View source for J. R. Williams (comics)

{{Short description|American alternative cartoonist}}
{{about|the American cartoonist, animator, and fine artist |the Canadian-American comic strip cartoonist|J. R. Williams}}
{{Infobox comics creator
| image         = 
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| caption       =
| birth_name    = James Robert Williams<ref name=interview>Watkins, R. W. [https://sites.google.com/site/nocturnalirispublicationssite/issue-7-summer-2015/j-r-williams-the-comics-decoder-interview-r-w-watkins "J.R. Williams: The Comics Decoder Interview,"] ''The Comics Decoder'' issue #7 (Summer 2015).</ref><ref name=WhosWho>[http://www.bailsprojects.com/bio.aspx?Name=WILLIAMS%2c+JIM Williams entry], ''Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999''. Accessed Oct. 28, 2015.</ref>
| birth_date    = {{birth year and age|1957}}<ref name=interview />
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| nationality   = American
| area = Cartoonist, Animator, Fine Artist
| cartoonist    = y
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| art           = y
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| alias         =
| notable works = Skinboy<br />''Crap''
| awards        =
| website       = 
}}
'''J. R. Williams''' (born 1957) is an [[People of the United States|American]] [[cartoonist]], animator, and fine artist best known for his late 1980s/early 1990s work in [[alternative comics]]. Known for his manic, exaggerated cartooning style, Williams brought an [[underground comix]] edge to his work during this period. Williams' characters Skinboy and the Bad Boys made recurring appearances in many of his stories.

== Biography ==
Williams grew up in Oregon during the 1960s,<ref name=BlahBlah /> and in the 1970s studied [[fine art]]<ref name=BlahBlah /> at the [[Oregon College of Education]] (now known as [[Western Oregon University]]).<ref name=LinkedIn>[https://www.linkedin.com/in/jrwilliams57 J. R. Williams LinkedIn profile]. Accessed Oct. 28, 2015.</ref> Comics influences included [[Dr. Seuss]], [[Don Martin (cartoonist)|Don Martin]], and [[Basil Wolverton]].<ref name=interview />

Williams' first professional comics work was in the [[Last Gasp (publisher)|Last Gasp]] anthology ''[[Weirdo (comics)|Weirdo]]'' in the mid-1980s, during the period it was edited by [[Peter Bagge]]. He soon was also contributing to the  [[Fantagraphics Books]] anthologies ''Centrifugal Bumble-Puppy'' (edited by [[Joe Sacco]]) and ''[[Honk (magazine)|Honk!]]''.

From 1990 to 1995, Williams released a string of solo [[one-shot comic]]s — with titles like ''Bad Comics'', ''Bummer'', ''Completely Bad Boys'', ''Damnation'', and ''Fun House'' — released by such publishers as Fantagraphics, [[Cat-Head Comics]], and [[Starhead Comix]]. Williams' solo title ''Crap'' ran seven issues with Fantagraphics from 1993 to 1995.

Williams lived in [[Seattle]] from 1992–1995 (for a short time staying with Peter Bagge and his wife), before returning to [[Portland, Oregon|Portland]].<ref name=interview />

In 1995, after writing the three-issue comic book adaptation of ''[[The Little Shop of Horrors]]'' for [[Roger Corman]]'s short-lived comics imprint [[Roger Corman's Cosmic Comics]], Williams mostly disappeared from the comics scene.

He worked as an animator, designer, and storyboard artist for [[Will Vinton Studios]] from 1988 to 2001, contributing to such series as ''[[The PJs]]'', ''[[Gary & Mike]]'', ''[[The California Raisins]]'', and ''[[Adventures in Wonderland (1992 TV series)|Adventures in Wonderland]]''.<ref name=LinkedIn />

From 1995 to 2000, Williams contributed artwork and some writing to ''Cool and Strange Music'' magazine.<ref name=LinkedIn />

In the 2000s, Williams returned to his fine arts roots, painting multiple series of abstract, geometric paintings. In the late 2000s, his fine art returned to figurative work, combining elements of 1960s comics with painting techniques.

Williams lives in [[Portland, Oregon]].<ref name=BlahBlah>Mullins, Richard. [http://blahblahdirector.blogspot.com/2008/12/we-round-this-old-year-out-with-some.html Williams interview], Blah Blah Gallery blog (Dec. 1, 2008).</ref>

== Bibliography ==

=== Solo titles ===
* ''Bad Comics'' ([[Cat-Head Comics]], 1990)
* ''Bummer'' (Cat-Head Comics, 1992; [[Fantagraphics Books]], 1995)
* ''Completely Bad Boys'' (Fantagraphics Books, 1992)
* ''Crap'' (7 issues, Fantagraphics, 1993–1995)
* ''Damnation'' (Fantagraphics, May 1994)
* ''Fun House'' ([[Starhead Comix]], 1993)

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://jrsprintsofdarkness.blogspot.ca/?zx=22cc79dec2fc8ea8 J. R. Williams' blog]
*{{gcdb|type=credit|search=Jim+R.+Williams|title=J. R. Williams}}
*{{comicbookdb|type=creator|id=5252|title=J. R. Williams}}
* [https://www.lambiek.net/artists/w/williams_jr2.htm J. R. Williams at Lambiek Comiclopedia]
* [https://www.flickr.com/photos/jrpopartz/sets/72157606352148591/ J. R. Williams' comics-inspired paintings]
* [https://www.flickr.com/photos/jrwilliams57/sets/72157603947463260/ J. R. Williams abstract art gallery]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, J. R. (comics)}}
[[Category:1957 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Western Oregon University alumni]]
[[Category:Alternative cartoonists]]
[[Category:Underground cartoonists]]
[[Category:Artists from Portland, Oregon]]
[[Category:American storyboard artists]]