Guy Colwell
Encyclopedia
Guy Colwell is an American
political artist and underground cartoonist. Although not African-American himself, Colwell's comics often portray blacks in strong roles in stories of life on the streets.
Colwell studied art at the California College of Arts and Crafts
. After a two-year stint working for Mattel
, he was arrested for draft resistance and was sentenced to two years in jail. His experiences there were the genesis of his underground comix
series Inner City Romance, begun in 1972. During the turbulent 1960s scene in San Francisco, Colwell worked as an illustrator for the underground paper Good Times
.
After this creative period marred by drug abuse, Colwell worked for Rip Off Press
as a colorist
, also contributing stories and artwork to underground anthologies like Artsy, Fartsy, Funnies (Paranoia, 1974), Corporate Crime
(Kitchen Sink Press, 1977), Young Lust (Last Gasp
, 1977), Slow Death Eco-funnies (Last Gasp, 1979), Fat Freddy's Comics & Stories (Rip Off Press, 1983), Fire Sale: a Benefit for Larry Todd (Rip Off Press, 1989), Open Season: the Mini Comic (Roger May, 1989), and Graphic Babylon: San Diego Comic Con Minicomix 1990 (Roger May, 1990).
In 1986, upon hearing of a cross-country peace march (The Great Peace March for Global Nuclear Disarmament), Colwell took a nine-month leave of absence from Rip Off Press to join what was touted by original Great Peace March organizer David Mixner
as a major event in American history. While on the GPM, Colwell helped draw route maps for the marchers as well as creating art depicting marchers in their everyday lives. His route maps and drawings are part of the Swarthmore College
Peace Collection.
Colwell currently is married and lives in Berkeley, California
, where he devotes himself to creating personal and political art. His most recent painting, Abuse, is his depiction of the prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib prison
in Iraq. This being Colwell's most controversial work, Lori Haigh, the owner of the San Francisco gallery where it was exhibited received death threats and was physically attacked. Her gallery also received damage from unknown persons, causing it to close permanently.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
political artist and underground cartoonist. Although not African-American himself, Colwell's comics often portray blacks in strong roles in stories of life on the streets.
Colwell studied art at the California College of Arts and Crafts
California College of the Arts
California College of the Arts , founded in 1907, is known for its broad, interdisciplinary programs in art, design, architecture, and writing. It has two campuses, one in Oakland and one in San Francisco, California, USA...
. After a two-year stint working for Mattel
Mattel
Mattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
, he was arrested for draft resistance and was sentenced to two years in jail. His experiences there were the genesis of his underground comix
Underground comix
Underground comix are small press or self-published comic books which are often socially relevant or satirical in nature. They differ from mainstream comics in depicting content forbidden to mainstream publications by the Comics Code Authority, including explicit drug use, sexuality and violence...
series Inner City Romance, begun in 1972. During the turbulent 1960s scene in San Francisco, Colwell worked as an illustrator for the underground paper Good Times
Good Times (newspaper)
Good Times is Santa Cruz County’s free-circulation weekly newspaper founded by Jay Shore and published in Santa Cruz, California since 1975. Good Times is read by more than 100,000 people in the county, a coastal area that includes Capitola, Rio del Mar, Aptos and Watsonville...
.
After this creative period marred by drug abuse, Colwell worked for Rip Off Press
Rip Off Press
Rip Off Press, Inc. is a seminal publishing company that specializes in adult-themed literature and graphic novels, mostly in a specific comic book format known as underground comix.-Overview:...
as a colorist
Colorist
In comics, a colorist is responsible for adding color to black-and-white line art. For most of the 20th century this was done using brushes and dyes which were then used as guides to produce the printing plates...
, also contributing stories and artwork to underground anthologies like Artsy, Fartsy, Funnies (Paranoia, 1974), Corporate Crime
Corporate crime
In criminology, corporate crime refers to crimes committed either by a corporation , or by individuals acting on behalf of a corporation or other business entity...
(Kitchen Sink Press, 1977), Young Lust (Last Gasp
Last Gasp
Last Gasp is a book and underground comix publisher and distributor based in San Francisco, California.- History :Founded in 1970 by Ron Turner to publish the ecologically-themed comics magazine Slow Death Funnies, followed by the all-female anthology It Ain't Me Babe, Last Gasp soon became a major...
, 1977), Slow Death Eco-funnies (Last Gasp, 1979), Fat Freddy's Comics & Stories (Rip Off Press, 1983), Fire Sale: a Benefit for Larry Todd (Rip Off Press, 1989), Open Season: the Mini Comic (Roger May, 1989), and Graphic Babylon: San Diego Comic Con Minicomix 1990 (Roger May, 1990).
In 1986, upon hearing of a cross-country peace march (The Great Peace March for Global Nuclear Disarmament), Colwell took a nine-month leave of absence from Rip Off Press to join what was touted by original Great Peace March organizer David Mixner
David Mixner
David Mixner is a civil rights activist and best-selling author. He is best known for his work in anti-war and gay rights advocacy.- Childhood:...
as a major event in American history. While on the GPM, Colwell helped draw route maps for the marchers as well as creating art depicting marchers in their everyday lives. His route maps and drawings are part of the Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College is a private, independent, liberal arts college in the United States with an enrollment of about 1,500 students. The college is located in the borough of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, 11 miles southwest of Philadelphia....
Peace Collection.
Colwell currently is married and lives in Berkeley, California
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
, where he devotes himself to creating personal and political art. His most recent painting, Abuse, is his depiction of the prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib prison
Abu Ghraib prison
The Baghdad Central Prison, formerly known as Abu Ghraib prison is in Abu Ghraib, an Iraqi city 32 km west of Baghdad. It was built by British contractors in the 1950s....
in Iraq. This being Colwell's most controversial work, Lori Haigh, the owner of the San Francisco gallery where it was exhibited received death threats and was physically attacked. Her gallery also received damage from unknown persons, causing it to close permanently.