VeeFriends is thrilled to announce that Eisner and Ignatz Award–winning cartoonist Jim Rugg has joined the team as Creative Producer. Rugg is known for Hulk: Grand Design, Street Angel, The PLAIN Janes, and _Octobriana 1976 (_the first blacklight comic book ever published).

Comics and storytelling sit at the heart of the VeeFriends mission: making emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and meaningful human traits culturally relevant through characters and narratives. Each comic expands the VeeFriends universe, bringing characters to life through compelling and fun storylines that explore growth, challenge, and connection.

Rugg's appointment marks an exciting new chapter for VeeFriends Comics and the broader VeeFriends universe. He will work closely with D.J. Coffman, VeeFriends Executive Creative Director, to help shape the next evolution of how VeeFriends characters come to life across comics, animation, packaging, and future brand collaborations.

Rugg Is A Great Fit For VeeFriends

From his bold reinterpretation of Marvel's Hulk __ in Hulk: Grand Design (pictured on the left) to the cult-favorite _Street Ange_l (pictured on the right), Rugg has built a reputation as one of the most inventive voices in comics. His ability to merge visual experimentation with deep character emotion perfectly aligns with VeeFriends' mission to tell stories that entertain, inspire, and share the values behind Gary Vaynerchuk's original characters.

About Jim Rugg

Rugg's comics are part of the Smithsonian's permanent collection, the National Archives, and the Heinz History Center. He also co-created YouTube's Cartoonist Kayfabe channel and has taught visual storytelling at the School of Visual Arts and the Animation Workshop in Denmark.

He lives and works in Pittsburgh, where he continues to write, draw, and explore new creative frontiers.

Stay tuned as Jim Rugg and the VeeFriends team bring even more stories, worlds, and ideas to life in the months ahead.