KATIE COOK |

Katie Cook is the creator of the Nothing Special webcomic on Webtoon and the oldie-but-goodie webcomic Gronk: A Monster’s Story (which was one of the first webcomics archived by the library of congress!). She spent several years as one of the primary writers on IDW’s My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic comics to the point that they made her a pony on the show (really). Then there’s all those books she has illustrated and written for a tiny franchise called “Star Wars.” Maybe it’ll take off one day. Time will tell. She has also written and drawn comics for Marvel, Disney Publishing, Boom! and other publishers.

SCOTT HAMPTON |

A freelance comic book artist known for his diverse storytelling, Scott Hampton has illustrated such iconic properties as Batman, Sandman, Black Widow, Hellraiser, and Star Trek in addition to work on his creator-owned projects such as The Upturned Stone. He recently won an Eisner award for his work on American Gods by Neil Gaiman and is currently working on Part 2 of Wicked: The Graphic Novel written by Gregory Maguire.

JONATHAN HILL |

Jonathan Hill is an award-winning cartoonist and author from Portland, OR. His 2020 YA book Odessa won the 2021 Believer Book Award for Graphic Literature. His book Tales of a Seventh-Grade Lizard Boy was was included on the ALA’s Best Graphic Novels for Children Reading List for 2022 and was a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection. The sequel, Lizard Boy 2: The Most Perfect Summer Ever came out this spring. In addition to his graphic novels, his work has appeared in The Believer Magazine, Fantagraphics, Powell’s City of Books, and the Society of Illustrators.

P. CRAIG RUSSELL |

A graduate of the University of Cincinnati with a degree in painting, P. Craig Russell has run the gamut in comics. After establishing a name for himself at Marvel on Killraven and Dr. Strange, he went on to become one of the pioneers in opening new vistas for this underestimated field with, among other works, adaptations of operas by Mozart (The Magic Flute), Strauss (Salome), and Wagner (The Ring of Nibelung). Russell is also well known for his Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilde series as well as his graphic novel adaptations of Neil Gaiman's Sandman: The Dream Hunters and Coraline. The author lives in Kent, Ohio.

HANNAH BATSEL |

Hannah Batsel is a book artist, writer, and illustrator based in Chicago, IL. She received a degrees in Printmaking and Book Arts from the University of Georgia and from Columbia College Chicago. Her handmade artist book work can be found in library and museum collections around the country, and her mass-market picture book, A is for Another Rabbit, can be found wherever books are sold. She lives with her friends and partner in a spooky old house filled with books, taxidermy, and hundreds of houseplants.

COMFORT & ADAM |

Comfort and Adam are an award-nominated comic creating duo who's acclaimed series, the Uniques and Rainbow in the Dark, put them on the map. They wrote and illustrated The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing Comics (Random House) and Kitty Game (with artist Corinne Roberts). Comfort and Adam are currently working with K College, MSU, and The Local Scientist Initiative to help create science awareness in local communities. They've done work for the Aliens RPG, and are writing for another core book for an as yet unannounced major RPG. On top of all that, they're doing storyboards, working with the West Michigan Dems, and creating art for major voice actors Yuri Lowenthal, Tara Platt, and Todd Haberkorn.

MARK SMYLIE |

Mark Smylie has worked as an illustrator, writer, editor and publisher for almost three decades. His first comic book, Artesia, was published by Sirius in 1999. He wrote and designed a TTRPG for the setting of his comic which won the Origins Award for RPG of the Year in 2006 and was nominated for five ENnie’s, and has also written novels set in the same world. In 2003 he founded the comics publishing company Archaia, original home to David Petersen’s Eisner-Award winning Mouse Guard; Royden Lepp's Rust; and comics and graphic novel adaptations of Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, and other Jim Henson titles, including the Eisner-Award winning Tale of Sand. His TTRPG and card game illustrations have appeared in work for such companies as Wizards of the Coast (D&D), AEG (Legends of the Five Rings), Burning Wheel (Torchbearer), and Chaosium (RuneQuest, Pendragon, and Age of Vikings), amongst others. 

JOHN VAN FLEET |

John Van Fleet has worked on Batman for DC comics, Typhoid Mary for Marvel and The X-Files for Topps Comics. His client also includes book publishers, video game makers, film studios and toy companies with traditional painting and 3D models.