Marc Hempel (born May 25, 1957) is an American cartoonist and comics artist best known for his work on The Sandman with Neil Gaiman.
Writer and artist Marc Hempel grew up in the northwest suburbs of Chicago and now lives in Baltimore. He received a B.F.A. in Painting from Northern Illinois University in 1980. He and Mark Wheatley co-created the titles Breathtaker, Blood of the Innocent, and Mars. In 1994âÂÂ1995, he collaborated with Neil Gaiman on the climactic story arc "" in The Sandman. Hempel's own creations Gregory and Tug & Buster were nominated for several industry awards, and his humor anthology Naked Brain was named "Best Comic Book" in the Baltimore City Papers "Best of Baltimore 2003" issue. His art has also appeared in Marvel Fanfare, Epic Illustrated, Heavy Metal, Jonny Quest, Tarzan the Warrior, Clive BarkerâÂÂs Hellraiser, Flinch, My Faith in Frankie, The Dreaming, Lucifer, and Disney Adventures.
Original art from The Sandman and Breathtaker was included in an exhibition entitled "LitGraphic: The World of the Graphic Novel," which originated at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.
Hempel has created advertising art for print and television as well as character design for HBO Animation. He has produced CD art for the Nashville band Swamp Rat, drawn an episode of the online strip Munden's Bar for ComicMix.com, illustrated a 21âÂÂpage Escapist story for Dark Horse Comics, and contributed to Mad, Nickelodeon Magazine, and SpongeBob Comics.
Marc Hempel received an Inkpot Award at San Diego Comic-Con in 1992.