Les McClaine
Encyclopedia
Leslie "Les" McClaine was born September 30, 1977 in Ventura, California
to Andrew and Lynn McClaine. He grew up in the historic town of Lexington, Massachusetts
, where he worked in the public library. After graduating from high school, Les attended the Savannah College of Art and Design
, where he majored in sequential art
, and graduated cum laude
. Following college, Les created the comic book series, Highway 13 for Slave Labor Graphics
, which ran for ten issues. Around the same time, Les produced the popular web-comic Life With Leslie, an autobiographical comic strip that was later published in a collection titled Repeat Until Death.
Currently, Les resides in Portland, Oregon
and his work can be seen in the comic book, The Middle Man
, written and co-created by Javier Grillo-Marxuach
, and published by Viper Comics
. In 2008 it made its debut as a TV series The Middleman (TV series)
. He is currently working on The Tick
the New Series from New England Comics
.
Les has also published a graphic novel through Dark Horse Comics
, titled Jonny Crossbones, which also appeared as a web-comic on his website. Les is also an occasional freelance contributor to The Portland Mercury
newspaper as an illustrator.
In 2005 Les was nominated for an Eisner Award
in the Best Digital Comic category for Jonny Crossbones.
Jonny Crossbones follows the adventures of a young mechanic who is covered from head to toe in a skeleton costume. He meets a young woman named Gretchen and together they go searching for lost pirate treasure, with many complications along the way.
Ventura, California
Ventura is the county seat of Ventura County, California, United States, incorporated in 1866. The population was 106,433 at the 2010 census, up from 100,916 at the 2000 census. Ventura is accessible via U.S...
to Andrew and Lynn McClaine. He grew up in the historic town of Lexington, Massachusetts
Lexington, Massachusetts
Lexington is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 31,399 at the 2010 census. This town is famous for being the site of the first shot of the American Revolution, in the Battle of Lexington on April 19, 1775.- History :...
, where he worked in the public library. After graduating from high school, Les attended the Savannah College of Art and Design
Savannah College of Art and Design
SCAD, the Savannah College of Art and Design, is a private, accredited and degree-granting university with locations in Savannah and Atlanta, Georgia, Hong Kong, and Lacoste, France.-History:...
, where he majored in sequential art
Comics
Comics denotes a hybrid medium having verbal side of its vocabulary tightly tied to its visual side in order to convey narrative or information only, the latter in case of non-fiction comics, seeking synergy by using both visual and verbal side in...
, and graduated cum laude
Latin honors
Latin honors are Latin phrases used to indicate the level of academic distinction with which an academic degree was earned. This system is primarily used in the United States, Canada, and in many countries of continental Europe, though some institutions also use the English translation of these...
. Following college, Les created the comic book series, Highway 13 for Slave Labor Graphics
Slave Labor Graphics
Slave Labor Graphics is an independent American comic book publisher, well-known for publishing darkly humorous, offbeat comics.-Company history:...
, which ran for ten issues. Around the same time, Les produced the popular web-comic Life With Leslie, an autobiographical comic strip that was later published in a collection titled Repeat Until Death.
Currently, Les resides in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
and his work can be seen in the comic book, The Middle Man
The Middle Man
The Middleman is a comic book series written by Javier Grillo-Marxuach with art by Les McClaine and published by Viper Comics. The series was initially intended to be a television pilot. Grillo-Marxuach decided he wanted to write a series that represented all of the things he grew up loving...
, written and co-created by Javier Grillo-Marxuach
Javier Grillo-Marxuach
Javier "Javi" Grillo-Marxuach , born October 28, 1969 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, is a television screenwriter and producer, known for his work as writer and producer on the first two seasons of the ABC television series Lost, as well as other series including Charmed and Law and Order: Special...
, and published by Viper Comics
Viper Comics
Viper Comics, based in Dallas, Texas, has been an independent publisher of comic books and graphic novel trade paperbacks since 2003. Viper comic books are distributed by Diamond Comic Distributors and their graphic novels are distributed through Diamond, Ingram Books, Baker & Taylor, Inc., and...
. In 2008 it made its debut as a TV series The Middleman (TV series)
The Middleman (TV series)
The Middleman is an American television series. The series, which was developed for television by Javier Grillo-Marxuach for ABC Family, is based on the Viper Comics series, The Middleman, created by Grillo-Marxuach and Les McClaine...
. He is currently working on The Tick
The Tick
The Tick is a fictional character created by cartoonist Ben Edlund in 1986 as a newsletter mascot for the New England Comics chain of Boston area comic stores. He is an absurdist spoof of comic book superheroes. After its creation, the character spun off into an independent comic book series in...
the New Series from New England Comics
New England Comics
New England Comics is a comic book retail chain and publisher headquartered in Norwood, Massachusetts, USA. They are known for publishing The Tick comic books. They have locations in Quincy, Allston, Brookline, Brockton, Cambridge, Malden, New Bedford and Norwood....
.
Les has also published a graphic novel through Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...
, titled Jonny Crossbones, which also appeared as a web-comic on his website. Les is also an occasional freelance contributor to The Portland Mercury
The Portland Mercury
The Portland Mercury is an alternative weekly newspaper published in Portland, Oregon. It serves to chronicle the ever-changing Portland music scene, and generally includes interviews, commentaries, reviews, and concert dates...
newspaper as an illustrator.
In 2005 Les was nominated for an Eisner Award
Eisner Award
The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, and sometimes referred to as the Oscar Awards of the Comics Industry, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books. The Eisner Awards were first conferred in 1988, created in response to the...
in the Best Digital Comic category for Jonny Crossbones.
Works
Jonny CrossbonesJonny Crossbones follows the adventures of a young mechanic who is covered from head to toe in a skeleton costume. He meets a young woman named Gretchen and together they go searching for lost pirate treasure, with many complications along the way.