Tom Taylor (writer)

Tom Taylor
Born	(1978-11-29) 29 November 1978 Melbourne, Australia
Nationality	Australian
Area(s)	Writer
Notable works	The Deep: Here Be Dragons Injustice: Gods Among Us The Example Star Wars: Invasion The Authority DC Universe Online: Legends Star Wars: Blood Ties A4 To A3 (film)
Awards	Winner 'Aurealis Award for Best illustrated book/graphic novel' 'Winner 'Stan Lee Excelsior Award' 'Best Dramatic Writing' Short and Sweet and others.
Official website

Tom Taylor (born 29 November 1978) is an award-winning comic book author, an award-winning playwright and has also written for radio, musicals, film, magazines, and television. He is the creator of The Deep: Here Be Dragons, The Example and Rombies and is well known for his many Star Wars works and his work on the DC Comics series Injustice: Gods Among Us.

Biography

Tom Taylor was born in Melbourne, Australia.

Performing and writing for theatre and musicals from the age of fourteen, Tom's works have been produced across four continents. His work has won a number of awards and accolades including winning the award for 'Best Dramatic Writing' in Short and Sweet - The world's largest short play festival.

Perhaps most notably, his plays have been produced at the Sydney Opera House, Melbourne Arts Centre and the Edinburgh Fringe.

Taylor is currently the writer of Star Wars: Blood Ties with artist Chris Scalf, and Star Wars: Invasion, an ongoing series for Dark Horse Comics with illustrator Colin Wilson. April 2012 saw the start of Taylor and Scalf's new Blood Ties series provocatively titled Boba Fett is Dead as reported by CNN. Taylor is also the writer of the current Darth Maul: Death Sentence miniseries, which is set immediately after the end of the recent Clone Wars television series.

Star Wars: Blood Ties won the 2012 'Stan Lee Excelsior Award' as voted for by thousands of school students across the UK, and Star Wars: Invasion #0 was nominated for a 'Diamond Gem Award' in the '2009 Comic Book of the Year Over $3.00' category.

Tom Taylor also wrote The Authority, published by DC Comics under the Wildstorm imprint, starting with issue #22 in May 2010 until the end of the Wildstorm imprint. He also wrote The Brainiac / Sinestro Corps war storyline in the pages of DC Universe Online: Legends, a Batman story with artist Nicola Scott and Rose and Thorn with artist Neil Googe. It was recently announced that Taylor will be writing the prequel comic series to the NetherRealm Studios game Injustice: Gods Among Us.

Taylor is the creator of the all-ages adventure graphic novel The Deep: Here Be Dragons published by Gestalt Publishing. In 2012, The Deep: Here Be Dragons won the Aurealis Award for Best illustrated book/graphic novel, Australia's premier speculative fiction literary award, it was also nominated for Best children’s illustrated work/picture book.

Taylor wrote the graphic novella, Star Wars Adventures: Luke Skywalker and the Treasure of the Dragonsnakes which shows a never before seen story of Luke Skywalker training with Yoda on Dagobah during The Empire Strikes Back. Taylor also penned Star Wars Adventures: The Will of Darth Vader Randy Stradley, Dark Horse Vice President, says Tom Taylor has taken to writing comics faster than anyone he's ever seen.

Taylor's award-winning play The Example has also been adapted into a comic book with illustration by Colin Wilson through Gestalt Publishing and was optioned and filmed by Staple Fiction in 2011. Gestalt Publishing are also publishing Taylor's Rombies series with art by Skye Ogden and published his stories, White Dove' III and 96000m, in their 'Flinch' anthology. They are also set to publish Taylor's original Graphic Novel Brief Cases.

Tom's theatre writing has been studied at Melbourne University and the University of Southern California.

Taylor's award-winning short musical A4 to A3 (written with Simon Barlow) was filmed by Bravada Films in 2009, for which Taylor also wrote the screenplay. A4 to A3 premiered at the Newport Beach Film Festival on 29 April 2010.

