Julian Lawrence
Julian Lawrence is an award winning Canadian cartoonist and educator specializing in comic books. Born in England and raised in bilingual Quebec, his work has been published and displayed internationally by Fantagraphics Books , Les Editions des Plaines , Conundrum Press , National Film Board of Canada , Penguin Books , Cartoon Network and the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network. He currently works as course leader and senior lecturer in the Comics and Graphic Novels B.A. Honours program at Teesside University in Middlesbrough, UK.
Julian’s academic work concentrates on the undercurrents of communication through gesture in the medium of comics. His research explores freehand narrative drawing and its impact on representations of artist identity. Investigations of these topics led him to combine theories of authorship with semiotic analysis of comics. This combination constitutes a large focus of Julian’s art/research/teaching practice. His most recent work include the publication of two graphic novels (part of a trilogy based on the writings of Americal novelist Stephen Crane): Drippy’s Mama and The Red Drip of Courage, as well as contributions to the book The Bliss and Blisters of Early Career Teaching: A Pan-Canadian Perspective and SANE Journal: Sequential Art Narrative in Education. Julian lives in Middlesbrough, UK where he works as a Senior Lecturer in Comics and Graphic Novels at Teesside University.
He was an instructor at Emily Carr University of Art and Design and former member of the musical group July Fourth Toilet.[1][2] Lawrence was awarded a Xeric Grant in 2000.[3]
Comics
Crucial Fiction
In the early 1990s, Lawrence published three issues of a series called Crucial Fiction for Fantagraphics. The comic was biographical in nature, and documented the stories of Pope Joan and John R. Brinkley.[4]
Drippytown Comics
In spring of 1999, Lawrence worked with Robert Dayton to start the Drippy Gazette – a monthly, two-color newspaper featuring comics from Vancouver artists. The series was published September 1999 through September 2000, featuring 12 issues total.[5] Lawrence subsequently won a grant from the Xeric Foundation to help publish Drippytown Comics, which grew out from the Gazette.[3] The publication has featured a character shaped like a drop of water on many of its covers.[6] The series is an anthology and is used to showcase pieces that represent each contributing artist. Notable artists have included Colin Upton and Jason Turner.[7] Drippytown was inspired by Lawrence's earlier work on another local cartoon publication, Cartoon Party. Lawrence also used Drippytown to serialize a comic based on American author Stephen Crane's George's Mother. Lawrence emulated Crane's literary style by drawing very detailed artwork, and using dialogue filled with slang.[4]
The Magical Life of Long Tack Sam
In 2007, Lawrence contributed artwork to The Magical Life of Long Tack Sam, a graphic novel documenting the life of a famous Chinese vaudeville performer. The book was named on the American Library Association's Top Ten Graphic Novels for Teens.[8]
The Adventures of Drippy the Newsboy
In 2014 and 2015, Conundrum Press published two volumes of The Adventures of Drippy the Newboy: Volume I: Drippy's Mama; and Volume II: The Red Drip of Courage. Lawrence is currently in production of the final book in the trilogy, Volume III: The Dripping Boat.
Academic work
MA in art education
In 2014 Lawrence began post-graduate studies in comics and education, completing a master's degree in art education in May 2017.[9] Much of his recent comics work concentrates on comics as research tool in pedagogy.[10]
References
- ^ "Biography". Drippytown Comics and Stories. Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved February 20, 2010.
- ^ "Performance History". July Fourth Toilet official website. Archived from the original on August 28, 2008. Retrieved March 9, 2010.
- ^ a b "Comic Book Self-publishing Grants". Xeric Foundation. Retrieved February 20, 2010.
- ^ a b "Julian Lawrence (Audio interview)" (mp3). Inkstuds. Retrieved February 20, 2010.
- ^ "Drippy Gazette". Drippytown Comics and Stories. Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved February 20, 2010.
- ^ "Drippytown Comics". Drippytown Comics and Stories. Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved February 20, 2010.
- ^ "Drippytown is a bizarre, decrepit, funny and morbid commentary on our wet city". The Ubyssey. Retrieved February 20, 2010.
- ^ "Ann Marie Fleming on the "Long Tack Sam" graphic novel". AsianAmericanFilm.com. Retrieved February 20, 2010.
- ^ "Secret identities in the classroom". UBC Open Collections. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
- ^ "Academia.edu". Julian Lawrence Research Papers. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
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