Cassandra “Cassie” Downey is a comic writer, artist, and a character designer. From the small rural town of Colonial Beach, Virginia, she grew up using her mundane surroundings as a breeding ground for outlandish fictional storylines. Her use of bold black outlines contrast against romantic color schemes and create a playful, lively atmosphere that transports readers to places both familiar and otherworldly.

“As a storyteller and illustrator, comics have always caught my eye. The distinct combination of word and image breathes life into fictional characters and settings, offering designs that stay with the reader just as much as the story.

Drawing was an obsession of mine growing up. I would draw on any paper I could get my hands on, much to the dismay of my teachers. However, it wasn’t until I became engrossed in comics and graphic novels that I realized how much love I had for generating stories behind what I created. 

The comics I grew up with are forever imprinted in my mind, from the Japanese powerhouse Bleach to the lesser known American Bizenghast. Middle school onwards, I’ve wanted to emulate what I saw in various comics, graphic novels, manga, manhwa, and more.

I want to design worlds that feel both familiar and fantastical, with characters that readers can see themselves in- people they know, people they hate, and people they’d never get a chance to meet in real life. And, hopefully, I can instill that same spark that I caught so many years ago.”