About Lea!

Lea Seidman Hernandez (they/her) began working in comics as a manga letterer and retouch artist while simultaneously writing and drawing for small press publications and contributing prose to fantasy-themed anthologies. Known for art and storytelling that unapologetically embraces shojo energy (heck yeah magical girls, heck yeah Sailor Moon!), Lea has built a career defined by creative firsts and lasting influence.

Their steampunk romance Cathedral Child became the first original graphic novel by a woman published at Image Comics, followed by Clockwork Angels. Lea is also one of the pioneers of webcomics. In 2002, they became the first comics creator to move a print series to the web with Rumble Girls, helping shape the early evolution of online comics culture.

That same year, Lea founded and edited Girlamatic, a groundbreaking webcomics site aimed at female readers. Through Girlamatic, they championed emerging voices and helped launch the careers of creators including Eisner Award winner Raina Telgemeier (Smile, Drama, Guts, Sisters), while also publishing established artists such as Rachel Hartman, later author of the bestselling Seraphina novels.

Among the first American creators to publish comics in a manga-influenced style, Lea has illustrated stories and covers featuring beloved characters including the Hardy Boys, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Wolverine and Magneto, and Cartoon Network’s Teen Titans Go!. Their books include Manga Secrets, Cathedral Child, Clockwork Angels, Rumble Girls: Silky Warrior Tansie, and Killer Princesses (with bestselling writer Gail Simone).

An energetic and engaging speaker, Lea regularly gives drawing demonstrations at schools and conventions, sharing skills developed over decades as both an artist and writer. They live with their husband, former Disney and LA Times Syndicate comics editor David Seidman, along with two dogs and six cats.