Tracy Yardley
{{short description|American comic book artist (born 1979)}}
{{Infobox comics creator
| image = Atlanta Comic Con 2018 - Tracy Yardley.jpg
| imagesize =
| caption = Yardley in 2018
| birth_name = Tracy Yardley
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1979|7|19|mf=yes}}
| birth_place = Southern Illinois, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| area = Penciler, Inker, Writer, Colorist
| alias =
| notable works = Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic Universe
Mega Man
| awards =
}}
Tracy Yardley (born July 19, 1979, in Southern Illinois) is an American comic book artist best known for his work with the Sonic the Hedgehog comics, originally published by Archie Comics.
Career
= Sonic the Hedgehog comics =
Yardley has been greatly interested in comics for most of his life, as well as the Sonic the Hedgehog video game series. He grew up reading the earliest issues of Archie Comics' officially licensed Sonic the Hedgehog comic book series. He professionally spells his name with an "!" at the end as a tribute to Scott Shaw, who also spelled his name the same way. Scott Shaw was one of the first artists who worked on Archie Comics' Sonic the Hedgehog series.[http://www.comicsbulletin.com/allages/11900964185465.htm] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080724020518/http://www.comicsbulletin.com/allages/11900964185465.htm |date=July 24, 2008 }}
Yardley worked mainly as a penciller on Archie Comics' Sonic the Hedgehog series from 2005 until Sega of America's termination of Archie Comics' license in 2017. Yardley also occasionally worked on the spin-off comic Sonic X, and served as the main artist for the side-series Sonic Universe. After IDW Publishing picked up the Sonic the Hedgehog license, the company confirmed Yardley as one of the pencillers for their own Sonic the Hedgehog comic book series, which started circulation in April 2018.
He and Ian Flynn collaborated closely on the Sonic the Hedgehog series during the Archie Comics years, sometimes himself writing script for the series. He has even inked and occasionally colored a few issues. The collaboration has continued for IDW Publishing's series.
= Other works =
Although Sega canceled their Sonic the Hedgehog comic series, Archie Comics brought back Yardley, alongside colleagues Ian Flynn and Matt Herms, to revive their Cosmo the Merry Martian intellectual property.{{cite news |last1=Couto |first1=Anthony |title=EXCL: Archie Comics' Sonic Team Reuniting on Cosmo Revival |url=https://www.cbr.com/excl-archie-comics-sonic-team-reuniting-on-cosmo-revival/ |work=CBR.com |date=September 20, 2017 |accessdate=February 17, 2018}} The first issue of Cosmo the Mighty Martian was released in January 2018.
Yardley worked as the main penciler/inker of an original manga-like series known as Riding Shotgun, published by Tokyopop.[http://www.tokyopop.com/product/1717] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080914025237/http://www.tokyopop.com/product/1717 |date=September 14, 2008 }} Riding Shotgun ended after two volumes, though Yardley still had ideas for a third volume.
One of Yardley's first known, original comics was a series known as Nate and Steve, on which he worked with three of his friends.[http://nateandsteve.com/creators.htm] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090523110354/http://nateandsteve.com/creators.htm |date=May 23, 2009 }}
Yardley has recently illustrated on a graphic novel starring Felix the Cat written by Mike Federali and Bob Frantz which was released in November 7, 2023 by Rocketship.{{cite web | url=https://rocketshipent.com/portfolio/felix-the-cat/ | title=Felix the Cat – Rocketship Entertainment }}
Bibliography
{{Expand list|date = April 2025}}
= Archie Comics =
- Cosmo (2018) #1-5
- Cosmo The Mighty Martian #1-5
- Jughead: The Hunger #10 (cover C)
- Jughead's Time Police #1 (cover E)
- Mega Man (Archie) #26
- Sonic Boom (Archie) #8
- Sonic the Hedgehog (Archie) #160-186, 189-193, 195-201, 208-209, 212, 217, 219, 225-229, 235-237, 249-250, 253-254, 256, 259, 262, 273, 287-290
- Sonic Universe #1-32, 33-36 (As writer and artist) 41-50, 52-53, 55-58 (As writer and artist), 63-75, 79-84
- Sonic X (Archie) #5-6, 10-11, 19, 23, 24 (As writer and artist), 25, 28-29 (As writer), 31, 32, 35 (cover)
= IDW Publishing =
- Sonic the Hedgehog'' (IDW) #1, 5-6, 9, 10, (cover B), 12, 20 (cover A), 23 (cover B), 31-32 (cover A), 40 (cover A), 42, 44, 54 (cover A), 58 (cover A), Annual 2020 (cover RI), 2022 (convention exclusive cover)
- Sonic the Hedgehog: Endless Summer (cover A and RI (10) and Layouts)
- Sonic the Hedgehog: Tails 30th Anniversary Special (cover A)
- Sonic The Hedgehog #1: 5th Anniversary Edition (five-page story: “Familiar Territory”)
- Sonic the Hedgehog 2: The Official Movie Pre-Quill ("The Secret Of My Distress" and "Mushroom With A View")
- Sonic the Hedgehog 30th Anniversary Special ("Seasons of Chaos") (p. 36, 60)
- Sonic the Hedgehog's 900th Adventure (cover A)
= Other publishers =
- Riding Shotgun #1-2 (Tokyopop)
- Felix the Cat (graphic novel) (Rocketship Entertainment)
- Hero Cats #14 (Action Lab, cover)
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Portal|Biography}}
- [http://yardley.deviantart.com/ Tracy Yardley!'s DeviantArt Page]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yardley, Tracy}}
Category:American comics artists
Category:Savannah College of Art and Design alumni
Category:People from Effingham County, Georgia
{{US-comics-artist-stub}}