Paul Cornell Builds Worlds: From Commando to Nessie to Comics’ Next Wave

In this wide-ranging talk, writer Paul Cornell dives into his latest projects and big-picture views on the worlds of comics and science fiction. We begin with his cheeky mystery Who Murdered Nessie?, then turn to his hard-hitting historical tale for Commando, exploring how he blends genre with grounded war storytelling. Cornell also reveals details of his bold new comic book company Cosmic Lighthouse-in partnership with Comixology, where he’s recruiting acclaimed science fiction authors to create original comics set adjacent to their established universes—fresh stories that expand the imaginative space of their novels without being simple tie-ins. It’s a creator-driven initiative aimed at building bridges between prose and comics. Of course, no conversation with Cornell would be complete without touching on Doctor Who and Star Trek. He shares his perspective on the futures of both franchises, the challenges of writing within their vast mythologies, and how fandom itself shapes their ongoing evolution. What emerges is a portrait of a creator restlessly innovating—whether he’s writing a mystery about Scotland’s most famous monster, reimagining World Wars through comics, or launching ambitious new publishing experiments that cross genres and mediums.