I grew up in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. I was introduced at an early age to what would become one of my obsessions, movies. My parents packed me in tight in the back of their Cherokee Chief Jeep to go to the local drive-in theater to see Raiders of the Lost Ark. I was snug in a sleeping bag when I heard such a weird sound that turned out to be cocking of a gun.  So I popped my head up and peaked my eyes over the back seat to see Indiana Jones use his whip to disarm the guide. John Williams' score got louder as Indiana Jones showed us his face. My mind raced as my interest in the magic taking place on screen mesmerized me.  I watched intensely as Indy maneuvered through difficult obstacles to get to the idol and escape certain death only to be out done by his French counterpart.  I of course couldn't stay awake throughout the whole film but every time there was an explosion I would instantly pop up. I would like to tell you that I was brave enough to watch the opening of the Ark of the Covenant but I couldn't lie to you because this young boy couldn't keep his hands from shielding his eyes while the faces melted and heads explode. It was only a year later that I was introduced to another world that would feed my imagination and change my life and that was the world of Star Wars. I wasn't alive when A New Hope came out and I was only a few months old when The Empire Strikes Back came out. Luckily I was old enough to see Return of the Jedi. My dad took me to it when it came out. It was at a theater that does not exist anymore but I remember people were dressed up as if it was Halloween but the coolest thing was that the theater had toys of the Millennium Falcon and X-Wings hanging from the ceiling while they had At-At dioramas incased in glass. The original Star Wars trilogy and Indiana Jones movies started my journey towards being an artist and comic books filled in the rest.

   The first comic book I ever saw was Marvel Team-Up #2 where Spider-Man teamed up with the Human Torch. I was a big collector early in my life but during the summer whenever I would accompany my mother to the grocery store I would find myself picking up a comic book. For those under thirty comic book stores were not available when I was young so I depended on the local grocery store. It wasn't until 1989 when my parents took my sister and I on a Griswald style vacation to California to go to Disneyland, Sea World and Universal Studios. We also spent time with my uncle Geof Darrow.  Seeing his studio changed my life. He was working on Hard Boiled at the time but what really caught my eye was the fact he was a grown man who still read comic books and had toys. He gave a few comic books that I still have and cherish to this day. They were Iron Man #150 where Iron Man and Dr. Doom were transported back in time to Camelot. Incredible Hulk #350 where the Gray Hulk fought The Thing with Dr. Doom thrown in for good measure. He gave me a Turok, Son of Stone comic. Just the idea of a Native American battling dinosaurs blew my mind.  He also gave me an issue of Star Spangled War Stories "The War that time Forgot." Dinosaurs and tanks. Can't get much better than that unless it's dinosaurs and cowboys. Yes, I love dinosaurs. From that moment on I collected comic books not really to make moneyoff of them but to actually read and enjoy the art. Shocking! I know. Artists like Geof Darrow, Gary Gianni, Jack Kirby, Barry Windsor-Smith, Berni Wrightson, Marshall Rogers, William Stout, Dave Stevens, Moebius, Michael Kaluta, Charles Vess, Arthur Adams, Frank Frazetta and Al Williamson influenced my style and storytelling. It wasn't just comic book and fantasy illustrators who influenced me but also filmmakers like Akira Kurosawa, Hayao Miyazaki, Sergio Leone, John Ford, Terry Gilliam, Ridley Scott and Ray Harryhausen.

   My love of comic books and movies lead to me working hard not only in school but at my drawing that would lead me to Chicago where I attended The American Academy of Art where I got a degree in illustration. I was also very lucky in meeting two great friends and filmmakers Elson Williams III and Corey Trotter. I started my career as a concept artist and storyboard artist for independent films and for Corey's and Elson's films "The Cookie Bandit," "Rivers" and "Regretful Decision." I have worked as a freelance illustrator for the past decade as a commissioned artist, storyboard artist and concept artist. I had aspirations to become a director but soon realized that my stories could not be put to film especially if they are being independently financed so I went back to my original direction which was comic books. In 2011 I realized my dream and self published my first comic book "The Adventures of Theodore E. Bear." To my surprise people who were not my family and friends bought my comic book at Wizard World. I learned from some of the mistakes made with my first book I introduced in 2012 my second book "Alamo Buckaroo" at Wizard World. I went on to do a second Alamo Buckaroo story and created a new character, Professor Fineas Hobbs.

I thank you for taking the time to check out my site, my work and reading this. I love what I do and I want to bring action, fun, humor, horror and fantasy in all of my stories. Without you I'm a crazy guy who tells stories to himself. Thank you.

GAYNE A. DARROW JR.