The ‘End of Year Comic Awards‘ over at NFAMOUS.NET have given ‘Best Miniseries’ to Star Wars: Blood Ties, which was also nominated for ‘Best Limited Series or One Shot’ over at COMICBOOKED.COM “…this piece is truly perfect. Perfect in art, perfect in literature, and perfect in Star Wars. Also, Boba Fett takes down a rancor.” – COMICBOOKED.COM

‘The best Damn Comics of 2010′ over at the ‘The Daily Cross Hatch’ also saw The Example get some love.

A huge year of writing comics has come to an end and I decided to do a bit of a review… then I changed my mind and just made a collage – a visual representation of how much sleep I missed last year.

Yep, all of these books came out in 2010 – that’s two for every month.

A huge thanks to all of the people I was lucky enough to work with in 2010

Thanks to all of the artists – Colin Wilson, Chris Scalf, Al Barrionuevo, Mike S Miller, Skye Ogden, Daxiong, Brian Koschak, James Brouwer, Wes Dzioba, Mike Heisler and Em Smith.

To my wonderful editors – Randy Stradley, Jim Chadwick, Wolfgang Bylsma, Freddye Lins, Kristy Quinn, Gary Edwards, Shannon Eric Denton and Ben Abernathy.

To the ridiculous wealth of cover artists – Jo Chen, Dave Gibbons, Kevin Nowlan, Philip Tan, Pete Woods,  Howard Porter, Chris Sprouse, Tim Seeley, Sean McNally and Jeremy Raapack.

And of course, an enormous thank you to every single person who read my books in 2010.  THANK YOU!

This year is already looking enormous, with a pile of work due for publication and some hints of more big gigs in the pipeline – 2011 preview post coming soon…

They were extra special as they were pretty much the only thing I ate that day.

In addition to being a baker of comic-themed biscuity goodness, Dee is one of the people in charge of the excellent website ‘Girls Read Comics Too’, which recently gave me, and a bunch of other Australian creators, a very nice plug.

You should all go check out the website.  And yes, I’m sure guys can read girls read comics too.

Thanks to Jim, Ben, Kristy, Al, Mike, Adam, Hank and Shannon.

THE AUTHORITY #29
Written by TOM TAYLOR
Art by AL BARRIONUEVO
Cover by JHEREMY RAAPACK & RICHARD FRIEND

There has been tragedy and triumph, despair and hope. For the past year, the rag-tag team thrown together under the banner of The Authority — accompanied by thousands of human refugees — has been off in deepest space, hoping to solve the mystery of The Carrier and perhaps bring home a cure for their shattered Earth. Now, after facing numerous unspeakable horrors, their long odyssey draws to its shattering, epic conclusion. The survivors are heading home – but what secret are they bringing with them?

Be sure to check out Adam and Mike’s Wildcats #30.

Written by TOM TAYLOR ; Art by AL BARRIONUEVO; Cover by TIM SEELEY & ALLEN MARTINEZ

Trapped by bloodthirsty aliens in a distant galaxy with billions of lives on the line, The Authority face impossible odds. Sarah Rainmaker will astonish, The Engineer will kick butt, Grifter will probably blow something up, Jack Hawksmoor will have to make a terrible decision, and Flint will put her fist through some squishy bits!

It’s getting close to the end, people…

I’ve read messages of shock, anger, resignation, understanding and sadness.

Wildstorm is ending.  It is a sad day.  There’s no doubt about it.

The Authority #29 - The last Authority... for now.

Spending more than a year with these characters, characters that I was a massive fan of long before I got to play with them, has been a dream.  Finding out quite late on that my last issue of The Authority would be THE last issue of The Authority (at least for the foreseeable future) was a real blow. Yes, I’ve known about some of this for a while, and it’s killed me not being able to talk about it.

Friend and Wildcats writer, Adam Beechen has talked about his experience over here and it’s one very close to my own.  Like him, I’ve tried very hard to tie up a lot in the last issue and I hope fans will understand and appreciate what Adam and I have tried to do.

