From Script to Panels: Turning Your Screenplay into a Comic Book

Tony Panaccio is a 36-year media veteran, having started his career in the 1980s as a newspaper journalist for The Clearwater Sun, The Tampa Tribune and others. He later shifted his career into public relations with video game producer Capstone, where he also scripted many of their games, including William Shatner’s TekWar. During that period, he was also Shatner’s publicist for his various video game projects. Today, he is the CEO of Victory Comics, a startup in the contract publishing space.

Victory’s COO, Jan Utstein is an internationally award-winning Producer and Editor-in-Chief of Hurricane Entertainment. She has produced numerous comic books and graphic novels through Image Comics, IDW Publishing and CrossGen Entertainment, boasting over 2.3 million dollars in sales worldwide.

Utstein was Editor-in-Chief of all of Hurricane’s titles, including “Violent Messiahs”, which earned nominations for every major award in the comics industry including the Harvey Award, Wizard Fan Award, and the Eisner’s Russ Manning Award. While at Hurricane, she also partnered with entertainment luminaries such as 4 time Academy Award winner Star War’s Ben Burtt on their title “Chassis” and Kurt Russell, Debra Hill and John Carpenter on the title “Snake Plissken Chronicles”. 

She spent 8 years at Marvel Studios with Production Accounting credits on all productions including but not limited to - Film: Avengers Infinity War & Endgame, Black Panther 1&2, Black Widow, Thor: Ragnarök, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol II & III, Doctor Strange 1&2 - TV: Wanda Vision, Loki, Moon Knight, Hawkeye, Werewolf at Night and Animation: What If…?, and I am Groot. Her other studio credits include Warner Bros.’ Demolition Man, Columbia Picture’s Green Hornet, and DreamWorks Studios’ Cowboys & Aliens, as well as Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln. Utstein also worked in the DreamWorks Production Finance department. Educationally, Utstein earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theater from Binghamton University. She was granted a full scholarship towards a Master of Fine Arts from UCLA School of Theater, Film, Television & Animation. 

Born into a family of Accountants finance is in her blood. Utstein's dedication to the entertainment industry is evident through a track record of successful projects and a commitment to continuous learning and growth.

As a Producer, she has developed both film and TV series with Madonna's Maverick Entertainment, The Jim Henson Company, and The Pitt Group. Her producing credits include the Internet TV series Payday, based on hit video game
"Payday 2"; 35 Days of Kevin Eastman a documentary on the co-creator of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; the multi-award-winning Cinemascope feature film Valhalla; and as a partner in 88 Tranzmedia - Agent 88, which garnered worldwide press, including the front page of the LA Times.