Rich Burlew

Rich Burlew (born September 1, 1974) is an author, game designer, and graphic designer best known for The Order of the Stick webcomic. He has written several works for Wizards of the Coast's game Dungeons and Dragons. He owns and operates a small press publishing company, named Giant in the Playground, which he formed in order to publish his comic work.

Rich Burlew was ranked #5 on ComixTalk's list of the Top 25 People in Webcomics for 2007 for his work on The Order of the Stick.

Burlew has a chronic illness to which he occasionally alludes, which sometimes impedes his ability to draw the comics, and causes the periodic delays in the schedule. On July 10, 2011, he reiterated on his website that the Order of the Stick comic is produced on "a random schedule... depending on ability to work"

In September 2012, Burlew seriously injured his right hand in an accident, requiring emergency surgery and preventing him from drawing for an extended period. With physiotherapy, he is expected to make a full recovery.