Nate Powell
Encyclopedia
Nate Powell is a graphic novelist, publisher, and musician
. He owns DIY punk
record label Harlan Records, has performed in several punk bands (including Universe, Divorce Chord, WAIT, Soophie Nun Squad
, Boomfancy, and Gioteens), and occasionally performed hip hop as Featherweight MC. From 1997 to 2002 he was an actor and skit writer for North Little Rock sketch comedy show Fun And Games.
From 1999 to 2009, he worked as a caregiver for adults with developmental disabilities
.
Powell moved from North Little Rock, Arkansas
to Great Falls, Montana
in 1980, and then again to Montgomery, Alabama
in 1983 before returning to North Little Rock in 1988 upon his father's retirement from the Air Force. He began self-publishing comics in 1992 with age 14 with Mike Lierly and Nathan Wilson. Powell graduated from North Little Rock High School in 1996, briefly attended George Washington University
in Washington, DC, and graduated from School of Visual Arts
in New York City
in 2000 after receiving the Outstanding Cartooning Student award and the Shakespeare & Company Books Self-Publishing Grant, with which he funded the first issue of Walkie Talkie.
Powell lived intermittently in central Arkansas while calling East Lansing, Michigan
, South Hadley Falls, Massachusetts, and Providence, Rhode Island
home from 2001 to 2003. He settled in Bloomington, Indiana
in early 2004.
His 2008 graphic novel Swallow Me Whole won the Ignatz Award for Outstanding Debut, as well as the 2009 Ignatz Award for Outstanding Artist. On March 2, 2009, it was named a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize in the Young Adult Fiction category. It received the 2009 Eisner Award
for Best Original Graphic Novel, and was also nominated for Best Writer/Artist and Best Lettering.
Powell is currently drawing the graphic novels The Silence Of Our Friends (forthcoming on First Second Books
in 2012), written by Mark Long and Jim Demonakos, and Year Of The Beasts (forthcoming on Roaring Brook Press in 2012), written by Cecil Castellucci
.
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
. He owns DIY punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
record label Harlan Records, has performed in several punk bands (including Universe, Divorce Chord, WAIT, Soophie Nun Squad
Soophie Nun Squad
Soophie Nun Squad is a DIY punk rock band from North Little Rock, Arkansas known for their jubilant stage performances which typically include costumes, puppet shows, and a large amount of crowd participation...
, Boomfancy, and Gioteens), and occasionally performed hip hop as Featherweight MC. From 1997 to 2002 he was an actor and skit writer for North Little Rock sketch comedy show Fun And Games.
From 1999 to 2009, he worked as a caregiver for adults with developmental disabilities
Developmental disability
Developmental disability is a term used in the United States and Canada to describe lifelong disabilities attributable to mental or physical impairments, manifested prior to age 18. It is not synonymous with "developmental delay" which is often a consequence of a temporary illness or trauma during...
.
Powell moved from North Little Rock, Arkansas
North Little Rock, Arkansas
the city was 62.55% White, 33.98% Black or African American, 0.41% Native American, 0.59% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.18% from other races, and 1.26% from two or more races...
to Great Falls, Montana
Great Falls, Montana
Great Falls is a city in and the county seat of Cascade County, Montana, United States. The population was 58,505 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Great Falls, Montana Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Cascade County...
in 1980, and then again to Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
in 1983 before returning to North Little Rock in 1988 upon his father's retirement from the Air Force. He began self-publishing comics in 1992 with age 14 with Mike Lierly and Nathan Wilson. Powell graduated from North Little Rock High School in 1996, briefly attended George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
in Washington, DC, and graduated from School of Visual Arts
School of Visual Arts
The School of Visual Arts , is a proprietary art school located in Manhattan, New York City, and is widely considered to be one of the leading art schools in the United States. It was established in 1947 by co-founders Silas H. Rhodes and Burne Hogarth as the Cartoonists and Illustrators School and...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 2000 after receiving the Outstanding Cartooning Student award and the Shakespeare & Company Books Self-Publishing Grant, with which he funded the first issue of Walkie Talkie.
