Now sporting a magnificent and unnerving beard, Kieron Gillen has been one of the more pleasant arrivals to the world of mainstream comics. His comic, Phonogram, with art by Jamie McKelvie, was one of the better titles of the last year. With a background in videogame journalism, and a healthy disregard for staying in his box there, Gillen has managed to write one of the best fictions about music that doesn’t feature any music. Possibly by accident. It’s a glittering flirt of a comic, and well worth your time, especially if you have even a passing interest in the way that music defines the world that we live in. That’s his comics though… I caught up with him for a very brief chat about other things.

So, seen any good films lately?

God, you had to start with this one. Cinema is the narrative form I’m always shitty at keeping up with. Last thing I saw which left an impact was watching A Bridge Too Far on a transatlantic flight, which had me thinking about Britain’s relationship with its tragedies and wondering whether that’s changing over time. And generally being awesome. And that was almost a month ago.

You’d have better luck asking me about television, and even then I’m rubbish. I’m working through the ROME season 2 DVD pack, which I love, despite it throwing out terrible episodes occasionally. I know enough of the history to roll my eyes at it, but don’t take it seriously enough to throw me entirely. And at least half the cast are highly agreeable monsters, which always works for me.

What books do you have on the go at the moment?

As is my wont, I picked up Glen Duncan’s I, Lucifer from my girlfriend’s shelves this morning on a whim. A mate (the bloke who I based Indie Dave in Phonogram on, randomly) suggested I read it back when it came out, as it reminded him of some of the stuff I was doing with my Minister Drill-cock! character over at Grammarporn. As evidenced by my Rome answer, I’m a sucker for charismatic monsters.

Oh – and I’m re-reading Peter Marshall’s enormous book on Anarchism, Demanding The Impossible, which is great. It fits my current beard.

What about music? Heard anything good lately?

I really like the new Darren Hayman album – it’s very much early Hefner, being wordy and playful and phenomenonally geeky. I saw Los Campesinos! live last week, who were brilliant, reminding me of a huge amount of my favourite bands without being anything like them at all. These Dancing Days are fun, though you’ll be wanting to wait for their second single Hitten to be properly convinced. Oh – and I like Frightened Rabbit too. New/Old/Reworked single the Greys is perfectly overwrought and desperate, while keeping itself grounded enough to not become (say) Muse.

What’re you having for tea tonight?

I plan to cook Mushroom Stroganoff for my housemates, as it’s been a while since I’ve made them anything and I’m feeling guilty. It’s one of my standard dishes which people seem to like, so let’s hope I don’t fuck it up. Though when I looked in the fridge one of the pots of sour-cream have been stolen, which puts a crimp in my plans, I suspect. I’ll just double up with the white wine. But – hey! – I always do that.

Oh, go on then – what comics are you working on?

Main thing right now is Phonogram 2 (“THE SINGLE’S CLUB”) which is enormously complicated and clearly beyond my reaches. Abstractly, I was meant to have it written in time for McKitten to go straight on when he finishes Suburban Glamour, but that’s not going to happen. If I pull it off, it’ll be great. If I don’t, I’ll be pilloried and taken apart with blades. And I’ll deserve it. I’m also working on a couple of pitches.

One, which is very close to being lobbed out, is MULTIMEDIUM with one Jorge Munoz and the other, which is a bit more off, is LUDOCRATS with housemate Rossignol and Lee O’Connor. And slightly after that, there’s something Steve “5 fists of Science” Sanders and myself are talking about, which goes under the working title of MACHINA.

Keiron Gillen can unsurprisingly be found at www.kierongillen.com, where he can be found musing about all and sundry. You’ll also want to check out the Phonogram website, which will tell you just how to buy a copy of the book. Or, you know, you could go to a comic shop and order it. That wouldn’t kill you.