David Mack is the creator, author and artist of Kabuki, which is published by Image Comics, and the writer and cover artist for Marvel Comics' Daredevil, one of the ten best-selling comics in the United States.
Mack's work has garnered nominations for the 1999 International Eagle Awards in the categories of Favorite Comic Artist (Painted) and Best Cover Art of the Year (Painted), the Eisner Award (America's most prestigious comics award) in the category of Best Painter, both the Harvey and Kirby Awards in the category of Best New Talent as well as many other awards and nominations. He was also the first American to be nominated for Germany's most prestigious Max-und-Moritz Award in the category of Best Imported Comic.
David Mack was born on October 7, 1972 in Cincinnati, Ohio. By the time he graduated from high school, he had written and acted in several school theater productions and won numerous medals and awards for the science fair, art shows, writing competitions, speeches, athletics and foreign language.
Instead of a specialized art school, he attended a university for five years. He was awarded a four-year scholarship based on his portfolio of artwork and a fifth year Dean's Scholarship for academics. He began Northern Kentucky University in 1990 at 17-years old and studied multiple disciplines in art and academics, including: Acting & Theater, Anatomy & Physiology, World Religions & Mythology, World History, Children's Literature and the Japanese language.
He competed in the university's college-level Karate tournaments. As a freshman competing against upperclassmen, Mack finished in first place and was awarded a gold medal. He graduated with a BFA in Graphic Design, which included studies in Sculpture, Painting, Drawing, Art History, Photography, Typography and Bookmaking, and a minor in English. The first published Kabuki collection, Kabuki: Circle of Blood, was completed while David Mack was in college, and the story served as his senior writing thesis.
Kabuki has earned David international acclaim for its innovative storytelling, painting techniques and page design. The series is available in seven languages and there are over one million copies of Kabuki comics, paperbacks and hardcovers in print in the United States alone. Mack has toured and exhibited throughout Europe, Asia and America.
David Mack is listed in Wizard Magazine's list of Top Ten Writers. Articles about his work have appeared in The Washington Times, SPIN, Carpe Noctem, Sketch Magazine, Hobby Japan, Tokyo Pop, Cincinnati Magazine, Giant Robot, Urb, Soma, CMJ New Music Monthly and others around the world. His books have been the subject of undergraduate and graduate university courses in Art and Literature as well as listed as required reading for classes. His work has been studied in graduate seminars at USC and hung in the Los Angeles Museum of Art.
Mack has designed toys and packaging for companies in Hong Kong, created ad campaigns for Sakura art materials and illustrated Jazz and Rock albums for Japanese and American labels and musicians such as Paul McCartney.
Currently, David is working on the Kabuki feature film for 20th Century Fox. Besides writing the treatment, his credits include: Visual Designer, Creative Consultant and Co-Producer.
-- adapted from Kabuki: The Ghost Play
Biography
