Illustrator Leo Leibelman was in Toronto March 16-18 for the annual Comicon at the Metro Toronto Convention Center. Discovering his artistic talents at age 14, shortly after college, Leibelman went to work for Marvel Comics creating panels for Conan the Barbarian. Eventually the graphic artist’s true talent revealed itself and he found he had a greater penchant for oil painting. Leibelman attended Hebrew school at an early age but was asked to leave because on most days his father packed his lunches with ham and cheese sandwiches. The school’s rabbi thought it would be best if he was enrolled in a non-religious school and as a result he became distanced from Judaism. Years later, as he began reconnecting to his Judaism, Leibelman started making a point of going to synagogue at least on Yom Kippur, and every Passover he sits through all four hours of Charleton Heston’s portrayal of Moses in the epic tale of The Ten Commandments.

Leibelman shared with us on camera who his inspirations have been throughout his career and which characters and franchises he most enjoys painting for.