About
Kody Okamoto (All the O’s in Okamoto sound like the “O” in O’Neill!)Originally from Hawai'i, Kody is a Seattle-based genderqueer cartoonist. He likes to focus on queer narratives in subcultures like pro-wrestling and punk scenes. Kody uses they/he pronouns and speaks English and Japanese as a second language (N2).As a 4th generation Japanese-American with a B.A. in Japanese Linguistics and Literature from the University of Hawai'i and as a former MEXT scholar of Doshisha University in Kyoto, Kody is uniquely positioned to give insight as a sensitivity reader into Japanese diaspora issues from the perspective as a Nikkei person having lived in both the U.S. and in Japan.When not working on his long-form webcomic, Keeping Time, Kody can be found singing songs to his cats about how stinky they are.Kody is a staff member of the Cartoonist Cooperative.Kody is represented by Jennifer Azantian of Azantian Literary Agency.
Clients
IDW, Image, Skybound, Oni Press, BOOM!, Scholastic, Republic of Lucha, and more
Experience
Publications
Cover Artist: FENCE CHALLENGERS SWEET SIXTEEN #1 (Boom! Box; C.S. Pascat, Johanna the Mad, Elizabeth Brei). 2025.
Cover Artist: S.I.R. #5 (Boom! Box; Fell Hound, Eleonora Bruni, Becca Carey, Elizbeth Brei). 2024.
Sensitivity Reader: I Felt Myself Slipping (Oni Press; Ray Nadine). 2024.
Comic Artist: When I Was Young… (Charity Anthology edited and organized by Michele Abounader). 2024.
Cover Artist: SOUTHBOUND #1 (Creator Owned Project; Jarred Luján, Emiliano Correa, Timothy C. Brown, Christa Harader, Micah Meyers, Pete Carlsson). 2023.
Cover Artist: RAINBOW CANVAS (Anthology organized by Kat Calamia and Phil Falco). 2023.
Cover Artist: SLEEPING BEAUTIES #10 (IDW; Rio Youers, Alison Sampson, Triona Farrell, Elizabeth Brei). 2022.
Comic Artist: dEMOn BOY (Weekend Warrior Comics; Mark O. Stack, Jodie Troutman). 2022.
Comic Artist: RUBBER MATCH (Creator Owned Project; Elizabeth Brei, Danny Djeljosovic, Razerhawk). 2022.
Cover Artist: 20 FISTS #1 Limited Edition Pride Variant (Source Point Press; Frankee White, Kat Baumann, Gab Contreras). 2021.
Cover Artist: FIRE POWER #12 (Skybound; Robert Kirkman & Chris Samnee). 2021.
Cover Artist: RADIANT BLACK #06 (Image; Kyle Higgins & Marcelo Costa featuring special writer and artist Cherish Chen & David "Darko" Lafuente). 2021.
Comic Covers
Wrestling Merch
REY FENIX ‘UNCAGED’
A design of AEW wrestler Rey Fenix, celebrating his tag team victory, turned into a shirt.
Image © Republic of Lucha, all rights reserved.
Image © Republic of Lucha, all rights reserved.
DANJERHAWK SHIRT
Commissioned by wrestler Danjerhawk for a 90s comic cover inspired design. Printed by What a Maneuver!
Image © Danjerhawk, all rights reserved.
Photo courtesy of Boomer Hatfield.
Keeping Time (Webcomic, 2024 - Now)
Cartoonist, Letterer: Kody Okamoto
Script Editor: Mark O. StackKEEPING TIME is a longform adult webcomic, launched in April 2024. It’s queer tragic romance about falling in love with your bandmate back when phones still flipped and burned CD mixes littered car floors. It's a story about love, grief, & imperfect adults.keepingtimecomic.com
RUBBER MATCH (graphic novella, 2022)
Writer: Elizabeth Brei
Letterer: Danny DjeljosevicRUBBER MATCH follows the relationship between Ty Curry and Scorpion Butch, two wrestlers who are rivals turned tag team partners turned rivals turned...? Ty Curry is a young hotshot who is determined to prove himself to his mentor, Scorpion Butch, a seasoned pro with a traumatic past and a dangerous finisher he dare not unleash again. The two have to square with their pasts (and futures) together while also fending off Blue Devil, the rudo who's out to tear them apart forever.Digital edition available on Gumroad
Physical edition available on Etsy
DEMON BOY (mini-comic, 2022)
Writer: Mark O. Stack
Letterer: Jodie TroutmanThere’s nowhere left to go except downhill after saving the world. Victor Ruiz is looking to leave his embarrassing past as a demonic avenger in the rearview and reinvent himself as a serious musician. The only problem is that folks are only coming to his shows to see and/or kill the Demon Boy.24 pages + custom record jacket. 17+, available at Weekend Warrior Comics.
Contact
I am unavailable for comic interiors.I have limited availability for new cover or illustration work.I am available for podcasts and interviews.I am available for sensitivity reading of Japanese-American characters and issues.
Please direct book project and publishing inquiries inquiries to Jennifer Azantian at jen (@) azantianlitagency.comOtherwise, if you think I’d be a good fit for your project or you’d just like to say hey, please send me an e-mail at:kodyokamoto (@) gmail.com (they/them)
