King, Nantier Beal Minoustchine Publishing (New York, NY), 1994.
Conspiracy, Marvel Comics (New York, NY), 1998.
(With John Tomlinson and Steve White) Lords of Misrule, Dark Horse (Milwaukie, OR), 1999.
The Superman Monster, DC Comics (New York, NY), 1999.
Secret Files & Origins: Guide to the DC Universe 2000, DC Comics (New York, NY), 2000.
(With Andy Lanning) X-Men: The Movie Prequel: Rogue, Marvel Comics (New York, NY), 2000.
(With Andy Lanning) X-Men Icons: Iceman, illustrated by Karl Kerschl, Marvel Entertainment Group (New York, NY), 2001.
Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force, Wildstorm Productions (La Jolla, CA), 2000.
Planet of the Apes: Blood Lines, Dark Horse Comics (Milwaukie, OR), 2002.
(With Andy Lanning) Legion: Foundations, DC Comics (New York, NY), 2004.
Avatar, Rebellion (Oxford, England), 2005.
Durham Red: Scarlet Cantos, Rebellion (Oxford, England), 2006.
(With Andy Lanning) Annihilation: Nova, Marvel (New York, NY), 2006.
(With Andy Lanning) Annihilation: Conquest, Marvel (New York, NY), 2007.
"SINISTER DEXTER" SERIES
Gun Lovin' Criminals, Hamlyn (London, England), 1998.
Gunshark Vacation, Humanoids/Rebellion (Glendale, CA), 2005.
Murder 101, Humanoids/Rebellion (Glendale, CA), 2005.
Slay per View, Humanoids/Rebellion (Glendale, CA), 2005.
"MAJESTIC" SERIES
(With Andy Lanning) Majestic: Burnt Offerings, WildStorm Productions (La Jolla, CA), 2004.
(With Andy Lanning) Majestic: The Eradicator, WildStorm Productions (La Jolla, CA), 2004.
(With Andy Lanning) Majestic, WildStorm Productions (La Jolla, CA), 2005.
(With Andy Lanning) Majestic: Strange New Visitor, WildStorm Productions (La Jolla, CA), 2005.
(With Andy Lanning) Majestic: While You Were Out, WildStorm Productions (La Jolla, CA), 2006.
(With Andy Lanning) Majestic: Meanwhile, Back on Earth …, illustrated by Neil Googe, WildStorm Productions (La Jolla, CA), 2006.
Majestic: The Final Cut, WildStorm Productions (La Jolla, CA), 2007.
"WALLACE & GROMIT" SERIES
Wallace and Gromit, Titan Books (London, England), 2005.
A Pier Too Far, illustrated by Jimmy Hansen, Titan Books (London, England), 2005.
Plots in Space, Titan Books (London, England), 2007.
"REAL GHOSTBUSTERS" SERIES; WITH ANTHONY WILLIAMS
A Hard Day's Fright, Titan Books (London, England), 2006.
Who You Gonna Call?, Titan Books (London, England), 2006.
Which Witch Is Which?, Titan Books (London, England), 2006.
This Ghost Is Toast!, Titan Books (London, England), 2006.
"WARHAMMER" NOVELS
(With Andy Lanning and Anthony Williams) Titan I: Vivaporius, Black Library (Nottingham, England), 1999.
(With Andy Lanning and Anthony Williams) Titan II: Vivaporius, Black Library (Nottingham, England), 2001.
(With Nik Vincent and Marc Gascoigne) Gilead's Blood, Black Library (Nottingham, England), 2001.
(With Simon Coleby) Inquisitor Ascendant: The Taint of Nicodemus (graphic novel), Black Library (Nottingham, England), 2001.
(With Simon Coleby) Inquisitor Ascendant, Book Two: The Hunt for Defay (graphic novel), Black Library (Nottingham, England), 2001.
(With Karl Richardson) Lone Wolves, Black Library (Nottingham, England), 2003.
Titan III, Black Library (Nottingham, England), 2003.
Titan God-Machine (includes Titan I, Titam II, and Titan III), Black Library (Nottingham, England), 2004.
Riders of the Dead, Games Workshop (Nottingham, England), 2004.
Double Eagle, Black Library (Nottingham, England), 2004.
Fell Cargo, Black Library (Nottingham, England), 2006.
Imperial Gothic (graphic novel), Games Workshop (Nottingham, England), 2006.
(With Andy Hoare) Tactica Imperialis: A History of the Later Imperial Crusades, Black Library (Nottingham, England), 2007.
