Bob has been a comic book fan since elementary school and that will never change. After graduating with a BFA in illustration at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth in 1990, Bob advanced to the professional status of an ink artist in ’92 cutting his teeth on WARLOCK & THE INFINITY WATCH for two years for Marvel Comics. This led to an unbroken stint with Marvel for the next ten years, culminating with his three year run with Priest and Sal Velluto on the critically-acclaimed BLACK PANTHER series, leading to his winning of two Squiddies awards and an Ooks award for ‘Best/Favorite inker’. With projects at numerous publishers over the years like DC, Malibu, Wildstorm, Penny-Farthing Press, Acclaim, Harris, A First Salvo, Valiant Entertainment, IDW and Guardian Media among others, Bob returned to Marvel in 2007 for ANNIHILATION: CONQUEST-QUASAR and in 2011 for HEROES FOR HIRE. He recently worked for Ravesnake Comics from 2013-2015, embellishing two series yet to be officially announced and released. He also started a new relationship with Kingstone Media in late 2015 to present. In the last few years Bob had noticed that the credit usually designated to inkers was not as prevalent as it used to be and with the craft often misunderstood to begin with, especially with the onset of ‘digital inking’ he began writing his ‘Inkblots’ column in SKETCH MAGAZINE in 2007 in order to educate, discuss shop talk, and share his career experiences and the history of the medium. This column continued at First Comics News until 2010.
This ultimately led to the formation of The Inkwell Awards in 2008 in his column which subsequently sprouted into what you see here today thanks especially to founding core committee members SKETCH editor Bill Nichols, Tim Townsend, Jimmy Tournas, and Daniel Best, the invaluable support of Adam Hughes and Mike Marts, as well as a legion of contributors and ink artists Bob is proud to know and associate with.
Bob lives in New Bedford, MA with his wife Diane, son Nathan, foster son, Chihuahua sisters Taco & Belle and Maine Coon cat BJ.
You can visit Bob at his website The Bob Almond Inkwell (partially why the name ‘Inkwell’ Awards came about) at www.almondink.com.
Born/raised in metro Detroit, Mike began drawing Batman on the backs of his kindergarten papers at age four and became addicted to Jack Kirby and other great artists’ work soon after. He attended the Kubert School at 17 where he learned the foundations of inking from instructor Ben Ruiz, and drooled over the ink work of Hal Foster, Alex Raymond and Joe Kubert from originals on the school’s walls. Later, Mike earned a suitable-for-framing BFA in Art Direction from Detroit’s College for Creative Studies. He then lost his way as an award-winning advertising art director/copywriter for 15 years where his work was seen in by tens of millions of consumers who had no idea who he was. This soon led to writing, drawing and publishing his own comics such as Bru-Hed™ and Nasti: Monster Hunter™. He’s currently a married freelance storyboardist/writer/artist in central CA. Mike creates a weekly online football strip, Game BUZZ™ (http://gamebuzzcomic.com/) and blogs weekly (but not weakly) on all things artistic at WednesdaysHeroes.com (http://tinyurl.com/blogapw), where commissions are also available.
Since discovering comics at the age of fourteen (Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 2 #2) Rhys has been hooked and whilst not always keeping up with storylines still loves the colourful vibrant characters that comics give us. In adult years he has started building his collection of art and signatures relating to comics with his most precious pieces being Joe Simon artwork (non comic) and a Tony Daniels page inked by Sandu Florea.
FORMER COMMITTEE MEMBERS
CHARLES EDWARD SELLNER
(February 2017-June 2017)
Fundraising: Auctioneer, Assistant Director since 6/12, Nomination Committee Assist & Recruitment
JOHN DIXON
(November 2015 – May 2016)
Advertising, Inker Resources & Database: Nomination Committee Assist & Recruitment
MICHAEL W. KELLAR
(June 2011 – May 2015)
Fundraising: Auctioneer, Assistant Director since 6/12, Former Inker Database and Small Press & Indie Liaison
ERICK KORPI
(July 2013 – April 2015)
Fundraising: Dave Simons Inkwell Memorial Scholarship Fund, Sinnott Inking Spotlight Challenge (Original Art Advisor, Ms. Inkwell Model Liaison: New England (2011, 2013), Former Ballot Validations (2014)
JOE GOULART
(January 2013 – September 2014)
Administrative Assistant (Conventions, Ms. Inkwell Model Liaison: New England (2013), Fundraising) Dropped down to volunteer position (late 2014-present)
SARAH L. COVERT
(November 2011 – August 2013)
‘Techno-Queen’, Present Website Design
JIM TOURNAS
(January 2008 – July 2013)
Founding Committee Member, Senior Committee Member 2012-2013, dropped down to Senior Contributor position
SUE SOARES
(October 2012)
STACEY ARAGON
(November 2011 – June 2012)
DANIEL BEST
(January 2008 – November 2011)
Founding Committee Member, dropped down to Senior Contributor position until Feb. 2015)
NATHAN MASSENGILL
(July 2009-August 2011)
BOB SHAW
(November 2008-June 2011) Returned as a Senior Contributor (Accounting) 11/13-present
KRIS FENOL
(December 2010-March 2011)
DAVE SIMONS
(December 2008- June 2009)
Committee Member Emeritus
Ad Infinitum (Deceased)
BILL NICHOLS
(January 2008- August 2008)
Founding Committee Member
TIM TOWNSEND
(January 2008- July 2008)
Founding Committee Member