Sean Michael Wilson
Encyclopedia
Sean Michael Wilson is a comic book
writer from Edinburgh, Scotland, but who now lives and works in Japan.
and Edinburgh University. He graduated in 1995 and worked in documentaries until he was 33.
His first published comics story came out in 1998 in a book and display of an exhibition of comic art in London. Although also writing 'western' style graphic novels, he often works with Japanese and Chinese artists on manga style books, being ideally placed to do so as he now lives in Japan. He is influenced by the Gekiga
movement writers, Yoshihiro Tatsumi
, Yoshiharu Tsuge
, Matsumoto Masahiko. His first Japanese language work came out in Summer 2008 on the Japanese keitai manga network (comics on cell/mobile phone). Making him perhaps the first ever British comic book writer to have his work available on Japanese mobile phones. He is also the only British comic book writer, so far, to have a multi-book deal with the Kodansha publishing group in Japan. He edited the groundbreaking collection of indie style manga, 'AX: alternative manga', for Top Shelf - which was highly praised by critics, and noted as the most important such collection yet published. But his main influences remain British and American comics, such as creators Alan Moore
, Grant Morrison
, Eddie Campbell
and Harvey Pekar
.
His work is equally split between original stories and adaptations of existing work into comic book form. Several of his books have been for the UK publisher Classical Comics
. This has involved working with a range of well known artists adapting 19thC novels into Comic books that stay close to the original in plot and historical accuracy. He has attempted to do comic books that are different from the normal superhero/fantasy brands, working with a variety of 'non-comic book' organisations in the process, such as a British museum, the UK arts council, and the activist charity War on Want. His book with War on Want, 'Iraq:Operation Corporate Takeover' was reported on by a variety of mainstream agencies across the world, such as Reuters, CCTV in China, Austrian Radio and several middle eastern magazines.
Recent or current projects include: 'Hagakure: the manga edition', a 145 page historical manga with Chie Kutsuwada for Kodansha International; 'The Story of Lee', 150 page manga with artist Chie Kutsuwada, for US publisher NBM; 'Buskers', a 122 page manga book with artist Michiru Morikawa - which is a comic book version made in advance of a film version of the same name, currently being produced by Jeymes Samuel (brother of singer SEAL); 'AX: alternative manga' - Japanese alternative manga translated into English, for the first time, from the pages of 'AX' Anthology in Japan, for US publisher Top Shelf; also 'GEKIGA roots' an examination of the roots of mature-style, alternative manga in Japan with visuals and interview with the original creators from the 1950s onwards, being made with researcher and editor Mitsuhiro Asakawa; and 'Once upon a time in Morningside', an autobiographical book, no publisher yet. Preview for mobile phone version available on ROK COMICS,
Wilson lives in Southern Japan but is a regular guest at comic book festivals in the UK and US, where he has given talks about gekiga/alternative manga.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
writer from Edinburgh, Scotland, but who now lives and works in Japan.
Biography
Wilson was inspired to create comics at an early age by 2000 AD but he largely published poetry while studying sociology and psychology at Glasgow Caledonian UniversityGlasgow Caledonian University
Glasgow Caledonian University is a public university in Glasgow, Scotland.The university was constituted by an Act of Parliament on 1 April 1993 as a result of a merger between Glasgow Polytechnic and The Queen's College, Glasgow....
and Edinburgh University. He graduated in 1995 and worked in documentaries until he was 33.
His first published comics story came out in 1998 in a book and display of an exhibition of comic art in London. Although also writing 'western' style graphic novels, he often works with Japanese and Chinese artists on manga style books, being ideally placed to do so as he now lives in Japan. He is influenced by the Gekiga
Gekiga
is Japanese for "dramatic pictures." The term was coined by Yoshihiro Tatsumi and adopted by other more serious Japanese cartoonists who did not want their trade to be known as manga or "irresponsible pictures." It's akin to Will Eisner who started calling his comics "graphic novels" as opposed...
movement writers, Yoshihiro Tatsumi
Yoshihiro Tatsumi
is a Japanese manga artist who is widely credited with starting the gekiga style of alternative comics in Japan, having allegedly coined the term in 1957....
