Hi!  I’m Steven “Reece” Friesen, creator of Pax Avalon.  Normally, there’d be a ton of people who work on a project like this (writers, pencillers, inkers, colorists, letterers, etc.), but Pax Avalon was a deeply personal project for me and I wanted to see it through all the way (not to mention that I don’t know too many other artists in this field).  Here’s a little more information about where I’m coming from...  

 

I grew up loving superhero comics almost as much as my Mennonite family loved the way of peace.  I spent my teen years alternating between music and art and joined a Venture Teams International ministry team heading for Venezuela after I graduated from high school.  For the next two years, I travelled the globe, learning more about other cultures and wrestling with how much control my developing worldview would have over my artistic efforts.  It was during this time that I got my nickname, due to a fondness for Reese’s peanut butter cups -- but I found “Reece” easier to write quickly.

 

After VTI, I studied at Columbia Bible College in Abbotsford, BC.  In my second year, I met the beautiful and talented Rachel Bush, and we began a whirlwind courtship that culminated in our marriage a few months later.  After graduation, I worked as a youth pastor in churches in SK and BC, and eventually I took a position as Associate Pastor at Eben-Ezer Mennonite Church in Abbotsford.  There I had a fantastic group of mentors who challenged me to deepen my understanding of God's Word and how it guides us into meaningful action.  From that struggle, “Pax Avalon” was born.    

 

These days I’m pretty busy making graphic novels, but I’m also studying peace ethics and theology at Canadian Mennonite University and Associate Mennonite Biblical Seminary.  Rachel and I (and our three beautiful girls, Abigail, Laureli, and Cariana) live in Calgary, AB, and worship at Calgary Church of Christ.