Ryan Dunlavey is a comic book author
and illustrator based
in New York City

I am currently available for freelance comics and illustration work! I am also available for school/classroom visits, book signings, comic cons and other events both virtual and in-person, schedule permitting. Let's talk and see if I'm the right person for your project. Email me anytime at ryan@ryand.art

Author representation by Jason Yarn Literary Agency.

portrait of artist Ryan Dunlavey
portrait of artist Ryan Dunlavey

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Biography

Ryan Dunlavey (he/him) is an illustrator, designer and cartoonist with three decades of professional creative experience.

He is the artist of multiple non-fiction graphic novels including Action Philosophers, the Action Presidents series, The Comic Book History of Animation, The Comic Book History of Comics and Action Activists - all co-authored with writer Fred Van Lente. Ryan's other comics include Dirt Candy: A Cookbook with chef Amanda Cohen and writer Grady Hendrix, The Illustrated Al with "Weird" Al Yankovic, Growing Up Farley with Kevin Farley and Frank Marraffino, M.O.D.O.K. for Marvel Comics (which he also wrote) and comics for Dark Horse, Dynamite, IDW, Marvel, Webtoon and Z2.

Ryan's artwork has been published by HarperCollins, Penguin, Scholastic, Taschen, Random House and MAD magazine. He's applied his talents to editorial illustration, advertising, apparel graphics, educational software development, game design and film and television productions. Ryan's diverse clientele list includes Disney, Warner Bros, Hasbro, Comedy Central, The Gates Foundation, Nickelodeon, World Wrestling Entertainment, The New York City Department of Education and his mom.

Ryan grew up in Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia and Hong Kong and has been an avid artist his entire life. He is an alumni of Syracuse University's School of Visual and Perfroming Arts (BFA in Illustration, 1993) and studied animation at New York City's School of Visual Arts. After college Ryan worked in graphic design for a decade before embarking on a full-time freelance creative career in 2003.

Ryan is fully posable (accessories sold separately) but will only be available on this planet for a limited time, so act now!

Awards and Honors

FINALIST - 2024 'Ringo Award (Best Humor Comic) for Action Philosophers: Omnipotence For Dummies

WINNER - 2023 ‘Ringo Award (Best Anthology) for The Illustrated Al

FINALIST - 2023 Eisner Award (Best Anthology) for The Illustrated Al

WINNER - 2021 Teddy Roosevelt Association Children’s Book Award for Action Presidents: Theodore Roosevelt

FINALIST - 2021 Excellence In Graphic Literature Award for the Action Presidents series

FINALIST - 2021 'Ringo Award (Best Non-Fiction Work) for The Comic Book History of Animation

WINNER - 2007 ALA Great Graphic Novels For Teens for Action Philosophers

Upcoming Events

Emerald City Comic-Con

March 5-8, 2026 get tickets
Seattle Convention Center

FanFaire NYC

April 25-26, 2026 website
High School of Art & Design, NYC