Artist for Marvel, DC, 2000AD and Doctor Who Magazine; currently artist on the first graphic novel from the BBC-Doctor Who: The Only Good Dalek which I’ll be signing at the show.

I pencilled  A Christmas Carol for Classical Comics, nominated as one of the top ten graphic novels of 2008 by The Sunday Times. I also draw a series of crime fiction graphic novels for the Norwegian market: Varg Veum.

Outside of comics, I was one of the artists on the BBC’s I’m In A Rock’n'Roll Band and one of the storyboard artists on the upcoming Warhammer 40K CGI movie. I storyboard for TV shows and movies and after 25 years, I still think I’m just getting started in the biz…

For more work by Dylan visit: www.dylansdrawingboard.blogspot.com/

Here’s what John has to say about himself.

“I’m a full-time comics creator who has worked for all sorts of different publications all over the world. For the British newsstand kid’s comic ‘Toxic’, I created the strips ‘Rex!’ and ‘Robin Hoodie’. On the internet I write the Hunt Emerson created ‘Ardnox High’ strip. I’ve had stories in Fantagraphics and Rip Off Comix anthologies in America. I’ve had strips in ‘Soft Secrets’ and ‘Wasted’. I’ve written for ‘Artx’ and ‘Men Only’. But in comics fandom I’m best known as the self-publisher of the small press titles ‘Octobriana’ (which won the award for Best New British Comic that year), ‘Armageddon Patrol’ and ‘Loxley’.”

David Hitchcock has been drawing comics for as long as he can remember, but only deemed them suitable for public consumption in mid 90s.

In 1999 he self published his first graphic novel masterpiece‘Spirit of the Highwayman’ meeting critical acclaim from the world of comics.

David’s instantly noticeable style returned for such favourites as his spin on Jack the Ripper with the superb ‘Whitechapel Freak’, and then again picking up a coveted Eagle Award in 2005 for ‘Springheeled Jack’.

In 2008 he published a collection of his best short comic strips called ‘Gothic’ much to the delight of fans at the British International Comics Show as queues for his sketches rivalled those of comics legend Michael Golden.

Also look out for David’s work in the Accent UK anthologies illustrating the stories of Leah Moore and John Reppion.

YUKO SHIMIZU is a freelance illustrator based in New York City and an illustration instructor at School of Visual Arts. Newsweek Japan has chosen her as one of “100 Japanese People The World Respects” in 2009.

Drawing had been Yuko’s hobby ever since she could remember. However, growing up in a traditional Japanese family, pursuing a path in art was just not an option.
After receiving BA in advertising and marketing – the most creative of the practical field – from Waseda University she landed on a position in PR for a big corporation in Tokyo. It never made her quite happy, and she was in a mid-life crisis at age of 22.

It still took Yuko more than 10 years of office job before she figured out what she really wanted to do and to save just enough so she could go back to school full time for 4 more years. This is how Yuko came back to New York in 1999, where she briefly spent her childhood, and enrolled in School of Visual Arts (SVA). Yuko graduated with MFA from Illustration as Visual Essay Program in 2003 and has been illustrating since. She also teaches a BFA Illustration course and occasionally
advises MFA students at SVA.

She works in a studio in Manhattan, a space she shares with two artists whom she considers as her ‘New York family’. Yuko has not gotten into mid-life crisis since she became an artist.

Whenever she has time, Yuko loves to travel to different cities and countries to lectures at art schools and events, and to meet with other artists, professors and young aspiring illustrators to get inspired.

Sorry, wrong person. This Yuko Shimizu did NOT create Hello Kitty.

John McCrea has been drawing comics for 23 years; during that time, he has worked for every Western mainstream publisher including the big two: Marvel and DC. He has drawn Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, the Hulk, Spider Man, Daredevil, Wolverine, Star Wars, Judge Dredd and the Simpsons amongst others. On the side he has worked as an illustrator in book, record and magazine publishing and design and story boarding for movies.

On the other side, he teaches in schools and colleges and has an ongoing class in comic art through Hi8us, a sister company to Maverick Television. He has also worked with charitable organisations and local authorities producing comics spotlighting issues such as drug abuse, homelessness, safe sex and proper foot care!

Currently drawing the Boys for Dynamite, Spiderman and assorted Marvel heroes for Panini and the 99 for Teshkeel.

John McCrea’s official website: www.johnmccrea.com

Staz (like so many of his contemporaries) got his start at Marvel UK back in the 80s.
Notable runs on Action-Force, Thundercats and especially Transformers earned him a legion of fans that follow his work to this day.

Following a brief hiatus from comics where the artist concentrated on fantasy art for the burgeoning RPG market, a newly inspired Staz returned to marvel UK in the early 90s. Directly influenced by the next generation of super-hero artists (Jim Lee in particular) his dramatically improved and even more dynamic art soon caught the attention of Marvel US, the big time beckoned. High profile stints on the Avengers, Spider-man and Force Works cemented his reputation as an artist to watch.

