Merk is an illustrator, writer, comic creator, and multidisciplinary artist based in Thunder Bay, the wilds of NW Ontario, after having lived in weird crooks and nannies across Canada. In his 25+ year career (after a fine arts degree from Lakehead University), he has self-published 3 graphic novels: Victor’s Legacy – A continuation of the Mary Shelley Frankenstein story,  Nowadays – A zombie apocalypse in rural NW Ontario, Season of the Dead Hours: A tale of magic, long banished druids and mysterious creatures, all wrapped up in Celtic myth. A new graphic novel is in the works: 1884:Blood Moon -The turn of the century Silver Islet mining settlement has a dark and horrifying secret. Will a new arrival and her son fall victim, or battle the evil within?  Individual comics are also part of the mix with The Chilling Tales of Thunder Bay – a satirical look at his home town in the guise of an early horror comic, and two upcoming comics- Beyond the Rapids – Ukrainian Cossacks, nations colliding and torn lovers battle for survival in an unforgiving world; and a short story horror collection in the works.  Merk had a several year run with an ongoing strip called Zygote Bop in the Walleye:TBay’s Arts & Culture Magazine.  Merk has also shown in galleries with numerous group and solo shows, most significantly with the Thunder Bay Art Gallery as part of a 5 artist show, Unconstrained: Comic Art by 5 Emerging Artists which was in conjunction with a show on Lynn Johnston of For Better or For Worse fame. Merk is also one third of the comic focused podcast called Zero Issues Comic Podcast which has been running for over a decade. All that mixed with fine art, photography, sculpture, and arts education as former Co-Director of CAHEP (Community Arts & Heritage Education Project), Merk has been singularly focused on the arts for most of his life. And perhaps after he dies. He does a lot of zombie work.