Graig Weich
| Graig Weich | |
|---|---|
 Weich posing with his super hero creations at the 2011 New York Comic Con | |
| Nationality | United States |
| Area(s) | Writer, Penciller, Artist, Inker, Editor, Publisher, Letterer, Colourist |
Notable works | Gekido, Code Name: Justice, Ravedactyl |
| Official website | |
Search Graig Weich on Amazon.
Graig Weich is an independent comics writer/artist, known as the head of Beyond Comics and the creator of the comics Gekido, Code Name: Justice and Ravedactyl.
Early life[edit]
Graig Weich began reading comic books as a child, finding in them a sense of hope and inspiration when he was bullied. Weich comments, "When my friends and I were bullied, I thought, 'If we were superheroes, we could defend the kids being attacked.'"[1]
Career[edit]
Weich's first published comics artwork was a two-page color pinup in Todd McFarlane's Spawn #30, which depicted the eponymous character, Spawn confronting his adversary Angela, published in 1994 when Weich was 19.[2][3]
After the September 11 attacks, Weich, who had been planning to launch his first comic book, spoke with some children who informed him that they did not feel there were any heroes that they could identify with. In response, Weich created the superhero Civilian Justice, a man who, following the death of his girlfriend in the World Trade Center, wears an American flag bandana as a mask, and decides to take it upon himself to confront terrorists. Weich created the character in order to symbolize hope and a sense of empowerment. A percentage of the proceeds from the first issue of Civilian Justice is donated to N.Y.H.E.R.E Fund, which aids victims and families of non-union workers who lost their lives in the attacks. At the New York City Comic Book Museum's first annual Golden Panel Awards in October 2002, which honors creators who legitimize the comics medium, Weich was awarded an honorary Golden Panel Award.[4] An original Civilian Justice piece was also displayed in the exhibit "Heroes Among Us: The Art of 9-11".[5]
Media appearances[edit]
Weich appeared in "A Comic Book, a Violin and a Hoarder" the August 24, 2011 premiere episode of the FOX reality television appraisal series Buried Treasure, in which Leigh and Leslie Keno of Antiques Roadshow appraise valuable items for their owners.
Weich subsequently appeared in "Life After Clerks", the February 9, 2012 episode of the reality television series Comic Book Men, in which he tried to sell his original 1941 Max Fleischer Superman animation cell to the Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash store. He later appeared in two more episodes, in Season 2 and 3.[3]
Weich then appeared in "Baby Got Super Powers", the December 2, 2012 episode of the reality TV series Ice Loves Coco, in which he used model Coco Austin as the basis for Cleo, a character in a comic book.[6][7][8] that "has the power of seduction to control men like puppets."[9] The character appeared in the book Gekido, and Austin appeared as the scantily-clad character at the 2012 New York Comic Con to promote it.[10][11] Austin related how Weich contacted her with the idea for her to play Cleo on the November 23, 2015 episode of her syndicated talk show, Ice & Coco.[12]
According to Weich, the character Gekido (which means wrath in Japanese) is a centuries-old man wearing modern-day samurai-like body armor on a mission to confront the world's oldest Ninja clan in their plans for world domination, using a mystical artifact that may destroy the world.[1][3] Other celebrities that Weich has used as models for characters in his comics include Donald Faison, Adrianne Curry and Gary Dell'Abate.[3]
Personal life[edit]
Weich is an avid Star Wars fan, and was present at the Disney Store in Times Square, Manhattan for the September 4, 2015 midnight commencement of Force Friday, which launched the sale of merchandise related to the film Star Wars: The Force Awakens.[13][14]
Awards[edit]
- 2002 Honorary Golden Panel Award (for Civilian Justice)[4]
- 2003 New York International Independent Film and Video Festival Award for Best Short Film (for Ravedactyl: Project Evolution)[15]
- 2014 Urban Action Showcase Film Festival Award, Blood Sweat & Bones; Best Animation (for Ravedactyl vs Code Name: Justice)[16]
Nominations[edit]
- 2014 Urban Action Showcase Film Festival Award, 2Min Warning category (for Code Name: Justice)[16]
- 2014 Urban Action Showcase Film Festival Award, Blood Sweat & Bones: Short Film Showdown (for Code Name: Justice)[16]
Further reading[edit]
- Myricks, Dan (June 11, 2014). "Going Big! Focus Entrepreneur of the Month: Graig Weich - Focus of New York Swim 2014". Focus of New York Swim 2014 pp. 94-95.
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Orel, Gwen (December 13, 2013). "See you in the funny papers, Montclair". NorthJersey.com.
- ↑ Orzechowski, Tom (Editor). Spawn #30 (April 1995). Image Comics. pp. 23-24.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Lawton, Adam (October 29, 2013). "Graig Weich talks about comic 'Gekido' and AMC series 'Comic Book Men'". Media Mikes.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Robinson, Bryan (November 18, 2002). "Comics on Par with Picasso". ABC News.
- ↑ Weiland, Jonah (October 23, 2002). "NYC Comic Book Museum presents Golden Panel Awards, 'Heroes Among Us' exhibited". Comic Book Resources.
- ↑ Vonder Haar, Pete (December 26, 2012). "Reality Bites: Ice Loves Coco". Houston Press.
- ↑ "E! Ice Loves Coco 'Baby Got Super Powers' 03x06 Promo". EonlineCanada. YouTube. Retrieved May 21, 2014.
- ↑ "New York Comic Con 2012". Daily News (New York). October 12, 2012.
- ↑ Cooper, Wilbert (September 6, 2012). "Ice-T Caught Me in Coco’s Dressing Room at Her NYFW Show". Vice.
- ↑ Neuenschwander, Andy (December 2, 2012). "Ice Loves Coco Recap: Baby Got Super Powers". E!.
- ↑ "The Most Bootyful Superhero Ever! Coco’s Curves Take On Comic-Con". Radar Online. November 30, 2012.
- ↑ Ice & Coco, November 23, 2015, Warner Bros. Television.
- ↑ Ramson, Stuart (September 4, 2015). "'Force Friday' at Disney Store New York". AP Images.
- ↑ "Force Friday: Disney begins a feast of new ‘Star Wars’ merchandise". The Tampa Tribune. September 4, 2015
- ↑ "New York International Independent Film & Video Festival". nyfilmvideo.net[dead link]
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 "Congratulations Nominees and Winners of the 2nd Annual Urban Action Showcase International Action Film & Honoree Awards". Urban Action Showcase. 2014. Retrieved November 28, 2015.
External links[edit]
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- Official website
- Graig Weich on IMDb
- Delaney, Magdaline (March 4, 2014). "EPN's Entrepreneur of the Month! Graig Weich". EPN.
- Gambichler, Edward (June 27, 2013). "The Art of Graig Weich – at the Peter Louis Salon and Gallery". What'cha Reading?
- Pineda, Juan Carlos (May 10, 2013). "Comics and Beyond with Graig Weich!" What'cha Reading?
- Gurian, Jeffrey (October 20, 2012). "Adrianne Curry from America's Next Top Model at Comic Con". Jeffrey Gurian. YouTube.
- Angelo, Demetrius (December 6, 2014). "2014 UASE Cinemax VIP Welcome Reception at HBO". Demetrius Angelo's Official Urban Action Expo Film Festival (At: 8:10 min). YouTube.
- "Coco Goes to Comic Con". E!.
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