MICHAEL RUSSELL (writer) is the thirtysomething editor of two community newspapers, one of which covers events in Milwaukie, Oregon -- home to Dark Horse Comics, publisher of the "Star Wars" graphic novels. This may or may not have sparked Mr. Russell's idea to write a "Jaxxon" comic book. These facts are known about Mr. Russell, and all of them are true: (1) Mr. Russell did not discover the magic of comic books until he went to college. (2) He wrote and drew a comic strip called "Hudson Van Curen" for two University of Oregon newspapers; only the second year of this comic is even remotely worth reading. (3) He is a not-terrible comic illustrator in his own right, and has contributed stories to "Oddjob" and the horror anthology "Sick Smiles," and illustrated Greg Dorr's mildly wicked "children's book" "Santa's Lil' Gimp," which can be viewed on Mr. Dorr's Web site, Dorrk.com. (4) He is a two-time winner of the honorarium "Mr. Tingle." Don?t ask. (5) He collaborates with Mr. Stroup on the two aforementioned community newspapers. (6) He once tackled a man in a supermarket.

Born in a depressed area of Baltimore that must, for legal reasons, remain undisclosed, DAVID STROUP (artist) has been scratching vaguely humorous "cartoons" on any available surface since he was old enough to realize he was incapable of producing art that actually looks like his subjects. After his family fled to the failed western colony of "Hawaii," he grew up under a series of assumed identities while desperately avoiding the sunshine and physical activities which the tropics are unfortunately prone to. Constitutionally unsuited to honest work, Stroup has supported himself and a small group of followers known euphemistically as his "family" (wife Barbara, son Merlin and daughter Phoenix) by resorting to brutal, random acts of journalism at various Pacific Rim newspapers and radio stations.

You can contact the creators by emailing jaxxon at theforce dot net.

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