Bibliography

Dark Horse Comics

• Star Wars: Darth Maul - Death Sentence (with art by Bruno Redondo, Dark Horse Comics, 2012)
• Star Wars: Blood Ties - Boba Fett is Dead (with art by Chris Scalf, Dark Horse Comics, 2012)
• Star Wars: Invasion Volume 3: Revelations (with art by Colin Wilson, Dark Horse Comics, 2012, ISBN 1-59582-882-6)
• Star Wars: Invasion Volume 2: Rescues (with art by Colin Wilson, Dark Horse Comics, 2011, ISBN 1-59582-630-0)
• Star Wars Adventures: The Will of Darth Vader (Dark Horse Comics, 2010, ISBN 978-1-59582-435-6)
• Star Wars: Blood Ties - a tale of Jango and Boba Fett (with art by Chris Scalf, Dark Horse Comics, 2010, ISBN 1-59582-627-0)
• Star Wars Adventures: Luke Skywalker and The Treasure of the Dragonsnakes (with art by Da Xiong, Dark Horse Comics, 2010, ISBN 1-59582-347-6)
• Star Wars: Invasion Volume 1: Refugees (with art by Colin Wilson, Dark Horse Comics, 2009, ISBN 1-59582-479-0)

DC Comics/Wildstorm

• Injustice: Gods Among Us - (with Art by Jheremy Rapaack), DC Comics, 2013)
• Batman Legends of the Dark Knight - The Crime Never Committed (with Art by Nicola Scott), DC Comics, 2012)
• Rose and Thorn (with art by Neil Googe, DC Comics, 2012)
• DC Universe Online: Legends - The Braniac/Sinestro Corps War (With art by Bruno Redondo), DC comics, 2011)
• The Authority Issues #22 - #29 (with art by Mike S. Miller and Al Barrionuevo, DC/Wildstorm, 2010)

Gestalt Publishing

• The Deep: The Vanishing Island (With art by James Brouwer, Gestalt Publishing, 2013, ISBN 978-1-922023-05-6)
• The Deep: Here Be Dragons (With art by James Brouwer, Gestalt Publishing, 2011, ISBN 0-9807823-4-1)
• The Example (with art by Colin Wilson, Gestalt Publishing, 2009, ISBN 0-9775628-4-0)
• Flinch (with art by Tom Bonin and Colin Wilson, Gestalt Publishing, 2009, ISBN 0-9775628-3-2)
• Rombies (art by Skye Ogden, Gestalt Publishing, 2009, ISBN 0-9775628-8-3)
• Brief Cases (Various artists, Gestalt Publishing, 2012)

IDW Publishing

• Rocketeer Adventures - Work To Do (with art by Colin Wilson, IDW Publishing, 2012)
• Jinnrise #3 (with art by Mark Torres, IDW Publishing, 2013)

2000 AD

• Tharg's 3rillers: 15 (with art by Jon Davis-Hunt, 2000 AD #1797-1799, 2012)

Theatrical Works

• THE EXAMPLE
  • Sydney Opera House (Sydney AUS 2006)
  • Edinburgh Festival (Edinburgh, Scotland 2008)
  • The Edge Performing Arts Centre (Aucklund, New Zealand 2010)
  • The Esplanade (Singapore 2006)
  • Brighton Festival Fringe (Brighton England 2006)
  • Brisbane Powerhouse (QLD AUS 2008)
  • Melbourne Arts Centre (Melbourne AUS 2005)
  • Seymour Centre (Sydney AUS 2006)
  • Araluen Arts Centre (Alice Springs N.T. 2008)
  • Darwin Entertainment Centre Darwin Australia 2008
  • Cairns Civic Theatre (QLD Australia 2008)
  • Riverway Arts Centre Thuringowa QLD. 2008
  • Rockhampton Performing Arts Centre QLD AUS 2008
  • Jetty Memorial Theatre (Coffs Harbour NSW 2008)
  • The Little Theatre (Woy Woy NSW. 2008)
  • The Drum Theatre (Dandenong VIC. 2008)
  • Frankston Arts Centre (VIC AUS 2008)
  • Warrnambool Regional Performing Arts Centre (VIC AUS 2008)
  • Canberra Theatre Centre (ACT AUS 2008)

• DRIP
  • Stratton Players (Boston USA 2007)
  • Newtown Theatre (Sydney AUS 2009)
  • Carlton Courhouse (Melbourne Aus 2008)
  • Bedlam Theatre Company (Perth AUS 2007)

