Comics Experience is made up of comic book and publishing industry professionals who are dedicated to giving back to the community they all love. All of Comics Experience’s staff are professionals working on real comics and graphic novels at reputable publishers as their main career. They spend their time with our students and clients and community because they know have a passion for helping new creators and professionals.
Comics Experience is dedicated to help you achieve your goals in a safe, honest, and friendly environment. If you’d like to reach out to us with questions or concerns, email us at info@comicsexperience.com.
Andy Schmidt
Founder & CEO, Instructor
Andy Schmidt founded Comics Experience in 2007 to teach aspiring comics creators great storytelling skills and the ins and outs of our small industry. He is an accomplished writer of comics, short stories, children’s stories, video games and more. He specializes in popular franchises like Marvel, DC, Star Wars, Transformers, G.I. Joe and more. He is currently the Editor-In-Chief at Boom! Studios, The fourth largest comics and graphic novel publisher in America where he oversees four imprints that create art house, mainstream and popular books, licensed books of major franchises, Young Adult and Middle Grade graphic novels. He happily works from his home with his dog.
Paul Allor
Instructor, Mentor, Creative Services Project Manager
Paul Allor is a critically-acclaimed writer, editor and letterer who began as a Comics Experience student and workshop member, eight years ago. Since then, they have written for Marvel Comics, AfterShock Comics, IDW Publishing, BOOM! Studios, Dynamite Entertainment, Vault Comics and others.
Fred Van Lente
Instructor, Mentor
Fred Van Lente is a six-time New York Times bestselling comics writer, novelist and playwright whose work spans mystery/thrillers to historical fiction to superheroes to comedy.
Stephen Pakula
Mentor
A 15-year veteran of the comics and entertainment publishing industries, Stephen has had major roles in just about all aspects of the business; from editorial and design, to sales and marketing, all the way through to production and distribution, his years of experience make him the perfect mentor for anyone that wants to be a writer, editor or artist in the comics industry (and for manga creators too!).
Chris Sotomayor
Instructor
Chris Sotomayor has a reputation of being the fastest color artist in the business, and has been a mainstay at Marvel Comics since 1996. He’s proven himself time and again having worked on their top properties, including Spider-Man, X-Men, The Avengers, Daredevil, Captain America, Hulk, and many others, as well as working on titles for DC Comics, Image Comics and Humanoids.
Sean Rinehart
Instructor
Sean Rinehart is a digital letterer for comics whose work has been featured on a variety of independent comics. His work has been published by Dynamite, Source Point Press, Comics Experience Publishing and others, with a few shorts also appearing in PanelxPanel.
Clara Meath
Instructor
Clara Meath is a comic book artist and writer. She holds a degree in Sequential Art from SCAD Atlanta where she graduated with the honor of Valedictorian. She has worked for a number of comic book publishers, but prioritizes writing, drawing, and Kickstarting her own creator-owned comics and graphic novels, as her true love is visual storytelling.
Sarah Davidson
Instructor
Sarah Davidson is a comic book artist, colorist, and educator currently working on her MFA in Sequential Art at SCAD. She loves drawing Middle Grade and Young Adult comics featuring magic, superpowers, and teenagers saving the world. She’s been freelancing in the comic industry since she was in high school, with clients like Abrams Books, Macmillan Publishers, Webtoon, Wattpad, MadCave, and of course Comics Experience.
Gamal Hennessy
Instructor
Gamal Hennessy, Esq. is an entertainment transactions attorney specializing in comic book publishing and IP licensing. He began his career as the general counsel for the anime company Central Park Media before moving to Marvel Comics to become their International Publishing Manager. After Marvel, he set up Creative Contract Consulting to help independent creators and publishers protect their rights and revenue. Gamal is the author of The Business of Independent Comic Book Publishing and The Business of Freelance Comic Book Publishing, which help comic creators understand the comic book industry and develop profitable business models for their stories.
Nicole Boose
Creative Services Project Manager
Since 2008, Nicole has worked as a freelance editor and consultant in the comics industry. She works regularly with writer Mark Millar, named one of Hollywood’s 5 Most Powerful Comics Writers, and has edited titles for his Millarworld line of creator-owned comics, including Superior, Super Crooks, Jupiter’s Legacy, MPH, Starlight, The Secret Service, and Chrononauts.
Molly Lazer
Creative Services Project Manager
Molly Lazer was an assistant and then associate editor at Marvel Comics, where she assisted on comic books such as Fantastic Four, Captain America, and New Avengers and was the editor of cult favorite comic books Spider-Girl and Thunderbolts. These days she can be found teaching high school, acting, and directing plays outside of Philadelphia or hanging out at Rosemont College, where she is a MFA candidate in Creative Writing.