About

Shawn Martinbrough is the author of “How to Draw Noir Comics: The Art and Technique of Visual Storytelling” by Penguin Random House and an Eisner Award nominated artist whose comic book projects include; “Batman: Detective Comics”, “DMZ”, “Luke Cage Noir”, “The Black Panther: Man Without Fear” and “Hellboy”.

Characters co-created by Shawn are featured in, “Zack Snyder’s Justice League”, “Deadpool”, “Batman: Gotham Knights” and the television series; “GOTHAM”, “The GIFTED” and “BATWOMAN”.

Shawn is the artist of “Thief of Thieves”, the graphic novel series co-created with Robert Kirkman (“The Walking Dead”, “INVINCIBLE”) and the Eisner award nominated “Prométhée 13:13”  published by comiXology / Delcourt-Soleil / ABLAZE.

Shawn is a Vanity Fair contributor and the writer of “Red Hood” for DC Comics. His two part story revisited the Gotham City neighborhood of “The Hill”, which he co-created and introduced new characters to the Batman Universe. Shawn has written the six part sequel “Red Hood : The Hill”, which is scheduled for February 2024.

Shawn is a co-author of “Judge Kim and the Kids’ Court”, a new children’s book series from Simon & Schuster and is the artist of “Like Lava in My Veins”, the new bestselling kids’ book with award winning author Derrick D. Barnes for Nancy Paulsen Books/Penguin Random House. “Like Lava in My Veins” is a USA Today bestseller, and featured on NPR’s 2023 “Books We Love” and Kirkus Review’s “Best Picture Books of 2023” lists.

Shawn is currently writing and illustrating creator owned graphic novels for Megascope /Abrams Books and Image Comics.

An original thriller written by Shawn has been optioned by AGC Studios.

Shawn created storyboards and key art for Netflix’s “Blood Brothers” documentary, executive produced by Kenya Barris and for “Mike Tyson: The Knockout” by Oscar-winning screenwriter, Executive Producer Geoffrey Fletcher and ABC News.

Original art by Shawn has been showcased at the prestigious Society of Illustrators in New York. His “Storyteller” exhibition featured works published by DC Comics, Marvel, Skybound/Image, Dark Horse and others. Shawn also developed and co-curated “The Artist Experience: From Brotherman to Batman” exhibition for the Society of Illustrators with journalist and writer, Karama Horne. The show featured a select group of prominent Black comic book artists and explored their unique creative processes.

In 2022, Shawn served as a judge for the D&AD (British Design & Art Direction) Book Design awards and was a recipient of an ADCOLOR Legend award.

Shawn has been a featured guest and panelist at comic conventions in San Diego, New York, Washington, D.C., London, Paris, São Paulo, Rome, Algiers and Poland.

Shawn has given lectures about his career at Walt Disney Animation, Lockheed Martin, The Pentagon, TEDx Mid Atlantic, The International Spy Museum, The California African American Museum, The Schomberg Center for Research in Black Culture, The Society of Illustrators, Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art, Columbia University, Fashion Institute of Technology, Savannah College of Art & Design, The University of Michigan and Temple University.

Inspired by Shawn’s TEDx Talk, which explored storytelling and themes of inclusion, The George Lucas Foundation consulted with Shawn to develop the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art Summer Studio. Co-hosted by the Boys and Girls Club in South Central Los Angeles, Shawn worked with a team of artists and educators to provide an intensive two week workshop culminating with each student creating their own mini comic book. 

Shawn is a member and serves on the Membership Committee of the Society of Illustrators. He is also an advisor to the Hip Hop Education Center.

Shawn is an alum of the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art/Performing Arts and The School of Visual Arts.

He currently draws and writes in the Washington, D.C. metro area.

@smartinbrough

Photos by Joy Asico and Eli Kaplan.