Jeff Lemire
Encyclopedia
Jeff Lemire is a Canadian
comics artist
and writer. He is the author of the Essex County Trilogy, Sweet Tooth
and The Nobody
. Lemire is known for a his moody, humanistic stories and sketchy, cinematic, black-and-white art.
, near Lake St. Clair. Lemire attended film school, but decided to pursue comics when he realized that filmmaking did not suit his solitary personality.
After self-publishing the Xeric Award-winning comic book Lost Dogs in 2005 via his Ashtray Press imprint, Lemire found a home at Top Shelf Productions
. He produced the Eisner
and Harvey Award
-nominated Essex County Trilogy for Top Shelf in 2008–2009.
Lemire serializes a science-fiction strip called Fortress in the quarterly UR Magazine.
In 2009, the DC Comics
Vertigo published Lemire's The Nobody
, a two-color tale of identity, fear and paranoia in a small community. Lemire is currently writing and drawing the new monthly full-color Vertigo series Sweet Tooth
. He then moved over to the DC Universe
to write the one-shot Brightest Day
: Atom, with Turkish artist Mahmud Asrar, designed to act as a springboard for an Atom story to co-feature in Adventure Comics
. He also relaunched the Superboy
series featuring the character Conner Kent. During Flashpoint
he wrote Frankenstein and the Creatures of the Unknown mini-series, then, as part of the 2011 DC Universe reboot, he wrote the ongoing series Animal Man
and Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E..
He currently lives in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
. He is married and has a son.
. Lemire's work was part of the "Comic Craze" exhibit, which showcased Canadian comics and narrative fiction.
include:
Alex Award for Essex County Volume 1: Tales from the Farm. Lemire received a Joe Shuster Canadian Comic Book Creator Award for Outstanding Cartoonist in 2008, and the Doug Wright Award for Best Emerging Talent in 2008.
Lemire has also been nominated for an Ignatz, a Harvey, and two Eisner Awards.
People of Canada
Canadians are the people who are identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be genetic, residential, legal, historical, cultural or ethnic...
comics artist
Comics artist
A comics artist is an artist working within the comics medium on comic strips, comic books or graphic novels. The term may refer to any number of artists who contribute to produce a work in the comics form, from those who oversee all aspects of the work to those who contribute only a part.-Comic...
and writer. He is the author of the Essex County Trilogy, Sweet Tooth
Sweet Tooth (Vertigo)
Sweet Tooth is an American comic book ongoing series written and drawn by Canadian Jeff Lemire and published by DC comics' Vertigo imprint. Dubbed by some as "Mad Max meets Bambi", it takes place in a mostly rural post-apocalyptic setting where some creatures are human/animal hybrids...
and The Nobody
The Nobody
The Nobody is the first graphic novel of the Eisner-nominated cartoonist Jeff Lemire to be published by the Vertigo imprint of DC Comics. It is a story inspired by H.G. Wells novel The Invisible Man and recasts the iconic bandaged stranger as a modern day drifter...
. Lemire is known for a his moody, humanistic stories and sketchy, cinematic, black-and-white art.
Biography
Lemire was born and raised in a small farming town in Essex County, OntarioEssex County, Ontario
Essex County is a county and census division located in Southwestern Ontario and covers an area at the southernmost tip of Canada. The administrative seat is Essex...
, near Lake St. Clair. Lemire attended film school, but decided to pursue comics when he realized that filmmaking did not suit his solitary personality.
After self-publishing the Xeric Award-winning comic book Lost Dogs in 2005 via his Ashtray Press imprint, Lemire found a home at Top Shelf Productions
Top Shelf Productions
Top Shelf Productions is an American publishing company founded in 1997, owned and operated by Chris Staros and Brett Warnock and a small staff. The company is based in Marietta, Georgia, Portland, Oregon, and New York City, New York....
. He produced the Eisner
Eisner Award
The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, and sometimes referred to as the Oscar Awards of the Comics Industry, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books. The Eisner Awards were first conferred in 1988, created in response to the...
and Harvey Award
Harvey Award
The Harvey Awards, named for writer-artist Harvey Kurtzman and founded by Gary Groth, President of the publisher Fantagraphics, are given for achievement in comic books. The Harveys were created as part of a successor to the Kirby Awards which were discontinued after 1987.The Harvey Awards are...
-nominated Essex County Trilogy for Top Shelf in 2008–2009.
