Mark Andrew Smith (born July 24, 1979) is an American

comic book A comic book, comic-magazine, or simply comic is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panel (comics), panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are often accompanied by descriptive prose and wri ...

author In legal discourse, an author is the creator of an original work that has been published, whether that work exists in written, graphic, visual, or recorded form. The act of creating such a work is referred to as authorship. Therefore, a sculpt ...

and graphic novelist.

Early life and education

Smith attended the

University of California, Santa Barbara The University of California, Santa Barbara (UC Santa Barbara or UCSB) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Tracing its roots back to 1891 as an ...

, where he studied film. He graduated in 2002. Smith received his Master's Degree in TESOL from

SIT Graduate Institute The School for International Training, widely known by its SIT Graduate Institute, is a private non-profit regionally-accredited institution headquartered in Brattleboro, Vermont, United States. The institution has two main divisions. Graduate ...

in Brattleboro Vermont in 2017.

Career

Out of college, Smith's first job was as a production assistant on season one of

American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American Music competition, singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle (company), Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It a ...

. His first entry into the comic book world came in 2004 when Smith and Dan Hipp were picked up by

Image Comics Image Comics is an independent American American comic book, comic book publisher and is the third largest direct market comic book and graphic novel publisher in the industry by market share. Its best-known publications include ''Spawn (comics) ...

. Image Comics would go on to publish their work, '' The Amazing Joy Buzzards''. Smith is also the co-creator and editor of the Popgun

Comics anthology A comics anthology collects works in the medium of comics, typically from multiple series, and compiles them into an anthology or magazine. The comics in these anthologies range from comic strips that are too short for standalone publication to co ...

. Smith wrote the original graphic novel Aqua Leung, published in April 2008. Aqua Leung was nominated for a

Yalsa The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), established in 1957, is a division of the American Library Association. YALSA is a national association of librarians, library workers and advocates whose mission is to expand the capacity of l ...

award for best graphic novel for teens. Also in 2008 Smith wrote Kill All Parents, a 38-page one-shot about superheroes whose parents are killed by a secret government program, drawn by Marcelo Di Chiara, also for Image Comics. In 2009 Smith released The New Brighton Archeological Society stemming from a series of short stories in Popgun with artist Matthew Weldon. The New Brighton Archeological Society follows a group of children whose parents are the greatest archeologists in the world. When their parents are lost on an expedition, the children must finish their parents' work, collect the books of magic, and defeat their parents' nemesis. The New Brighton Archeological Society was selected as "Best All-Ages Comic" of 2009 by

MTV MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...

Splash Page. The New Brighton Archeological Society received two Harvey Award Nominations in 2010. Smith has been published in multiple anthologies such as the

Belle & Sebastian Belle and Sebastian are a Scottish indie pop band formed in Glasgow in 1996. Led by Stuart Murdoch, the band has released twelve studio albums. They are often compared with acts such as the Smiths and Nick Drake. The band took their name from ...

Anthology, 24Seven Vol. 1, Space Doubles, Paper Museum Vol. 3, and Popgun. 2011 saw the release of Smith's Gladstone's School for World Conquerors by Image Comics with artist and co-creator Armand Villavert which centers on a super-villain academy. Gladstone's School for World Conquerors won the 2013 American Library Association Award for 'Great Graphic Novels for Teens'. Smith released Sullivan's Sluggers, a baseball horror graphic novel drawn by James Stokoe, in 2012. Sullivan's Sluggers was published by

Dark Horse Comics Dark Horse Comics is an American comic book, graphic novel, manga and Artist's book, art book publisher founded in Milwaukie, Oregon, by Mike Richardson in 1986. The company was created using funds earned from Richardson's chain of Portland, O ...

