Ol’ Dirty Bastard, born Russell Tyrone Jones, was an American rapper and founding member of the legendary Wu-Tang Clan. His eccentric style, raw energy, and innovative storytelling made him a standout artist in the hip-hop landscape. His debut solo album, Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version, spawned hits like "Brooklyn Zoo" and cemented his status as a pioneer in the genre. Meet Ike Reed, the comic world's answer to a superhero without a cape. Co-founder of Lion Forge Comics and the brain behind hits like Quincredible and TriMaxx, Ike's the guy turning pages into adventures. When not crafting epic tales in comics and manga, he's penning scripts for Drawn In on PBS. Now he's cooking up some secret sauce for Big Fat Hero and Composition Media. His writing? A cocktail of sci-fi, superheroes, and a dash of street smarts. Spoiler: He's as legendary as his characters! David Gorden is a creator, writer, and sequential artist who specializes in the creation of intellectual properties. Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, he fell in love with art, particularly visual storytelling, at a young age. He began making his own comic strips and submitting them to the Post-Dispatch at the age of eight. The Post very graciously turned David down, with the editor at the time sending him a rejection letter that encouraged him to continue to pursue his dream of becoming a cartoonist. David went on to become a professional graphic artist and cartoonist and was a founding member of legendary St. Louis art crews Air Assault and later Mach One. David knows that today’s world has become predicated on people’s attention being captured by engaging stories and eye-catching visuals and has over two decades of experience applying his skills in character creation, sequential art, storyboarding, script writing, and concept creation, and he is also a founding member of Big Fat Hero, a social media hub and outlet for short stories, podcasts, geek culture, and production. David has written and created IP for Lion Forge Comics, Rampage Jackson, Scott Steindorff, and Nick Cannon. His creative credits include Rampage Jackson: Street Soldier, Trimaxx, Quincredible, Sympathy for the Soul (script adaptation), Make Believe (script adaptation), and more. David is the creator of Kwame Hightower and Quantum University. He released his first independent OGN, Kwame Hightower and the Man With No Name in late March of 2018. David has recently begun work on his next graphic novel, Kwame Hightower and the Exiles of Kalatheaa, and is actively promoting his books through touring, posts on social media, speaking engagements, and teaching workshops on visual storytelling. Jason Pierre is a Los Angeles–based filmmaker and writer born to first-generation Jamaican immigrants and raised in the South Bronx. He received a BFA in creative writing from Brooklyn College. He was a production supervisor for BuzzFeed Motion Pictures, where he produced videos across several BuzzFeed YouTube channels and series. He has written four episodes of BuzzFeed’s animated The Good Advice Cupcake Show for Facebook Watch, and all the episodes of The Era, BuzzFeed’s Cocoa Butter channel’s show on Facebook Watch. He was then a staff writer on Season 3 of the CW show In The Dark, and co-wrote episode 6, “Arcade Fire.” He returned for Season 4 and wrote episode 8, “Tequila Mockingbird.” His 2018 short film Existential Donut follows a man on a quest to help a donut find its hole, and has screened at thirteen film festivals. He has a passion for art, animation, science fiction, and discovering ‘80s movies he never knew existed. Troy-Jeffrey Allen is a comics writer, video producer, Internet personality, and host. He is known for his work on MF DOOM: All Caps, Chuck D Presents Apocalypse '91: Revolution Never Sleeps, Fight of the Century, and the Harvey Award–nominated District Comics: Unconventional History of Washington, DC. A pioneering figure in the comic book industry, Regine Sawyer wears multiple hats as a writer, editor, and the founder of Women in Comics NYC Collective International. Her creative talents have given life to works like The Rippers, Eating Vampires, and Ice Witch. Sawyer is the driving force behind Lockett Down Productions, a small press that exclusively features female comic book artists, with a particular focus on women of color. Chris Robinson is the writer of Vince Staples’s Limbo Beach and indie darling Werewolf Frankenstein, as well as the editor of All-Negro Comics 75th Anniversary Edition. Formerly, he edited Black Panther, Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, Ghost Rider, and much more for Marvel Comics. Learn more at CROB.info. David Brame is the Eisner Award–nominated comic artist of After the Rain, whose art for the graphic novel was hailed as “bold and arresting” by Publishers Weekly. He was also a contributor to the graphic novel anthology Young Men In Love: A Queer Romance Anthology, which earned the GLAAD Award for Outstanding Graphic Novel or Anthology and the American Library Association’s award for Great Graphic Novel for Teens. David lives in Alaska with his two dogs. For more information, visit David’s Instagram @amazingdavidbrame. Dojo Gubser is the creator of popular webcomics such as Rot8ion and Paisley Brickstone. Maan House is a comic book artist with a passion for creating dynamic and expressive imagery that brings stories to life. He is known for his trademark style, which has been seen in a variety of titles, including Godkillers, Devil Within, and 20 Degrees Past Rigor. House’s work has garnered recognition and praise from both critics and fans alike, earning him a Ringo Awards nomination for Best Cover Artist. Felipe Sobreiro is a Brazilian artist and colorist. He has worked for all major comic book publishers, including Marvel, DC, Image, Dark Horse, IDW, Heavy Metal, and others, with titles ranging from the creator-owned hits Luther Strode, Spread, and Local Man, to Marvel's Generation X and Ahoy's Justice Warriors. Felipe lives with his wife in Brazil's capital city, Brasília, in a house they share with a horde of cats and a dog. Chris Gooding is a comic book artist with a passion for storytelling. With a background in animation and motion comics, Chris has a keen eye for detail and a talent for bringing characters to life. He has worked on a variety of projects, from superhero epics to indie graphic novels, and is always looking for new ways to push the boundaries of the medium. His work has been praised for its dynamic style, vivid colors, and emotional depth. Mike JC is an artist of boundless passion and creativity. With two fine arts degrees in his arsenal, he embarked on a captivating freelance journey. Mike's expertise shines in the world of black-and-white illustration, comics, and the enchanting realm of pinups. His journey began in freelancing, where his unique style gained recognition. His art has graced the pages of industry giants like Antarctic Press, Archie Comics, BlueWater, and Oni Press. Notably, he's contributed as a penciler to iconic projects like the Madonna and Drake bio comics.
