Theo Ellsworth

Last updated

Theo Ellsworth is a self-taught artist and comics creator best known for his graphic novels Capacity and Sleeper Car. In 2010, he was a recipient of the Best Art Vinyl award for the Flying Lotus EP Pattern+Grid World. He lives with his wife and son in Missoula, Montana.

Contents

Biography

Theo Ellsworth was born in Los Angeles, California where he lived until he was six when his family relocated to Missoula, Montana. His father worked in hospice and his mother worked for a company that provided services for people with mental disabilities. Ellsworth has an older brother and a younger sister. He notes having difficulty paying attention in school, oftentimes daydreaming during lessons. Ellsworth dropped out of high school and received his GED. Ellsworth travelled around the United States, living out of his car, occasionally returning to Missoula. He used this period as a time of introspection and to figure out how to make art and comics the central focus of his work. He sold his car and used that money, in addition to working odd jobs, while he wrote the first six issues of Capacity. [1]

While Ellsworth tried some formal art classes, he found the instruction counterproductive to his own artistic style and vision. He is instead self-taught. Ellsworth notes Henry Darger, Adolf Wölfli, and Martin Ramirez as artistic influences. [2]

Career

Ellsworth's first book Capacity was published in 2008 by Secret Acres. It is a compilation of mini-comics he produced between 2005 and 2007. Ellsworth also created an additional 100 pages of material specifically to tie all the stories together for the book's publication. In 2013, Ellsworth published Capacity #8, a new issue that continues his Capacity series. [3]

In 2009, Secret Acres published Ellsworth's Sleeper Car, a 32-page comic. A selection from Sleeper Car, Norman Eight's Right Arm was chosen by Neil Gaiman for The Best American Comics 2010. [4]

Book One of his The Understanding Monster trilogy came out in 2012 and won the 2013 Lynd Ward Honor Book prize given out by Penn State. Excerpts from "The Understanding Monster Vol. 1" were selected by Scott McCloud to be included in the "Best American Comics 2014." Volume Two of the Understanding Monster was released in the fall of 2014, and Volume Three was released in the fall of 2015.

His work has been described as "a cross between cartooning and art, poetry and the nonsensical ramblings of a writer emerging from a dream." [5]

Anthology credits and references

Ellsworth is credited as the artist for "A History of Nonviolence" which appeared in 2013 in issue 3 of the political comics anthology, "Occupy Comics." [6] Ellsworth is also credited as a contributor to the comic "Little Nemo: Dream Another Dream." Fred Johnson utilizes Ellsworth's artwork in "Perspicuous Objects," a series of articles that explores comics in-depth by combining the lenses of visual rhetoricians with cartoonists and comic theorists. [7]

Published works

Related Research Articles

<i>Little Nemo</i> US early 20th century comic strip

Little Nemo is a fictional character created by American cartoonist Winsor McCay. He originated in an early comic strip by McCay, Dream of the Rarebit Fiend, before receiving his own spin-off series, Little Nemo in Slumberland. The full-page weekly strip depicted Nemo having fantastic dreams that were interrupted by his awakening in the final panel. The strip is considered McCay's masterpiece for its experiments with the form of the comics page, its use of color and perspective, its timing and pacing, the size and shape of its panels, and its architectural and other details.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neil Gaiman</span> English writer (born 1960)

Neil Richard MacKinnon Gaiman is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, graphic novels, audio theatre, and screenplays. His works include the comic book series The Sandman and the novels Good Omens, Stardust, Anansi Boys, American Gods, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book. He co-created the TV series adaptations of Good Omens and The Sandman.

<i>The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen</i> Comic book series by Alan Moore and Kevin ONeill

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (LoEG) is a multi-genre, cross over comic book series co-created by writer Alan Moore and artist Kevin O'Neill which began in 1999. The comic book spans four volumes, an original graphic novel, and a spin-off trilogy of graphic novellas. Volume I and Volume II and the graphic novel Black Dossier were published by the America's Best Comics imprint of DC Comics. After leaving the America's Best imprint, the series moved to Top Shelf and Knockabout Comics, which published Volume III: Century, the Nemo Trilogy, and Volume IV: The Tempest. According to Moore, the concept behind the series was initially a "Justice League of Victorian England" but he quickly developed it as an opportunity to merge elements from numerous works of fiction into one world, in a matter akin to the shared fictional universes of Marvel and DC Comics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bernie Wrightson</span> American comic artist (1948–2017)

Bernard Albert Wrightson was an American artist, known for co-creating the Swamp Thing, his adaptation of the novel Frankenstein illustration work, and for his other horror comics and illustrations, which feature his trademark intricate pen and brushwork.

<i>The Sandman: Preludes & Nocturnes</i> First trade paperback of the comic book series The Sandman by Neil Gaiman

Preludes & Nocturnes is the first trade paperback collection of the comic book series The Sandman, published by the DC Comics imprint Vertigo. It collects issues #1–8. It is written by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Sam Kieth, Mike Dringenberg and Malcolm Jones III, colored by Robbie Busch and lettered by Todd Klein.