Greener pastures lay across town at the DC offices, where he produced a memorable 6 issue run on the companies’ top-selling flagship title: Detective Comics. The next step was a regular series of his own, he duly obliged providing massively popular and lengthy runs on Robin, Superboy and fan favourite Catwoman.

The wildly popular prestige series Batman/Aliens 2 followed, ensuring Staz’s place
in the Batman hall of fame.

Returning to Marvel attention grabbing work on Spider-man and other major titles once more proved his versatility and command of dynamic anatomy combined with consummate storytelling.

Recent works include an eye-popping comic for those incorrigible folks at high end lingerie designers Agent Provocateur, and Magenta Wild a groundbreaking comic strip created especially for the Sunday Times magazine.

Coming soon from Classical Comics will be Staz’s adaptation of Bram Stoker’s
Dracula, inking himself, with bold and atmospheric line work it promises to be one of the artists’ finest achievements.

An accomplished classical composer and musician who just happens to be one of the most sought after comic book artists of the moment:  Yanick Paquette was originally most well known for drawing stunning heroines in books like Xena and Codename Knockout.

Inspired by artists such as Al Williamson and Adam Hughes, the sharp-dressed Canadian has quickly become a fan favourite and the “go to guy” for publishers who want beautifully drawn female characters and a fluid accomplished storytelling style.

After working on a successful Ultimate X Men run and having completed a superb Batman issue for DC, fanboys are relishing the prospect of seeing his pencils on “The Return of Bruce Wayne” scripted by Grant Morrison.

” I got my first break in comics in 1997 creating the series “DwarfLords” for Games Workshop that ran in ‘Warhammer monthly’ during the late 1990′s.

I was a concept artist in the games industry from 2000 – 2009 and kept my hand in comics from time to time producing some art for ‘Black Library’ (Games Workshop).

Marvel (CB Cebluski) ran the ‘ChesterQuest’ worldwide search for new talent, and I decided I wanted out of games and back into comics..saw it as a good “in”.

Marvel searched for 12 artists…….I was the only guy from the UK that was picked……. great! I could start comics again   That was 2008………did a few bits for them, then made the jump to full time.

Been working for Marvel ever since.”

Official website: www.pauldavidsonart.com

More info about Sean Phillips coming soon…

More info on Duncan Fegredo available soon…

More info on Phil Winslade coming soon…

More info for Jock will be available soon…

More info on Peter Gross will be available soon…

Peter Gross

More info on Alan Davis will be available soon…

Why not check out the official Alan Davis website here. (opens in new window)

Mike is the author of the Felix Castor novels, published in the UK by Orbit, and is also a regular writer for both DC and Marvel Comics, the US’s two premier comic book publishers.

He is perhaps best known as the creator of the critically-acclaimed Lucifer series, which features characters from Neil Gaiman’s genre-defining magnum opus, The Sandman.

Currently he writes X-Men: Legacy for Marvel and The Unwritten for DC Vertigo (which has been nominated for 3 Eisner awards in 2010).

Mike is also a screenwriter, and has recently completed a horror screenplay for UK producer Slingshot.

Mahmud A Asrar is a rising star and a man in demand. His polished, spiky style originated on Digital Webbing after a big up from Invincible artist Ryan Ottley, which led to outstanding work on Dynamo 5 and a notable fill in for Ottley on Invincible. Marvel soon came calling and his tenure on various books for them marked him out as a “young gun” to watch.

Nova and She Hulk were just two titles that benefited from his rapidly growing talents. It’s a big year for the artist as he’s currently working on Power Man. As Luke Cage would say: “Sweet Christmas!”

Visit Mahmud’s website here: www.mahmudasrar.com

Bio kindly provided by Neil Patel.
www.dangerwrites.com

Dave Gibbons is one of the UK’s most popular and celebrated comic book creators.

Cutting his teeth back in the 1970s, his clean lines, assured draughtsmanship and fluid storytelling graced the pages of many a British weekly, the pages of 2000AD in particular were home to his iconic depictions of its many and varied characters, Ro-Busters, Harlem Heroes and especially his definitive rendition of Rogue Trooper were stand outs. His abilities did not go unnoticed overseas and the DC talent scouts soon came calling.

Dave was destined to work in America, and big things were about to happen, despite a memorable run on Green Lantern (a boyhood ambition realized for Dave) nothing could have prepared the comics world for what happened next.

Teaming up with his fellow Brit and long time collaborator: Alan Moore, the two created a new series for DC, initially to be a revamping of the recently acquired Charlton characters: Watchmen (as it came to be known) would take on a life force of it’s own, completely transcending the original project brief, the mammoth 12 issue series would become a publishing phenomenon, redefining the medium and challenging the perceptions of what was actually possible in a “humble” comic book.
The complex tale was radical in its conception, revolutionary in its execution and production, it quite simply changed the industry forever and comics would never be the same again.