in 2018. Sullivan's Sluggers was published in Italian by SaldaPress in 2022. In 2015 New Brighton Archeological Society Volume 1 was published as a hardcover by 'Maneki Neko Books' along with volume 2 titled 'The Sword of Azure', both drawn by Matthew Weldon. In 2016 Gladstone's School for World Conquerors Volume 1 was published as a hardcover by 'Maneki Neko Books' along with Gladstone's School for World Conquerors Volume 2 which is drawn by frequent collaborator Matthew Weldon who was filling in for co-creator Armand Villavert on art duties. In 2019 Smith released Gladstone's School for World Conquerors Book 3 with artist and co-creator Armand Villavert. 2019 also saw the release of a Kid Nefarious one-shot illustrated by Matthew Weldon and written by Ryan Schrodt with Smith editing. In 2020 Smith edited the Gladstone's School for World Conquerors Double-features which included 'The Skull Brothers & Martian Jones' and 'Mummy Girl & Ghost Girl'. The double features are 72-page flipbooks. 'The Skull Brothers' was written by Erik Martinez and illustrated by Marcelo DiChiara.'Martian Jones' was written by Erick Taggart and illustrated by Armand Villavert.'Mummy Girl' was written by Justin Robinson and illustrated by Armand Villavert. 'Ghost Girl' was written by Erik Martinez and illustrated by Armand Villavert. Both of the double features were lettered by Patrick Brosseau. 2023 saw the release of 'Gladstone's School for World Conquerors: Gladstone's Revenge'. 'Gladstone's Revenge' was written by

David Michelinie David Michelinie (; born May 6, 1948) is an American comic book writer best known for scripting Marvel Comics' ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' and ''Iron Man'' and the DC Comics feature Superman in ''Action Comics''. Among the characters he created or ...

and illustrated by Armand Villavert. It was colored by Hackto Oshiro and lettered by Patrick Brosseau.

Awards and honors

Smith has received recognition for his work on '' Popgun''. Volume 1 won the 2008

Harvey Award The Harvey Awards are given for achievement in comic books. Named for writer-artist Harvey Kurtzman, the Harvey Awards were founded by Gary Groth in 1988, president of the publisher Fantagraphics, to be a successor to the Kirby Awards, which were ...

for Best Anthology. This was followed by Volume 3 winning the 2010

Eisner Award The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, are awards for creative achievement in American comic books. They are regarded as the most prestigious and significant awards in the comic industry and often referred ...

for Best Anthology. Gladstone's School for World Conquerors won the 2013 ALA Awards for 'Great Graphic Novels for Teens'.

Bibliography

Comics writing work includes: * '' Gladstone's School for World Conquerors Book One'' (with Armand Villavert,

, 2011) * '' Gladstone's School for World Conquerors Book 1: 'Supervillainy 101' '', Hardcover (with Armand Villavert, Maneki Neko Books, 2016) * '' Gladstone's School for World Conquerors Book 2: 'In the Shadow of Shiran' '', Hardcover (with Matthew Weldon, Maneki Neko Books, 2016) * '' Gladstone's School for World Conquerors Book 3: 'Scorpio Kane' '', Hardcover (with Armand Villavert, Maneki Neko Books, 2019) * '' The Amazing Joy Buzzards Volume One "Here Come the Spiders"'' (with Dan Hipp,

, 2006) * '' The Amazing Joy Buzzards Volume Two "Monster Love"'' (with Dan Hipp,

, 2009) * '' The New Brighton Archeological Society'' (with Matthew Weldon,

, 2009) * '' The New Brighton Archeological Society Book 1: 'The Castle of Galomar' '' Hardcover (with Matthew Weldon, by Maneki Neko Books, 2015) * '' The New Brighton Archeological Society Book 2: 'The Sword of Azure' '' Hardcover (with Matthew Weldon, by Maneki Neko Books, 2015) * '' Sullivan's Sluggers'' (with James Stokoe, Maneki Neko Books, 2012) * '' Sullivan's Sluggers'' (with James Stokoe,

, 2018) * '' Sullivan's Sluggers'' (with James Stokoe, SaldaPress, 2022) * '' Aqua Leung'' (with Paul Maybury,

graphic novel A graphic novel is a self-contained, book-length form of sequential art. The term ''graphic novel'' is often applied broadly, including fiction, non-fiction, and Anthology, anthologized work, though this practice is highly contested by comics sc ...