<i>The Sandman</i> (comic book) Graphic novels by Neil Gaiman, 1989–1996

The Sandman is a comic book written by Neil Gaiman and published by DC Comics. Its artists include Sam Kieth, Mike Dringenberg, Jill Thompson, Shawn McManus, Marc Hempel, Bryan Talbot, and Michael Zulli, with lettering by Todd Klein and covers by Dave McKean. The original series ran for 75 issues from January 1989 to March 1996. Beginning with issue No. 47, it was placed under DC's Vertigo imprint, and following Vertigo's retirement in 2020, reprints have been published under DC's Black Label imprint.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Death of the Endless</span> DC Comics character

Death of the Endless is a fictional personification of death who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. She first appeared in The Sandman vol. 2, #8 and was created by Neil Gaiman and Mike Dringenberg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dream (character)</span> Protagonist of the comic book series The Sandman

Dream of the Endless is a fictional anthropomorphic personification who first appeared in the first issue of The Sandman, written by Neil Gaiman and published by DC Comics. One of the seven Endless, who are inconceivably powerful beings older and greater than gods, Dream is both lord and personification of all dreams and stories, and all that is not in reality. He has taken many names, including Morpheus, Oneiros, Kai'ckul, and the Sandman, and his appearance can change depending on the person who is seeing him. Dream was named the sixth-greatest comic book character by Empire. He was also named fifteenth in IGN's 100 Top Comic Book Heroes list.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colleen Doran</span> American writer-artist and cartoonist

Colleen Doran is an American writer-artist and cartoonist. She illustrated hundreds of comics, graphic novels, books and magazines, including the autobiographical graphic novel of Marvel Comics editor and writer Stan Lee entitled Amazing Fantastic Incredible Stan Lee, which became a New York Times bestseller. She adapted and did the art for the short story "Troll Bridge" by Neil Gaiman, which also became a New York Times bestseller. Her books have received Eisner, Harvey, Bram Stoker, Locus, and International Horror Guild Awards.

<i>Sandman</i> (DC Comics) Pseudonym of several DC Comics characters

The Sandman is the pseudonym of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. They have appeared in stories of various genres, including the pulp detective character Wesley Dodds, superheroes such as Garrett Sanford and Hector Hall, and mythic fantasy characters more commonly called by the name Dream. Named after the folklore character that is said to bring pleasant dreams to children, each has had some thematic connection to dreaming, and efforts have been made to tie them into a common continuity within the DC Universe.

<i>The Sandman: The Dream Hunters</i> DC Comics miniseries

The Sandman: The Dream Hunters is a novella by English author Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Yoshitaka Amano, and published by DC Comics under its Vertigo imprint. The story is tangential to The Sandman comic book series, and can be read without prior knowledge of the main sequence. It won the Bram Stoker Award for Best Illustrated Narrative. The story deals with a love affair between a Buddhist monk and a fox spirit or kitsune.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">P. Craig Russell</span> Comic creator

Philip Craig Russell is an American comics artist, writer, and illustrator. His work has won multiple Harvey and Eisner Awards. Russell was the fourth mainstream comic book creator to come out as openly gay, following Andy Mangels in 1988, Craig Hamilton in 1989, and Eric Shanower in 1990.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Vess</span> American fantasy and comics artist

Charles Vess is an American fantasy artist and comics artist who has specialized in the illustration of myths and fairy tales. His influences include British "Golden Age" book illustrator Arthur Rackham, Czech Art Nouveau painter Alphonse Mucha, and comic-strip artist Hal Foster, among others. Vess has won several awards for his illustrations. Vess' studio, Green Man Press, is located in Abingdon, VA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen R. Bissette</span> American comics artist (born 1955)

Stephen R. Bissette is an American comic book artist and publisher with a focus on the horror genre. He worked with writer Alan Moore and inker John Totleben on the DC Comics series Swamp Thing in the 1980s.

<i>Wednesday Comics</i> Comic book by DC Comics

Wednesday Comics was a weekly anthology comic book launched by DC Comics on July 8, 2009. The twelve issues of the title were published in 14" x 20" broadsheet format, deliberately similar to Sunday newspaper comics sections. Each edition featured 15 pages, each from a different story by a different creative team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Josh Wagner</span> American comic book writer

Josh Wagner is an American novelist and playwright from Missoula, Montana. He also writes graphic novels, short stories, and screenplays. His style is heavily influenced by metafiction, folk tales, and magical realism. His work is best categorized as part of the Slipstream (genre).

Glyn Dillon is a British costume designer, as well as a comics and film storyboard and concept artist, best known for his work on the Star Wars films The Force Awakens and Rogue One, designing the batsuit for Matt Reeves' 2022 The Batman ...as well as his 2012 graphic novel The Nao of Brown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sequart Organization</span> Online magazine about comics

Sequart Organization is an online magazine that focuses on the study of popular culture and the promotion of comic books as an art form. Sequart also publishes books and produces documentary films. It was founded in 1996 by Julian Darius. Sequart's editor-in-chief is Mike Phillips.

<i>Speakeasy</i> (magazine) British magazine of comics news and criticism

Speakeasy was a British magazine of news and criticism pertaining to comic books, comic strips and graphic novels. It published many interviews with both British and American comics creators.

References

  1. ↑ Sobel, Marc. "The Theo Ellsworth Interview". The Comics Journal. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  2. ↑ Sobel, Marc. "The Theo Ellsworth Interview". The Comics Journal.
  3. ↑ Ellsworth, Theo. "Capacity #8", Secret Acres, 2013. ISBN   978-0983166290
  4. ↑ Neil Gaiman, ed., The Best American Comics 2010 (Boston, New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010), 323
  5. ↑ Martin J. Kidston, "An hour with ... Theo Ellsworth," Independent Record, October 1, 2005, http://helenair.com/lifestyles/article_b3e08005-2c07-5cd3-8f41-ee14f1fc88a3.html
  6. ↑ "Occupy Comics". Blackmask Studios. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  7. ↑ Johnson, Fred. "Perspicuous Objects". Karios. Retrieved 28 May 2015.

Sources

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.