| Peter B. Gillis | |
|---|---|
 Gillis in 2018 | |
| Born | Peter B. Gillis (1952-12-19)December 19, 1952 White Plains, New York, U.S. |
| Died | June 20, 2024(2024-06-20) (aged 71) Albany, New York, U.S. |
| Area | Writer |
Notable works | Shatter Warp Strikeforce: Morituri Doctor Strange |
| Peter Gillis Homepage | |
Peter B. Gillis (December 19, 1952 – June 20, 2024) was an American comic book writer best known for his work atMarvel Comics andFirst Comics in the 1980s, including the seriesStrikeforce: Morituri and the digitally drawn comic seriesShatter.[1]
Peter B. Gillis' first work in the comics industry was as a freelance writer for Marvel Comics. His first published comics story was "Saturday Night Furor" inCaptain America #224 (Aug. 1978).[2] He then wrote various issues ofMarvel Two-in-One,What If...?, andSuper-Villain Team-Up from 1978 to 1980. The irregular publishing frequency of the final issues ofSuper-Villain Team-Up was due to a legal maneuver to preventDC Comics from trademarking the term "supervillain".[3] Starting in 1980, Gillis then worked as editorial director for the Florida-based publisher New Media Publishing's new line of magazines; he left that position in June 1981.[4]
He is best known for the digital comicShatter (1985–1988) and First Comics'Warp (1983–1985). Gillis co-createdStrikeforce: Morituri (1986–1988) with artistBrent Anderson. Gillis wrote the entire runs ofMicronauts: The New Voyages (1984–1986)[5] andStrange Tales vol. 2 (1987–1988); other Marvel work included numerous issues ofWhat If (1980–1984),The Defenders (1984–1986),[6]TheEternals vol. 2 (1985–1986),Doctor Strange vol. 2 #76–81 (1986–1987) andDoctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme #1–4 (1988–1989).The Defenders was Gillis's first ongoing assignment; he recounted, "I had been working for a while at Marvel, and was constantly pumping for more work, and specifically a series of my own. So when I heard DeMatteis was leavingDefenders, I was in [editor]Carl Potts' office like a shot, and I got the gig."[6]
His creations for other companies includeBlaze Barlow and the Eternity Command and theBlack Flame for First Comics; andGammarauders, a tie-in to theGamma World role-playing game, for DC Comics' short-livedTSR Games line. He also wrote the science-fiction miniseriesTailgunner Jo with art byTom Artis for DC Comics.
Gillis returned to comics in 2010 when he wrote the six-issue comic adaptation ofPeter S. Beagle'sThe Last Unicorn forIDW Publishing.[7]
Gillis who lived inEarlville, New York, for several years also served on the Earlville Free Library's board. He also served as the library's treasury liaison.[8][9] Gillis died inAlbany, New York on June 20, 2024, at the age of 71.[10]
The revival and annual publication ofSVTU was part of the legal maneuvering on Marvel's part to keep DC fromtrademarking the term 'Super Villain' as in 'Secret Society of'. For that, annual publication was enough, and by the second year, the legal tussle was resolved.
Today we are celebrating the service of our Board Member & Treasurer's Liaison, Peter Gillis.
| Preceded by | What If...? writer 1983–1984 | Succeeded by n/a |
| Preceded by | Starslayer writer 1984–1985 With: John Ostrander | Succeeded by John Ostrander |
| Preceded by | The Defenders writer 1984–1986 | Succeeded by n/a |
| Preceded by n/a | TheEternals vol. 2 writer 1985–1986 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Doctor Strange vol. 2 writer 1986–1987 | Succeeded by n/a |
| Preceded by n/a | Strikeforce: Morituri writer 1986–1988 | Succeeded by |
