2026 Special Guest- Neil Hansen

May 19
2 min read

Updated: May 27

Please welcome Neil Hansen to Kelowna ComiCon 2026!!

About Neil Hansen

"It’s so difficult for younger artists to meet published pros who will take the time to look at their work and give constructive critique. Not to say ‘good’ or ‘bad’, but simply to provide real-world comments

that help you improve.

Before I broke into comics, we young wannabees were hungry, starving, to find actual comic pros who would look at our work and make helpful comments. In those days we mailed off photocopy samples, and waited weeks for return mail… if it ever came. We’d go to conventions and hope some pro artist

would take the time to look at our work and give us pointers. No internet in those days, so no emailing in samples.

After I became a working pro myself, I remembered how hard it was to find help with my art; so I taught comic book drawing classes in various cities (including one in Kelowna, back in 1996). At conventions, I would sit at the Marvel and First tables (companies I worked for) and critique young artists who brought in samples. I love to help that way.

I had a short but meteoric career in comics in the 1980s and 1990s. I self published my own indie, Icon Devil. I wrote and drew dozens of books for Marvel and First, and other smaller companies, on titles such as Punisher, Conan, Turok, Whisper, Badger and more. I wrote and drew my creator-owned short series called Untamed, with Marvel. Then I left comics. But comics didn’t leave me! During my last year of working in comics, Marvel offered me to be regular artist on two of their top five books at that time, Wolverine and Punisher. I was leaving, so I turned those down. James Cameron (the movie guy) chose me to draw the comic adaptation of one of his upcoming movies. I turned that down, too. Marvel offered me the fun and lucrative position of ‘new character development’, I turned that down too. And I’ve had offers to draw and write every year since I left comics.

So, though I have left comics as a career… comics still hang on to me, and it’s a love story I

keep participating in, a little. I love comics so much!

If you want to talk about how the comic industry was back in my day, or have me give you helpful pointers on your drawings, welcome to pop by my table. Everything’s free, I do not charge for my critiques or signatures. I look forward to meeting you!"

"Here is a nifty video of my book Untamed, and of my comics career. Created by Steven Bagatourian, a film and TV writer, and Chris Derrick, who you may recognize as a writer for Star Trek: Picard episodes,

and The Equalizer episodes. A fan of mine tipped me about this YouTube video, I hadn’t known about it."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ru5g8H0dEiA&t=288s&authuser=0