Aerin Toler
Chapter 1: The King Closes the Frontier
Aerin Toler’s passion is for illustration and sequential art. Whether it be traditional media or digital, the main drive of her work is to convey a story to the viewer. A native of Roanoke, she completed a double major in Studio Art and Asian Studies and has an MFA in Illustration. She teaches at local colleges and does freelance work. You can find her work at invertedpath.com.
Stephen Kissel
Chapter 2: Taxation without Representation
Stephen Kissel is an illustrator, cartoonist and educator in Lynchburg. He enjoys creating a variety of illustrations, comics and character design for clients and also works as an arts educator in the local community. When not making things, he might be found searching for the perfect bagel, buying too many books or spending time with his wife, daughter and pets. Find his work at www.stephenkissel.com.
Cecilia Crawford
Chapter 3: Clementina Rind, Newsmaker
Cecilia Crawford is from Blacksburg. As the youngest of three, Cecilia really looked up to their older siblings and wanted to be just like them. Cecilia’s sister is also an artist, so she was Cecilia’s inspiration from a very young age. Cecilia is now working on a bachelor’s degree in art. Find Cecilia’s work at karmacrtns.carrd.co/.
Patrick Harrington
Patrick Harrington has been a professional cartoonist since the age of 16. After 40-plus years as an advertising creative, he is back to his first love of cartooning. His website is www.patrickharringtoncreative.com.
Karilee Park
Chapter 5: George Washington Takes Command
Karilee Park, or Park(ee) — a nickname stolen from her great-grandmother — is an illustrator inspired by ’90s animation, old storybooks and superhero trading cards. She views art and design as essential components to a fulfilling life. She has been an art writer for 15-Bytes, taught illustration at SVU and worked as a freelance graphic designer. Currently Park(ee) is studying children’s book writing and illustration at Hollins University and illustrating the storytelling game Fable Flops. Find her work on Instagram at 7thparkdesign.
Lamont Wayne
Chapter 6: Billy Flora, Hero of Great Bridge
Lamont Wayne draws things, then makes them come alive. He’s an animator with more than 15 years of experience, and the cartoons he has worked on have been shown on PBS, Cartoon Network, Amazon, YouTube, at San Diego Comic-Con and even on late night TV. He studied art at the Savannah College of Art and Design. When he’s not animating, he’s probably playing video games or dreaming up his next goofy character. You can find his work at about.me/lamontwayne.
Holly Reiber
Chapter 7: The Burning of Norfolk
Holly Reiber is an Ohio-born artist and author now living in Roanoke. She holds a B.A. in Art from Malone University and spent 13 years teaching visual art in public, private and international schools. She wrote and illustrated the children’s book “Wild Art: Meet Artists as Animals” and designs playful, trauma-informed art experiences that help neurodivergent and anxious kids feel like art is for them. For more, see hkreiber4.wixsite.com/arthollyk.
Camryn Carpenter
Chapter 8: Peter Muhlenberg Preaches: It’s Time to Fight
Camryn Carpenter is an artist from Highland County. Growing up, she was known as the artist in her family and class, but it wasn’t until her freshman year of high school that she began to work on improving her skills with the goal of becoming a professional artist. She went to Liberty University to study Studio Arts, with a passion for comic art and storytelling. Find her work at linkedin.com/in/camryn-carpenter-5984793b8.
Maely Herrera
Chapter 9: The Colonies Declare Independence
Maely Herrera is a comic artist and illustrator from Virginia who has loved drawing for as long as she can remember. Her passion for storytelling inspired her to create original characters and worlds, including her webcomic, Visionless. She enjoys creating emotional, character-driven adventures filled with action, hope and immersive worldbuilding. You can find her work on Instagram at mango.maniac.
Taylor Myers
Chapter 10: Ann McCarty Ramsay, Fundraiser for the Revolution
Taylor Myers is from Lumberton, New Jersey, but moved to Fairfax to attend George Mason University. For as long as she can remember, she was the “artist of the family.” When birthdays and holidays rolled around, she would get at least one present that had something to do with art. She would spend hours experimenting with different mediums and subjects. When she got to high school, she began to see just how much those years of drawing in gifted Five Below sketchbooks had shaped her. Find her work on instagram at taylormyers.artpage.
Nat Amoateng
Chapter 11: Cesar Tarrant, from Slave to Sailor
Nat Amoateng is an illustrator and graphic designer in Northern Virginia. When it comes to art, she’s always been the creative type since she was a child, but it wasn’t until she was around 11 years old that she was drawing full portraits of her favorite anime characters. Find her work at nataroniandcheese.weebly.com and on Instagram at nataroni_draws.
Fiona Aquilo
Chapter 12: Peter Francisco, the Hercules of Independence
Fiona Aquilo was born in the Philippines and adopted to the United States, where she has grown up in Virginia. She is pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts at Virginia Tech. She also enjoys painting, traditional drawing, illustration and crochet. Find more at fiohko.myportfolio.com.
Aaron Kelderhouse
Chapter 13: The War Comes South
Aaron Kelderhouse is a professional illustrator and graphic designer from Roanoke. From a young age, creativity came naturally to him — he could easily lose hours bringing something to life on the page. As he grew up, a love of comic books — Marvel’s X-Men in particular — sparked an obsession with character illustration that spilled into the margins of classroom notes and filled countless art journals.
