Gregory K. Smith grew up in a culturally diverse household. He was smitten with books at an early age when his Assistant Librarian mother brought him to work during summer breaks. Later, his father got him into Boy Scouts, where he achieved Eagle Scout Rank.

Born in Great Falls, Montana, Michael Tanner kept moving west until he hit the ocean, and then he went south and stopped in Los Angeles. He has lived there longer than anywhere else, so he now considers himself an Angelino. And he truly believes it's the greatest city in the world...once you figure out how to stop getting parking tickets. Although a lifelong comics fan, he credits having an interesting hobby for getting him into the world of professional comics. For years he was a referee for the LA Derby Dolls, and his first published comic was in a derby anthology by Oni Press. Now he’s done multiple stories in many anthologies and co-writes the YALSA-nominated graphic novel series Junior Braves of the Apocalypse. He has also been a podcaster, an actor, a comedian, as well as food blogger back when that was a thing.