David Collier (cartoonist)

David Collier (born January 24, 1963)[1] is a Canadian alternative cartoonist best known for his fact-based "comic strip essays."

David Collier
David Collier, a self portrait
Born (1963-01-24) January 24, 1963 (age 61)
Windsor, Ontario, Canada[1]
Area(s)Cartoonist, Writer, Penciller
Notable works
Collier's
Just The Facts
Surviving Saskatoon

Biography

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As a child, Collier was introduced to the work of Robert Crumb, whose work has been a significant influence. (Collier's cross-hatching style is particularly reminiscent of Crumb's work.)[1] Before breaking into comics, Collier served in the Canadian Army from 1987 to 1990. He drew comic strips for the army newspapers the Cornwallis Ensign, CFB Chilliwack Mountaineer, and CFB Valcartier Adsum.[2] His Army training also introduced him to long-distance running and the biathlon, in which he has competed nationally.[1]

His first comic strip was published in 1986 in the R. Crumb-edited magazine Weirdo, and his work has been published in numerous other comics anthologies, including Duplex Planet Illustrated, Drawn & Quarterly, The Comics Journal, and Zero Zero. Most of the material from his anthology submissions was collected in Just the Facts: A Decade of Comic Essays.

Since 1990, Collier has done comics and illustrations for Canadian newspapers such as The Globe and Mail and the Saskatoon StarPhoenix. He has illustrated stories for Harvey Pekar's American Splendor, most notably the three-issue American Splendor: Unsung Hero.

Fantagraphics published four issues of the aptly titled series Collier's in the 1990s. Much of this material was reprinted in Portraits from Life. Drawn & Quarterly later published volume two of Collier's, lasting two issues.

Collier's Surviving Saskatoon documents the true story of David Milgaard, a man who spent over 20 years in prison after he was wrongfully accused of the brutal rape and murder of a nurse in 1969.

Collier featured in a 2013 episode of CBC Radio program Wiretap, describing his experiences rejoining the army at 41, also the subject of his book Chimo.[3]

For the 2014–15 Alex Colville retrospective held at the Art Gallery of Ontario and National Gallery of Canada, Collier produced a commissioned work inspired by Colville that was displayed as an installation and also published in print under the title Colville Comics (2014).[4]

Collier lives with his wife, Ontario artist Jennifer Hambleton, and son James (born in 1999), in Hamilton.

Awards

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Collier's The Frank Ritza Papers was nominated for a Doug Wright Award for Best Book in 2005.

Hamilton Illustrated was awarded the Pigskin Peters Award for 2013 at the Toronto Comic Arts Festival. The award recognizes the best in experimental or avant-garde comics.

Bibliography

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Comic books
Title Date Publisher ISBN Notes
Collier's 1992-1998 Fantagraphics 4 issues
Collier's Seattle Sketchbook 1995 Starhead Comics
Humphry Osmond: Psychedelic Pioneer 1998 Drawn & Quarterly Collected in Portraits from Life
Surviving Saskatoon 2000 978-1894937559
Collier's Volume 2 2001–2003 2 issues
Hamilton Sketchbook #2 2010
Collections and graphic novels
Title Date Publisher ISBN Notes
Just the Facts: A Decade of Comic Essays 1998 Drawn & Quarterly 978-1896597256 Collects work for various publications
Portraits from Life 2001 978-1896597355 Biographical strips
Hamilton Sketchbook 2002 978-1896597485
The Frank Ritza Papers 2004 978-1896597911
Chimo 2011 Conundrum Press 978-1894994538
Collier's Popular Press 2011 978-1894994606 Collects work for newspapers and magazines
Hamilton Illustrated 2012 Wolsak and Wynn 978-1894987707
Morton: A Cross-Country Rail Journey 2017 Conundrum Press 978-1772620122

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Collier bio at Drawn & Quarterly website
  2. ^ Brandon, Laura (2021). War Art in Canada: A Critical History. Toronto: Art Canada Institute. ISBN 978-1-4871-0271-5.
  3. ^ WireTap: Tough Guys
  4. ^ Brandon, Laura (2021). War Art in Canada: A Critical History. Toronto: Art Canada Institute. ISBN 978-1-4871-0271-5.
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