Artist Alley

Jon J Murakami

JON J MURAKAMI BIO 2024 Jon J. Murakami is a freelance cartoonist born, raised, and still resides in O‘ahu, Hawai‘i. He is well-known for creating humorous Local Kine greeting cards that depict different occasions and holidays in Hawai‘i. Maile Way Products distributes these cards throughout the islands. For over two decades, Jon has worked on several regular comic strips, including Calabash, which was featured in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser newspaper, and Generation Gap, which was published in The Japanese-American newspaper The Hawai‘i Herald. Jon has also illustrated several Hawaiian children's picture and board books for Mutual Publishing and Beachhouse Publishing. His works include Geckos Slide and Peek, Going to the Zoo in Hawai‘i, Geckos Surf, Geckos Trick or Treat, Geckos Go to Bed, Geckos Up- Geckos Down, Geckos Make a Rainbow, Geckos 12 Days of Christmas, If You were a Superhero in Hawai‘i, My Dog has Flies, Kula and the Old ‘Ukulele, The Original Poi Cats on O‘ahu, The Winged Tiger and the Dragons of Hawai‘i, and many more titles in production. Apart from these, Jon creates self-published comic books, such as Gordon Rider, a parody of the Japanese 1970s live-action superhero shows featuring the worst superhero ever in Hawai‘i. He has also created Senbei Sentai The Ara-Rangers, another parody of Japanese superhero teams like Power Rangers. Finally, there is Adventures with Zori: misadventures, based on his real-life cat, Zori. Jon has completed freelance work for clients such as L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, Kaiser Permanente, Little People Hawaii, Aloha Airlines, Rochester Electronics, Bank of Hawai‘i, Hawaiian Tel Employees Federal Credit Union, Hawai‘i Business Magazine, Honolulu Magazine, Roy’s restaurant, Alohacare, Highway Inn, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, Gaxland, and many others. Despite his busy schedule, Jon still finds time to play occasional iPhone games and stream tons of cartoons and anime. You can follow Jon on social media @jonjmurakami via Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Tumblr, and Deviantart. His online store is available at jonjmurakami.bigcartel.com.

Anh Vu

Anh Vu is a talented comic artist who has made significant strides in the world of indie comics. Originally a graduate in Cybersecurity, Anh has embarked on a new and exciting journey as a comic artist. Born and raised in Vietnam, Anh's early life was marked by travels across various Asian countries, including Korea, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. Currently, Anh resides in Hawaii, where she continues to pursue her artistic career.

Anh made her entry into the comic industry in 2018 and has since established herself as a promising artist. Recently, she achieved the milestone of being published as a cover artist for Totally Rad Comic's "Totally Rad Monsters" title. This success has opened doors for more opportunities, as Anh is now scheduled to have additional covers published and will soon debut her interior sequential work with renowned publishers such as Mayhem Production, Dustin Brunell, and Phillip Russert, among others. In the coming year, Anh is set to make her debut at several mainland conventions, further expanding her reach and exposure.

Anh's creative endeavors extend beyond her collaborations with established authors and publishers. She is currently working on a trilogy graphic novel titled "Enclave," where she serves as the sole illustrator and cover artist, in collaboration with author Ben Garrido. Additionally, she is involved in the project "Valac: Bushi Kawauso and the Onioka" with Mayhem Production, showcasing her sequential and cover art skills alongside other talented artists like Bret Okumura, Mog Park, Jon Murakami, and Andy Lee. Anh is also collaborating with writer Dustin Brunell on "Babe, Gore, and Dinosaurs," where her specific role is yet to be determined, but she is working closely with Mog Park on the project. Furthermore, Anh has been commissioned as the cover artist for the upcoming issue 3 of "Tragedy."

To get a glimpse of Anh's work, she can share a safe-for-work slideshow during interviews, featuring her artwork from the successful Kickstarter campaign for Totally Rad Comic's "Totally Rad Monsters" series.

As Anh's career continues to flourish, she is excited to explore new horizons. In addition to completing and debuting her own first graphic novel in 2023, Anh is also venturing into the world of documentary filmmaking by launching her own documentary channel. To stay updated on Anh's latest projects and artwork, follow her on Facebook and Instagram.