Julia Thomas
Chapter 14: William Campbell and the Overmountain Men
Julia Thomas is a comic artist and illustrator from Reston. She became interested in art at a young age and spent her teenage years drawing whatever she could. In Julia’s senior year of high school, she found her love for creating graphic novels and decided to pursue an art degree from George Mason University. In her free time, Julia enjoys birdwatching, nature photography, shark tooth hunting and cuddling with her cat Fritz. Find her work at sites.google.com/view/juliathomascomicsportfolio/work.
Joe Lee
Joe Lee is an artist, cartoonist, author, illustrator and a former circus clown, having graduated from Ringling Bros. Clown College and travelled with several circuses. He was the editorial cartoonist for the Bloomington (Indiana) Herald-Times for 20 years. He is currently the staff illustrator for Our Brown County Magazine and is a frequent contributor to Bloom Magazine. When he’s not at the drawing board, Joe still performs in his one-clown-shows the “Cirque du Jolais” and “Jungle Joe’s Flea Circus.”
Lauryn Baynes
Chapter 16: London Pleasants Escapes to Freedom
Lauryn Baynes is an artist from Northern Virginia. She earned a bachelor degree in fine art from Virginia Commonwealth University in May 2026. She is an aspiring author/illustrator with an interest in the fantasy genre. Find her on Instagram at magic.inkwell or at www.laurynbaynes.com.
Abi Gem Monteclaro
Chapter 17: The Midnight Ride of Susanna Bolling
Abi Gem Monteclaro is an artist based in the Lynchburg area. She has always painted and doodled as a child, but her passion for art grew tremendously at the University of Lynchburg. Her ongoing work and everyday doodles are on Instagram at abidoodles.
Bentley Boyd
Chapter 18: Jack Jouett Saves Thomas Jefferson
Bentley Boyd has worked with teachers and historical organizations for 27 years to bring social studies concepts to reluctant readers. His “Chester the Crab” adventures appeared in seven Virginia newspapers during the series’ award-winning five-year newspaper run. The stories are now available nationally in 32 printed comix, in e-book editions, and in a smartphone app. Boyd has created comic book histories for George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, the Library of Virginia and Historic Jamestowne. Find more at www.chestercomix.com.
Jasmine Ly
Chapter 19: Elizabeth Bennett Young Buries Something Important
Jasmine Ly is a comic artist and illustrator in Richmond. Jasmine first became interested in art through animated films but transitioned into comics. She’s inspired by artists like Gerard Way and Bryan O’Malley. When she’s not drawing, Jasmine enjoys learning instruments, exploring internet archives and watching Formula 1. Find her work at septemberist.weebly.com.
Stan Webb
Chapter 20: James Armistead Lafayette, Double Agent
Stan Webb is president of Webb Graphics, a full service graphic design company located in Lynchburg. Since 1997, the firm has offered graphic design, illustration, brochures, catalogs, ads, billboards, web design and graphics, logo design and animation. He and Dion Lee created a Buffalo Soldier comic book series. He combined his love for science fiction and history to create Buffalo Force, inspired by the Buffalo Soldiers. Find more on instagram at stanleewebb.
Ryleigh Ingle
Chapter 21: The Victory at Yorktown
Ryleigh Ingle is a 17-year-old artist from Dublin in Pulaski County. Ryleigh was inspired to do art by watching her favorite shows and thinking, “Hey, I wanna draw that too.” Since then, Ryleigh has been creating nonstop, winning art contests at her school, as well as posting to her account on Instagram at ryleighdoodles.
Ralph Berrier Jr.
Ralph Berrier Jr. is a writer who lives in Roanoke.
Brandy Centolanza
Brandy Centolanza is a freelance journalist based in Williamsburg. She primarily covers business and community news for various publications in Hampton Roads and Richmond, including the Virginia Gazette, one of the oldest newspapers in America dating back to 1736. She lives in James City County.
Eric Gorton
Eric Gorton works full time as a media relations coordinator for James Madison University and does some freelance journalism on the side.
Emily Hemphill
Emily Hemphill is a freelance journalist from Elliston.
Dutchie Jessee
Dutchie Jessee is director of development for Cardinal News.
Kevin Myatt
Kevin Myatt has written about weather for the past two decades, previously for The Roanoke Times and now for Cardinal News.
Leah Small
Leah Small is a freelance journalist based in Richmond.
Jeff South
Jeff South is an associate professor emeritus at Virginia Commonwealth University, where he taught journalism from 1997 to 2020. Previously, he was a newspaper reporter and editor for more than 20 years in Texas, Arizona and Virginia.
Ben Swenson
Ben Swenson is a writer, editor and educator who lives in James City County.
Randy Walker
Randy Walker is a musician and freelance writer in Roanoke. He was formerly a staff writer on (as it was then called) the Roanoke Times & World-News.
Carolyn Wilson
Carolyn Wilson is a freelance journalist from Washington County. She is a former reporter for the Bristol Herald Courier and later worked for the Appalachian Center for Civic Life at Emory & Henry.
Dwayne Yancey
Dwayne Yancey is founding editor of Cardinal News.
