Ian Jones-Quartey

Ian Jones-Quartey (born June 18, 1984) is an American writer, storyboard artist, animator and voice actor. He is best known for his webcomic RPG World and his work on Steven Universe, Adventure Time, and Bravest Warriors. He is the creator of the animated series OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes, based on his Cartoon Network pilot Lakewood Plaza Turbo which premiered on the network in 2017.

Early life
Jones-Quartey was born on June 18, 1984, in Hatfield, Pennsylvania, but was raised in Columbia, Maryland. He attended Long Reach High School and the School of Visual Arts in New York City.

Career
Jones-Quartey created multiple Web Cartoonists' Choice Award-winning webcomic RPG World. He was also a founding member of the now-defunct "bagofchips" group, a collective of web cartoonists including Aaron Farber, Meredith Gran, Josh Mirman, and David McGuire. He is also the co-creator of the web animation series and comedy hip-hop duo nockFORCE, rapping under the stage name 'effnocka' along with audio specialist Jim Gisriel.

He also served as a storyboard supervisor and revisionist for Adventure Time and storyboard artist for Secret Mountain Fort Awesome. His first job in the business was on The Venture Bros.. He supplies the voice of Wallow in Bravest Warriors and was the supervising director and co-developer of the Cartoon Network series Steven Universe.

In 2013, Jones-Quartey's short Lakewood Plaza Turbo aired on Cartoon Network. It was the pilot for a potential show which has been pitched to Cartoon Network Studios for its shorts development program. The short has been retooled as a mobile game entitled ''OK K.O.! Lakewood Plaza Turbo'', which was released on Cartoon Network's Anything app in February 2016. The show was greenlit as a new regular programming on March 2017, and ''OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes'' premiered on Cartoon Network on August 1.

Personal life
Jones-Quartey is a grandson of Theodosia Okoh, the designer of the flag of Ghana; he based the Steven Universe character Nanefua Pizza on her.

As of 2018, he and Steven Universe creator Rebecca Sugar have been in a relationship for more than ten years.

Influences
Jones-Quartey cites Akira Toriyama's series Dragon Ball and Dr. Slump as inspiration for vehicle designs as a reference for his own. He stated, "We're all big Toriyama fans on [Steven Universe], which kind of shows a bit."

Animation

 * The Venture Bros. (2006-2010) (inking, art director, animation director)
 * Supernormal (2007) (animation director)
 * Adventure Time (2010-2013) (storyboard supervisor, storyboard revisionist)
 * Secret Mountain Fort Awesome (2011-2012) (writer, storyboard artist)
 * Steven Universe (2013–2017) (developer, co-executive producer, supervising director, storyline writer, storyboard artist)
 * OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes (2016–present) (creator, writer, executive producer, voice actor)

Voice work

 * Steven Universe (various voices)
 * Bravest Warriors (Wallow)
 * OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes (Radicles, Darrell, Crinky Wrinkly, various additional voices)
 * Welcome to My Life (Bully)
 * Mighty Magiswords (Radicles)

Comics

 * RPG World
 * Jones-Quartey, Ian. (2004) RPG World – The Comic That's in a Video Game, Volume 1: Unlikely Hero Out for Adventure. Publisher: Keenspot Entertainment. ISBN 0-9722350-4-3