Mark Smylie is a comics

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...

 creator, writer and illustrator. He is best known for his Artesia

Artesia (comics)

Artesia is an epic fantasy comic book series authored and illustrated by Mark Smylie. Artesia is also the name of the heroine of the cycle. Smylie has described her as a "Pagan Joan of Arc", to use a popular reference, while noting that the closest historical model is the Irish Queen Medb...

epic fantasy comic series.

Born in Florida

Florida

Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

 in 1967, he studied political science, philosophy, art history, and English lit at Columbia University

Columbia University

Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...

 for four years. Besides Artesia, Smylie has also done numerous illustrations for role-playing game

Role-playing game

A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...

s and other media. He has done interior illustrations for Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...

manuals, including Faiths and Pantheons

Faiths and Pantheons

Faiths and Pantheons is a campaign accessory for the 3rd edition of the Dungeons & Dragons, for the Forgotten Realms campaign setting.-Contents:...

, Epic Level Handbook

Epic Level Handbook

The Epic Level Handbook is a rulebook by Wizards of the Coast for the 3rd edition of Dungeons & Dragons.-Contents:This books contained rules for Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition characters to attain levels above 20, the limit in the core rulebooks...

, and Complete Warrior

Complete Warrior

Complete Warrior is a supplemental rulebook for the 3.5 edition of the Dungeons and Dragons role-playing game, published by Wizards of the Coast. It replaces and expands upon an earlier rulebook entitled Sword and Fist.-Contents:...

. After first working with Sirius Entertainment

Sirius Entertainment

Sirius Entertainment is an American comic book company which celebrated 15 years of publishing in 2009. Sirius has published popular titles such as Dawn, Poison Elves, Akiko, and Mark Smylie's epic fantasy Artesia series during its first years....

, he founded Archaia Studios Press

Archaia Studios Press

Archaia Entertainment, LLC is an American comic book publishing company established by Mark Smylie in 2002.-History:Mark Smylie formed the company as a home for his comic Artesia because the publisher, Sirius Entertainment, wanted to print the third series in black and white...

 to publish Artesia and eventually comics from other creators.

Smylie was nominated for the 2006 Russ Manning

Russ Manning

Russell Manning was an American comic book artist who created the series Magnus, Robot Fighter and illustrated such newspaper comic strips as Tarzan and Star Wars...

 award for most promising newcomer, and his Artesia series was nominated for several comics awards.

External links

• Archaia Studios Press
• Talking with Archaia Studios Press' Mark Smylie, April 24, 2006, Comic Book Resources
  Comic Book Resources
  Comic Book Resources, also known as CBR is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book-related news and discussion.-History:Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1996 as a development of the Kingdom Come Message Board, a message forum that Weiland had created to discuss DC...