Kei Zama is a comic book creator from Japan who has contributed to a number of Star Wars projects for Marvel Comics as both an illustrator and a cover artist. These projects include War of the Bounty Hunters – 4-LOM & Zuckuss 1, Life Day 1, and Doctor Aphra (2020) 21. They are fond of the prequel trilogy movies and valued the chance to illustrate characters from the 1999 prequel trilogy film Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace for the Pride Month variant cover of Darth Vader (2020) 24.
Kei Zama is a comic book artist of Japanese origin. They are a devotee of Star Wars, particularly the prequel trilogy films. Zama's preferred female Star Wars character is the Mandalorian Bo-Katan Kryze, which shows their desire to one day draw her or some clone troopers for a project. They also collect Star Wars: The Black Series action figures, with many being characters from the prequel era.
Zama did the pencils and inks for War of the Bounty Hunters – 4-LOM & Zuckuss 1, a one-shot comic issue that was part of the Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters crossover event, which included issues from the Star Wars: Bounty Hunters, Star Wars: Darth Vader, Star Wars: Doctor Aphra, and Star Wars comic book series. Daniel José Older wrote the issue, and Marvel Comics published it on August 4, 2021. The artist especially enjoyed drawing the bounty hunters 4-LOM and Zuckuss for the cover. Zama also illustrated "Gift of Light," the third story featured in the one-shot comic Life Day 1, which Jody Houser wrote. Marvel Comics released it on November 24, 2021, after it was announced the week prior that they would be the story's artist.
The artist created a variant cover, as a Japanese creator, for the twenty-first issue of the Star Wars: Doctor Aphra comic book series, which was written by Alyssa Wong and put out by Marvel Comics. It was first revealed that they were working on the cover on February 16, 2022, in a StarWars.com preview, and the issue was released on June 29 of that year. Rachelle Rosenberg colored Zama's linework for the piece. The artist also drew a Pride Month variant cover for the twenty-fourth issue of the Star Wars: Darth Vader comic book series, an issue written by Greg Pak and released by Marvel Comics on the same day. Rosenberg colored the artist's line work for the cover, and a StarWars.com preview initially announced them as the cover's artist on March 15, 2022. They were grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the project for Pride Month, particularly enjoying the experience of drawing characters from the 1999 prequel trilogy film Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace, including the Naboo Sabé, Saché, and Yané. On May 4, 2023, they considered War of the Bounty Hunters – 4-LOM & Zuckuss 1 to be their favorite out of the Star Wars covers they had illustrated up to that point.
- The War of the Bounty Hunters Continues in Marvel's August 2021 Star Wars Comics – Exclusive on StarWars.com (backup link)
- A Deadly Duo Rises in Marvel's Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters: 4-LOM & Zuckuss #1 – Exclusive Preview on StarWars.com (backup link)
- War of the Bounty Hunters – 4-LOM & Zuckuss 1
- " Launchpad " — Star Wars Insider 204
- Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters Companion
- Han Solo Gets into the Holiday Spirit in Marvel's Star Wars: Life Day #1 – Exclusive Preview on StarWars.com (backup link)
- Life Day 1
- A Tale from Obi-Wan's Youngling Days and More from Marvel's May 2022 Star Wars Comics – Exclusive Preview on StarWars.com (backup link)
- Krrsantan Attacks in Han Solo & Chewbacca and More from Marvel's June 2022 Star Wars Comics – Exclusive on StarWars.com (backup link)
- Marvel and Lucasfilm Celebrate Pride Month with Special Star Wars Covers on StarWars.com (backup link)
- Darth Vader (2020) 24
- Doctor Aphra (2020) 21
- Star Wars: Han Solo & Chewbacca Vol. 1 — The Crystal Run Part One
- Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters Omnibus
- Star Wars: Doctor Aphra Vol. 5 — The Spark Eternal
- Star Wars: Darth Vader Vol. 5 — The Shadow's Shadow
- Star Wars: Doctor Aphra Omnibus Vol. 2
- Official website (backup link)
- Kei Zama (@kei_zama) on Instagram (backup link)
- Kei Zama (@kei.zama) on TikTok (backup link)
- ripping headaches on Tumblr (backup link)
- Kei Zama on Goodreads' official website (backup link)
- Kei Zama on Marvel Comics' official website (backup link)
- Kei Zama on Penguin Random House's official website (backup link)
- Kei Zama at the Internet Movie Database