Stewart McKenny

This article is about the Australian illustrator. You may be looking for the illustrator Mark McKenna.

"…my very first professional comic book gig was drawing a Boba Fett story (in Star Wars Tales #18). The job was set up by one of the nicest people you'll ever meet in the industry, editor Diana Schutz, and when she asked me, "Would you like to draw Star Wars?" I (being an über Star Wars nerd) ALMOST CRIED!"

―Stewart McKenny, on getting asked to draw Star Wars^[5]

Stewart McKenny is an Australian illustrator who has worked for several major comics publishers, including Dark Horse Comics and Marvel Comics. While Dark Horse Comics was licensed to publish Star Wars content, he was the penciler for the comic "Being Boba Fett" before doing the illustrations for the Star Wars Adventures comics "Heroes on Both Sides," "The Drop," "Spy Girls," and "Graduation Day." He has been awarded honorary membership of the Star Wars costuming groups Rebel Legion and Mandalorian Mercs for his contributions to the franchise.

Biography[]

At Dark Horse[]

"I've been a HUGE Star Wars fan since I was a little kid!"

―Stewart McKenny, after meeting Temuera Morrison^[6]

Stewart McKenny is an Australian comic illustrator who has worked for major comic publishers such as Dark Horse Comics and Marvel Comics.^[2] He^[1] had been a fan of Star Wars for many years, having watched Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope and Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back on Betamax and seeing Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi in a cinema. While collecting figures from the franchise over the years, McKenny had been working towards employment with a major American comic book publisher, a dream of his for years. His first job with such a publisher^[6] and first foray into the Star Wars universe began with Dark Horse Comics, working as the penciler on the short comic "Being Boba Fett," featured in the eighteenth issue of the 2003 Star Wars Tales comic series.^[4]

"Being Boba Fett" was also collected in the 2005 Dark Horse Comics Star Wars Tales comic book trade paperback collection's fifth volume^[7] and Marvel Comics' Star Wars Legends Epic Collection: The Empire Vol. 4 as part of the Epic Collection trade paperback series in 2018.^[8] McKenny would reminisce about this in 2017 ahead of the release of The Mandalorian's second season, noting that he almost cried with excitement when approached by Diana Schutz.^[5] He would meet the actor for Boba Fett, Temuera Morrison, at a convention in 2022 after Morrison had signed several artworks of Boba Fett that had been drawn by McKenny. A photo of this moment was shared with the artist's fans, noting this comic was the first comic depiction of Boba Fett's adult face, based on Morrison.^[6]

The Adventures[]

"Okay… so a few years back I designed Jedi Treetower for 'Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures'! This weekend I got the SURPRISE OF MY LIFE when the incredible folk at Rebel Legion Hoth Base presented me with my VERY OWN Jedi costume based on Treetower!"

―Stewart McKenny, upon receiving his Jedi costume from Australia's branch of the Rebel Legion^[9]

JediMcKenny — Character designs of Treetower and McKenny wearing his Jedi costume based on the character

McKenny was next involved with the Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures comics, a short story expansion of Genndy Tartakovsky's animated television series Star Wars: Clone Wars, with the comics utilizing the same art style used for the series. McKenny illustrated four comics in the series, two of which were published in 2006. The first of these, titled "Heroes on Both Sides," appeared in the series' fifth volume.^[3]

The second, titled "The Drop," was published in the following volume and featured the Ugnaught Jedi Treetower.^[10] Treetower was designed by McKenny during his work on the story, and in 2013 he would receive his own Jedi costume based on the character from the Rebel Legion Star Wars Costume Club's Hoth Base branch,^[9] located in Victoria, Australia.^[11] The next comic McKenny illustrated was "Spy Girls," published in the seventh volume^[12] on January 31, 2007.^[13] The final comic he illustrated in the series was titled "Graduation Day," published in the tenth volume^[14] on December 19, 2007.^[15]

Recognition[]

MandoMcKenney — McKenny receives his honorary membership from the Mandalorian Mercs

McKenny has been a guest of Australian pop culture conventions for many years, attending events including Supanova Expo^[2] and Oz Comic Con.^[16] On October 21, 2011, at the Melbourne Armageddon convention, he was awarded honorary membership to the Rebel Legion.^[17] Two days later, at the same convention, he was also inducted as an honorary member of the "Mandalorian Mercs" club by the Sandhawk clan,^[18] the Australian branch of the club.^[19] These honorary memberships meant McKenny joined other people who have helped shape the Star Wars universe, including cast members, crew, artists, and authors.^[18]^[20]

Works[]

Bibliography[]

Year	Title	Contribution	Format
2003	"Being Boba Fett" — Star Wars Tales 18	Penciller	Short story comic in anthology^[4]
2006	"Heroes on Both Sides" — Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures Volume 5	Illustrator	Short story comic in anthology^[3]
2006	"The Drop" — Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures Volume 6	Illustrator	Short story comic in anthology^[10]
2007	"Spy Girls" — Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures Volume 7	Illustrator	Short story comic in anthology^[12]
2007	"Graduation Day" — Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures Volume 10	Illustrator	Short story comic in anthology^[14]