David Boswell
Encyclopedia
David E. Boswell is a comic book
writer and artist, illustrator
, and photographer based in Vancouver
, British Columbia
who has worked in the comics industry. He is the creator of the series Reid Fleming, World's Toughest Milkman.
Boswell grew up in London, Ontario, Canada, and Hamilton
and Dundas, Ontario
. He studied film at Oakville, Ontario
's Sheridan College
, where he graduated in 1974. After graduation, Boswell attempted to earn a living as a cartoonist, and his first full-page comic, "Heart Break Comics", was published in The Georgia Straight
from 1977–1978. Boswell moved to Vancouver in 1977, and in 1978, he launched Reid Fleming, World's Toughest Milkman. Another title Boswell created is Ray-Mond.
Boswell's influences include film directors Josef von Sternberg and Luis Buñuel, composer Hector Berlioz, comedians Buster Keaton and W.C. Fields, and humourist Robert Benchley, as well as early Hollywood and European cinema stars, and he often features references in his work. He has written a number of screenplays for movies, none of which have been made.
In 2011 Boswell was inducted into the Canadian Cartoonists Hall of Fame.
published two specials and five annuals featuring Reid. From 1996–1998, the Canadian publisher Deep Sea Comics published nine issues of Reid Fleming, World's Toughest Milkman, plus one special. The first six issues consisted of new printings of the 1980 self-published series and the 1986–1990 Eclipse series. Issues #7–9 and the special featured new stories. In 2002, Dark Horse Comics
published a one-shot featuring Bob Burden
's Flaming Carrot and Reid. 2011 saw the first of two hardcover collected volumes released by IDW Publishing
, "Reid Fleming, World's Toughest Milkman Volume 1" contains the first Reid Fleming comic and the mini-series, Rogues to Riches, as well as Heartbreak Comics.
limited series Challengers of the Unknown
features a poster depicting the character Leslie "Rocky" Davis
starring in a Reid Fleming, World's Toughest Milkman movie. Reid also appears in issue #5 of that same title, threatening to "piss on [Rocky's] flowers" unless he pays a $17.28 bill.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
writer and artist, illustrator
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
, and photographer based in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
who has worked in the comics industry. He is the creator of the series Reid Fleming, World's Toughest Milkman.
Boswell grew up in London, Ontario, Canada, and Hamilton
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
and Dundas, Ontario
Dundas, Ontario
Dundas is a formerly independent town and now constituent community in the city of Hamilton in Ontario, Canada. It's nickname is the Valley Town. The population has been stable for decades at about twenty thousand, largely because it has not annexed rural land from the protected Dundas Valley...
. He studied film at Oakville, Ontario
Oakville, Ontario
Oakville is a town in Halton Region, on Lake Ontario in Southern Ontario, Canada, and is part of the Greater Toronto Area. As of the 2006 census the population was 165,613.-History:In 1793, Dundas Street was surveyed for a military road...
's Sheridan College
Sheridan College
Sheridan College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning is a diploma and degree granting Canadian polytechnic institute with approximately 15,000 full time students and 35,000 continuing education students...
, where he graduated in 1974. After graduation, Boswell attempted to earn a living as a cartoonist, and his first full-page comic, "Heart Break Comics", was published in The Georgia Straight
The Georgia Straight
The Georgia Straight is a free Canadian weekly news and entertainment newspaper published in Vancouver, British Columbia, by the Vancouver Free Press Publishing Corp...
from 1977–1978. Boswell moved to Vancouver in 1977, and in 1978, he launched Reid Fleming, World's Toughest Milkman. Another title Boswell created is Ray-Mond.
Boswell's influences include film directors Josef von Sternberg and Luis Buñuel, composer Hector Berlioz, comedians Buster Keaton and W.C. Fields, and humourist Robert Benchley, as well as early Hollywood and European cinema stars, and he often features references in his work. He has written a number of screenplays for movies, none of which have been made.
In 2011 Boswell was inducted into the Canadian Cartoonists Hall of Fame.
Reid Fleming, World's Toughest Milkman
Boswell based the character of Reid Fleming on a childhood bully with the same name. Reid employs extremely aggressive means in delivering his dairy products. In the 1980s Hollywood bought the rights to the screenplay, which was written by Boswell. A film has yet to make the silver screen.Publication history
Although Reid's adventures were first published in 1978, his first comic book was self-published by Boswell in 1980. Beginning in 1986 and continuing through 1991, Eclipse ComicsEclipse Comics
Eclipse Comics was an American comic book publisher, one of several independent publishers during the 1980s and early 1990s. In 1978, it published the first graphic novel intended for the newly created comic book specialty store market...
published two specials and five annuals featuring Reid. From 1996–1998, the Canadian publisher Deep Sea Comics published nine issues of Reid Fleming, World's Toughest Milkman, plus one special. The first six issues consisted of new printings of the 1980 self-published series and the 1986–1990 Eclipse series. Issues #7–9 and the special featured new stories. In 2002, Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...
published a one-shot featuring Bob Burden
Bob Burden
Bob Burden is an American comic book artist and writer, best known as the creator of Flaming Carrot Comics and the Mystery Men.-Early life:Burden grew up in the industrial rust belt of the Northeast United States...
's Flaming Carrot and Reid. 2011 saw the first of two hardcover collected volumes released by IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing, also known as Idea + Design Works, LLC and IDW, is an American publisher of comic books and comic strip collections. The company was founded in 1999 and has been awarded the title "Publisher of the Year Under 5% Market Share" for the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 by Diamond Comic...
, "Reid Fleming, World's Toughest Milkman Volume 1" contains the first Reid Fleming comic and the mini-series, Rogues to Riches, as well as Heartbreak Comics.
In popular culture
Issue #3 of the 1991 DC ComicsDC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
limited series Challengers of the Unknown
Challengers of the Unknown
The Challengers of the Unknown is a group of fictional characters in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Jack Kirby, or co-created with Dave Wood , this quartet of adventurers explored science fictional and apparent paranormal occurrences and faced fantastic menaces.Scripts for the first...
features a poster depicting the character Leslie "Rocky" Davis
Rocky Davis
Rocky Davis, in comics, may refer to the following characters:*The Absorbing Man used the name during his boxing career*Rockwell Davis, cousin of Creel, was nicknamed Rocky Davis*Rocky Davis, a member of the Challengers of the Unknown...
starring in a Reid Fleming, World's Toughest Milkman movie. Reid also appears in issue #5 of that same title, threatening to "piss on [Rocky's] flowers" unless he pays a $17.28 bill.