Brothers of the Snake, Black Library (Nottingham, England), 2007.
"WARHAMMER 40,000: GAUNT'S GHOSTS" SERIES
Double Eagle, Games Workshop (Nottingham, England), 2005.
The Sabbat Worlds Crusade, Black Library (Nottingham, England), 2005.
Only in Death, Black Library (Nottingham, England), 2007.
"WARHAMMER 40,000: GAUNT'S GHOSTS: THE FOUNDING" SERIES
Ghostmaker, Black Library (Nottingham, England), 2000.
Necropolis, Black Library (Nottingham, England), 2000.
First and Only, Black Library (Nottingham, England), 2002.
The Founding, Games Workshop (Nottingham, England), 2007.
"WARHAMMER 40,000: GAUNT'S GHOSTS: THE SAINT" SERIES
Honour Guard, Black Library (Nottingham, England), 2003.
Guns of Tanith, Black Library (Nottingham, England), 2003.
Sabbat Martyr, Games Workshop (Nottingham, England), 2003.
Straight Silver, Games Workshop (Nottingham, England), 2006.
The Saint, Games Workshop (Nottingham, England), 2007.
"WARHAMMER 40,000 GAUNT'S GHOSTS: THE LOST" SERIES
Traitor General, Games Workshop (Nottingham, England), 2005.
His Last Command, Games Workshop (Nottingham, England), 2006.
The Armour of Contempt, Games Workshop (Nottingham, England), 2006.
"WARHAMMER: DARKBLADE" SERIES
Darkblade, Black Library (Nottingham, England), 2000.
World of Blood, Games Workshop (Nottingham, England), 2003.
Throne of Blood, Black Library (Nottingham, England), 2003.
(With Mike Lee) Bloodstorm, Games Workshop (Nottingham, England), 2005.
(With Mike Lee) The Daemon's Curse, Games Workshop (Nottingham, England), 2005.
Reign of Blood, Black Library (Nottingham, England), 2005.
(With Mike Lee) Reaper of Souls, Games Workshop (Nottingham, England), 2006.
Warpsword, Games Workshop (Nottingham, England), 2007.
(With Mike Lee) Lord of Ruin, Games Workshop (Nottingham, England), 2007.
"WARHAMMER: EISENHORN" SERIES
Xenos, Games Workshop (Nottingham, England), 2001.
Malleus, Games Workshop (Nottingham, England), 2002.
Hereticus, Games Workshop (Nottingham, England), 2002.
Eisenhorn, Games Workshop (Nottingham, England), 2005.
"WARHAMMER: RAVENOR" SERIES
Ravenor, Black Library (Nottingham, England), 2004.
Ravenor Returned, Black Library (Nottingham, England), 2005.
Ravenor Rogue, Games Workshop (Nottingham, England), 2007.
"GRAPHIC HISTORY" SERIES
Gamble for Victory: Battle of Gettysburg, Osprey (New York, NY), 2006.
Hell Broke Loose: Battle of Gettysburg, Osprey (New York, NY), 2006.
(With Bill Cain) Hitler's Last Gamble: Battle of the Bulge, Osprey (New York, NY), 2007.
The Battle of Gettysburg: Spilled Blood on Sacred Ground, illustrated by Dheeraj Verma, Rosen Publishing Group (New York, NY), 2007.
The Battle of the Wilderness: Deadly Inferno, illustrated by Dheeraj Verma, Rosen Publishing Group (New York, NY), 2007.
The Monitor vs. the Merrimac: Ironclads at War!, illustrated by Dheeraj Verma, Rosen Publishing Group (New York, NY), 2007.
(With Larry Hama) The Battle of Guadalcanal: Land and Sea Warfare in the South Pacific, illustrated by Anthony Williams, Rosen Central (New York, NY), 2007.
(With Doug Murray) The Tide Turns: D-Day Invasion, illustrated by Richard Elson and Anthony Williams, Osprey (New York, NY), 2007.
"JR. GRAPHIC BIOGRAPHIES" SERIES
Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War, PowerKids Press (New York, NY), 2007.
Christopher Columbus and the Voyage of 1492, Power Kids Press (New York, NY), 2007.
George Washington and the American Revolution, PowerKids Press (New York, NY), 2007.
Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad, PowerKids Press (New York, NY), 2007.
Hernan Cortes and the Fall of the Aztec Empire, PowerKids Press (New York, NY), 2007.
Sitting Bull and the Battle of the Little Bighorn, PowerKids Press (New York, NY), 2007.
OTHER NOVELS
(With Brian Williamson and Steve White) Carnosaur Carnage, Atomeka (London, England), 1993.
