Quick Facts
Biography
Tony Lee (born 30 June 1970) is a British comics writer, screenwriter, audio playwright, and novelist.
Career
A #1 New York Times bestselling writer, Lee has written for various UK and US comic publishers including 2000 AD, IDW Publishing, DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Del Rey and Walker Books; and he has worked on such series as X-Men Unlimited, Doctor Who, Superboy, Star Trek, Starship Troopers and Spider-Man.
His published creator-owned work includes The Gloom, Hope Falls, Outlaw: The Legend Of Robin Hood, Excalibur: The Legend Of King Arthur, Messenger: The Legend of Joan of Arc, Pirate Queen: The Legend of Grace O'Malley, From The Pages Of Bram Stoker's 'Dracula': Harker and Midnight Kiss, featuring Michael Moorcock's Jerry Cornelius and the magical land of Oz. He is also the adaptor for several Anthony Horowitz stories for both Walker Books and Hachette Children's Books, including the Gatekeepers series. Reviews for The Gloom #1 included "Buy this comic - sell a kidney if you have to." (Comics Bulletin) Michael Moorcock said of Midnight Kiss, "One of the richest, most original, engaging and fast-moving graphic stories of the new century. Matt Sable and Nightmare are the greatest team of Ghoul-Busters ever to hit the printed page." The Gloom was updated weekly on MTV Comics, and published in 2013 by Arcana Publishing.
In June 2009 Lee's first original graphic novel for Walker Books was released, Outlaw: The Legend Of Robin Hood, a 21st-century retelling of the classic story. Art was by Sam Hart. Outlaw has since been critically acclaimed and has won several literary awards. The sequel, Excalibur: The Legend Of King Arthur is an American Library Association Best Novels For Teens 2012 nomination.
In May 2010 Lee's first graphic novel for Del Rey/Random House was released, an adaptation of the bestseller novel Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith and Jane Austen, art by Cliff Richards. It topped the New York Times Bestseller List for paperback Graphic Novels the same month.
In 2008/9 Lee wrote several stories for Rebellion, with stories in Judge Dredd Megazine and 2000 AD. He was the writer of the ongoing Doctor Who comic for IDW Publishing for both Tenth Doctor and Eleventh Doctor, and was one of the writers of the 2012 Star Trek: The Next Generation / Doctor Who crossover series.
In 2011 Lee created two series for MTV Comics at MTV Geek!, both with longtime collaborator Dan Boultwood. The first, a reboot of The Gloom featured completely redrawn art and a new edit of the original script, while Agent Mom, co written by Stargate Universe and Smallville actress Alaina Huffman was a completely original tale.
Also in 2011 Lee and Dan Boultwood created a four graphic novel series for Franklin Watts / Hachette - Sherlock Holmes: The Baker Street Irregulars. Set 'in canon' during the time of Sherlock Holmes's 'death', the series was edited by Holmes academic Leslie S. Klinger.
In 2013 Lee co-wrote a "MacGyver" series for Image Comics with show creator Lee David Zlotoff, and created a "Battlestar Galactica" miniseries for Dynamite Entertainment based around the character Starbuck. Lee also wrote a "Superboy" issue for DC Comics.
In 2014 Lee returned to IDW to write the last arc of their "Doctor Who" series, and created another "Battlestar Galactica" miniseries for Dynamite Entertainment, this time set in a steampunk world.
In 2015 it was announced that Lee was writing a graphic novel adaptation of "Also Known As" for BoxFly Pictures, taken from his screenplay. This was released in November 2016 through Arcana Publishing.
Lee has also written four audio dramas for Big Finish's Doctor Who, Confessions of Dorian Gray and Bernice Summerfield ranges.
In 2014 it was announced that Lee was writing two novels aimed at reluctant teen readers, published by Badger learning. Titled Stalker and Jigsaw Lady, they were released in May 2014. Since then Lee has added to the range with Mister Scratch and Noticed, and with the 'Dark Read' books "Dr Jekyll And Little Miss Hyde" and "Otis", the latter based on William Shakespeare's "Othello".
In October 2016 another reluctant teen reader novel, GamerHate was published by Ransom Publishing, and Tony had a story, illustrated by Bevis Musson in Echoes of Sherlock Holmes, an anthology book by Pegasus Books.
Screenwriting
In September 2011 it was announced that his graphic novel Hope Falls was optioned to a development deal by Future Films for an undisclosed fee. Lee wrote the screenplay. In October 2016 it was announced that the project had moved to BoxFly Pictures as part of an ongoing slate of projects.
So far by 2016 there have been several screenplay projects that have been optioned or announced;
Cartel, starring Craig Fairbrass, co-written with Andy Briggs.,
Dead Man's Hand for Parkgate Entertainment,
In The Ring, a wrestling movie starring Kurt Angle, Mickie James, Tommy Dreamer, Christopher Daniels and Frankie Kazarian, and involving many other well known US wrestlers,
Stoker's Monster, co-created with Dacre Stoker and
Also Known As, of which he has also written a tie-in graphic novel.
In February 2016 The Hollywood Reporter announced that he was writing a 'futuristic Robin Hood' movie for Gianni Nunnari and The Hollywood Gang, producers of films including 300, Immortals and The Departed.
Awards
- 2006: Midnight Kiss nominated in the "Favourite Small Press Colour Comicbook (British)" Eagle Award
- 2007: Starship Troopers nominated in the "Favourite Color Comic Book (British)" Eagle Award
- 2008:
- Starship Troopers & Hope Falls nominated in the "Favourite Color Comic Book (British)" Eagle Award
- Hope Falls nominated in the "Favourite New Comic Book" Eagle Award
- Tony Lee nominated in the "Favourite Newcomer Writer" Eagle Award
- 2009:
- Tony Lee nominated in the "Favorite Writer" Eagle Award
- Doctor Who nominated in the "Favourite American Comic Book: Colour" Eagle Award
- Doctor Who nominated in the "Favourite New Comic Book" Eagle Award
- Doctor Who: The Forgotten nominated in the "Favourite Continued Story Published During 2009" Eagle Award
- Doctor Who: The Forgotten nominated in the "Favourite Reprint Collection" Eagle Award
- Doctor Who: The Time Machination nominated in the "Favourite Single Story Published During 2009" Eagle Award
- From The Pages Of Bram Stoker's 'Dracula': Harker nominated in the "Favourite Single Story Published During 2009" Eagle Award
- Outlaw: The Legend Of Robin Hood nominated as a Junior Library Guild Fall Selection
- Outlaw: The Legend Of Robin Hood nominated as an American Library Association 2010 Great Graphic Novels for Teens nomination
- 2010:
- Doctor Who nominated in the "Favorite American Comic Book: Colour" Eagle Award
- Doctor Who: Fugitive nominated in the "Favorite Reprint" Eagle Award
- 2011:
- Excalibur: The Legend Of King Arthur nominated as an American Library Association 2012 Great Graphic Novels for Teens nomination
- 2012:
- Doctor Who #12 winner of the "Favorite Single Issue" Eagle Award