​DECEMBER 31ST 1973

Billy Martinez

Artist

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We are pleased to announce that celebrated artist Billy Martinez is returning for ICCC 2026 to display his work, engage with fans, and maybe even do a bit of live painting for fans to see and experience his creative process.

 

He has also created the ICCC Part VIII 2026 Limited Edition posters and has made them every year since 2019!

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Billy Martinez is an independent visual artist, publisher, and performer known for his dynamic fusion of pop art, realism, and comic book aesthetics.

 

He is the founder of Neko Press, a publishing house and art studio he established to maintain creative control over his works.

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Martinez began his professional career in the early 1990s as a freelance illustrator. In 1993, he debuted his first major series, Wildflower, which was initially published through Sirius Entertainment and later Dog Star Press.

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In 1999, he founded Neko Press Comics and Publishing to self-publish his flagship titles. The label became a platform not only for his own work but also for launching the careers of other emerging artists. His notable publications include:

 

     1. Comics: Wildflower, Kickass Girl, and The Deepest Dark.

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     2. Instructional Books: Popular "how-to-draw" guides such as In Your                      Face and Body Movin'.

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     3. Commercial Work: He has contributed to Heavy Metal Magazine, Image Comics, Top Cow, designed trading cards for Family Guy and Hellboy, and worked with clients like Starbucks and the Sci-Fi Channel.

 

Martinez is a pioneer of "Live Art" performances, a practice he developed in the early 2000s in San Diego.

 

During these shows, he creates multiple paintings simultaneously on stage alongside live bands and DJs, often using unconventional materials like household paints alongside acrylics. 

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A lifelong musician himself, Martinez is an accomplished drummer—his musical background heavily influences the rhythm and energy of his visual work

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