Josh Neufeld

Infobox Comics creator
name = Josh Neufeld


imagesize = 200px
caption = Neufeld at his drawing table.
birthname = Joshua Michael Rosler Neufeld
birthdate = birth date and age|1967|08|09
location = New York, NY
deathdate =
deathplace =
nationality = American
area = Artist, Writer
alias = Josh
notable works = "A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge"
"A Few Perfect Hours"
"The Vagabonds"
"Titans of Finance"
"Keyhole"
"American Splendor"
awards = 2004 Xeric Award
website = http://www.JoshComix.com

Josh Neufeld (b. 1967 in New York City) is an alternative cartoonist and commercial illustrator known for his fact-based comics on subjects like Hurricane Katrina, international travel and finance, as well as his collaborations with writers like Harvey Pekar and David Greenberger.

Biography and Career Highlights

Neufeld graduated from the High School of Music & Art in 1985 and Oberlin College with a B.A. in Art History in 1989. After living in such far-flung locales as Vancouver and Halifax, Canada; London, England; Prague, the Czech Republic; San Diego and San Francisco, California; Oberlin, Ohio; Chicago, Illinois; and Provincetown, Massachusetts; he currently resides with his wife, writer Sari Wilson, and their daughter, in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Influences

As a child, Neufeld's influences were Belgian cartoonist Hergé's "Tintin", Goscinny & Uderzo's "Asterix", and the Curt Swan-Murphy Anderson issues of "Action Comics" and "Superman". Later in life, as he gravitated toward alternative comics, Neufeld was inspired by the writing and work of Scott McCloud, Chris Ware, and Dan Clowes; and the real-life stories of Joe Sacco, Harvey Pekar, and David Greenberger.

Creator-Owned Titles

Neufeld was awarded a 2004 grant from the Xeric Foundation for his graphic novel, "A Few Perfect Hours (and Other Stories From Southeast Asia & Central Europe)", a collection of real-life stories about his travel experiences. He is the creator of the comic book series "The Vagabonds" (published by Alternative Comics), and co-creator (with high school friend Dean Haspiel) of "Keyhole" (Millennium/Modern and Top Shelf Productions) and (with R. Walker) "Titans of Finance: True Tales of Money and Business" (Alternative Comics). Neufeld is one of the founding members of the online comics collective, ACT-I-VATE.

Hurricane Katrina

In 2005, shortly after Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, Neufeld spent three weeks as an American Red Cross volunteer in Biloxi, Mississippi. The blog he kept about that experience turned into a self-published book, "Katrina Came Calling" (2006). Later, Neufeld was asked to write the introduction to a book called "Signs of Life: Surviving Katrina", a collection of photos of the hand-made signs that appeared in New Orleans and along the Gulf Coast following Hurricane Katrina. Profits from sales of the book went two organizations still working in the area: Common Ground Relief and Hands On Network.

In 2007, Neufeld began writing and drawing ( [http://www.smithmag.net/afterthedeluge] )"," an online graphic novel serialized on SMITH Magazine. "A.D." tells the real stories of five New Orleans residents and their experiences during and after Hurricane Katrina. "A.D." has received extensive press coverage, including in such venues as the "Los Angeles Times"Boucher, Geoff (August 27, 2007). "A flood of emotions in a Katrina comics serial." "Los Angeles Times", the "New Orleans Times-Picayune"MacCash, Doug (August 27, 2007). "Comic-book Katrina." "New Orleans Times-Picayune", the "Atlanta Journal-Constitution"Rajagopalan, Megha (August 25, 2007). "Words and Pictures: Online strips will make you think." "Atlanta Journal-Constitution", "Rolling Stone", Wired.comJatras, Todd (May 1, 2007). "Following New Orleans After the Deluge." Wired.com, BoingBoingFrauenfelder, Mark (June 7, 2007). "Webcomic about Hurricane Katrina." BoingBoing, the "Toronto Star"Mudhar, Raju (August 19, 2007). "Katrina captured on the computer screen." "Toronto Star", and National Public Radio's "News & Notes". In May 2008, it was announced that a four-color hardcover edition of "A.D." would be published by Pantheon Graphic Novels. The book will include additional and augmented material from the webcomic version. [" [http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/12535.html Pantheon to Publish "A.D.:New Orleans After the Deluge": Josh Neufeld's Real-Life Saga] ," ICv2, May 8, 2008. Retrieved on June 4, 2008.]

