Jan Duursema


Jan Duursema is an American comics artist known for her work on the Star Wars comics franchise. She is the creator of Denin and Vila from Naldar, the Twi'lek Jedi Aayla Secura and the Kiffar Jedi Quinlan Vos.

Career

Jan Duursema's first published comics work appeared in Heavy Metal vol. 3 #3. She drew several stories for DC Comics' Sgt. Rock title beginning in 1980. With writer Paul Kupperberg, she co-created the Arion character in The Warlord #55 and the Arion, Lord of Atlantis series was launched in November 1982. Duursema was one of the artists of Wonder Woman #300. She provided artwork to the Star Ace role-playing game from Pacesetter Ltd. Her first work for Marvel Comics, as well as her first work on the Star Wars franchise, appeared in Star Wars #92. Back at DC, she was one of the contributors to the DC Challenge limited series in 1986 and drew the Advanced Dungeons and Dragons comic book series for three years. She briefly worked with John Ostrander on the Hawkworld series in 1992 and again the following year when the title was cancelled and relaunched as Hawkman.
Her association with Dark Horse Comics' Star Wars franchise began with Star Wars: Chewbacca #2. She has since drawn several Star Wars series for Dark Horse including the Star Wars: Darth Maul mini-series in 2000 and the comics adaptation of ' in 2002. Duursema and Ostrander collaborated on the ' series which was introduced with a #0 issue and ran for 50 issues from June 2006 to August 2010. They launched the series in 2012.
Duursema was the basis for the character Ur-Sema Du.

Advertising

In 2011 Nike, Inc. commissioned Duursema and fellow comics artist Amanda Conner to create artwork for the Make Yourself: A Super Power advertising campaign.

Awards

Duursema received the Russ Manning Outstanding Newcomer Award in 1983.

Personal life

Duursema is married to fellow comic book artist Tom Mandrake, whom she met while both were students at The Kubert School. Their wedding was held on the school's grounds. The couple have a son, Jack Moses Mandrake, and a daughter, Sian Mandrake, who is also a Kubert School-trained comics illustrator.

Dark Horse Comics