Adam has been great to chat to in the lead up to this and I want to thank him along with our editor, Jim Chadwick.

Jim’s been a dream to work with.  Dedicated to the story, dedicated to the characters, encouraging, and always going the extra mile to make the best book possible (even when it means more work for him).  I sincerely hope we get to work together again in the future.

I want to thank a few more people too.  Thanks to the guys that came before me, Adam Freeman, Marc Bernardin and Shannon Eric Denton – all of you contributed more to my issues than the fans realize and set up a fantastic story for me to follow, cheers guys.

Thanks to Mike S Miller, who was the perfect guy to imagine Mondregon and illustrated the most breathtaking image of The Carrier I’ve ever seen (when it turned transparent) and nailed all of the action and humour in the early issues.

Thanks to Al Barrionuevo, who has had one of the hardest gigs in comics in the last few months, as he’s had to bring to life my ridiculously-detailed descriptions for an entire alien race and world for them to live in.  What he’s done so far is incredible, what’s coming from him in the future will blow people away. You belong on a book like this, Al.  You are epic.

Thanks also to Warren Ellis for creating The Authority.  It has been one of my favourite books since before it was The Authority, back in the Stormwatch days, and it was a real honour to write the characters you created.

Thanks to Hank Kanalz and Jim Lee and, again, a huge thanks to Ben Abernathy for bringing me in… and for the free books and flowers.

Last, one great big thank you to all of the fans.  Having so much support from the podcasters, forum posters (yes, I troll), reviewers, people I’ve signed for and chatted to at conventions and the great guys that Adam, Jim and I met and had beers with in San Diego, has been amazing.

I know some of the fans will be feeling pretty flat today (I know because I am a fan), but heroes never die.

Did Superman stay dead?  Did Green Lantern?  Did Batman stay broken?

Heroes never die.

And Wildstorm is full of heroes… not all of them fictional.

It’s so nice when we can give these up-and-comers a break like this.

Seriously?  I wrote a book with a Dave Gibbons cover?  Another thing to add to the ever-expanding list of insane things I never thought could possibly happen.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get back to putting words in the mouth of Luke Skywalker…

THE AUTHORITY #27
Written by TOM TAYLOR
Art by AL BARRIONUEVO
Cover by DAVE GIBBONS & KEVIN NOWLAN
1:10 Variant cover by ANDY PARK
One hundred thousand refugees scream inside the Carrier and are gone. Hawksmoor, Flint and Grifter disappear with them – taken by a species of brutal, nightmarish creatures. River’s growing powers as the Spirit of Information hid only a handful of Authority members. As they set out on an impossible rescue, a terrible history is uncovered and the mystery of Swift deepens.
Retailers please note: This issue will ship with two covers.
On sale OCTOBER 6 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

The Carrier has reached its destination. A mystery begins surrounding Swift.  There is more blood and terror and gore than you can poke a fibula at.  And Wildstorm have posted a bunch of previews.  What are you waiting for?  Click the pic!  Check the pages!

JUNE

THE AUTHORITY #23
On sale JUNE 2
32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
Written by TOM TAYLOR
Art by MIKE S. MILLER
Cover by PHILIP TAN
With the onboard rebellions subdued and attacks from the stowaways repelled, The Authority can once again focus on the nature of their voyage. Is the Carrier leading them to its home – or does it have some other, more sinister agenda? While passing through a vast graveyard of discarded spacecraft, the latest Century Baby detects a faint sign of life. The High goes off on a rescue mission, but what he brings back on board eclipses any danger they’ve faced so far.

STAR WARS: INVASION—RESCUES #2 (of 6)
Tom Taylor (W), Colin Wilson (A), Wes Dzioba (C), and Jo Chen (Cover)
On sale June 30
FC, 40 pages
$2.99
Miniseries
New and vital knowledge sends Finn Galfridian with Jacen and Jaina Solo on a mission to the planet of Artorias. Though Finn does not know if his father, Caled, lives, if there is any chance, he must be warned of new dangers. It’s a hot and dangerous ride to Artorias, and the occupying Yuuzhan Vong are ready with a toothsome, ravaging welcome . . .
Meanwhile, Kaye and Nina, board their newly acquired Vong ship, embark on their own mission. It’s one they can’t refuse: rescuing captives held on a dead planet. There is no telling what peril will meet the rescue party . . .

