ND Stevenson
December 31, 1991 — Columbia, South Carolina, United States
ND Stevenson is an American cartoonist and animation producer whose work has reshaped modern comics and children's television. He is best known for creating the graphic novel Nimona, co-writing the comic series Lumberjanes, and serving as showrunner of the acclaimed Netflix series She-Ra and the Princesses of Power. Born on December 31, 1991, Stevenson rose from webcomic creator to one of animation's most influential young voices.
Early Life and Education
Nate Diana "Indy" Stevenson was born on December 31, 1991, in Columbia, South Carolina, and grew up in a conservative, religious household in the American South. Drawing from an early age, Stevenson found in comics and fantasy fiction an outlet for imagination and self-expression during a childhood he later described as isolating. He went on to study at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) in Baltimore, where he majored in illustration. It was during his college years that Stevenson began building an online following, posting webcomics and fan art that showcased a distinctive blend of humor, emotional depth, and dynamic character design. This early digital presence proved pivotal, as it caught the attention of readers and publishers who would help launch his professional career before he had even graduated.
Breakthrough Career and Major Works
Stevenson's breakout project was Nimona, a webcomic he began serializing in 2012 about a shapeshifting girl who becomes sidekick to a villain in a science-fantasy kingdom. The comic's blend of humor, action, and unexpected emotional weight earned a devoted online audience, and HarperCollins published it as a graphic novel in 2015; it became a finalist for the National Book Award. Around the same time, Stevenson co-created Lumberjanes with Grace Ellis, Brooke Allen, and Shannon Watters, a BOOM! Studios comic series about supernatural adventures at a summer camp for girls, which won an Eisner Award and built a passionate fanbase. In 2018, Stevenson's profile grew further when he became developer, showrunner, and executive producer of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power for Netflix and DreamWorks Animation, a reimagining of the 1980s franchise that ran until 2020 and was praised for its emotional storytelling, diverse characters, and queer representation. He later returned to his signature creation as an executive producer on the 2023 animated film adaptation of Nimona.
Did You Know?
Nimona began as a webcomic Stevenson created while still a college student at MICA, and he initially planned to write his senior thesis around it—only for the project to take on a life of its own, eventually becoming a National Book Award finalist and, years later, an Academy Award-nominated animated film.
Personal Journey and Legacy
Beyond his creative output, Stevenson became a notable public voice on gender identity, coming out as transgender and using he/him pronouns after years of exploring his identity in the public eye. He chronicled this journey candidly in The Fire Never Goes Out: A Memoir in Pieces, a 2020 autobiographical collection of essays and comics that reflected on his childhood, mental health, and evolving sense of self. His openness resonated widely with young LGBTQ+ readers who saw their own experiences reflected in his work and his willingness to share his story. Stevenson's influence extends across comics and animation alike: he helped popularize a new wave of emotionally rich, diverse storytelling in mainstream media aimed at younger audiences, paving the way for more inclusive representation in children's and young-adult entertainment. His career stands as a model of an artist growing from grassroots webcomic creator to a leading figure shaping the future of animated storytelling.