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Jim Demonakos

{{short description|American graphic novelist, director and musician (born 1977)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2022}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Jim Demonakos

| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1977}}

| birthname = James Demonakos

| occupation = Film Director, Writer, & Convention Organizer

| notable works = The Silence Of Our Friends, Emerald City Comic Con, Mike Mignola: Drawing Monsters

}}

Jim Demonakos (born 1977) is an American director, graphic novelist, and event organizer noted for his work in comic books, conventions, and documentary films. He is most often noted as the founder of Emerald City Comic Con and LightBox Expo, as well as the director and producer of the award-winning documentary film, Mike Mignola: Drawing Monsters.

Early life

The child of Greek immigrants, Demonakos was born in Montana and moved to Seattle, WA when he was six years old. He grew up in the food service world, working from his early teens in his parents' restaurants. After graduating high school, he enrolled at The University of Washington, and then transferred to The Art Institute of Seattle, where he graduated with a degree in computer animation.

Career

Jim opened his first comic book store, The Comic Stop, in March 2000, followed by a second store in 2002. Eventually the stores expanded{{Cite web |date=2009-02-06 |title=Comic Stop expands comic book store chain in Seattle area |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/business/local-business/comic-stop-expands-comic-book-store-chain-in-seattle-area/ |access-date=2024-03-13 |website=The Seattle Times |language=en-US}} to a total of four locations, making The Comic Stop the largest chain of comic book shops in the Pacific Northwest. He also served as PR & Marketing Coordinator for Image Comics from 2005-2006.{{Cite web |title=The Comics Reporter |url=https://www.comicsreporter.com/index.php/jim_demonakos_leaves_image_comics_joachim_regout_leave_slots_at_glenat |access-date=2024-03-15 |website=www.comicsreporter.com}}

He founded Seattle's Emerald City Comic Con{{cite web |last=Dyer |first=Oxley |date=March 12, 2018 |title=The PNW's reemerging geekonomy |url=https://www.kuow.org/stories/the-reemerging-geekonomy-today-so-far |access-date=July 21, 2022 |work=Cartoon Brew}} (ECCC) as a one-day event in 2003, with an attendance of 3,000 people.{{cite news |last=McInnis |first=Andrea |date=March 29, 2007 |title=Look! Up in Seattle! It's a comics convention |url=https://www.heraldnet.com/life/look-up-in-seattle-its-a-comics-convention/ |work=The Everett Herald |access-date=March 12, 2020}}{{cite web |last=Dyer |first=Oxley |title=The PNW's reemerging geekonomy |date=March 12, 2018 |url= https://www.kuow.org/stories/the-reemerging-geekonomy-today-so-far |work=Cartoon Brew |access-date=July 21, 2022}} He then spent over a decade growing and developing ECCC into the largest independent comic convention in the United States. Emerald City Comic Con was acquired by ReedPOP (RELX) in 2015{{cite web |last=Reed |first=Patrick |date=January 13, 2015 |title=Emerald City Comicon Joins The ReedPOP Family Of Conventions |url=https://comicsalliance.com/emerald-city-comicon-reedpop-acquisitn-interview-demonakos-fensterman/ |access-date=January 13, 2015 |work=Comics Alliance}} and Demonakos ceased being involved in the event as of 2017.{{Cite web |last=MacDonald |first=Heidi |date=2017-04-25 |title=Jim Demonakos to leave ReedPop |url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/jim-demonakos-to-leave-reedpop/ |access-date=2024-03-13 |website=The Beat |language=en-US}}

Alongside Mark Long, he wrote the New York Times Best Selling graphic novel, [https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250164988/thesilenceofourfriends The Silence of Our Friends],{{cite web |last=Wolk |first=Douglas |date=March 12, 2018 |title=ynda-barrys-blabber-blabber-blabber-and-more |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/15/books/review/lynda-barrys-blabber-blabber-blabber-and-more.html |access-date=April 13, 2012 |work=New York Times}} which was illustrated by National Book Award winner Nate Powell.{{cite news |last=Williams |first=Erin |date=February 22, 2022 |title=Giving a voice to "The Silence of our Friends" |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/therootdc/post/giving-a-voice-to-the-silence-of-our-friends/2012/02/21/gIQAOX9RTR_blog.html |access-date=February 10, 2012 |newspaper=Washington Post}} The graphic novel was awarded a Great Graphic Novel for Teens{{Cite web |title=The Silence of Our Friends {{!}} Awards & Grants |url=https://www.ala.org/awardsgrants/silence-our-friends |access-date=2024-03-20 |website=www.ala.org}} by YALSA.