JULY

STAR WARS ADVENTURES: THE WILL OF DARTH VADER
Tom Taylor (W), Brain Koschak (P), Dan Parsons (I), Michael Wiggam (C), and Sean McNally (Cover)
On sale July 21
FC, 80 pages
$7.99
TPB, 5 1/4″ x 7 1/2″
Darth Vader is on a mission for the Emperor!
When the Rebellion’s hit-and-run attacks on Imperial cargo ships become too audacious to be ignored, Darth Vader is sent in to find the Rebel base and destroy it. But the base, hidden in the center of a constantly shifting asteroid field, cannot be attacked directly.
To reach his target, Vader will have to team up with a recently captured smuggler named Zika—and dealing with an unwilling, wisecracking partner may be more of a trial for the Dark Lord than the actual mission!

THE AUTHORITY #24
On sale JULY 7
32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
Written by TOM TAYLOR
Art and cover by AL BARRIONUEVO
Deep in space, The Authority wage battle on two fronts. Aboard The Carrier, the combined might of the entire team is barely enough to keep the possessed, reanimated Aegean in check. It’s time for Hawksmoor to finally unleash his secret weapon, but will it be enough? Outside, against the vast entity known as Mondregon, even the immense Carrier is a mere speck. The High’s comeback may prove to be short–lived, as he’s about to face down Mondregon in what could turn out to be a suicide mission.

STAR WARS: INVASION—RESCUES #3 (of 6)
Tom Taylor (W), Colin Wilson (A), Wes Dzioba (C), and Jo Chen (Cover)
On sale July 28
FC, 40 pages
$2.99
Miniseries
Two armies have joined forces for a dangerous rescue mission. Both have experience fighting the Yuuzhan Vong, but this time the encounter takes an unexpected turn, and more is revealed about their enemy’s strange capabilities . . .
Meanwhile, Finn Galfridian and the Solo children race to warn Finn’s father that a trusted friend is a deadly enemy!
• Covers by Jo Chen!

AUGUST

THE AUTHORITY #25
Written by TOM TAYLOR
Art by AL BARRIONUEVO
Cover by HOWARD PORTER, ALLEN MARTINEZ & WES HARTMAN
In the aftermath of the twin battles with the Aegean and Mondregon, the team assesses the damage and Hawksmoor is forced to explain the origin of his strange, secret weapon. Deathblow is down for the count, and Swift is unconscious with no one able to figure out why she can’t be revived. But there’s not much time to lick their wounds or ease over internal tensions as The Carrier appears to finally be approaching its ultimate destination. Who or what they are about to meet could alter the course of the Wildstorm Universe forever.
On sale AUGUST 4 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

STAR WARS: BLOOD TIES—A TALE OF JANGO AND BOBA FETT #1 (of 4)
Tom Taylor (W) and Chris Scalf (A/Cover)
On sale Aug 25
FC, 40 pages
$3.50
Miniseries
Here begins a multigenerational tale of honor and redemption, starring two of the heaviest hitters in the Star Wars galaxy—the father-and-clone team of Jango and Boba Fett!
Shortly before the start of the Clone Wars, Count Dooku sends Jango Fett on a mission that will affect the course of Boba Fett’s life some twenty years later. But for now, neither of them knows what the future holds in store, and besides, they have their schedule filled dodging monsters and fighting bad guys!
• Jango Fett and Boba Fett together!
• Fully painted art by Purge artist Chris Scalf!

