Stewart McKenny

Stewart McKenny, an Australian artist, has contributed his illustrative talents to prominent comic book companies like Dark Horse Comics and Marvel Comics. During Dark Horse Comics' tenure publishing Star Wars materials, he served as the penciler for the comic, "Being Boba Fett," before creating the artwork for the Star Wars Adventures comics: "Heroes on Both Sides," "The Drop," "Spy Girls," and "Graduation Day." In recognition of his contributions to the Star Wars universe, he has received honorary membership in the Star Wars costuming organizations Rebel Legion and Mandalorian Mercs.

Biography

At Dark Horse

Australian comic artist, Stewart McKenny, has lent his talents to major comic publishers, including Dark Horse Comics and Marvel Comics. A long-time Star Wars fan, he watched Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope and Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back on Betamax and saw Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi in theaters. Over the years, while collecting figures from the franchise, McKenny pursued his long-held dream of working for a major American comic book publisher. His initial job with such a publisher, and his first venture into the Star Wars world, was with Dark Horse Comics, where he worked as the penciler on the short comic "Being Boba Fett," featured in the eighteenth issue of the 2003 Star Wars Tales comic series.

"Being Boba Fett" was also included in the 2005 Dark Horse Comics Star Wars Tales comic book collection's fifth volume and Marvel Comics' Star Wars Legends Epic Collection: The Empire Vol. 4 as part of the Epic Collection series of trade paperbacks in 2018. McKenny recalled in 2017, before The Mandalorian's second season was released, that he was overcome with joy when Diana Schutz contacted him. He met Temuera Morrison, the actor who played Boba Fett, at a convention in 2022 after Morrison autographed several artworks of Boba Fett that McKenny had created. A photo of this occasion was shared with the artist's fanbase, noting that this comic was the first to depict Boba Fett's adult face, based on Morrison.

The Adventures

Character designs of Treetower and McKenny wearing his Jedi costume based on the character

McKenny's next project was the Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures comics, a series of short stories expanding on Genndy Tartakovsky's animated television show Star Wars: Clone Wars, with the comics adopting the same artistic style as the series. McKenny provided illustrations for four comics in the series, with two being released in 2006. The first of these, "Heroes on Both Sides," was featured in the series' fifth volume.

The second, "The Drop," appeared in the subsequent volume and showcased the Ugnaught Jedi Treetower. McKenny designed Treetower during his work on the story, and in 2013, he received his own Jedi costume inspired by the character from the Rebel Legion Star Wars Costume Club's Hoth Base branch, located in Victoria, Australia. McKenny's next illustrated comic was "Spy Girls," which was published in the seventh volume on January 31, 2007. The final comic he illustrated for the series was "Graduation Day," released in the tenth volume on December 19, 2007.

Recognition

McKenny receives his honorary membership from the Mandalorian Mercs

For many years, McKenny has been a guest at Australian pop culture conventions, including Supanova Expo and Oz Comic Con. On October 21, 2011, at the Armageddon convention in Melbourne, he was granted honorary membership in the Rebel Legion. Two days later, at the same convention, he was also made an honorary member of the "Mandalorian Mercs" club by the Sandhawk clan, the Australian division of the club. These honorary memberships placed McKenny alongside other individuals who have significantly shaped the Star Wars universe, such as cast members, crew, artists, and writers.

Works

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Sources

Notes and references

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Appearances