'CHRISTIAN COMICS BATON' PASSED FROM NATE BUTLER TO JOSE GUTIERREZ
At left, incoming president of COMIX35 Jose Carlos Gutierrez with outgoing president and founder Nate Bulter. Inset photo (from left to right): Flix Gillett-UK, Ian Dale-USA, Marisa Powser-USA, Robert Flores-USA, Gabrielle Geske-USA/Thailand, Yago Williams-USA, David Durhem-USA, Nate Butler-USA, Jose Carlos Gutierrez-Mexico, Renée Butler-USA, Jèremy Lacasse-Canada and Preston Morgan-USA.
▶ BY KEVIN SCOTT COLLIER
A group of talented Christian illustrators and comics artists gathered in Nashville the weekend of November 9-10 for what COMIX35 co-founder Nate Butler called a “Christian comics baton passing.” The “baton” was passed from Butler to the incoming president of COMIX35, José Carlos Gutiérrez. The new direction was dubbed “COMIX35: Next Gen, and the team, the †-Men (Cross-Men).
COMIX35, a Christian comics ministry based on EXodus 35:30-35, had announced President Nate Butler’s retirement from the organization to take place at the end of this year. Prior to co-establishing COMIX35, Butler put in two decades as a professional cartoonist, commercial artist, and writer/illustrator of comics. He entered into full-time ministry in 1999.
José Carlos Gutiérrez has been involved in many COMIX35 activities since 2005, some of which have included traveling with his “mentor and friend” Nate Butler to various venues in the U.S.A., Mexico City, Singapore and Japan.
“This [the Nashville event] is the first time we have traveled with such a big team of Christian artists and has been a one-of-a-kind experience in a great way,” Gutiérrez told CM.
A Christian “Avengers assemble” entourage included comics talents Butler befriended during his 23 years as President of Comix35.
“He and his wife, Renee, brought us all together in what has been named the Cross-men team,” Gutiérrez said. “We got along really well, and it was amazing to share our experiences through different moments of this trip.”
Gutiérrez conveyed that the associates exchanged artwork samples as well as knowledge of art supplies and techniques. Drawings were also produced during breaks from activities. But the artistic angle wasn’t the only commonality.
“Sharing our experiences in how we came to Christ and faith-related testimonies was uplifting and inspiring,” Gutiérrez said. “There were times we couldn’t stop laughing, having ice cream until midnight after a day full of events. And it felt like we had been meeting for years. They are all very talented and with a heart for sharing the Gospel and serving God through comics and illustration.”
At the conclusion of the gathering, Gutiérrez was touched by the support he received moving into the position of President of COMIX35.
“I was so moved by their support as we were saying goodbye, even one of the team members said, ‘We believe in you,’ which, for me, was something God was telling me as the new leader of COMIX35 Next Gen,” he said. “We had many moments of prayer through all the three-and-a-half days we spent together, that brought us closer as family in God.”
Gutiérrez explained that after they showed the ministry’s video, he publically accepted “the baton” at the gathering, afterward. Dr. Byron Spradlin, president of ACT International, lead the group in prayer.
“It was for me a very important step in my commitment to serve God and share the Gospel through comics, as well as mentor and train other Christian artists worldwide, both in person, through webinars, and methods I had already worked with.”
But the celebration and the new direction for COMIX35 means the retirement of Nate Butler, who everyone in the Christian comics industry will miss.
“I feel sad that Nate will be retired, since, for many years, thinking about COMIX35 was thinking of him as a leader, staff, teacher and an orchestra man of the ministry,” Gutiérrez said. “The bar seems very high for me, but I trust in Our Lord, that He will guide us in this start of COMIX35 Next Gen.”
Gutiérrez stated that of his next steps are to set up a new website and establish an expanded social media communication strategy, to keep an open communication with COMIX35 followers and friends, and to make new connections, as well. Proposed projects include comics training seminars in New York State, Montreal, Canada, and the French speaking countries in Africa, such as Cameroon, as well as some states in Mexico where missionary work is being done. He also intends to keep up with prison ministry tracts, not to mention the door God has opened in Asia, where projects such as the Manga Messiah series, and various training seminars have taken place.
