Artie Edward Romero (born 1951 in Springfield, Missouri) is an American cartoonist, animator, producer, director, and publisher. He began his career in comic books during the 1970s and later became known for his work in animation.
Early life and education
Romero was born Artie Edward Thomas, Jr., the first child of Wilma and Artie Thomas. After his parents' divorce in 1962, his mother married José Santiago Romero, who adopted Romero and his three brothers, giving them the Romero surname. He developed an interest in art while contributing illustrations to his school’s literary magazine and corresponded with comic book writer Stan Lee in 1968, an exchange that encouraged his pursuit of a professional artistic career.
Comics and publishing
In the late 1960s Romero co‑edited the fanzine Minotaur and produced the student‑run comic Platinum Toad. He later founded the artist collective Everyman Studios, which published the science‑fiction fanzine Realm (1969–1972) and the underground‑comics newsletter Cascade Comix Monthly (1978–1981). Through Everyman Studios and its imprint Everyman Comics, he released a variety of minicomics, full‑size underground comix, and tabloids, many of which were later reprinted in the anthology Newave! The Underground Mini Comix of the 1980s (Fantagraphics, 2010).
Animation, production, and direction
While attending college, Romero began creating animation for music videos, television commercials, and film titles. In 1981 he expanded Everyman Studios into commercial animation, producing projects such as a rock‑video for the band Gibraltar and the short film “King’s Elevator,” which premiered at the 39th World Science Fiction Convention in Denver. In 1994 he founded ARG! Cartoon Animation (originally Everyman Studios), a studio that has produced animation for movies, television, and the web. Notable screen credits include visual‑effects animation for Johnny Mnemonic (1995) and animated segments for the children's program TV Planet (Rocky Mountain PBS, 1999).
Personal life
Romero is married to Connie, an artist and organic gardener; they have two sons, Ricky and Timothy. He maintains a personal website (artieromero.com) that showcases his work across comics, animation, and related media.
Selected works
- Realm (fanzine, 1969–1972)
- Cascade Comix Monthly (newsletter, 1978–1981)
- Visual‑effects animation for Johnny Mnemonic (1995)
- Animated segments for TV Planet (1999)
Romero continues to operate ARG! Cartoon Animation and contributes to the fields of cartooning and animation.