Leigh Dragoon

Leigh Dragoon is an American writer and illustrator working in the comics medium. Her career began with contributions to Girlamatic, where she published her urban fantasy webcomic "By the Wayside," which earned her the Kimberly Yale Award for Best New Talent in 2006. Dragoon has also lent her artistic talents to Sam Kieth's "My Inner Bimbo" graphic novel.

Her writing credits include the script for a three-volume manga series based on Frewin Jones' "The Faerie Path" YA fantasy novels, published by HarperCollins/Tokyopop in 2009. She also contributed to the "Fraggle Rock Vol. 1" graphic novel in 2010. Dragoon adapted Richelle Mead's "Vampire Academy" into a graphic novel in 2011 and subsequently scripted graphic novel versions of Marie Lu's "Legend," "Prodigy," and "Champion" series. Currently, she is developing a fantasy retelling of Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women" for Oni Press.

Leigh Dragoon's professional journey in comics began with her work appearing in Girlamatic, a publisher known for showcasing diverse creators. It was through Girlamatic that she developed and published her urban fantasy webcomic, "By the Wayside." This particular work gained significant recognition, culminating in Dragoon receiving the Friends of Lulu's Kimberly Yale Award for Best New Talent in 2006, highlighting her early promise and skill in the genre. Her involvement in the urban fantasy sphere demonstrates an early engagement with narratives that blend the mundane with the magical.

Dragoon has established a significant presence in the adaptation of popular young adult literature into graphic novel format. She wrote the script for a manga series based on Frewin Jones' "The Faerie Path," a YA fantasy series, and later adapted Richelle Mead's "Vampire Academy" into a graphic novel. Her work continued with scripting graphic novel versions of Marie Lu's "Legend," "Prodigy," and "Champion" novels. These projects showcase her ability to translate complex narratives and character arcs from prose to a visual medium, engaging with established fantasy and science fiction worlds for a younger audience. Her current project, a fantasy retelling of "Little Women," further explores this theme of reimagining classic stories within a fantastical framework.

Beyond her professional work, Leigh Dragoon identifies as non-binary and Reform Jewish. She has also shared that she experiences autism, obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and anxiety. While the provided text does not directly link these aspects of her identity to specific themes within her published works, her openness about these experiences can inform an understanding of her creative perspective. Her engagement with genres like urban fantasy and retellings of classic tales suggests a potential for exploring diverse perspectives and internal landscapes within her storytelling.