Bio: Sina Grace’s parents had big plans for their son: Ivy League schooling, professional credentials, a 6-figure income as a doctor—the works! Fortunately for us, he found the wonderful world of comics instead. It was in this world of contradictions that he “matured,” one foot teetering on the edge of academia, the other drawn to the inescapable grasp of an ink-bound fantasy underworld.

At 14, Grace seemingly appeased his parents by interning at Top Cow Productions, under the guidance of Editor-in-Chief Renae Geerlings (his single mother figured at least he was collecting college credit). However the only thing he was collecting (other than comics), was the compulsive habit of drawing unrealistically proportioned, scantily clad women.

At 16, he got a perpetual summer-time job at the Santa Monica landmark: Hi De Ho Comics, where he would be inspired to create Books with Pictures. By 17 he wrote, drew, and self-published his first comic, The Roller-Derby Robo-Dykes versus the Cannibals. His knowledge of disproportionate harlots with weapons came in handy when depicting a story about Robo-Dykes bent on taking over the world. His mother was happy that he was taking interest in girls. The book went into a second printing, and received the praise of Lying in the Gutters critic, Rich Johnston.

Weeks after graduating high school, he was asked by Rilo Kiley front-woman Jenny Lewis to illustrate a limited edition comic book adaptation of their 2004 record, More Adventurous. In the spring of 2006 he was asked to apprentice under comics genius, Howard Chaykin (even though it may not be apparent in Books with Pictures, Grace did learn the function of a ruler and the meaning of a vanishing point).

Between the summers of 2005 and ’06, Grace’s partially-biographical indie dramedy, Books with Pictures, went from hand-xeroxed zines to full-fledged, full-sized comic books. Shortly after its debut at San Diego Comic-Con, Diamond Distributors accepted the series into their ordering catalogue, Previews. Grace’s work on the series was met with admiration from bloggers and reviewers alike, and has since taken on several projects for multiple anthologies due in late 2008.

To his parents’ delight, he graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz, receiving an undergraduate degree in Literature, with an emphasis on Creative Writing.

Sina Grace recently self-published an illustrated novel about a sorcerer sleuth in Orange County, aptly titled Cedric Hollows in Dial M for Magic, and continues full-time art duties on S. Steven Struble’s webcomic, The Li’l Depressed Boy.

His next project will be providing illustrations for Amber Benson’s novel, Among the Ghosts through Aladdin Books, due Summer 2010.

RECENT PRISM COMICS FEATURES

PRISM REVEALS THE GAY AGENDA FOR COMIC-CON 2010! HOWARD CRUSE, PANELS, SUPERHERO PARTY, MORE BOOTH SPACE AND MORE LGBT CREATORS THAN EVER
[News, Posted 7/14/10]
Prism Comics, a nonprofit supporting LGBT comics, creators, and readers, has unveiled its slate of activities for San Diego Comic-Con International 2010, one of the world’s largest pop-culture gatherings, at the San Diego Convention Center from Wednesday, July 21st through Sunday, July 25th. Prism will host four jam-packed panels including Andy Mangels' legendary “Gays in Comics” panel, the 6th annual “Heroes vs. Villains” party, appearances by Howard Cruse (Stuck Rubber Baby) and the largest roster of LGBT Creators ever at its expanded booth, now filling three exhibit spaces (#2049/2146/2148). All the details are available in The Gay Agenda, Prism’s guide to everything LGBT at Comic-Con, which can be picked up at the Prism booth or downloaded in PDF format.

STAN'S SOAPBOX: HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE!
[Queer Eye on Comics, Posted 11/8/09]
Stan’s Soapbox Hey True Believers! It’s David “Stan”-ley here, you ever lovin’ Editor-In-Chief of “Queer Eye on Comics” with the first Spectacular LGBT Comics Holiday Gift-Giving Guide ever to come out of Prism's House of Ideas with only the latest and greatest recommendations from Yours Truly! What, you say? You have it all and besides, only Irving Forbush shops this early? Bah-Humbug! In the past year, we’ve been clobbered with lotsa new product you haveta get! Roberto…

WONDER WOMAN DAY IV: OCTOBER 25TH ALL-AGES EVENTS BENEFIT OREGON AND NEW JERSEY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PREVENTION AGENCIES
[News, Posted 10/19/09]
Portland, OR - Debuting in American comic books during World War II, super-heroic star Wonder Woman is one of the most recognizable female icons in the world, thanks to almost seventy years of published adventures and a popular television series in the 1970s that became an international phenomonon. Now, for the fourth year in a row, the fictional heroine brandishes her Amazon bracelets and golden lasso as a star-spangled symbol of a charity benefit for three of Portland's outstanding domestic…

GO APE WITH PRISM COMICS! PRISM APPEARS OCTOBER 17-18 AT SAN FRANCISCO’S ALTERNATIVE PRESS EXPO! UPDATED!
[News, Posted 10/15/09]
Join Prism Comics this weekend at the Alternate Press Expo (APE) in San Francisco! Expanding its presence this year with two tables, Prism will feature creator signings throughout the weekend along with hosting the “Queer Cartoonists Panel”, moderated by Justin Hall. APE will be held at The Concourse, 620 7th Street, in San Francisco, California.

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. …

RECENT OFFSITE FEATURES

GAY COMIC-CON 2010
[Source: Gay and Lesbian Times, Added: 7/22/10]
Prism Comics will be at Comic Con 2010 with nearly a dozen major comic creators attending for panels, meet and greets, creator signings and portfolio review.

WONDERCON WRAP-UP: SATURDAY & SUNDAY
[Source: Northwest Comics, Added: 4/6/10]
As always happens, I took fewer pictures as the weekend wore on, because I got busier and busier and tireder and tireder. But I’ve got a lot of fun stories and a few snaps to share.