“Last, but not least, we need to keep looking for new partners who would like to support all these new activities,” Gutiérrez said.
COMIX35 has been offering international consultation, coaching, and classes on the production and effective use of comics-style literature since 1996.
A group of talented Christian illustrators and comics artists gathered in Nashville the weekend of November 9-10 for what COMIX35 co-founder Nate Butler called a “Christian comics baton passing.” The “baton” was passed from Butler to the incoming president of COMIX35, José Carlos Gutiérrez. The new direction was dubbed “COMIX35: Next Gen, and the team, the †-Men (Cross-Men).
COMIX35, a Christian comics ministry based on EXodus 35:30-35, had announced President Nate Butler’s retirement from the organization to take place at the end of this year. Prior to co-establishing COMIX35, Butler put in two decades as a professional cartoonist, commercial artist, and writer/illustrator of comics. He entered into full-time ministry in 1999.
José Carlos Gutiérrez has been involved in many COMIX35 activities since 2005, some of which have included traveling with his “mentor and friend” Nate Butler to various venues in the U.S.A., Mexico City, Singapore and Japan.
“This [the Nashville event] is the first time we have traveled with such a big team of Christian artists and has been a one-of-a-kind experience in a great way,” Gutiérrez told CM.
A Christian “Avengers assemble” entourage included comics talents Butler befriended during his 23 years as President of Comix35.
“He and his wife, Renee, brought us all together in what has been named the Cross-men team,” Gutiérrez said. “We got along really well, and it was amazing to share our experiences through different moments of this trip.”
Gutiérrez conveyed that the associates exchanged artwork samples as well as knowledge of art supplies and techniques. Drawings were also produced during breaks from activities. But the artistic angle wasn’t the only commonality.
“Sharing our experiences in how we came to Christ and faith-related testimonies was uplifting and inspiring,” Gutiérrez said. “There were times we couldn’t stop laughing, having ice cream until midnight after a day full of events. And it felt like we had been meeting for years. They are all very talented and with a heart for sharing the Gospel and serving God through comics and illustration.”
At the conclusion of the gathering, Gutiérrez was touched by the support he received moving into the position of President of COMIX35.
“I was so moved by their support as we were saying goodbye, even one of the team members said, ‘We believe in you,’ which, for me, was something God was telling me as the new leader of COMIX35 Next Gen,” he said. “We had many moments of prayer through all the three-and-a-half days we spent together, that brought us closer as family in God.”
Gutiérrez explained that after they showed the ministry’s video, he publically accepted “the baton” at the gathering, afterward. Dr. Byron Spradlin, president of ACT International, lead the group in prayer.
“It was for me a very important step in my commitment to serve God and share the Gospel through comics, as well as mentor and train other Christian artists worldwide, both in person, through webinars, and methods I had already worked with.”
But the celebration and the new direction for COMIX35 means the retirement of Nate Butler, who everyone in the Christian comics industry will miss.
“I feel sad that Nate will be retired, since, for many years, thinking about COMIX35 was thinking of him as a leader, staff, teacher and an orchestra man of the ministry,” Gutiérrez said. “The bar seems very high for me, but I trust in Our Lord, that He will guide us in this start of COMIX35 Next Gen.”
Gutiérrez stated that of his next steps are to set up a new website and establish an expanded social media communication strategy, to keep an open communication with COMIX35 followers and friends, and to make new connections, as well. Proposed projects include comics training seminars in New York State, Montreal, Canada, and the French speaking countries in Africa, such as Cameroon, as well as some states in Mexico where missionary work is being done. He also intends to keep up with prison ministry tracts, not to mention the door God has opened in Asia, where projects such as the Manga Messiah series, and various training seminars have taken place.
“Last, but not least, we need to keep looking for new partners who would like to support all these new activities,” Gutiérrez said.
COMIX35 has been offering international consultation, coaching, and classes on the production and effective use of comics-style literature since 1996.