Other Publications

His comics have also been published in "World War 3 Illustrated, FSB, mMode" magazine, "ReadyMade, The Village Voice, The Chicago Reader, In These Times", and many other venues. Neufeld's illustrations have appeared in "The New York Times", the "Wall Street Journal", "Forbes", "Nickelodeon Magazine", the "Austin American-Statesman", the "Washington City Paper", "New York Press", "ShuttleSheet", and many other publications.

Collaboration

Neufeld is a long-time artist for Pekar’s "American Splendor", and has collaborated with many writers from outside the comics world, including poets, memoirists, and theatre groups. Other comics writers Neufeld has illustrated stories for include Pekar's wife Joyce Brabner (in "American Splendor"), and Greenberger in "Duplex Planet Illustrated" (published by Fantagraphics), R. Walker (in "Titans of Finance"), and Peter Ross (in a self-published mini-comic called "Mortgage Your Soul").

Neufeld's collaborations with writers from outside the traditional comics world tend to be formalist and experimental in spirit. He has adapted a number of poet Nick Flynn's pieces into comics, which have appeared in various literary journals and websites. Neufeld is an Associate Artist with the New York-based theatre collective The Civilians, and has adapted portions of a number of their plays into comic book form. He has also collaborated with writer Eileen Myles, and Neufeld's mother, artist Martha Rosler. A special issue (subtitled "Of Two Minds") of Neufeld's solo comic "The Vagabonds" was dedicated to his many collaborations.

elected bibliography

[http://joshcomix.home.mindspring.com/and/comixography.htm Neufeld's website] features a complete bibliography.
*"A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge" (2007) serialized on SMITH Magazine. Forthcoming from Pantheon (2009).
* "A Few Perfect Hours (and Other Stories From Southeast Asia & Central Europe)" (2004) self-published through a grant from the Xeric Foundation ISBN 1-891867-79-2
* "The Vagabonds" 1-2 (2003) for Alternative Comics
* "Titans of Finance" #1 with writer R. Walker (2001) for Alternative Comics ISBN 1891867059
* "Keyhole" with cartoonist Dean Haspiel 1-4 (1996) for Millennium/Modern; 5-6 (1997) for Top Shelf Productions

Awards

* Xeric Award winner for "A Few Perfect Hours (and Other Stories from Southeast Asia & Central Europe)" (2004)
* Ignatz Award nomination for Outstanding Comic ("Keyhole") (1997)
* CAAP (Chicago Arts Assistance Program) Grant, City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs (1996)

Notes

References

; Sourced consulted
* [http://www.prospect.org:80//cs/articles?article=a_graphic_portrayal_of_katrina "American Prospect" online "A.D." feature]
* [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=13928549 NPR "News & Notes" interview]
* [http://blogs.usatoday.com/popcandy/2007/07/read-this-now-j.html "USA Today"'s "Pop Candy" "A.D." review]
* [http://www.comicon.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=36;t=006217 Comicon.com "The Pulse" interview]
* [http://www.nydailynews.com/boroughs/story/429030p-361776c.html "N.Y. Daily News" profile]
* [http://www.sequentialtart.com/archive/feb05/jneufeld.shtml Sequential Tart interview]

External links

*
*
* [http://www.JoshNeufeld.com Josh Neufeld's illustration website]
* [http://www.smithmag.net/afterthedeluge/ "A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge"]