ROMBIES #0

(W) Tom Taylor (A/C) Skye Ogden

Rome wasn’t built in a day, but it may crumble in one. Titans battle in the arena. A thumb turns down. A sword comes down. A dead man… stands up? Racing through dark, narrow tunnels beneath the Colosseum, two heroes and a child join together to escape their pursuers. Pursuers who were once men. Hungry men. Undead men. Rombies! Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your brains!

EXAMPLE (ONE-SHOT)

(W) Tom Taylor (A) Colin Wilson

Two people. A train station. An unattended Briefcase. Prejudice versus Preservation. In the war on terror, will suspicion and fear win out? Written by Tom Taylor (The Authority) and illustrated by Colin Wilson (2000AD), The Example is a bleakly humourous meditation on terrorism, paranoia, and personal responsibility.

SEPTEMBER

THE AUTHORITY #26
Written by TOM TAYLOR
Art by AL BARRIONUEVO
Cover by CHRIS SPROUSE & KARL STORY
When Jack Hawksmoor chose to board the departing Carrier, he chose to hedge his bets. Now that his terrible secret has been exposed, the loss of trust far outweighs the recent loss of life…and the loss of loved ones. But there is no time for anger or mourning. They have reached their destination. Will The Authority find the help for their dying Earth that they seek – or will the end of their journey bring new nightmares?
On sale SEPTEMBER 1 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

STAR WARS: BLOOD TIES—A TALE OF JANGO AND BOBA FETT #2 (of 4)
Tom Taylor (W) and Chris Scalf (A/Cover)
On sale Sept 29
FC, 40 pages
$3.50
Miniseries
Then: Jango Fett, the most dangerous assassin/bounty hunter in the galaxy, never fails to get his man. But Jango has never had a success that has affected him this way.
Now: Boba Fett has taken up his father’s mantle and lived up to Jango’s fearsome reputation. But a secret from the past has Boba working a case he would normally dismiss and wondering if he actually knew his father as well as he thought . . .
Across the generations, and across the galaxy, if a Fett is on your trail, you’ve reached a dead end!
Fully painted art by Purge artist Chris Scalf!

STAR WARS: INVASION—RESCUES #4 (of 6)
Tom Taylor (W), Colin Wilson (A), Wes Dzioba (C), and Jo Chen (Cover)
On sale Sept 29
FC, 40 pages
$2.99
Miniseries
Jedi-in-training Finn Galfridian learns a secret about his mother that he never knew, but the knowledge only leads to new questions about himself and his unusual ability.
Meanwhile, Kaye Galfridian leads a New Republic attack against a Yuuzhan Vong base, not realizing that the Vong commander’s tactics are meant to buy him time to learn more about his most hated foe: Kaye’s brother, Finn.
New allies, new enemies, and a turning point in the lives of the Galfridian family!

OCTOBER

THE AUTHORITY #27
Written by TOM TAYLOR
Art by AL BARRIONUEVO
Cover by DAVE GIBBONS & KEVIN NOWLAN
1:10 Variant cover by ANDY PARK
One hundred thousand refugees scream inside the Carrier and are gone. Hawksmoor, Flint and Grifter disappear with them – taken by a species of brutal, nightmarish creatures. River’s growing powers as the Spirit of Information hid only a handful of Authority members. As they set out on an impossible rescue, a terrible history is uncovered and the mystery of Swift deepens.
Retailers please note: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.
On sale OCTOBER 6 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

STAR WARS: BLOOD TIES—A TALE OF JANGO AND BOBA FETT #3 (of 4)
Tom Taylor (W) and Chris Scalf (A/Cover)
On sale Oct 27
FC, 40 pages
$3.50
Miniseries
Boba Fett has discovered that his father left a legacy to someone Boba has never heard of. He manages to track down the man, but if he is to learn the reasons behind Jango’s posthumous generosity, Boba Fett must first save the man from an army of bounty hunters who want the guy’s head!
Jango Fett and Boba Fett together!

