Cartoonist
Mike Kunkel works in animation and comics. I love his creation
Herobear and the Kid from his own
The Astonish Factory. I first met him at WonderCon in the Oakland days when he was sharing space with
Jason Lethcoe and his
Zoom's Academy comic book. My favorite memory is from San Diego Comic Con when my friend Rae and I waited by his booth during set up to purchase his announced sketchbook. We stood a few steps away as Mike and his family prepared the booth. Stan Lee walked up alone to chat with Mike. Mike called over his wife and kids for introductions. It was an honor to witness the scene and we respectfully gave them their space.
This is my first commission from Mike who has done some quick sketches for me over the years. The
Ham & Eggs Kickstarter campaign included some great books, but the commission opportunity was the clincher for me. I asked Mike to do a Miyazaki character with his own Herobear character as a backup. The package arrived in great shape and I opened the enclosed artwork eagerly. I was delighted to find Mike drew Totoro AND Herobear and Tylor. Totoro riding the flying top and carrying an umbrella shows his familiarity with the movie. Furthermore, there was a separate pencil prelim. I couldn’t be more delighted.
