Mark Smylie has worked as a writer, illustrator, editor, and publisher in comics for over a decade. His epic military fantasy graphic novel series,Artesia, was first published by Sirius beginning in 1999. He was nominated for the Russ Manning Award for Best Newcomer that year, and for an Eisner Award for Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition in 2001. Over the years his illustrations have appeared in game books from Wizards of the Coast, White Wolf, and most recently Kobold Press, and in collectible card games from AEG. He designed and illustrated a role-playing game based on Artesia that won the Origins Award for Role-Playing Game of 2006, three Indie RPG Awards, and was nominated for six ENnies. He founded Archaia in 2002 as a self-publishing home for his graphic novels, and still serves as the company's Chief Creative Officer.