Treasure Hunt in the Lost City, illustrated by Alan Baker, Random House Value Publishing (New York, NY), 1996.
Treasure Hunt in the Creepy Mansion, illustrated by Alan Baker, Salamander Books (Baltimore, MD), 1996.
Terminator 2: Cybernetic Dawn, Boxtree, 1996.
(With Nik Vincent and James Wallis Dan) Hammers of Ulric, White Wolf (Stone Mountain, GA), 2000.
(With Andy Lanning and Jeffrey Moy) Star Trek Voyager: Encounters with the Unknown, Titan Books (London, England), 2002.
Horus Rising ("Warhammer: Horus Heresy" series), Games Workshop (Nottingham, England), 2006.
Torchwood: Border Princes, BBC Books (London, England), 2007.
NONFICTION
Dinosaurs (Cool Facts), Parragon Publishing (Bournemouth, England), 2000.
Natural World Questions & Answers, Parragon Publishing (Bournemouth, England), 2000.
Also author of the Dan Abnett Web log at http://theprimaryclone.blogspot.com.
SIDELIGHTS:
Dan Abnett is a prolific author of fantasy and science fiction novels, comic book scripts, game tie-in books, and other works of fiction and nonfiction. His works for children and young readers span many fictional worlds and characters, including the game universe of Warhammer 40,000; the animated adventures of the Real Ghostbusters and Wallace and Gromit; comics heroes ranging from DC's Superman and Legion of Super Heroes, to Marvel's X-Men, to Abnett's own creation, Sinister Dexter; and media franchises including Star Trek: Voyager, the Terminator, and Torchwood. Abnett is also the author of several works of illustrated nonfiction featuring prominent figures and events from history. Before becoming a full-time writer, Abnett worked as an editor in comics and children's books. He is a frequent collaborator with fellow writer Andy Lanning.
As a comics writer, Abnett has handled characters for prominent publishers in the United States and the United Kingdom. He is the creator, along with Dan Millgate, of the "Sinister Dexter" series that appeared in 2000 A.D., one of Britain's longest-running and most respected comics series. Protagonists Finnigan Sinister and Ramone Dexter are gunsharks, or hitmen for hire, in the city of Downlode, a sprawling metropolis that stretches across much of futuristic Europe. The excitable Sinister and mellow Dexter shoot their way through adventures that see them accept an assassination contract against their former boss, "Holy" Moses Tannenbaum; deal with the betrayals of Tannenbaum's wife, nightclub singer Demi Octavo; and figuring out how to fulfill a contract requiring them to teach Demi's younger sister Billi how to be a gunshark.
Abnett served as the scripter for the DC Comics/Wildstorm Studios crossover, Majestic. When venerable hero Superman disappears and leaves Metropolis (and Earth) without a protector, new superhero Majestic steps in to take the Man of Steel's place. Otherwise known as the powerful warlord Majestros, from the planet Khera, Majestic is unsure of how he has come to occupy the DC Universe. Soon he turns his formidable intellect and prodigious power to helping out in his adopted homeland and to figuring out how to return to his rightful place in the Wildstorm Universe. In a later adventure, Majestic's ally the Eradicator has found a way home for the Wildstorm hero. Accompanied by Superman, the three return to Majestic's universe, only to discover an Earth stripped of all life. As the three heroes investigate the mystery, they discover the presence of a violent force that aims to do them harm. A Fourth Rail Web site reviewer noted that in this instance, the "storytelling is rather standard super-hero fare, albeit on a grander scale" and with an "apocalyptic" plot. School Library Journal reviewer John Leighton remarked: "The time line jumps around but the scenes of superhero/average citizen interaction are entertaining."
Abnett has also written comics series involving the DC Comics characters the Legion of Super Heroes and Marvel's Nova and X-men.
Many of Abnett's novels take place in the world of Warhammer, a fantasy role-playing game published by Britain's Games Workshop. He is the author of more than a dozen stand-alone novels and some half-dozen novel series within the vast fantasy game-based universe. He wrote the original "Gaunt's Ghosts" series, plus three follow-on series in the Gaunt's Ghosts venue: "The Founding," "The Saint," and "The Lost." In addition, he authored the "Eisenhorn" series and the "Darkblade" series. In total, more than two dozen of Abnett's full-length novels fall within the Warhammer franchise. Abnett has also scripted Warhammer-based graphic novels in the "Inquisitor Ascendant" series.