• FALLING PRAYING
  • Edinburgh Fringe (Edinburgh, Scotland 2009)
  • Parade Playhouse National Institute of Dramatic Art (Sydney, AUS 2010)
  • Melbourne Arts Centre (Melbourne, Australia 2008)

• BELIEVE
  • Bite Size Theatre (Brighton England 2007)
  • Favourite Shorts (NSW AUS 2007)
  • Newtown Theatre (Sydney AUS 2007)

• PROTEST
  • Fairfax Theatre, Melbourne Arts Centre (Melbourne, Australia 2007)
  • Newtown Theatre (Sydney AUS 2007)

• MYSTERY FLIGHT
  • Chapel Off Chapel (Melbourne, Australia 2009)

• A4 2 A3 (with Simon Barlow)
  • National Institute of Dramatic Art (Sydney AUS 2007)

Film in Pre - Production 2009

• CITY HEAD
  • Melbourne Trades Hall Melbourne AUS 2007

• NAZANIN
  • The BDP Ensemble (Brisbane AUS 2006)

• MY MONTH AS A MEMBER
  • Old Fitzroy Hotel Theatre (Sydney AUS 2005)

• THE RATINGS WAR (With Daniel Hall and Simon Barlow)
  • La Mama Theatre Melbourne Comedy Festival Melbourne AUS 2004

• THREE BAGS FULL (Script coordinator)
  • The Athenaeum Theatre (Melbourne AUS 2004)

• CANDIDATE (With Daniel Hall, Simon Barlow and Joe Guiton)
  • La Mama Theatre Melbourne Comedy Festival (Melbourne AUS 2003)

• HARD RUBBISH WEEK (Script coordinator)
  • The Athenaeum Theatre (Melbourne AUS 2003)

Accolades

Winning three awards including Best Dramatic Writing - 'The Example'

Short and Sweet - Melbourne AUS 2005

Angel Award 2008 for Artistic Excellence - Public Vote

With Bite-Size Theatre

'Believe' Brighton Festival Fringe - UK 2008

Winner of the Judges Choice Award and Peoples Choice Award – ‘Falling Praying’

Crash Test Drama – Melbourne AUS 2008

Official Selection - 'Drip'

Stratton Players - Boston USA 2007

Top 5 Shortlist Carol Tambor "Best of Edinburgh" Award

With Bite-Size Theatre 'The Example' - Edinburgh Scotland 2008

Finalist - 'A Short Play for a Competition'

Bite-Size International Playwriting Competition - Sussex UK 2008

Winner of The People's Choice Award - 'A4 2 A3'

Short, Sweet and Song - Sydney AUS 2007

Edinburgh Fringe First Nomination 2008 - 'The Example'

With Bite-Size Theatre - Edinburgh Scotland 2008

Nominated for Best Comedy Script and Best Production - 'Falling, Praying'

Short and Sweet - Melbourne 2008

Top Ten - 'Nazanin'

Magnolia Arts Centre Playwright Award - Greenville USA 2006

Top Ten - 'Short Sighted'

Short, Sweet and Song - Sydney AUS 2008

Winner of the Judges Choice Award and People’s Choice Award – ‘A Short Play for a Competition’

Crash Test Drama – Melbourne AUS 2007

Top Ten - 'Drip'

Melborn '08 - Melbourne AUS 2008

Top Ten - 'My Month as a Member'

Write Now National Young Playwright Award - Sydney AUS 2005

State Finalist - 'Raw Comedy'

Melbourne International Comedy Festival – 2005

Interviews/Articles

• NYCC: Tom Taylor Leads "Star Wars: Invasion" CBR
• Tom Taylor on Flinch and The Example, Cool Shite
• In A Superhero Free World, The Australian
• The Undercover Fanboy Interviews Tom Taylor Undercover Fanboy
• The Theatre of Comics The Higher Authority
• The Fan Force The Age
• The Example Reviewed Cool Shite
• An Interview With Tom Taylor Faster Than Light

External links

• Tom Taylor at Twitter
• Official website
• Tom Taylor Author Page at Amazon.com
• Tom Taylor page at IMDB
• Tom Taylor entry at doollee.com
• Invasion on Wookieepedia: a Star Wars wiki