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Rhode Montijo | |
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Born | September 1973 (age 51) El Centro, California, U.S. |
Nationality | American |
Area(s) | Writer Penciller Inker |
Notable works | Pablo's Inferno Cloud Boy Happy Tree Friends (co-creator) |
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Rhode Montijo (born September 7, 1973) is an American children's book author and illustrator best known as the creator of Pablo's Inferno , Cloud Boy and co-creator of the Flash cartoon Happy Tree Friends .
Raised in Stockton, California, Montijo is most known for being one of the creators of the award-winning comic book series Pablo's Inferno , about a little boy's descent into the spirit world in Mexico. Montijo originally gained attention for being one of the creators of the animated internet series Happy Tree Friends , one of the earliest YouTube viral sensations and subject of a 2006 television series.
After a car accident in 2006, Montijo set out to pursue his life-long passion in creating children's books. His first children's book published was the acclaimed Cloud Boy in 2006 by Simon & Schuster, about a little cloud boy who creates the shapes that are seen in clouds. Starting in 2007, Montijo illustrated a series of eight chapter books titled Melvin Beederman Superhero , written by Greg Trine and published by Henry Holt Company. In 2009 Montijo self-published and distributed Skeletown , a Dia De Los Muertos / Day of the Dead-inspired story of a town populated with skeletal inhabitants. In 2010, Montijo created The Halloween Kid about a mysterious masked boy who becomes the defender of Halloween. In 2012, production began on a half-hour animated holiday special based on The Halloween Kid with animation by Sanzigen Company in Japan, with Montijo directing.
In 2012, Montijo began a new children's chapter book series titled The Gumazing Gum Girl! , published by Disney/Hyperion, about gum-obsessed Gabby Gomez who accidentally turns into the sticky/stretchy superhero Gum Girl. In 2015 Montijo did the character designs for the Amazon Prime children's animated pilot, Knickerbock Teetertop , about the smallest kid in Wonderpine Mountain who yearns to be a great adventurer like his grandfather. Montijo has also provided character designs for Laika Pictures and Warner Brothers Animation.