Lemire serializes a science-fiction strip called Fortress in the quarterly UR Magazine.
In 2009, the DC Comics
DC 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...
Vertigo published Lemire's The Nobody
The Nobody
The Nobody is the first graphic novel of the Eisner-nominated cartoonist Jeff Lemire to be published by the Vertigo imprint of DC Comics. It is a story inspired by H.G. Wells novel The Invisible Man and recasts the iconic bandaged stranger as a modern day drifter...
, a two-color tale of identity, fear and paranoia in a small community. Lemire is currently writing and drawing the new monthly full-color Vertigo series Sweet Tooth
Sweet Tooth (Vertigo)
Sweet Tooth is an American comic book ongoing series written and drawn by Canadian Jeff Lemire and published by DC comics' Vertigo imprint. Dubbed by some as "Mad Max meets Bambi", it takes place in a mostly rural post-apocalyptic setting where some creatures are human/animal hybrids...
. He then moved over to the DC Universe
DC Universe
The DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...
to write the one-shot Brightest Day
Brightest Day
Brightest Day is a year-long comic book maxi-series that began in April 2010. The story follows the ending of the series Blackest Night and how the aftermath of these events affect the entire DC Universe.-Plot:...
: Atom, with Turkish artist Mahmud Asrar, designed to act as a springboard for an Atom story to co-feature in Adventure Comics
Adventure Comics
Adventure Comics was a comic book series published by DC Comics from 1935 to 1983 and then revamped from 2009 to 2011. In its first era, the series ran for 503 issues , making it the fifth-longest-running DC series, behind Detective Comics, Action Comics, Superman, and Batman...
. He also relaunched the Superboy
Superboy
Superboy is the name of several fictional characters that have been published by DC Comics, most of them youthful incarnations of Superman. These characters have also been the main characters of four ongoing Superboy comic book series published by DC....
series featuring the character Conner Kent. During Flashpoint
Flashpoint (comics)
Flashpoint is an American comic book crossover story arc published by DC Comics. Consisting of an eponymous core limited series and a number of tie-in titles, the storyline premiered in May 2011...
he wrote Frankenstein and the Creatures of the Unknown mini-series, then, as part of the 2011 DC Universe reboot, he wrote the ongoing series Animal Man
Animal Man (comic book)
Animal Man was a comic book ongoing series published by DC Comics and starring the superhero Animal Man. The series is best known for the run by writer Grant Morrison from issue #1 to #26 with penciller Chas Truog who stayed on the series until #32...
and Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E..
He currently lives in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He is married and has a son.
Exhibitions
In 2006 Lemire's work was included in an international symposium gathering artists, scholars, curators, publishers, librarians, critics, and writers at the Banff CentreBanff Centre
The Banff Centre, formerly known as The Banff Centre for Continuing Education, is an arts, cultural, and educational institution and conference complex located in Banff, Alberta...
. Lemire's work was part of the "Comic Craze" exhibit, which showcased Canadian comics and narrative fiction.
Early work
Titles published by various American and Canadian publishers include:- Asthray #1-2 (w/a, Ashtray Press, 2003)
- Lost Dogs (w/a, graphic novelGraphic novelA graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
, Ashtray Press, 2005) - BeowulfBeowulf (comics)Beowulf, in comics, may refer to:* Beowulf , a DC Comics character and eponymous series starting in 1974* Beowulf, a 1984 graphic novel, First Graphic Novel #1, from First Comics* Beowulf, a 2005 series from Speakeasy Comics...
#6-7 (w/a, SpeakeasySpeakeasy ComicsSpeakeasy Comics was a Canadian publishing company of comic books and graphic novels. It was founded in August 2004 by Adam Fortier, and ceased operations on February 27, 2006.-History:...
, 2006) - The Fortress (in UR Magazine, 2006)
- Top ShelfTop Shelf ProductionsTop Shelf Productions is an American publishing company founded in 1997, owned and operated by Chris Staros and Brett Warnock and a small staff. The company is based in Marietta, Georgia, Portland, Oregon, and New York City, New York....