STAR WARS: INVASION—RESCUES #5 (of 6)
Tom Taylor (W), Colin Wilson (A), Wes Dzioba (C), and Jo Chen (Cover)
On sale Oct 27
FC, 40 pages
$2.99
Miniseries
Kaye Galfridian has taken command of a New Republic army, but her first mission has forced her to fight against some of the very refugees she has come to rescue! Mutated by Yuuzhan Vong bioengineering, the refugees have become monstrous killing machines who can only be “saved” by death.
Meanwhile, on their homeworld of Artorias, Kaye’s brother Finn must deal with death on another level, unaware that he has become the enemy’s objective in a new front in the Yuuzhan Vong invasion!
• Set within the time frame of the New Jedi Order novels from Del Rey!
The price of Victory . . .

NOVEMBER

STAR WARS: BLOOD TIES—JANGO AND BOBA FETT #4 (of 4)
Tom Taylor (W) and Chris Scalf (A/Cover)
On sale Nov 24
FC, 40 pages
$3.50
Miniseries
Boba Fett is on a mission to uphold his father’s honor. But when a bounty is paid, and the crime lord who issued it still refuses to call off his vendetta, Boba Fett’s own sense of honor is offended. Forget about bounties; now there’s hell to pay!

Boba Fett takes on a crime lord. Check.

And the crime lord’s army of minions. Check.

And a giant, rampaging rancor. Check and double-check!

THE AUTHORITY #28
Written by TOM TAYLOR
Art by AL BARRIONUEVO
Cover by TIM SEELEY & ALLEN MARTINEZ
Trapped by bloodthirsty aliens in a distant galaxy with billions of lives on the line, The Authority face impossible odds. Sarah Rainmaker will astonish, The Engineer will kick butt, Grifter will probably blow something up, Jack Hawksmoor will have to make a terrible decision, and Flint will put her fist through some squishy bits!
On sale 3 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

Star Wars Adventures:  The Will of Darth Vader AND Luke Skywalker and the Treasure of the Dragonsnakes

“…offering two thought provoking, yet action-filled stories. Luke Skywalker and the Treasure of the Dragonsnakes takes place during Luke’s training on Dagobah with Master Yoda. Taylor allows himself to have fun with Yoda as Yoda in turn has fun with Luke in the name of training. (Teachers who can get this volume away from their students will completely sympathize with Yoda’s desire to gently torment his disciple.) When Yoda sends Luke on a journey to rescue treasure from a ferocious beast, Luke at first cannot understand why his monastic mentor would suddenly be making a selfish request. But, as with all of Yoda’s teachings, there is a deeper meaning. Daxiong’s art is vivid and perfect for action scenes, though he seems unable to draw any facial expressions which would allow his characters to show emotion. Luckily Taylor’s writing is strong enough to carry the story through to a full-circle finish that is not preachy or overly pat.

From there, Taylor turns his focus onto Darth Vader, crafting a story which shows off the massive power Vader commands, while also clearly pointing out the flaws in his philosophy of servitude to the Dark Side. Vader uses a captured smuggler named Luca to get to a Rebel base hidden deep within an asteroid field, but Luca is a wisecracking man who does not lightly given into authority. The brilliance in Taylor’s story is that Luca is not a stand-in for Han Solo. He is very much his own person, a theme which is central to the point Taylor aims to make. The ending of the tale is shocking, powerful, and will force readers to think about the nature of free will.” - Graphic Novel Reporter

The Authority #25 – “This is Gonna Suck”

“Don’t let the title of the issue fool you. It does everything BUT suck! But rest assured, Tom Taylor finds a clever way to present the title too. I personally thought it was hilarious how he did it.  But the creative team’s not done with us yet. As the solicits reads ‘The Carrier appears to finally be approaching its ultimate destination’. Taylor not only gives us a cool little twist at the end but also leaves us with a great cliffhanger!” - Wildstorm Addiction

Star Wars Invasion: Rescues #3

“Probably one of the best issues in terms of action and moving the story along.”

“I definitely will say I liked this issue. The action was there and the story didn’t drag out but thrust us to the next level.
Overall the issue was solid and action intense. Taylor and Wilson delivered.” - NJOE.com