David Collier (cartoonist)


David Collier is a Canadian alternative cartoonist best known for his fact-based "comic strip essays."

Biography

As a child, Collier was introduced to the work of Robert Crumb, whose work has been a significant influence. Before breaking into comics, Collier served in the Canadian Army, where he drew comic strips for the army newspapers. His Army training also introduced him to long-distance running and the biathlon, in which he has competed nationally.
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 and 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 and 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.
Collier lives with his wife, Ontario artist Jennifer Hambleton, and son James, in Hamilton.

Awards

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.