Cam Kennedy began working in commercial art in his hometown of Glasgow. Kennedy then went freelance and worked as an illustrator on D.C. Thomson’s Commando, a British war comic, between 1967 and 1972, before leaving comics altogether to become a professional fine artist. Kennedy’s work has been described as gritty, energetic, chunky and raw.
In 1978 he was lured back to comics again, beginning by drawing the Fighting Mann (1980-81) strip for Fleetway Publications’ Battle comic. (I have a page from that 😉)As Battle began to wind down, Kennedy moved across to its stablemate, the weekly science fiction anthology 2000 AD
Kennedy was instrumental in several strips that continue to this day, including The V.C.s (written by Gerry Finley-Day, Judge Dredd (with John Wagner and Alan Grant, including the “Midnight Surfer” story which reintroduced Chopper) and Rogue Trooper (again with Finley-Day). His association with the comic, which is largely produced by fellow Scotsmen, has never faltered. In 2005, Kennedy designed and produced a brand new strip, Zancudo, written by Simon Spurrier for the Judge Dredd Megazine, and Wagner has written three stories about character Kenny Who?, an alter-ego for Kennedy, based on his early problems getting work at American companies (as well as making jokes on issues like creator’s rights and censorship).
In America, Kennedy established a working relationship with writer Tom Veitch, producing the creator-owned Vietnam War-inspired science fantasy miniseries The Light and Darkness War for Marvel Comics’ Epic imprint. This led to the pair working on a newly launched Star Wars expansion, Dark Empire, for Dark Horse Comics. Which took place after Return of the Jedi, and the first stories to do so. Kennedy has worked on other Star Wars licensed comics, including an amazing run of Boba Fett stories with writer John Wagner. For DC Comics Kennedy has worked on Lobo, Batman, Outcasts and The Spectre. For Marvel, he has illustrated the Punisher, Daredevil and Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
