Geovannie Cano is a Combat Marine Veteran and Purple Heart recipient who served with 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines during Operation Iraqi Freedom (2005–2009) as an infantry machine gunner. His experiences on the front lines of Iraq profoundly shaped his perspective on life, resilience, and the healing power of storytelling.

During combat operations in Habbaniyah in 2006, Geovannie’s squad endured an intense four-day firefight that resulted in his severe injury and near-death experience following a vehicle-borne explosion. Pronounced dead for over a minute aboard a medevac helicopter before being revived, he emerged from that event with a renewed sense of purpose and a lifelong commitment to understanding the human experience through creativity and critical thought.

After leaving the military, Geovannie confronted the challenges of PTSD and traumatic brain injury (TBI), channeling his recovery into art, writing, and mentorship. He founded Battle Comics Ink., a comic book company dedicated to helping Veterans heal through storytelling and creative expression. His flagship series, Quantum Man and Saint Michael Special Operations Group, draw on his combat experiences and spiritual journey, offering narratives of transformation, resilience, and meaning.

Danny Quick is a U.S. Army Combat Veteran and independent comic book creator whose work bridges the disciplines of service, storytelling, and creative empowerment. Serving as a combat medic deployed to Iraq in 2008, Danny experienced firsthand the human realities of war—experiences that later shaped his commitment to exploring courage, morality, and resilience through the art of comics.

As the creator of Aceblade: The Vegas Vigilante and founder of Bequest Studios, Danny has built a distinctive voice in independent comics. His stories merge street-level action with sharp social insight, examining the nature of justice and the personal cost of heroism. Through Bequest Studios, he develops bold, character-driven narratives that challenge convention while celebrating the human spirit.

Beyond his writing, Danny has become a leading advocate for accessible and community-driven storytelling. Leveraging platforms like TikTok (@theaceblade), he shares behind-the-scenes insights, creator advice, and entertaining content that brings readers closer to the creative process. His approach has cultivated a loyal audience and inspired countless new voices to begin telling their own stories.

A lifelong learner and creative mentor, Danny continues to use his unique blend of military discipline, empathy, and artistic vision to connect people through narrative. His work embodies the transformative power of creativity, demonstrating how storytelling can entertain and heal and how even the darkest experiences can fuel light.

Wayne Armacost is a nonprofit executive, founder, and organizational leader with extensive experience building and guiding mission-driven organizations. His career has focused on developing people, strengthening operations, building sustainable revenue, and turning organizational vision into meaningful, measurable impact.

Wayne served as Executive Director of the NRA Whittington Center in Raton, New Mexico, a 33,000-acre nonprofit outdoor recreation and education facility with multiple shooting ranges, a firearms museum, pro shop, RV parks, cabins, food service, and other recreational operations. In that role, he was responsible for overall operations, strategic direction, facilities, revenue development, staff leadership, and the organization’s relationship with its Board of Trustees.

His nonprofit experience also includes co-founding The 1 Collective, an organization created to provide educational sponsorships for young men and women in Cambodia. Through that work, Wayne gained firsthand experience building a nonprofit from the ground up, developing its mission, establishing organizational structure, building partnerships, and translating a deeply personal concern into organized, meaningful action.

Wayne believes that passion for a mission must be supported by strong governance, responsible stewardship, effective operations, and measurable impact. His approach focuses on steady leadership, thoughtful oversight, and careful use of resources in service of disabled Combat Veterans.