Mark Todd

About the Artist

By Robert Newman Thursday January 21, 2016

Mark Todd is an illustrator, artist, author, and teacher who is based outside of Los Angeles. Todd urges young illustrators to “have a voice of your own,” and the range of his work reflects that attitude. His editorial illustration has appeared extensively in The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, GQ, and many other publications. He has illustrated children’s books, comics, zines, and with Esther Pearl Watson created the book Whatcha Mean, What’s a Zine? The Art of Making Zines and Mini-Comics. Todd has also created spectacular gallery work, much of it with a twisted (in a good way) psychedelic super hero comic book theme. [Editor’s note: See the piece pictured with this interview.]

Todd has a smart, energetic style that is influenced by equal parts folk art, Jack Kirby-era Marvel Comics, and the comix and graphics of the punk era. It’s all mixed together into a highly original and engaging style, that Todd uses to great effect on assignments ranging from portraits to comics to conceptual illustrations.