:- The Complete Essex County (hc, 512 pages, 2009, ISBN 1-6030-9046-0; tpb, 2009, ISBN 1-6030-9038-X) collects:
- Tales from the Farm (w/a, graphic novel, tpb, 112 pages, 2007, ISBN 1-8918-3088-0)
- Ghost Stories (w/a, graphic novel, tpb, 224 pages, 2007, ISBN 1-8918-3094-5)
- The Essex County Boxing Club (w/a, one-shot, 2008)
- The Sad and Lonely Life of Eddie Elephant Ears: A Tale from Essex County (w/a, one-shot, 2008)
- The Country Nurse (w/a, graphic novel, tpb, 128 pages, 2008, ISBN 1-8918-3095-3)
- Awesome 2: Awesomer: "The Horseless Rider" (w/a, anthologyAnthologyAn anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
graphic novel, tpb, 200 pages, 2009, ISBN 1-6030-9039-8)
- The Complete Essex County (hc, 512 pages, 2009, ISBN 1-6030-9046-0; tpb, 2009, ISBN 1-6030-9038-X) collects:
- Bio-Graphical (in Driven, 2008)
Vertigo
Titles published by DC Comics' Vertigo imprint include:- The NobodyThe NobodyThe Nobody is the first graphic novel of the Eisner-nominated cartoonist Jeff Lemire to be published by the Vertigo imprint of DC Comics. It is a story inspired by H.G. Wells novel The Invisible Man and recasts the iconic bandaged stranger as a modern day drifter...
(w/a, graphic novel, hc, 144 pages, 2009, ISBN 1-4012-2080-0) - Sweet ToothSweet Tooth (Vertigo)Sweet Tooth is an American comic book ongoing series written and drawn by Canadian Jeff Lemire and published by DC comics' Vertigo imprint. Dubbed by some as "Mad Max meets Bambi", it takes place in a mostly rural post-apocalyptic setting where some creatures are human/animal hybrids...
(w/a, 2009–...) collected as:- Out of the Deep Woods (collects #1-5, tpb, 128 pages, 2010, ISBN 1-4012-2696-5)
- In Captivity (collects #6-11, tpb, 144 pages, 2010, ISBN 1-4012-2854-2)
- Animal Armies (collects #12-17, tpb, 144 pages, 2011, ISBN 1-4012-3170-5)
- Endangered Species (collects #18-25, tpb, 176 pages, 2012, ISBN 1-4012-3361-9)
- House of MysteryHouse of Mystery (Vertigo)House of Mystery is an occult and horror-themed comic book anthology series based on the classic House of Mystery series that ran from 1951 to 1983...
#18: "The Tale of Brutus the Bold" (a, with Matthew SturgesMatthew SturgesMatthew Sturges is an American writer of comics and fantasy novels.-Biography:Sturges is best known for the Eisner-award nominated Jack of Fables from DC/Vertigo...
, 2009) collected in HoM vol.4 (tpb, 160 pages, 2010, ISBN 1-4012-2756-2) - Strange AdventuresStrange AdventuresStrange Adventures was the title of several American comic books published by DC Comics, most notably a long-running science fiction anthology that began in 1950.-Original series:...
: "Ultra the Multi-Alien: The Life and Death of Ace Arn" (w/a, one-shot, 2011) - Jonah HexJonah HexJonah Woodson Hex is a Western comic book antihero created by writer John Albano and artist Tony DeZuniga and published by DC Comics. Hex is a surly and cynical bounty hunter whose face is horribly scarred on the right side. Despite his poor reputation and personality, Hex is bound by a personal...
#69 (cover only, 2011)
DC Comics
Titles published by 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...
include:
- Atom:
- Brightest Day: AtomBrightest DayBrightest Day is a year-long comic book maxi-series that began in April 2010. The story follows the ending of the series Blackest Night and how the aftermath of these events affect the entire DC Universe.-Plot:...
: "Nucleus, Prologue" (w, with Mahmud Asrar, one-shot, 2010) - Adventure ComicsAdventure ComicsAdventure Comics was a comic book series published by DC Comics from 1935 to 1983 and then revamped from 2009 to 2011. In its first era, the series ran for 503 issues , making it the fifth-longest-running DC series, behind Detective Comics, Action Comics, Superman, and Batman...