Jim is a founding member of the pioneering nerd rock band Kirby Krackle,{{cite magazine |last=Selinker |first=Mike |date=January 8, 2013 |title=Geek Love: Kirby Krackle, The Doubleclicks, and the soul of nerd rock |url=https://www.wired.com/2013/08/geek-love-kirby-krackle-the-doubleclicks-and-the-soul-of-nerd-rock/ |magazine=Wired |accessdate=2015-03-24}}{{cite web |date=May 12, 2020 |title=Raise the Roof! 15 songs inspired by Superman, Hulk, and other comic book heroes |url=https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/raise-the-roof-15-songs-inspired-by-superman-hulk-and-other-comic-book-heroes}} where he was the songwriter and lyricist from the bands start in 2009 until 2014, when he left the band.{{Cite web |title=Business 3x3: Jim Demonakos, Currently Enjoying Life |url=https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/38927/business-3x3-jim-demonakos-currently-enjoying-life |access-date=2024-03-13 |website=icv2.com |language=en}}

He launched a successful Kickstarter campaign to bring back The Classic Comic Book Spinner Rack,{{Cite web |last=Comments |first=Jude Terror {{!}} |date=2018-04-04 |title=Emerald City Comic Con Founder Launches Spinner Rack to Compete with Diamond on Kickstarter |url=https://bleedingcool.com/comics/eccc-founder-launches-spinner-rack/ |access-date=2024-03-15 |website=bleedingcool.com |language=en}} including creating a variant which was specially designed to hold Certified Guaranty Company (CGC) graded comic books, which he manufactured and distributed from 2018 to 2021.

Demonakos co-founded [https://lightboxexpo.com/ LightBox Expo]{{cite web |last=Windsor |first=Harry |date=March 12, 2018 |title=Lightbox Expo (2022) |url=https://screenrant.com/lightbox-expo-2022-pasadena-program-panels-guests/ |access-date=November 10, 2019 |work=Screen Rant}}{{cite web |last=LANG |first=JAMIE |date=March 12, 2018 |title=Lightbox Expo Returns To Pasadena With More Than 500 Confirmed Guests And 150 Panels |url=https://www.cartoonbrew.com/events/lightbox-expo-2022-concept-art-awards-221675.html |access-date=September 9, 2022 |work=Cartoon Brew}} which debuted in 2019{{cite web |last=Windsor |first=Harry |title=Lightbox Expo (2022) |date=March 12, 2018 |url= https://screenrant.com/lightbox-expo-2022-pasadena-program-panels-guests/ |work=Screen Rant |access-date=November 10, 2019}} and has already become a must-attend event among animation, illustration and concept art creators and fans.

Most recently, he produced and directed{{cite web |last=COUCH |first=AARON |date=March 12, 2018 |title=Documentary on 'Hellboy' Creator Mike Mignola in the Works (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/documentary-on-hellboy-creator-mike-mignola-in-the-works-exclusive-4139650/ |access-date=March 1, 2021 |work=Hollywood Reporter}} (alongside Kevin Konrad Hanna) Mike Mignola: Drawing Monsters, an award-winning feature-length documentary about Mike Mignola and the creation of his comic book universe centered around Hellboy.{{cite news |last=Muir |first=Nathaniel |title=[CFF '22] 'Mike Mignola: Drawing Monsters (The Secret Origin of Hellboy)' review |date=June 29, 2022 |url= https://aiptcomics.com/2022/06/29/cff-mike-mignola-drawing-monsters/ |newspaper=Washington Post |access-date=June 29, 2022}}

Filmography

Bibliography

Awards

References

{{reflist}}

External links

{{Portal|Biography}}

  • [https://lightboxexpo.com/ LightBox Expo]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Demonakos, Jim}}

Category:American cartoonists

Category:1977 births

Category:American graphic novelists

Category:American male novelists

Category:Living people

Category:Artists from Seattle

Category:Filmmakers from Seattle

Category:Musicians from Seattle

Category:Writers from Seattle