The Puppet, the Professor and the Prophet

Eisner Award winner J. M. DeMatteis was a professional musician and rock music journalist before entering the comic book field, where he worked on such flagship Marvel and DC characters as Superman, Spider-Man, Batman, Silver Surfer, and the Justice League. DeMatteis's Brooklyn Dreams, a graphic novel for adults, was praised as "a classic of the form" by Booklist in a starred review. DeMatteis, who also writes for television and film, lives with his family in upstate New York.

Mike Ploog has had a wide and varied career. After spending ten years in the Marine Corps, he honed his craft as the assistant to the late Will Eisner at PS magazine. Ploog began drawing for Marvel, where was involved in many of their best-known titles, and where he created the cult favorite Man-Thing. He was a storyboard artist on the original Scooby Doo; on The Planet of the Apes; The Dark Crystal; Labyrinth; Shrek; and many other major motion pictures. Mike Ploog lives with his family in Devonshire, England.