(w, co-feature):- "Splitting the Atom" (with Mahmud Asrar, in #516, 2010)
- "Atom Strange" (with Mahmud Asrar, in #517, 2010)
- "We are All Atoms" (with Mahmud Asrar, in #518, 2010)
- "Colonized" (with Mahmud Asrar, in #519, 2010)
- "Atom-Ant" (with Mahmud Asrar, in #520, 2011)
- "Weapons of Mass-Reduction" (with Mahmud Asrar, in #521, 2011)
- Giant-Size Atom: "Nucleus, Conclusion" (w, with Mahmud Asrar, Allan Goldman and Robson Rocha, one-shot, 2011)
- Brightest Day: Atom
- Superboy #1-11 (w, with Pier Gallo, 2011)
- Flashpoint: Frankenstein and the Creatures of the UnknownFlashpoint (comics)Flashpoint is an American comic book crossover story arc published by DC Comics. Consisting of an eponymous core limited series and a number of tie-in titles, the storyline premiered in May 2011...
#1-3 (w, with Ibraim Roberson, 2011) collected in Flashpoint: The World of Flashpoint Featuring Green Lantern (tpb, 232 pages, 2012, ISBN 1-4012-3406-2) - Animal ManAnimal Man (comic book)Animal Man was a comic book ongoing series published by DC Comics and starring the superhero Animal Man. The series is best known for the run by writer Grant Morrison from issue #1 to #26 with penciller Chas Truog who stayed on the series until #32...
#1-ongoing (w, with Travel ForemanTravel Foreman-Biography:Travel Foreman gained attention with his work on Com.x’s Cla$$war, where he replaced original series artist Trevor Hairsine. He quickly moved on to work at Marvel Comics, illustrating the Supreme Power spin-off mini-series, Doctor Spectrum, and a Juggernaut story written by Lee Barnett...
, 2011–...) - Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E.Frankenstein (DC Comics)Frankenstein is a DC Comics character who is based on Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's original Frankenstein's monster, but is physically and mentally more reminiscent of the classic Universal representation of the character...
#1-ongoing (w, with Alberto Ponticelli, 2011–...)
Other US publishers
Titles published by various American publishers include:- Noir: A Collection of Crime ComicsNoir: A Collection of Crime ComicsNoir: A Collection of Crime Comics is a black-and-white crime comics anthology published by Dark Horse Comics. The collection contains original stories as well as short stories of already established crime comics series....
: "The Old Silo" (w/a, anthology graphic novel, tpb, 104 pages, 2009, ISBN 1-5958-2358-1) - ImageImage ComicsImage Comics is a United States comic book publisher. It was founded in 1992 by high-profile illustrators as a venue where creators could publish their material without giving up the copyrights to the characters they created, as creator-owned properties. It was immediately successful, and remains...
:- Outlaw Territory vol.2: "Coffin for Mr. Bishell" (a, with Joshua Hale FialkovJoshua Hale FialkovJoshua Hale Fialkov is an American comic book writer who primarily works in the horror genre. He is best known for Echoes, Elk's Run, I, Vampire, and the 2008 film Infected. He has been nominated for multiple Harvey Awards....
, anthology graphic novel, tpb, 240 pages, 2011, ISBN 1-6070-6321-2) - The CBLDF Presents Liberty Annual '11: "Beign Normal" (a, with Mark WaidMark WaidMark Waid is an American comic book writer. He is well known for his eight-year run as writer of the DC Comics' title The Flash, as well as his scripting of the limited series Kingdom Come and Superman: Birthright, and his work on Marvel Comics' Captain America...
, 2011)
- Outlaw Territory vol.2: "Coffin for Mr. Bishell" (a, with Joshua Hale Fialkov
- Strange Tales II #1: "A Civilized-Thing" (w/a, MarvelMarvel ComicsMarvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
, 2010) collected in ST2 (hc, 144 pages, 2011, ISBN 0-7851-4822-1; tpb, 2011, ISBN 0-7851-4823-X)
Awards
Lemire won a Xeric Award in 2005 for his book Lost Dogs. He was a 2008 recipient of a Young Adult Library Services AssociationYoung Adult Library Services Association
The Young Adult Library Services Association , established in 1957, is a division of the American Library Association. The mission of YALSA is to advocate, promote and strengthen service to young adults as part of the continuum of total library service, and to support those who provide service to...
Alex Award for Essex County Volume 1: Tales from the Farm. Lemire received a Joe Shuster Canadian Comic Book Creator Award for Outstanding Cartoonist in 2008, and the Doug Wright Award for Best Emerging Talent in 2008.
Lemire has also been nominated for an Ignatz, a Harvey, and two Eisner Awards.