San Diego Comic-Con International kicks off on Thursday, promising four days of fun and entertainment. KPBS found six San Diego-based artists who are emerging in the comics industry and will be selling, signing and schmoozing with fans in or around the San Diego Convention Center.
Alex Hoey is a San Diego-based comics artist known for his unique style, which can be characterized by its dynamic line work and a comedic American-style cartoon aesthetic. Hoey always had a passion for storytelling through visual art. He found inspiration at a young age through the magazines and comics his dad collected, and their visual forms of storytelling quickly became an obsession.
"My dad got me into comics," Hoey said. "He had a lot of comics from the '70s and he had a lot of copies of Heavy Metal Magazine during the late '90s to the 2000s. From there, I started getting into my own comics and finding what thing I liked. I love comics so much that I eventually wanted to make my own."
It was that same passion for creating his own stories that led Hoey to work on his personal project, "Strawbarian," a comic book about the last strawberry: Strawb, a barbarian who uses American Sign Language (ASL) and fights against evil in a fruit-centered fantasy world. Strawb is called to defeat a banana sorcerer, the Yellow Crescent, to prevent him from rewriting history and imposing his own tyrannical rule.
"What I'm very excited about is that I am probably making one of the goriest, most hardcore comics I've ever made that a toddler can look at," Hoey said with a laugh. "It's pretty much replacing the most barbaric R-rated scene of 'Conan' (the Barbarian) and replacing it with a Gushers commercial."
The comic book is still in progress, but Hoey foresees its release sometime next year.
"I'm still in the process of working on it, where I have enough to tease about it, but I feel like it still needs time to blend," Hoey said, pun intended. "I just need to smoothie it all out, and it should be good."
In addition to his work on "Strawbarian," Hoey is deeply involved in the local comics community, teaching children how to draw with other San Diego-based comic book artists at Little Fish Comic Book Studio.
Those interested in finding more about Hoey and his comic book "Strawbarian" can find him at the following:
Although Hoey is not hosting a booth in the convention center, fans can find him roaming "the floor" (aka the Exhibit Hall) this year. Andi Dukleth
Andi Dukleth developed an obsession for drawing around age two when her mom bought her a drawing table. But it wasn't until age 10 when Dukleth found her calling in comics. One day, she saw a Mortal Kombat drawing her cousin made and it dawned on her how versatile art was.
"That was kind of my like, 'yeah, I, I wanna do that' kind of moment," Dukleth said. "From 10 to now, it's sort of been my, like, life's dream to illustrate and work on comics and tell stories I want to tell."
Dukleth's style leans towards dark fantasy themes, a style inspired by Catholic imagery and Japanese and American anime like "Vampire Hunter D." and "Castlevania."
"Maybe it's like my Catholic upbringing," Dukleth said. "I don't consider myself Catholic now, but there's — there is a lot of like, beautiful imagery within Catholic churches, you know? And it kind of brings that suffering-for-a-greater-good kind of theme."
Currently, Dukleth is channeling her creativity into a collaborative project with a local studio called The Accidental Aliens. The project is a comic book anthology that started in 2017. This year's anthology will feature eight comic book creators, all centered around this year's theme: End of the World. Dukleth explained how the theme came just in time with todays current events.
"How does humanity or a group of people reckon with the end times? Do they survive it, do they not? That kind of thing," she said. "I picked this theme last year, I think with world events unfolding the way they have, I think it's, it's gotten a little bit too close to home for some of us."
The anthology will debut at Comic-Con this year.
Dukleth and The Accidental Aliens will be selling past works and doing signings at Comic-Con. Dukleth will also participate in a panel called Music Comics and Games with Indie Creators at 10 a.m. on Thursday, July 25 in room 25ABC. She will also appear at the Multi-Generational Pop Culture Summit panel from 12-1 p.m. on Saturday, July 27 at the Neil Morgan Auditorium at the San Diego Central Library.
Dukleth is always looking for people to collaborate with and to contribute to future anthologies. She encourages not just established artist to join their community, but to novices who want to get into the comics art world.
"The idea you have in your head, just get it out there. It doesn't have to be perfect, it doesn't have to be ... your magnum opus," she said. "But I think it's a good start."
You can follow Andi Dukleth on:
Paolo Piccaso has been a toy photographer since 2018, mastering the art of bringing miniature figures to life through his lens. His work goes beyond simply taking pictures of toys; it involves creating elaborate scenes and narratives that transform these small figures into dynamic characters.
"How I got into the art of toy photography started with, you know, with my kids' action figures," Piccaso said. "(I) started playing with them as they're playing ... And just seeing like, 'oh, this would be a great way to pose it,' and things of that nature, and thinking 'oh, this would be cool to do photography for toys.'"
What started as a hobby slowly evolved into a passion during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. When the world shut down, Piccaso had his camera and his action figure subjects. The craft reawakened his love for comic book heroes, such as X-Men, and mimicking comic book covers.
Piccaso said his photography style uses little Photoshop rendering and relies heavily on the landscape as the backdrop of his photos, especially in San Diego.
"I call it a 'living diorama,' right? You can go anywhere in San Diego and find a desert scene or beach scene or even industrial, right? There's just all these different type of looks. The sunsets always help too."
