Tim (left) and David (right) at the 2006 The Word on The Street Book Festival in Toronto.
There comes a time in every creative person's life when an inner voice urges him to go forth and create, and develop that special project that had been nesting in his mind, just waiting to take flight. When the calling came to brothers Tim and David Dang, they knew, and perhaps have always known, that their special project was a comic. And being that special project, they wanted their comic to be fun and exhilarating, with wonder-filled stories that will entertain and captivate readers of all ages.
After deliberating several ideas, Tim and David settled on the concept of Brilliant Boy. They believe that stories involving children and the childhood universe hold countless possibilities— children are curious and creative, and possess a vibrant imagination that is often absent in the adult world. In Brilliant Boy the brothers saw the opportunity to challenge their creativity and explore many very different storylines.
Tim and David formed Circus Comics in 1996, and in January 1997 Brilliant Boy #1 was published. In 1998, after receiving very positive feedback from the public, they halted publication on their comic book to focus on the development of a new Brilliant Boy graphic novel to target the mass market. The Brilliant Boy and the Big Race story was created, and it has since become the brothers’ main artistic project. To readers awaiting the next chapter of the “Great Thunder Circus” story, please be patient: the entire story will be released as a graphic novel after the Big Race. (The delay can only mean that the quality of the books will be topnotch!)
Tim Dang has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from York University in Toronto, and excels at illustration. His creative influences include European cartoonists Albert Uderzo (Asterix) and Hergé (Tintin), and comic book artists John Romita Sr. (The Amazing Spiderman), John Buscema (Silver Surfer) and John Byrne (The Uncanny X-Men). Tim is the inker and now sole penciller of Brilliant Boy. He shares the writing duties with his brother.
David Dang had a choice of pursuing classical animation or graphic design. He chose the latter and, following in his brother's footsteps, also earned a B.FA at York University, specializing in visual communication design. David's creative influences include Albert Uderzo and Hergé, British sci-fi comic strip artists Frank Bellamy (Garth) and Sydney Jordan (Jeff Hawke), and Canadian novelist Guy Gavriel Kay. David is responsible for the Brilliant Boy book design, and all things digital. David currently works at an advertising agency.
Tim and David reside in Toronto.
Additional:
• View an early Tim and David Dang comic project Crow and Arrow (Suggested for mature-minded viewers.)