, Yoshiharu Tsuge
Yoshiharu Tsuge
is a Japanese manga artist and essayist. He was active in comics between 1954 and 1987. The content of his works range from tales of ordinary life to dream-like surrealism, and often show his interest in traveling about Japan...
, Matsumoto Masahiko. His first Japanese language work came out in Summer 2008 on the Japanese keitai manga network (comics on cell/mobile phone). Making him perhaps the first ever British comic book writer to have his work available on Japanese mobile phones. He is also the only British comic book writer, so far, to have a multi-book deal with the Kodansha publishing group in Japan. He edited the groundbreaking collection of indie style manga, 'AX: alternative manga', for Top Shelf - which was highly praised by critics, and noted as the most important such collection yet published. But his main influences remain British and American comics, such as creators Alan Moore
Alan Moore
Alan Oswald Moore is an English writer primarily known for his work in comic books, a medium where he has produced a number of critically acclaimed and popular series, including Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and From Hell...
, Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison is a Scottish comic book writer, playwright and occultist. He is known for his nonlinear narratives and counter-cultural leanings, as well as his successful runs on titles like Animal Man, Doom Patrol, JLA, The Invisibles, New X-Men, Fantastic Four, All-Star Superman, and...
, Eddie Campbell
Eddie Campbell
Eddie Campbell is a Scottish comics artist and cartoonist who now lives in Australia. Probably best known as the illustrator and publisher of From Hell , Campbell is also the creator of the semi-autobiographical Alec stories collected in Alec: The Years Have Pants, and Bacchus , a wry adventure...
and Harvey Pekar
Harvey Pekar
Harvey Lawrence Pekar was an American underground comic book writer, music critic and media personality, best known for his autobiographical American Splendor comic series. In 2003, the series inspired a critically acclaimed film adaptation of the same name.Pekar described American Splendor as "an...
.
His work is equally split between original stories and adaptations of existing work into comic book form. Several of his books have been for the UK publisher Classical Comics
Classical Comics
Classical Comics is a British publisher of graphic novel adaptations of the great works of literature, including Shakespeare, Charlotte Brontë and Dickens.-Overview:...
. This has involved working with a range of well known artists adapting 19thC novels into Comic books that stay close to the original in plot and historical accuracy. He has attempted to do comic books that are different from the normal superhero/fantasy brands, working with a variety of 'non-comic book' organisations in the process, such as a British museum, the UK arts council, and the activist charity War on Want. His book with War on Want, 'Iraq:Operation Corporate Takeover' was reported on by a variety of mainstream agencies across the world, such as Reuters, CCTV in China, Austrian Radio and several middle eastern magazines.
Recent or current projects include: 'Hagakure: the manga edition', a 145 page historical manga with Chie Kutsuwada for Kodansha International; 'The Story of Lee', 150 page manga with artist Chie Kutsuwada, for US publisher NBM; 'Buskers', a 122 page manga book with artist Michiru Morikawa - which is a comic book version made in advance of a film version of the same name, currently being produced by Jeymes Samuel (brother of singer SEAL); 'AX: alternative manga' - Japanese alternative manga translated into English, for the first time, from the pages of 'AX' Anthology in Japan, for US publisher Top Shelf; also 'GEKIGA roots' an examination of the roots of mature-style, alternative manga in Japan with visuals and interview with the original creators from the 1950s onwards, being made with researcher and editor Mitsuhiro Asakawa; and 'Once upon a time in Morningside', an autobiographical book, no publisher yet. Preview for mobile phone version available on ROK COMICS,
Wilson lives in Southern Japan but is a regular guest at comic book festivals in the UK and US, where he has given talks about gekiga/alternative manga.
External links
- Blog
- Boychild Productions, official site
- Boychild Productions, at Webcomics Nation