A creative partnership built on trust
Comic-book writers Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing, known together as Hivemind, have collaborated on titles including Captain America, Guardians of the Galaxy, Star Trek and Thunderbolts. Their work also includes the creator-owned horror comic You'll Never Leave This Place Alive.
Their partnership began after they met at the University of Southern California in 2005. Shared trips to comic shops and long conversations about stories helped turn an early acquaintance into a lasting friendship. Reading each other's writing later deepened their respect and gave them a creative foundation built on complementary perspectives.
Shared stories, shared opportunities
After graduation, the pair developed a film idea during a road trip and agreed to pursue opportunities together. Although that project was never produced, it helped open doors to further writing work. They continued creating as a team while balancing other commitments, learning to communicate through both smooth stretches and demanding moments.
Their comic Batman: One Bad Day: Clayface drew on their experience of the entertainment industry. The story follows a performer whose ambitions take a dark turn, while its themes also reflect the writers' view of collaboration: instead of treating a creative partner as a rival, they chose to build a shared career.
For Kelly and Lanzing, writing together has become both a professional method and a way to express ideas that might be harder to put into words. Their ongoing collaboration suggests that trust and distinct creative voices can help a partnership grow across genres and major fictional universes.
As collaborative storytelling continues to shape comics and screen culture, partnerships like theirs may show how shared authorship can create richer, more enduring work.
