KEITH J. MURPHEY

ARTIST. WRITER. PUBLISHER.

Born January 2nd, 1973. Keith Murphey is an American comic book artist, writer, and publisher. He attended Paier College of Art and graduated in June of 1996, with a Bachelor's Degree in Fine Arts. Keith was a student of NYC illustrator Timothy O’Brien and studied under Silver Age artist Frank McLaughlin. Upon graduation he did work for Blue Comet Press. In the fall of 2000, he founded the Comicbook Artists Guild with the help of his friend and partner Robert King. Numerous branches soon opened in NYC and Massachusetts. The first CAG anthology was published in the fall of 2001. The anthology became a bi-annual book in the summer of 2007 with the release of the CAG West Coast Anthology. The publication of the books led to several of Keith's original stories including Zombie Hunters, Silliman Farm, The Commander, and Rockabilly Rex.

2009 has proven to be a successful year for Keith and his artistic endeavors. In February, under his publishing company Guild Works Publications, Hell's Blood #1 was released. Created by his business partner and friend, Hector Rodriguez, the duo's first full-length project received a warm reception.

The year continued strong for Keith with three other projects to his name. Keith penciled Killer Cortez in Free Lunch Comics' Beyond the Kuiper Belt. He served as co-inker on Sky Pirates of Valendor #5, also by Free Lunch Comics. And he served as Art Director for CAG's first graphic novel Iconic, where he also penciled 2 short stories. Keith currently serves as Art Director for the Sky Pirates of Valendor series.

HECTOR E. RODRIGUEZ

ART DIRECTOR.

Born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, Hector's family moved to NYC where he spent his early childhood years and from the city's news stands he started his journey into comic books and art. He was drawing from as early as kindergarten and when his mother moved them to Holyoke, Massachusetts in the summer of '78, his love of art and comics followed. His teenage years were spent drawing everything and anything having to do with comic books and graffiti while attending Holyoke High School. Unable to go to college, he took up sign shop at Westover Job Corps, working in the field for many years. His love for comic books soon resurfaced and he was at it again, self taught for the most part. It wasn't until he met Ven Yann in the 90's that he started getting really serious about creating his own comic book. Learning what he could from Ven, the two found a Connecticut based group called the Comicbook Artists Guild, where he met Keith Murphey, the co-founder of the guild. Working as a team, Murphey and Hector started a partnership which helped both creators' talents grow and together they produced various projects. Starting with short stories for Guild Works Productions' book Psychosis 1 and 2. Hector then moved on to do a kid’s book called Mandie Pandie for Sam Vera's Crazee Comics and eventually completed his own book, Hell's Blood, where the story opens with a shot of Holyoke City Hall.

Hector lives in Western Massachusetts with his beautiful wife and gorgeous daughter.

SUSAN SOARES

PROMOTIONS.

Sue first found her passion for promotions while completing a college internship at a local oldies radio station. As life takes its turns, Sue’s career diverted away from her first love to her second, her husband and building a life with him. It wasn't until her husband went on a journey to fulfill his passion that Sue refound hers.

In 2007, Sue was introduced to the exciting world of independent comics. Her first exposure to the industry came in the form of helping her husband produce a pitch for a story he wrote, Sky Pirates of Valendor. First they published an Issue #0 through a contest for comic book creators. Then they submitted the series for a publishing contract with Free Lunch Comics. Since that time, Sue has learned so much about the industry, and continues to learn. Through trial and error, Sue ha established definitive practices and aggressive theories relative to promoting products and the creators who develop these products. In 2009, after losing her 13 year career in banking, Sue developed SJS Comic Promotions, a freelance consulting business. Through this venture, Sue is exceptionally proud to have helped promote the Rusty Haller Benefit Auction and Superheroes for Hospice Comic Book Convention.

In addition to her work with Sky Pirates of Valendor, she is also a proud member of the Comicbook Artists Guild, where she serves as Membership Coordinator.

Her educational background includes a Bachelor's Degree in Mass Communications from Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT.