Laurenn McCubbin
Professional Summary:
Creative and knowledgeable graphic designer looking for a position in a team-based work atmosphere to develop and refine graphics, marketing materials, and visually appealing publications that resonate with viewers and potential customers. Over a decade of professional graphic design experience, from concept through production and marketing. Expert in the entire Adobe Suite, including InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop.
Work History:
Currently:
Freelance Editor, Illustrator, and Graphic Designer
Currently designing FML for Dark Horse Comics, both monthly issues and yearly trade paperbacks, from concept to production. Designed logo, credits pages, chapter break design and specialized backmatter design.
Designed multiple titles for the publishing group Milkfed Criminal Masterminds, including sales materials, monthly issues, and trade paperbacks, from concept to production. These titles included Bitch Planet, Pretty Deadly, ODY-C and Satellite Sam. Designed logos, credits pages, chapter break design, creation of specific project sales materials, and specialized backmatter design.
Designed and edited all three volumes of the book Moonstruck for Image Comics. Duties included proofreading, story development, creation of project sales materials, and tracking key performance indicators, along with designing logos, credits pages, chapter break designs and specialized backmatter designs.
Designed multiple trade paperbacks for Image Comics. These titles included Mother of Madness, SFSX, Bingo Love, and many others. Designed logos, credits pages, chapter break design, specialized backmatter design, along with specific online and print marketing materials.
Created both analog and digital illustrations for a variety of clients, including Marvel, DC, Image Comics, Dark Horse Comics, Random House and more.
Previously:
2013 - 2025
Chair, Associate Professor, Comics & Narrative Practice,
Columbus College of Art & Design, Columbus, OH
Instructed over 100 students a year in graphic design, with a focus on illustration and publishing. Students developed a mastery of Illustrator, InDesign, color management, and pre-press, with the final projects being sent to press at local offset print houses.
Developed classes in analog and digital lettering, instructing students in basic typography, poster design and the basics of hand lettering.
Designed curriculum for the Comics and Narrative Practice program, setting standard for graduation requirements at a four-year art college.
Educated students about the variety of opportunities in the publishing world, with a focus on project and time management, book design, editing and proofreading, along with basic and advanced design and illustration.
Research Assistant, Franklin Humanities Institute at Duke University, Durham, NC
Teaching Assistant, Duke University, Durham NC
Adjunct Professor, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV
Managing Editor, Shojo Beat magazine, Viz Publishing, San Francisco, CA
Designer, Image Comics, Berkeley CA
SKILLS:
Expert in entire Adobe Suite
Glyphs Font Editor (for font creation)
Logo Design
Illustration
Project Management Software (Asana, Workfront, Trello, Airtable)
Brainstorming
Attention to detail
Critical thinking
Data analysis
Multitasking
Planning
Reliability
Collaboration
Academic:
Responsible for creating the Comics and Narrative Practice program at CCAD, encompassing all curriculum design and revision, hiring and managing all full-time and adjunct faculty members, and writing the biannual program review and NASAD reports.
Previously, I managed the Illustration department until program growth necessitated its division into two programs.
I am currently responsible for annual adjunct evaluations and biannual faculty evaluations, incorporating student evaluations, classroom observation evaluations, and syllabus reviews.
Responsible for the annual Spring Progress Assessment for sophomore Comics and Illustration students.
Creation of multiple experiential learning classes and internships where students are partnered for local, national, and international publishing opportunities.
Creation and administration of semester-long speakers’ series for Comics and Illustration programs
12 years of full-time teaching experience and 5 years of adjunct teaching experience.
