ies .” ▁Although ▁he ' s ▁published ▁books ▁for ▁all ▁ages ▁with ▁many ▁different ▁companies , ▁he ' s ▁best ▁known ▁for ▁his ▁work ▁in ▁children ' s ▁religious ▁publishing ▁where ▁he ▁created ▁the ▁award - win ning ▁com ic ▁book ▁characters , ▁Johnny ▁Gra v ▁& ▁The ▁Vis ione er , ▁and ▁co - created ▁the ▁Veg gie T ales ▁com ic ▁book ▁characters , ▁the ▁Qu itter ▁Crit ter ▁Qu ad ▁Squad . ▁ ▁Biography ▁ ▁Mike ▁N appa ▁started ▁his ▁career ▁as ▁a ▁youth ▁past or , ▁and ▁then ▁transition ed ▁to ▁writing ▁church ▁resources ▁at ▁Group ▁Publishing ▁in ▁Colorado . ▁He ▁eventually ▁joined ▁Group ▁as ▁a ▁book ▁ac quis itions ▁editor , ▁and ▁remained ▁active ▁as ▁an ▁author . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁Mike ▁left ▁Group ▁Publishing ▁to ▁start ▁his ▁own ▁company , ▁N app aland ▁Communic ations ▁Inc ., ▁which ▁became ▁the ▁parent ▁company ▁for ▁N app aland ▁Liter ary ▁Agency ▁and ▁the ▁long - running ▁e - mag azine , ▁Pop F am . com ▁“ Pop ▁Culture ▁for ▁Famil ies ." ▁Since ▁then ▁he ▁has ▁published ▁over ▁ 6 0 ▁books ▁which ▁have ▁collect ively ▁sold ▁more ▁than ▁a ▁million ▁copies ▁world wide . ▁He ▁has ▁also ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁fiction ▁ac quis itions ▁editor ▁for ▁Bar bour ▁Publishing , ▁as ▁a ▁general ▁ac quis itions ▁editor ▁( f iction ▁and ▁non - f iction ) ▁for ▁David ▁C . ▁Cook ▁publish ers , ▁and ▁as ▁Editor ▁in ▁Chief ▁of ▁the ▁short -