, 208 pages, Image Comics, April 2008) * '' Kill All Parents'' (with Marcelo Dichiara,

one-shot One shot may refer to: Film and television * One-shot film, a feature film shot in one long take with no edits, or manufactured to look like so * ''One Shot'' (2005 film), a Sri Lankan action film directed by Ranjan Ramanayake * ''One Shot'', a ...

, Image Comics, June 2008) * '' Popgun'': "The Amazing Joy Buzzards in the Fearless Vampire Hunters" (with Dan Hipp,

, 2007) * '' Popgun'': "The New Brighton Archeological Society: "Introduction", "The Bath", "Souls in a Jar" (with Matthew Weldon,

, 2007) * '' Popgun'': "Rex Onazuka: The Sons of Liberty" (with Johann Leroux,

, 2007) * '' Popgun 3'': "Rex Onazuka: The Godfather of Monsters" (with Johann Leroux,

, 2009) * '' Popgun 4'': "Bullets for the Poor" (with David Collinson,

, 2010) * '' Low Orbit'': "Little Medusa's Big Day Out" (with Kevin Dalton,

, 2006) * '' Low Orbit'': "Bastion's 7" (with Sean Galloway,

, 2006) * '' Space Doubles'': "Escape Pod" (with Matthew Hyun, 3rd World Studios, 2008) * '' Image Comics Holiday Special 2005'': "The Amazing Joy Buzzards and the Christmas Troll" (with Dan Hipp,

, 2005) * '' Paper Museum Volume Three "The Devil in the Gears"'' (with Jim Pezzetti, Jungleboy Press, 2006) * '' Zowie! Volume Two "The Grenade Jumper"'' (with Ed Reynolds, Zowie Comics, 2006) * '' 24Seven'': "Things Run Amuck" (with Paul Maybury,

, 2006) * '' Popgun'': "Aqua Leung, Ambush" (with Paul Maybury,

, 2007) * ''

Put the Book Back on the Shelf ''Put the Book Back on the Shelf: A Belle & Sebastian Anthology'' is an anthology comic book published by Image Comics. The book features 24 comics by various writers and artists based on songs by the Scottish indie pop band Belle & Sebastian. It ...

: A Belle & Sebastian Anthology'': "Ninja No!" (with Paul Maybury,

, 2006)

Editor

* ''Gladstone's Revenge'' (Written by David Michelinie and Illustrated by Armand Villavert, Maneki Neko Books, April 2023) * '' Gladstone's School for World Conquerors'' ** ''The Skull Brothers'' (written by Erik Martinez and illustrated by Marcelo DiChiara, Maneki Neko Books, September 2020) ** ''Martian Jones'' (written by Erick Taggart and illustrated by Armand Villavert, Maneki Neko Books, September 2020) ** ''Ghost Girl'' (written by Erik Martinez and illustrated by Armand Villavert, Maneki Neko Books, September 2020) ** ''Mummy Girl'' (written by Justin Robinson and illustrated by Armand Villavert, Maneki Neko Books, September 2020) ** ''Kid Nefarious'' (written by Ryan Schrodt and illustrated by Matthew Weldon, Maneki Neko Books, September 2019) * '' Popgun'': ** ''Volume One'' (with Joe Keatinge, Image Comics, November 2007) ** ''Volume Two'' (with Joe Keatinge, Image Comics, July 2008) ** ''Volume Three'' (with DJ Kirkbride, Image Comics, April 2009) ** ''Volume Four'' (Executive Editor, Image Comics, February 2010)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Mark Andrew 1979 births Living people University of California, Santa Barbara alumni American comics writers American comic book editors