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
2013 – A Monument to The Risen, Power Plant Gallery, Durham
2011 – Auto Erotic Ethnography, Donna Beam Gallery, Las Vegas
2010 - Speaking To Las Vegas, Femina Potens Gallery, San Francisco
Speaking To Las Vegas, Grant Hall Gallery, Las Vegas
2005 - Rented – Varnish Gallery, San Francisco
2004 - Pinned – Mama Buzz Gallery, Oakland
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS:
2018 – Disrupting the Narrative, Urban Art Space, Columbus
2017 – We’re Still Working, SOMArts, San Francisco
2016 – Borders, River House Gallery, Toledo
2013 – Let’s Talk About Love, Byers Gallery, Columbus
Itsa Small Small World, Family Business Gallery, New York
48 Hours in Las Vegas, Fredric Jamison Gallery, Duke University, Durham
2012 – XCO at Hemi, East Duke Gallery, Duke University, Durham
Wang Dang Doodle, Duke University, Durham
2011 – Preoccupations, East Duke Gallery, Duke University, Durham
Feminist Las Vegas, Marjorie Barrack Museum, Las Vegas
2010 – Drawn In The Dust – Marjorie Barrack Museum, Las Vegas
Sequins In The Sand – Burlesque Hall of Fame, Las Vegas
2009 – TWENTY/20 – Contemporary Art Center, Las Vegas
LVSK8III – Henri & Odette Gallery, Las Vegas
2008 – On Being Good – Reed Whipple Center, Las Vegas
SELECTED PUBLISHED WORK:
Editorial:
Currently – Designer FML, Dark Horse Comics (Writer Kelly Sue DeConnick, artist David López)
2014 - Ongoing – Designer/Illustrator Milkfed Criminal Masterminds/Image Comics (creators Matt Fraction and Kelly Sue DeConnick) books include Pretty Deadly, Bitch Planet, ODY-C, Satellite Sam
2015 - Ongoing – Managing Editor and Production Editor Spitball: a CCAD Comics Anthology (Various writers/artists)
2021 – Editor – SFSX: Terms of Service, Image Comics (writer/creator Tina Horn)
2021 – Editor – Mother of Madness, Image Comics (writers Emilia Clarke, Marguerite Bennet, artist Leila Leiz)
2021 – Talent Acquisition – Run: Book One, Abrams ComicsArts (writers John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, artists L. Fury, Nate Powell)
2020 – Editor – Moonstruck: Troubled Waters, Image Comics (writer Grace Ellis, artist Shae Beagle)
2020 – Editor – SFSX: Protection, Image Comics (writer/creator Tina Horn)
2019 – Editor – Moonstruck: Some Enchanted Evening, Image Comics (writer Grace Ellis, artist Shae Beagle)
2018 – Editor – Bingo Love: Jackpot Edition!, Image Comics (writer/creator Tee Franklin)
2017 – Editor – Moonstruck: Magic to Brew, Image Comics (writer Grace Ellis, artist Shae Beagle)
Artist:
2021 – “Jezebel,” Joan Jett & the Blackhearts:40x40, Z2 Comics
2021 – Hidden Voices/Marm Mandelbaum, New York Department of Education
2018 – Re-release of Rent Girl, (with Michelle Tea) Last Gasp
2010 – with Matt Wagner, “Dirty Little Mouth”, Madame Xanadu #23, Vertigo/DC Comics
2008 – with Kieron Gillen, “She Who Bleeds for Your Entertainment,” Phonogram: The Singles Club #1, Image Comics,
with Kelly Sue DeConnick, “Silent All These Years,” Comic Book Tattoo: Comics based on the songs of Tori Amos, Image Comics
2006 – with Joyce Carol Oates, “Do You Trust Me?” Sexy Chix, Dark Horse Comics
with Brendan Cahill, Sable and Fortune #3 and #4, Marvel Comics
with Stephen Elliott “Survey of Impact” McSweeneys #17, McSweeneys Publishing
with Stephen Elliott, My Girlfriend Comes to the City and Beats Me Up, Cleis Press
2005 – with Warren Ellis, Quit City, Avatar Press.
with David Schickler, Sweet and Vicious, Random House.
2004 - with Michelle Tea, Rent Girl, Last Gasp.
Perfect” - True Porn, Alternative Comics/Cheap Paper Art
EDUCATION:
2013 – Master of Fine Arts in Experimental and Documentary Art, Duke University
Certification in College Teaching, Duke University
2011 – Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
2000 – Bachelor of Fine Arts, School of the Art Institute of Chicago