Bio: Charles Christensen, better known by his nickname "Zan", is best known in comics circles as the founding President of Prism Comics.

Prism Comics was formed when a group of gay comics fans and professionals got together and decided to take their passion for the medium and work to level the playing field for other queer comics creators. Only in its fifth year as an officially incorporated nonprofit organization, Prism Comics has surpassed all expectations and become a force for positive change in the industry.

In addition to his work with Prism, Zan has been writing comics scripts and occasionally releasing a self-published book or two. His creations include the closeted 1940s super-hero Captain Kinetic and the slice-of-life comedy/drama One Man Guy.

His most recent comics project is a collaboration with artist Mark Brill called The Mark of Aeacus. The series focuses on a troubled young man who is given an extraordinary power, and explores the overlap between vengeance, punishment and justice. The first issue has been completed and was previewed at 2007's Emerald City Comic-Con, and has been picked up by publisher Class Comics for release in September.

You can check out a video interview about the book on YouTube.

Zan's other current project is an as-yet-untitled serialized adventure novel that he is posting to the website Eleven Pages. Chapters will be posted regularly and are free to read.

In addition to his writing, Zan been the webmaster of several sites for nerdy queers, such as Heroplay (for superhero roleplaying gamers), AlterWorlds (for gay roleplayers of all kinds) and Comics Utopia (for indie comics creators).

Zan has also had a bit of comics journalism ("Ultimate Marvel Cock-Up!") published in an issue of the UK magazine Comics Forum.

His fiancé proposed to him on the back cover of Finder #30, and they are currently watching North America closely and waiting for the best place to tie the knot.

RECENT PRISM COMICS FEATURES

LONDON'S DRILL HALL PRESENTS MAJOR RETROSPECTIVE OF CARTOONISTS KATE CHARLESWORTH AND DAVID SHENTON
[News, Posted 1/25/10]
Drill Hall, located in London’s Bloomsbury district, is hosting "Drawn Out & Painted Pink", a major retrospective on the work of cartoonists Kate Charlesworth and David Shenton. Attendees are encouraged to RSVP for the opening night reception on Monday, February 1st, where they will have the opportunity to meet the artists from 6pm-8.30pm. The exhibition will continue throughout February 2010, coinciding with LGBT History Month.

YOU CAN SUPPORT THE QUEER PRESS GRANT!
[Spectrum, Posted 10/1/09]
One of those big dreams the future Prism Comics volunteers had over french fries back in 2002 always seemed a little unrealistic: awarding an annual grant to queer comics creators. When you’re a tiny organization that struggles to raise the money for your regular activities, it’s hard to imagine a time when you’ll have money to give away. Now, Prism awards the Queer Press Grant every year. Can you help us?

DAVID'S SUPER-LAZY COMIC-CON WRAP-UP PART II: JOHN BARROWMAN FLIRTS!
[News, Posted 8/6/09]
Okay, here's the pooper scoop! We were like any self-loathing, err self-respecting queens, hoping John Barrowman, the bisexual va-va-voom of Torchword would grace Prism Comics with his presence, but of course we thought to ourselves that we're just a small nonprofit at a humongous convention and that he's too big of a star to bother--then he came! Not in that way! Of course, I missed it. How could I miss it? John came by--while I was out--just walking the floor with his handler. …

DAVID'S SUPER-BELATED COMIC-CON 2009 WRAP-UP PART I!
[News, Posted 8/4/09]
Having finally recovered (physically, at least--who knows if I shall ever recover mentally) from my whirlwind experience at San Diego Comic-Con Int'l 2009, I'm ready to present my final wrap-up report. Yes, I know the world's moved on, as it should, but I'm feeling nostalgic about it now, so let's take a look back through the mists of time to a couple of weekends back. Continuing from my initial Con report, I arrived back at the Con on Friday morning in time for Prism's second panel, "True…

DAVID'S GLEEK-O-RAMA COMIC-CON BLOG FOR THURSDAY, JULY 23RD!
[News, Posted 7/23/09]
Hi-Ho, Queer Readers! Your intrepid reporter David, back for more self-inflicted Comic-Con abuse (So You Don't Have To). After a bumpy but on-time flight late last night, I finally dragged myself into the Con just in time to find the Prism Booth in full swing (David-Paul and Ted did a fab job this year!). Of course, I had to hack my way through the crowds. And I ask--is there any sign of a recession? Not with people lining up days for Twilight events and the exclusive Comic-Con Wonder…

RECENT OFFSITE FEATURES

"QUEER COMIX" IN PRIDE 09
[Source: Issu, Added: 6/29/09]
Forced out of the ghetto by the decline of the Gay Indy Bookshop as well as increased mainstream interest in LGBT stories, comics by LGBT cartoonists present an increasingly rich and varied portrait...

PK EXLUSIVE: AN INTERVIEW WITH CHARLES 'ZAN' CHRISTENSEN, PART II
[Source: Pink Kryptonite, Added: 4/11/08]
Welcome back! In part II of our exclusive interview with Zan, we discuss LGBT comics and whether or not we should hold them to the same standard as "mainstream" comics. You can check out our official...

THE WEEK IN GAY GEEK: ZAN SPEAKS, "WATCHMEN" PEANUTS, COLLEEN DORAN DRAWS ONE HOT MULTIPLE MAN AND MORE!
[Source: AfterElton.com, Added: 4/11/08]
News, reviews and commentary about gay and bisexual men in entertainment and the media.

PK EXLUSIVE: AN INTERVIEW WITH CHARLES "ZAN" CHRISTENSEN, PART I
[Source: Pink Kryptonite, Added: 4/8/08]
PK is proud to present a first in a series of original LGBT creator interviews. We recently sat down with Charles "Zan" Christensen, founding president of Prism Comics and creator of the erotic gay...

MARK OF AEACUS AND SO SUPER DUPER NOMINATED FOR 2008 "QUEERIES"
[Source: Northwest Comics, Added: 3/26/08]
Thanks to any and all who wrote in to the Comic Book Queers to nominate The Mark of Aeacus! I just got an email from Brian Andersen, the creator of the sublime So Super Duper, to let me know that we...