Josh Trujillo is an American writer known for his work on comic book franchises such as Adventure Time, Captain America, and Rick and Morty. He has recently been announced as the next writer of Blue Beetle.
Trujillo was born and lives in Los Angeles.[1] He did not attend college,[2] but began freelance writing in his 20s.
He first major credit came in 2016, when he contributed the story Tonight to the anthology Love is Love, produced by IDW Publishing and DC Comics. Later that year he was hired by BOOM! Studios to author three Adventure Time graphic novels, all published in 2016 as well: The Three Castles, Princess Bubblegum, and Brain Robbers.
Trujillo's self-published romance anthology Love Machines touched on stories of technology intersection with romance. "The Most Beautiful Woman In The World" told the tale of Vincente Minelli and Lester Gaba, as well as Cynthia the "Gaba Girl".[3] In 2018 he wrote his first comic book for the Rick and Morty series, Rick and Morty Issue 36, and he has since authored several others, including .[4] Trujillo has also written for a number of Superhero franchises, including The Flash, Wonder Woman, Superman, and Hulkling and Wiccan.
In addition to working for comic studios, Trujillo has also contributed writing to several video games, including ,[5] Destruction AllStars, and .[6] In 2018 he authored his own four-issue comic book with BOOM! Studios entitled Dodge City,[7] and in 2020 he wrote the children’s book Lost Beast, Found Friend.[8]
Trujillo's work appears in the Ringo Award-winning anthology, MINE! A Celebration of Planned Parenthood, and the Ignatz Award-winning Be Gay, Do Comics. [9]
In 2021, Trujillo co-created the character of Aaron Fischer with writer Christopher Cantwell and artist Jan Bazaldua. Fischer, a gay teenage runaway, is a new hero taking on the mantle of Captain America.[10] In September of 2021 it was announced he will be the writer of a one-off superhero-themed comic book about the YouTube stars known as FaZe Clan. [11]
He is currently writing a comic biography of Baron von Steuben for Mariko Tamaki's Surely imprint.
Trujillo is openly gay, and has been involved in activism relating to LGBTQ and Latino issues in comics and entertainment. Much of his work centers gay characters, or introducing gay themes to existing properties. In 2015, he moderated San Diego Comic Con’s first panel on queer gaming.[12]
Writer Sina Grace has stated that the character of "Softboy" in his comic Rockstar and Softboy is based on Trujillo.[13]