Since those heady days, Dave has not rested on his laurels, building on the success of Watchmen, he co-created the critically acclaimed Martha Washington series with Frank Miller for Dark Horse comics, designed album covers for Madness and Kula Shaker and these days is increasingly active as a writer, “Worlds Finest” for DC and “Aliens: Salvation” for Dark Horse showcase his considerable scripting abilities and true mastery of the medium he has helped shape and define.

Now exclusive to DC comics his recent hardcover graphic novel: “The originals”, an Eisner award winning retro-futuristic story of mods and rockers in an alternative Britain, was a re-imagining of his own teenage years, hard hitting, heartfelt and stunningly rendered in black and white. One of his finest works, the books proves that Dave has lost none of his powers as one of the medium’s most gifted graphic storytellers.

Returning to Watchmen in 2008 Gibbons collaborated with Chip Kidd and Mike Essel to produce “Watching the watchmen” for Titan books, a lavish hard cover collection tracing the gestation, production and impact of his landmark series.

Fans were treated to a rare insight into the creative process, as he opened up his files to reveal the incredible “behind the scenes” efforts that contributed to the groundbreaking work. Fascinating in its own right as a document of how history was made, it also serves as a perfect companion to the comics themselves.

INTRODUCTION TO SIMON’S CAT
Simon’s Cat is an animated cartoon series created by English animator Simon Tofield. Best known for its humorous observations of cat behaviour and simple black and white presentation, the series has now amassed over 65 million views on YouTube alone.

A favourite among cat-lovers, the series differentiates itself from many previous cartoon cats by having no dialogue, relying purely on visual comedy and situational familiarity to engage and entertain.

Complimenting the films, the first Simon’s Cat book was released worldwide in 2009. The second book, entitled ‘Simon’s Cat – Beyond the Fence’ will be released in October 2010.

For more information please visit: www.simonscat.com

SIMON’S CAT AT BICS 2010
Simon and his cat plan to present all the Simon’s Cat films together on the big screen for the very first time! This will be followed by a Q&A session with Simon for those who are curious to learn more about Simon’s Cat.

Simon’s Cat will also have an exhibitor table at BICS, with Simon being on hand to sign copies of his new book ‘Simon’s Cat – Beyond the Fence’.

Charles was born in 1951 in Lynchburg, Virginia and has been drawing since he could hold a crayon. He drew his first full-length comic when he was 10 and called it “Atomic Man.” Minimalist in nature, it required no drawing of hands, feet or heads (“they just glowed”). Since then, he has painstakingly drawn thousands of hands, feet, and heads in great detail.

Charles graduated with a BFA from Virginia Commonwealth University, and worked in commercial animation for Candy Apple Productions in Richmond, Va., before moving to New York City in 1976. It was there that he became a freelance illustrator, working for many publications including Heavy Metal, Klutz Press, and National Lampoon.

His award-winning work has graced the pages of numerous comic book, publishers such as Marvel, DC, Darkhorse and Epic. He has been featured in several gallery and museum exhibitions across the nation, including the first major exhibition of Science Fiction and Fantasy Art (New Britain Museum of American Art, 1980) and “Dreamweavers” (William King Regional Arts Center, 1994-95).

In 1991, Charles shared the prestigious World Fantasy Award for Best Short Story with Neil Gaiman for their collaboration on Sandman #19 (DC Comics) — the first and only time a comic book has held this honor. In the summer of 1997, Charles won the Will Eisner Comic Industry Award for Best Penciler/Inker for his work on The Book of Ballads and Sagas (which he self-publishes through his own Green Man Press) as well as Sandman #75. Soon after Charles finished the last of 175 paintings for Stardust, a novel written by Neil Gaiman, for which he was given the 1999 World Fantasy Award as Best Artist.

In 2002 Charles won a second Will Eisner award, this time as Best Painter for his work on Rose, a 130-page epic fantasy saga written by Cartoon Books’ Jeff Smith. The year continued to be busy for Charles with the publication of Seven Wild Sisters (Subterranean Press) and The Green Man, Tales from the Mythic Forest (Viking), both utilizing cover art and interior b/w illustrations by the artist, and both making the 2003 American Library Association’s list for Best Books for Young Adults!

By the end of the year he had completed 28 paintings for his first children’s picture book, A Circle of Cats, done in collaboration with writer Charles de Lint (Viking). This cover art won the Gold Award for Best Book Art in the 10th annual “Spectrum: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art” even before it was officially published. A new edition of Peter Pan (Tor/Starscape) featuringa cover as well as over 30 b/w interior illustrations by Vess was released this past Fall.

Another collaboration with de Lint, Medicine Road (Subterranean Press) and the YA anthology,The Faery Reel (Viking ) will be arriving this Spring and he is currently hard at work producing drawings for several new books, including, A Storm of Swords (MeishaMerlin), the 25th anniversary edition of Moonheart (Subterranean Press) and a graphic novel collection of his ballads material for Tor.