Powell lived intermittently in central Arkansas while calling East Lansing, Michigan
East Lansing, Michigan
East Lansing is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located directly east of Lansing, Michigan, the state's capital. Most of the city is within Ingham County, though a small portion lies in Clinton County. The population was 48,579 at the time of the 2010 census, an increase from...
, South Hadley Falls, Massachusetts, and Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
home from 2001 to 2003. He settled in Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County in the southern region of the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 80,405 at the 2010 census....
in early 2004.
His 2008 graphic novel Swallow Me Whole won the Ignatz Award for Outstanding Debut, as well as the 2009 Ignatz Award for Outstanding Artist. On March 2, 2009, it was named a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize in the Young Adult Fiction category. It received the 2009 Eisner Award
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...
for Best Original Graphic Novel, and was also nominated for Best Writer/Artist and Best Lettering.
Powell is currently drawing the graphic novels The Silence Of Our Friends (forthcoming on First Second Books
First Second Books
First Second Books is an American publisher of graphic novels. An imprint of Roaring Brook Press, part of Holtzbrinck Publishers, First Second publishes fiction, biographies, personal memoirs, history, visual essays, and comics journalism.-History:...
in 2012), written by Mark Long and Jim Demonakos, and Year Of The Beasts (forthcoming on Roaring Brook Press in 2012), written by Cecil Castellucci
Cecil Castellucci
Cecil Castellucci, also known as Cecil Seaskull , is a young adult novelist, indie rocker, and director. She currently lives in Los Angeles, California...
.
with Soophie Nun Squad (1992-2007)
- "We Ate Slayer" demo tape (5/94, Food Chain Records)
- "We Rule The World" demo tape (8/94, Food Chain)
- "Vs. the USA" 7" (3/95, Food Chain)
- "The Dogtown Chronicles" comp tape (5/95, Food Chain—also vocalist for the bands Mob and Dentistry on this comp)
- "Dino" 7" (4/97, Harlan Records [formerly Food Chain])
- Don't Let Them Take You Alive CD (3/98, Harlan)
- "Heartbreakers and Rumpshakers" comp 7" (8/98, Harlan)
- The Devil, The Metal, The Big Booty Beats LP/CD (1/00, Harlan/Plan-it-X/Phyte)
- "A Compilation for Heroes" comp CD (5/00, Streetcar Music)
- "Defeated Food Not Bombs Benefit" comp CD (5/00, Defeated)
- "Listen to What I'm Made Of" comp 2xCD (7/01, File 13 Records)
- split LP/CD with Abe Froman (4/03, Harlan/ Plan-it-X)
- Passion Slays The Dragon LP/CD (9/03, Harlan/ Plan-it-X/ Narshardaa Records)
- "Rootbeer and Molotovs" comp CD (11/04, Ten Fingers Collective)
- "Plan-it-X Fest 2004" comp DVD (6/05, Plan-it-X)
- "If it Ain't Cheap, It Ain't Punk" comp CD (12/05, Plan-it-X)
- "All The Days Are Numbered So" comp CD (3/06, Harlan)
with W A I T (2005-2007)
- (listed as Nate Powell)All The Days Are Numbered So" comp CD (3/06, Harlan)
- Say It, Come True CD (10/06, Harlan)
with Divorce Chord (2007-2008)
- demo CDR (4/08, Harlan)
- "lose your illusion II" demo CDR (2/09, Harlan)
other appearances
- co-lyricist, Tem Eyos Ki "Kids Kill Kids" from split 7" with Hundred Years War (8/00, Harlan)
- co-lyricist, Tem Eyos Ki "Stop Action" from tour CDR (5/01, self-released)
- voice and percussion, Abe Froman "Walking Distance", from Abe Froman/ Soophie Nun Squad split LP/CD (4/03, Harlan/Plan-it-X)
- coconuts, tap dancing, flavishorn, backing vocals, Spoonboy I Love You, This is a Robbery (3/05, Plan-it-X)
External links
- See My Brother Dance, Nate Powell's official web site
- Top Shelf Productions, publisher
- Video > Nate Powell showcase in Lucca (Italy)