PROFILE: ROB PIECUCH

Horseheads, New York native Rob Piecuch has been interested in the comic art genre since age five, when he “accidentally” discovered the 1960's Batman TV show one afternoon.

The release of the original Star Wars film two years later in 1977 had a lasting affect, and the Movie adaptation by Marvel Comics led to the artist picking up other Marvel mags starting with the Fantastic Four, and soon followed by the Avengers and the X-Men in the late '70's/early '80's. The interest tied in well with his own artistic abilities and ideas, which led to some early comic book type work with classmates at school. Further efforts were put on the backburner during early High School years, in which Rob's focus moved to Music, Filmmaking and Drama Club. By Senior year, the artistic efforts began to return, and by the following year showed some major progress.

In 1993 Rob attended the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art in Dover, New Jersey for two years. After much developmental work in the late '90's and early 2000's, Rob established his own business, Late Morning Productions to produce and promote his own comic series and concepts as well as providing a home for his growing freelance illustration work.

Outside being an illustrator, Rob has played bass guitar and keyboards in local bands, and has been a long time supporter of passenger rail service improvements, serving as the Southern Tier Coordinator for the Empire State Passenger's Association since 1994. Rob has been active with the creation of a railway museum exhibit in the Chemung Valley region of New York State.

The artist still resides in Horseheads, but doesn't rule out a stay in Hollywood in the near future.