DC Comics’ Green Lantern and the Joker loom large in Dennis Knight’s life: they are his favorite comic book characters.
Since his childhood, Dennis has been a devoted comic book fan. He’s admired the works of many talented artists—Jim Lee, the current publisher and Chief Creative Officer of DC Comics, Alex Ross, and Brett Booth—all of whom inspired his decision to pursue a career in the comics industry.
Shortly after he graduated from St. Thomas Aquinas College with a degree in psychology, Dennis joined Pronto Comics, a collective of comic book writers and artists who collaborate to create self-published works—and he’s been there ever since.
On an average day as a writer and editor, Dennis green lights new comic books for publication puts together creative teams, helps organize appearances at pop culture conventions, and sits on panels with others in his field. Over the course of his career, he has been to Modesto Con and Graffiti-Con and has represented Pronto Comics at New York Comic Con since 2012.
Dennis, who is originally from the Bronx, says his education in psychology has given him a key advantage in bringing his stories to life.
“My background in psychology is a great asset and helps my writing,” he says. “Character dynamics, motivation, and development are all important aspects of storytelling, and studying psychology has given me a better understanding of these aspects.”
As a student at STAC, Dennis participated in Student Government and the Psychology Club, and he was also a member of Gamma Kappa Psi. These experiences helped him develop skills he uses every day on the job working with creative teams and collaborating with other artists. He especially enjoys connecting with fans and assisting up-and-coming artists and writers in following their own dreams of being published.
“The most exciting thing about working in comics is the creative process, and working with other people to make a project happen,” he says.
Dennis’ advice to students interested in pursuing a career in the industry: “Treat comics like you would any other job. Be professional. Be punctual with deadlines. Be honest with yourself and your creative team about your skill set. Be nice and play well with others. Everyone has at least one chance in life to be great, but it’s up to you to take it.”
In his free time, Dennis, who now lives in Mount Vernon, New York, enjoys playing video games, watching horror movies, and volunteering at Christ Church in the Bronx every Thanksgiving. In five years, he hopes to advance further in his field and take on projects in other mediums, including film, television, and video games.