Marc Hempel grew up in the northwest suburbs of Chicago and now lives in Baltimore, Maryland, where he enjoys relative fame as "America's Most Beloved Semi-Obscure Cartoonist." In addition to his collaboration with Gaiman on the climactic story arc "The Kindly Ones" in The Sandman, he is also known for his critically acclaimed work with Mark Wheatley in the titles Breathtaker, Mars, and Blood of the Innocent (original art from The Sandman and Breathtaker are included in an exhibition entitled "LitGraphic: The World of the Graphic Novel," currently on view at the James A. Michener Art Museum, Doylestown, Pennsylvania).

Hempel's own creations Gregory and Tug & Buster have been nominated for several industry awards, and his humor anthology Naked Brain was named Best Comic Book in the Baltimore City Paper's Best of Baltimore 2003 issue. Hempel's art has also appeared in Marvel Fanfare, Epic Illustrated, Heavy Metal, Jonny Quest, Tarzan the Warrior, Clive Barker’s Hellraiser, Flinch, My Faith in Frankie, The Dreaming, Lucifer, and Disney Adventures.

He has created advertising art for print and television, and character design for HBO Animation. More recently, Hempel produced CD art for the Nashville band Swamp Rat, drew an episode of the online strip Munden's Bar for ComicMix.com, and illustrated a 21-page Escapist story for Dark Horse Comics. Hempel has contributed to both MAD Magazine and Nickelodeon Magazine, and is currently developing a daily Web version of Naked Brain.