Piccaso will be showing his toy exhibits on Thursday, July 25 at Taste & Thirst from 4 to 9 p.m. and he will also be at Day N Night nightclub Friday, July 26 from 5 to 9 p.m.
You can follow Paolo Piccaso on:
Jin Yung Kim is a San Diego-based game illustrator with distinctive “Chibi" aesthetics and traditional comics art elements, mechas and ‘90s pop culture. Kim’s unique approach to art developed through a deep love for various styles, heavily influenced by East Asian media and iconic artists like Akira Toriyama ("Dragon Ball") and Masamune Shirow ("Ghost in the Shell") to name a few. This eclectic mix has become his signature style, combining the best of both worlds.
"I love and consume all different kinds of art styles," Kim said. "And the ones that have made the biggest impact on me growing up have definitely influenced and developed my overall approach to my work.”
Kim’s journey into the art world wasn’t without its challenges. The biggest hurdle was deciding to pursue art as a career without much guidance. He found his passion in the video game industry and kick-started his journey with determination and hard work.
"I had to figure things out as I went, like what art schools to apply for, how to get student loans, moving across the state," Kim said. "And ultimately figuring out what field in the arts I felt passionate enough to focus on. I was in my early 20’s when I made all of these decisions and I had no idea what I was doing! Once the ball got rolling, however, there was no stopping it."
Currently, Kim is working on his passion project, "Techni-GAL Comic." He calls it his love letter to mecha anime and ‘90s Tokusatsu, a Japanese term for live-action films or television programs that use special effects, such as "Power Rangers" or "Godzilla." The project, still in its early development stages, promises to bring a new galaxy of adventure to fans, showcasing Kim’s ability to blend nostalgic influences with fresh storytelling.
For aspiring comics artists, Kim advises drawing as much as possible and embracing a variety of subjects to find a unique artistic voice. He emphasizes the importance of life experiences in shaping one’s art.
Kim has worked with companies, such as Sony's PlayStation — VASG San Diego and IDW Publishing.
Find Kim at Comic-Con in Artists’ Alley table CC-08.
You can follow Jin Yung Kim on:
Josh Figueroa is a comic book artist, children’s book illustrator and writer whose art style mainly focuses on a detailed subjects that occupy the foreground and starkly contrast against a background that relies on line art.
Figueroa's artistic journey began at a young age. He was heavily influenced by the children's book "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs," and comics, such as "Garfield" and Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli's "Daredevil: Born Again."
"The minute I saw that Daredevil comic, it was like my whole world opened up," Figueroa recalls. "You could do anything you wanted using your imagination as far as telling a story."
These early experiences inspired him to create culturally rich stories to empower children to embrace their heritage and "realize that they can make a difference no matter how small they are."
That voice is reflected in Figueroa's children's book, "Quetzal: Messenger of the Gods." It's a story rooted in Aztec mythology. It follows a young boy and his sister on a journey to save their dog in the world of the gods called Aztlán, where they undergo a hero's journey.
"Creating characters that show they come from different backgrounds is very important to me. I want kids to see themselves in my stories and feel empowered," he said.
Find Figueroa at Comic-Con's Small Press table O-12, where he will be selling his book, latest works, as well as participating in an indie art show floor tour. He’s excited to engage with fans, offering mini prints for those who wish to participate in a giveaway and sharing insights into his creative process.
For aspiring comics artists, Figueroa emphasizes the importance of foundational skills and perseverance. "Focus on your anatomy, composition, and line work," he said. "Start writing and drawing your story — don't wait. The more you practice, the better you'll get."
You can follow Josh Figueroa on:
Juston McKee calls himself a "chaotic art wizard.” He found his calling in art through comics, cartoons and Dungeons & Dragons (D&D). McKee describes his art style as "color gore," combining bold lines, bright colors and punk influences that reflect his unique artistic journey.
“I've always been a fan of comics and cartoons,” McKee said. “I was just reading and absorbing a lot of cartoons, comics media, and I think really early on, it kind of hit me that that's what I wanted to do."
McKee's creative journey began with a childhood dream of creating a skateboarding company where he designed his own skateboards with original characters. Eventually that evolved into a passion for indie comics and zines. It's a passion that later inspired him to partner with fellow artist and D&D party member Vi Pham to collaborate and create: "LICHLANDS: Into the Undervoid." It's a 200-page graphic novel that expands on their shared experiences with D&D. This story explores themes of friendship, anxiety and adventure as characters navigate a fantastical world.
McKee said the goal was to write about comics for all ages — personal, but fun and cartoony.
The first version of the graphic novel originally debuted at Comic-Con in 2023.
McKee's journey as an artist hasn't been without its challenges. Balancing a full-time job as an IT manager with his passion for art has been a significant hurdle, but McKee remains committed to his craft, driven by the fulfillment of completing projects and the support of his creative community.
During Comic-Con, McKee will be engaging with fans and showcasing his work, including at a signing event at Now or Never Comics on Saturday, July 27 from 1 to 4 p.m.
For aspiring artists, McKee emphasizes the importance of building a supportive community.
“Being an artist is isolating," he said. "Because it's just you and your art. But I think more importantly is knowing that and building community. I think a lot of my successes and the things that I'm able to do are due to the connections I make and the people I meet, and the little cracks of the door that are opened."
You can follow Juston McKee on:
