Graig Weich is an independent comics writer/artist, known as the head of Beyond Comics and the creator of the characters Gekido, Code Name: Justice, Civilian Justice and Ravedactyl.
Early life
Graig Weich began reading comic books as a child, finding in them a sense of hope and inspiration when he was bullied. Weich comments, "When my friends and I were bullied, I thought, 'If we were superheroes, we could defend the kids being attacked.'"
Career
Weich's first published comics artwork was a two-page color pinup in Todd McFarlane's Spawn #30, which depicted the eponymous character, Spawn confronting his adversary Angela, published in 1994 when Weich was 19.
After the September 11 attacks, Graig Weich, who had been planning to launch his first comic book, spoke with some children who informed him that they did not feel there were any heroes that they could identify with. In response, Weich created the superhero Civilian Justice, a man who, following the death of his girlfriend in the World Trade Center, wears an American flag bandana as a mask, and decides to take it upon himself to confront terrorists. Weich created the character in order to symbolize hope and a sense of empowerment. A percentage of the proceeds from the first issue of Civilian Justice is donated to N.Y.H.E.R.E Fund, which aids victims and families of non-union workers who lost their lives in the attacks. At the New York City Comic Book Museum's first annual Golden Panel Awards in October 2002, which honors creators who legitimize the comics medium, Weich was awarded an honorary Golden Panel Award. An original Civilian Justice piece was also displayed in the exhibit "Heroes Among Us: The Art of 9-11".
Media appearances
Weich appeared in "A Comic Book, a Violin and a Hoarder" the August 24, 2011 premiere episode of the FOX reality television appraisal series Buried Treasure, in which Leigh and Leslie Keno of Antiques Roadshow appraise valuable items for their owners.
Weich subsequently appeared in "Life After Clerks", the February 9, 2012 episode of the reality television series Comic Book Men, in which he tried to sell his original 1941 Max Fleischer Superman animation cell to the Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash store. He later appeared in two more episodes, in Season 2 and 3.
Weich then appeared in "Baby Got Super Powers", the December 2, 2012 episode of the reality TV series Ice Loves Coco, in which he used model Coco Austin as the basis for a character in a comic book. The character appeared in the book Gekido, and Austin appeared as the scantily-clad character at the 2012 New York Comic Con to promote it, According to Weich, the character Gekido (which means wrath in Japanese) is a centuries-old man wearing modern-day samurai-like body armor on a mission to confront the world's oldest Ninja clan in their plans for world domination, using a mystical artifact that may destroy the world. Other celebrities that Weich has used as models for characters in his comics include Donald Faison, Adrianne Curry and Gary Dell'Abate.
Awards
- 2002 Honorary Golden Panel Award (for Civilian Justice)
- 2003 New York International Independent Film and Video Festival Award for Best Short Film (for Ravedactyl: Project Evolution)
- 2014 Urban Action Showcase Film Festival Expo Award for Best Animated Short Film (Blood, Sweat and Bones) (for Ravedactyl Vs. Code Name: Justice)
References
External links
- Official website
- Graig Weich. Twitter
- Graig Weich. FaceBook
- Graig Weich. Instagram
- Graig Weich. YouTube
- Graig Weich at the Internet Movie Database
- Delaney, Magdaline (March 4, 2014). "EPN's Entrepreneur of the Month! Graig Weich". EPN.
- Gambichler, Edward (June 27, 2013). "The Art of Graig Weich รข€" at the Peter Louis Salon and Gallery". What'cha Reading?
- Pineda, Juan Carlos (May 10, 2013). "Comics and Beyond with Graig Weich!" What'cha Reading?
- Gurian, Jeffrey (October 20, 2012). "Adrianne Curry from America's Next Top Model at Comic Con". Jeffrey Gurian. YouTube.
- Angelo, Demetrius (December 6, 2014). "2014 UASE Cinemax VIP Welcome Reception at HBO". Demetrius Angelo's Official Urban Action Expo Film Festival (At: 8:10 min). YouTube.
- Myricks, Dan (June 11, 2014). "Going Big! Focus Entrepreneur of the Month: Graig Weich - Focus of New York Swim 2014". Focus of New York Swim 2014 (Pg: 94-95).
- Media, Hand (November 13, 2014). "Urban Action Showcase 2014 New York Winners: Graig Weich". CNN iReport (Pg: 2).
- Austin, Coco (November 17, 2013). "Coco as Cleo on E! at Comic-Con with Graig Weich". The Coco Blog (E! Entertainment Television's Ice Loves Coco).