Contact J. M. DeSantis through the CONTACT PAGE.
For a list of upcoming events and appearances, visit the Events Page.
J. M. DeSantis (born Jeffrey Michael DeSantis) is a writer and artist working across prose, comics, and illustration, mostly in the dark fantasy, horror, and humor genres, and often with a mythic edge. He is best known as the creator of Chadhiyana, a South Asian dark fantasy heroine. His novels include The Kirklyn Horror and Robert Phillips. J. M.’s short fiction, comics, and art have appeared through various publishers including Upper Deck, Bad Kerry Studios, Dead World TCG, Heavy Metal Magazine, and the upcoming comic movie tie-in, Clockwork Wizard: Bone and Soulsand. He also has an on-going Chadhiyana comic in A Kid and A Comic (since 2024), and is co-editor and a contributor to their horror-themed newspaper, The Raven. He is also the owner of Dark Fire Press, which he founded in 2018.
Styling himself a Writeist™ because of the symbiotic relationship between his writing and artwork, J. M.’s works are marked by their dark themes and intricately developed characters, plots, and worlds. He creates a balance of raw and elegant works that are meant to be explored and experienced. His artwork is created traditionally, mixing watercolours, inks, acrylics, and coloured pencils. He has maintained a need for a tactile connection with his art (preferring also the feel of its textures); to that end, he writes longhand, as well.
From the beginning of his career, J. M. DeSantis has continued to push and grow in both disciples. He got his start as as a penciler for the origin story of the Comicbook Artists Guild’s mascot in 2007, which was followed by his comic stories appearing in Planet Lovecraft Magazine (2008 – 2009), and a featured artist spot in Heavy Metal Magazine (January 2009). He’s created and maintained three web-comics throughout his career: Chadhiyana: In the Company of Shadows (2013 – 2014; later picked up by Rosarium Publishing), Gentleman Cthulhu: Emeritus Moribus Monstrum (2015 – 2017; hiatus), and Game-Flush.com (2010 – 2012). Further works within his catalog are his children’s book, Ghosts Are People Too; his one-shot action Gothic horror comic, The Tainted Ones; and his memoir and collection of stories and artworks, J. M. DeSantis: The First Ten Years (2019).
Though working primarily in prose and comics, at various times J. M. DeSantis’s work has crossed over into film (Night of the Living Dead: Reanimated, 2010), gaming (Dead World TCG), and music through various indie album covers, and even having his art etched into guitars. He continues to be curious about new collaborations and methods of presenting his work, while maintaining his love for storytelling and art.
For ten years, J. M. DeSantis also worked as an art teacher (2013 – 2023), while maintaining his career as a writer and artist. He continues to mentor writers and artists. He currently lives in his native New Jersey with his cat, Cyrilla, where he balances his personal life with long hours of hallucinating on a blank paper. In his free time, he enjoys reading, gaming, exercising, and watching movies with his girlfriend, Rachel.
For contact information, visit the Contact Page.
[J. M. DeSantis is neither related to nor associated with the politician with the same last name.]
Clients & Publishers
(all; since 2007)
Dark Fire Press, Upper Deck, Heavy Metal Magazine, A Kid and a Comic, Bad Kerry Studios, Dead World TCG, Wayward Raven Media, Philbo Entertainment, Savagewood Guitars, Guild Works Publications, Universal Cartel, Rosarium Publishing, Neoflux Productions, Arcana Comics, Alterna Comics, Innsmouth Free Press, Inbeon Studios, Atlas Unleashed, Norgus Press, WILDsound, Book of Lies (web-comic), Static Movement, Planet Lovecraft Magazine, the Comicbook Artists Guild, Little York Books, Flush Entertainment LLC, and a number of independent commissioners and creators.
INFLUENCES
Writers
J.R.R. Tolkien, H. P. Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, Edgar Allan Poe, Carl Jacobi, Mike Mignola, Hideyuki Kikuchi, and William Shakespeare
Artists
Ayami Kojima, Alan Lee, Akihiko Yoshida, Mike Mignola, John Howe, Hiroaki Samura, Drew Struzan, George Kamatani, Gary Gianni, Adam Hughes, Frank Frazetta, Norman Rockwell, and generally, the art movements of Post-Impressionism and Expressionism
Video Game Creators
Hidetaka Miyazaki, Koji Igarashi, and Yasumi Matsuno (especially translated by Alexander O. Smith & Joseph Reeder).
Filmmakers
Christopher Nolan, Tim Burton, and Ridley Scott–and I want to see more of what Robert Eggers is going to do.
Books
The Lord of the Rings, Frankenstein, The Silmarillion, Paradise Lost, and The Way of the Peaceful Warrior
Short Fiction
Pigeons from Hell, Revelations in Black, The Horror at Chilton Castle, Rats in the Walls, The Thing on the Doorstep, The Horror from the Mound, The Shadow Over Innsmouth, and the entire Solomon Kane series by REH.
Poetry
The Return of Sir Richard Grenville, The Ghost Kings, The One Black Stain, and The Raven
Video Games
Soulsborne games (Dark Souls series, Bloodborne & Demons’ Souls), Vagrant Story, Castlevania (series), Final Fantasy Tactics, and Chrono Trigger
Films
Se7en, Nosferatu (1922), The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Gladiator (Ridley Scott), Schindler’s List, and The Dark Knight trilogy, The Thing (John Carpenter)
Professional Organizations
Comicbook Artists Guild (comicartguild.org), 2007 – 2016; Creative Director of CAG (2013-2016)
The Fictioneers (thefictioneers.com), 2014 – ???
Teaching Experience
Art Teacher. Ridgefield Park Public Schools; Ridgefield Park, New Jersey. September 2013 – June 2025.
High school and middle school studio art and graphic design teacher. Also run a comic book club which teaches the comic-creation process.
Guest Art Teacher. Englewood Public School District; Englewood, New Jersey.
Taught two comic book creation workshops during two separate school years: one two-week class; one single-day workshop (multiple times).
Education
Pratt Institute. Brooklyn, NY. Sept 2001 – May 2005
Bachelor of Fine Arts – Computer Animation.
Alternate Route Program. Rutgers University. Hackensack, NJ. Fall 2013 – Spring 2014
Teaching Certificate in Fine and Studio Arts.