In the Warhammer novel Ravenor, Inquisitor Gideon Ravenor and his team of paramilitary special operatives are on the hunt for the creators of a deadly new drug called flects, which exist as glass shards that enter the body and cause narcotic reactions. With his physical body nearly destroyed, Ravenor leads the team from his sealed and protected environment, traversing the world with his prodigiously powerful mind. Along with the other team members, including rough-and-ready leader Harlon Nayle and psychic-blunter Wystan Frauka, Ravenor seeks to stop the flow of flects and dispense some justice to the drug's diabolical creators. Abnett "takes the business of world creation seriously, and handles the task with consummate professionalism. Weaving the small, every day details of life with the broader range of information, produces worlds that always feel alien and faraway," observed reviewer Nathan Brazil, writing on the SF Site.
Eisenhorn, an installment of the series of the same name, follows Inquisitor Gregor Eisenhorn as he carries out his mission of locating and eliminating corruption and rebel heretic cults throughout the vast worlds of the Imperium. In the book, Abnett "combines a complex web of interwoven subplots with frequent fast-paced action to form a great and well-balanced book," remarked Dark Animus Web site reviewer Joel Cain. The "Founding" series, a military-based series that finds the steadfast Imperial Guard facing violent invasion by heretical forces, is "certain to satisfy any reader" who enjoys military science fiction and adventure stories, noted an Internet Bookwatch reviewer.
Abnett's graphic novel work in the Warhammer Universe includes two volumes of "Inquisitor Ascendant" which further explores the role of Inquisitors in the Warhammer Universe. Abnett's other prose novels also expand on the complex game world. Fell Cargo offers a swashbuckling pirate twist to the legends of Warhammer, when a marauding captain long thought dead returns to claim his ship and set out on a new mission to hunt down and destroy the zombie pirates that have infested the high seas. Lone Wolves follows the adventures of a battle-ready team of mysterious space marines who appear where needed then just as quickly vanish to unknown destinations. Titan III envisions a world controlled by a godlike machine that rules with the terrible combination of death and destruction. The "Darkblade" series bridges the strongly military science fiction world of Warhammer and chronicles a related fantasy world populated by elves and other fantasy characters, tinged with dark magic, and propelled by betrayal, evil, and the struggle to overcome diabolical forces.
RPG Net critic Dan MacLennan, in a review of Necropolis, summarized many of the salient qualities of Abnett's Warhammer work. "Abnett has done superlative work on just about everything that he's written so far," MacLennan stated. His "books tend to be very difficult to summarize because he's very good at jumping from character to character, creating a short vignette before moving to somebody else," MacLennan continued. Abnett's "style is compulsively likeable; he's just damn good at writing," MacLennan concluded. "It's pure popcorn; the kind of stuff that you can just dive into without hestitation."
Abnett's illustrated historical books, aimed at younger readers, provide clear summaries and highlights of important events from history, and offer biographical works on numerous famous people and their accomplishments. Abnett writes on famous military actions such as the Battle of the Bulge, the D-Day invasion, and the Battle of Guadalcanal. He covers the lives of historical figures such as George Washington and explorers Hernan Cortes and Christopher Columbus. Several of his illustrated books concern people and battles of the American Civil War, such as Abraham Lincoln and Harriet Tubman, and the notorious conflict at Gettysburg. The Monitor vs. the Merrimac: Ironclads at War! recounts the famous story of the Civil War-era clash of the first armored warships. He also explores the history of a lesser-known Civil War conflict in The Battle of the Wilderness: Deadly Inferno, in which Confederate and Union forces faced a tactically difficult clash in a densely wooded, and nearly impenetrable, area of central Virginia. In a review of The Battle of Gettysburg: Spilled Blood on Sacred Ground, a Publishers Weekly contributor observed that "this volume may give reluctant readers a window on history." School Library Journal reviewer Lisa Goldstein noted that comics fans might not be especially prone to seek out these versions of historical stories, but "students using them for research should be pleasantly surprised to find them so interesting."
BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:
PERIODICALS
Chronicle, October, 2004, Don D'Ammassa, review of Lone Wolves and Inferno!, p. 28; October, 2004, Don D'Ammassa, review of Double Eagle, p. 25; September, 2005, Don D'Ammassa, review of The Daemon's Curse, p. 35; September, 2005, Don D'Ammassa, review of Ravenor Returned, p. 28.
Library Media Connection, August, 2007, Kristin Fletcher-Spear, "Graphic Battles of the Civil War," review of The Battle of Gettysburg: Spilled Blood on Sacred Ground, p. 81; August, 2007, "Jr. Graphic Biographies," review of Christopher Columbus and the Voyage of 1492 and Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad, p. 76.
Publishers Weekly, November 4, 2002, review of Inquisitor Ascendant: Book Two: The Hunt for Defay, p. 65; July 28, 2003, review of Throne of Blood, p. 81; August 14, 2006, review of Gamble for Victory: Battle of Gettysburg, p. 187.
School Library Journal, January, 2003, Francisca Goldsmith, review of Inquisitor Ascendant: The Taint of Nicodemus, p. 133; January, 2003, review of Inquisitor Ascendant, p. 133; January, 2003, review of Inquisitor Ascendant, Book Two, p. 133; September, 2005, John Leighton, review of Majestic: Strange New Visitor, p. 238; March, 2006, Scott La Counte, review of A Hard Day's Fright, p. 250; November, 2006, Jennifer Feigelman, review of Majestic: Meanwhile, Back on Earth …, p. 166; May, 2007, Lisa Goldstein, review of The Battle of Gettysburg, p. 165.
ONLINE
Astronomican Warhammer Community Web site,http://www.astronomican.com/ (October 18, 2007), Pal Adkins, interview with Dan Abnett.
Black Library Web site,http://www.blacklibrary.com/ (November 27, 2007), interview with Dan Abnett.
Comic Book Resources,http://www.comicbookresources.com/ (January 9, 2003), Arune Singh, "‘Legion’ of Two: DNA Talk ‘Dream Crime’ and Fate of Sensor," interview with Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning.
Comicon.com,http://www.comicon.com/ (October 23, 2007), Jennifer M. Contino, "Abnett & Lanning's Annihilation of Marvel," interview with Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning.
Comic Pants,http://comicpants.com/ (November 2, 2007), Nick Budd, review of Annihilation: Conquest, Number 1.
Comix Fan,http://www.comixfan.com/ (November 27, 2007), Brandon Yates, review of X-Men Icons: Iceman.
Dan Abnett Home Page,http://www.danabnett.com (November 27, 2007).
Dark Animus,http://www.darkanimus.com/ (November 27, 2007), Joel Cain, review of Eisenhorn; Joel Cain, review of Titan God-Machine.
Dicetroll,http://dicetroll.com/ (March 27, 2007), interview with Dan Abnett.
Emerald City Fantasy and Science Fiction,http://www.emcit.com/ (November 27, 2007), Cheryl Morgan, "Church Procedural," review of Eisenhorn.
Fantastic Fiction,http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/ (November 27, 2007), bibliography of Dan Abnett.
Fourth Rail,http://www.thefourthrail.com/ (November 27, 2007), review of Majestic: While You Were Out.
Gamespot Unions,http://www.gamespot.com/ (January 14, 2007), interview with Dan Abnett.
IGN.com,http://comics.ign.com/ (August 20, 2007), Jessee Schedeen, "Annihilation: Conquest Week—Nova," interview with Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning; (October 31, 2007), Jesse Schedeen, review of Annihilation, Number 1.
Internet Book List,http://www.iblist.com/ (November 27, 2007), biography of Dan Abnett.
Nerd Rage Report Web log,http://nerdragereport.wordpress.com/ (November 27, 2007), review of Conspiracy.
Nova Prime Page,http://www.novaprimepage.com/ (November 27, 2007), interview with Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning.
PopMatters,http://www.popmatters.com/ (November 27, 2007), Kevin Matthews, interview with Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning.
Proton Charging,http://protoncharging.com/ (December 17, 2005), interview with Dan Abnett.
RPG Net,http://www.rpg.net/ (November 27, 2007), Darren MacLennan, review of Necropolis; Darren MacLennan, review of Riders of the Dead.
Sequential Tart,http://www.sequentialtart.com/ (November 27, 2007), Jennifer M. Contino, interview with Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning.
SF Site,http://www.sfsite.com/ (November 27, 2007), Nathan Brazil, review of Ravenor; Nathan Brazil, review of Ravenor Returned.
Silver Bullet Comic Books,http://www.silverbulletcomicbooks.com/ (November 27, 2007), Keith Dallas, review of Legion: Foundations.
Susan Stepney Home Page,http://www-users.cs.york.ac.uk/susan/ (November 27, 2007), review of Terminator 2: Cybernetic Dawn.
24dash.com,http://www.24dash.com/ (January 2, 2007), Paul Covell, review of Torchwood: Border Princes.
Your Mom's Basement,http://www.yourmomsbasement.com/ (April 10, 2007), interview with Dan Abnett.