John Linton Roberson
Encyclopedia
John Linton Roberson also known as JLRoberson, is an American writer
, illustrator
, and cartoonist
.
An alumnus of DePaul University
's Goodman School of Drama, Roberson studied Soviet film theory & history under Richard DeCordova, and philosophy of tragedy and comedy under Dr. Stephen Houlgate. He later self-published the quarterly anthology Plastic from 1998-2001 under his Bottomless Studio imprint, contributing Vitriol, a 12-chapter black comedy
. The magazine also featured work by Sam Henderson
, Kamagurka & Herr Seele (Cowboy Henk), and other contributors. From 1999-2001 he created several strips for the San Francisco web magazine Spark-Online, usually under the title Slash & Burn. He also wrote numerous film articles for Hollywood Bitchslap from 1999-2003.
In early 2003, he was editor, publisher, and one of 26 contributors to the comics anthology Working for the Man, a benefit book published in e-book
format for William Messner-Loebs
. The collection contains an introduction by Gary Groth
as well as work by Sam Kieth
, Steve Bissette, Ted Rall
, Donna Barr
, and P. Craig Russell
.
Since 2002, he has written a political/arts blog, I Didn't Write That!
In Summer 2004, he directed the premiere of his comedy Suspension of Disbelief(written 1989) in Chicago for Theatre O' the Absurd. He had previously appeared as Saturninus in their 2003 performance of Titus Andronicus
, also supplying the poster design. More recently, in 2009 he performed in "Koba's Bad Cut" and "Strictly Kosher" with Seattle's McCroskey Memorial Internet Playhouse.
Roberson created the characters Vladrushka (inspired in part by actresses Georgina Spelvin
and Joan Severance
) and Rosa & Annalisa for the adult comics publisher Eros Comix
, later serializing their adventures in This Sickness at Adultwebcomics.com, and in a print comic of the same name.
He has also collaborated with a number of writers, most often Charles Alverson
. as well as Janet Harvey, John E. Williams, and Shane Durgee.
From November 2008 to April 2009, he was the regular illustrator for humorist David Volk's column "Last Stop" in AAA's Journey Magazine. Pages from his stories "Martha" and "Story of OH!" were exhibited at the Robert Daniel Gallery in Tacoma, WA June 12–13, 2009.
Most recently, he began in 2010 a comics adaptation of Frank Wedekind
's tragedy Lulu, Roberson's depiction of the character's appearance inspired by the Italian actress Stefania Casini
. Roberson is at present serializing the work online, the first two chapter now published in print in THIS SICKNESS #6 and 7. He also announced in 2010 a VLADRUSHKA ongoing series, set to debut around 2011-2, and reportedly to also include the famous public-domain underground characters Octobriana and Projunior.
(All as editor, contributor and publisher.)
This Sickness Vol. 1(1-5), 2008–2010 (all written & drawn by Roberson unless otherwise noted)
1. "Story of OH!" and "Rapunzel", written by Charles Alverson and drawn by Roberson
2. "Soft Ceiling"
3. Vladrushka
4. "October Surprise"
5. "Martha"
Plastic 1-8, 1998-2001 (serialized Vitriol and other stories)
Working For the Man, 2003
Eros Comix
/ Fantagraphics (2003–2006)
Menage a Trois #3 & 7 (Rosa & Annalisa, "October Surprise" and "a.")
Blowjob #3 & 19 (Vladrushka, "Red Star" and "Gulag Gangbang")
Footlicker #3 (Vladrushka, "Friction")
Other
Legal Action Comics #1, 2001 (Danny Hellman, ed.)
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, 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 cartoonist
Cartoonist
A cartoonist is a person who specializes in drawing cartoons. This work is usually humorous, mainly created for entertainment, political commentary or advertising...
.
Biography
His father was Lt. John Linton Roberson III, who served under Col. David Hackworth in the Vietnam War.An alumnus of DePaul University
DePaul University
DePaul University is a private institution of higher education and research in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by the Vincentians in 1898, the university takes its name from the 17th century French priest Saint Vincent de Paul...
's Goodman School of Drama, Roberson studied Soviet film theory & history under Richard DeCordova, and philosophy of tragedy and comedy under Dr. Stephen Houlgate. He later self-published the quarterly anthology Plastic from 1998-2001 under his Bottomless Studio imprint, contributing Vitriol, a 12-chapter black comedy
Black comedy
A black comedy, or dark comedy, is a comic work that employs black humor or gallows humor. The definition of black humor is problematic; it has been argued that it corresponds to the earlier concept of gallows humor; and that, as humor has been defined since Freud as a comedic act that anesthetizes...
. The magazine also featured work by Sam Henderson
Sam Henderson
Sam Henderson is an American cartoonist, writer and expert on American comedy history.Henderson attended Boiceville, New York's Onteora High School, graduating in 1987, and the School of Visual Arts in New York City, where he graduated in 1991.Henderson has been self-publishing xeroxed minicomics...
, Kamagurka & Herr Seele (Cowboy Henk), and other contributors. From 1999-2001 he created several strips for the San Francisco web magazine Spark-Online, usually under the title Slash & Burn. He also wrote numerous film articles for Hollywood Bitchslap from 1999-2003.
In early 2003, he was editor, publisher, and one of 26 contributors to the comics anthology Working for the Man, a benefit book published in e-book
E-book
An electronic book is a book-length publication in digital form, consisting of text, images, or both, and produced on, published through, and readable on computers or other electronic devices. Sometimes the equivalent of a conventional printed book, e-books can also be born digital...
format for William Messner-Loebs
William Messner-Loebs
William Messner-Loebs is an American comic book writer and artist from Michigan, also known as Bill Loebs and Bill Messner-Loebs...
. The collection contains an introduction by Gary Groth
Gary Groth
Gary Groth is an American comic book editor, publisher and critic. He is editor-in-chief of The Comics Journal and a co-founder of Fantagraphics Books.-Early life:...
as well as work by Sam Kieth
Sam Kieth
Sam Kieth is a New York Times best-selling American comic book writer and illustrator, best known as the creator of The Maxx and Zero Girl.-Comics career:...
, Steve Bissette, Ted Rall
Ted Rall
Ted Rall is an American columnist, syndicated editorial cartoonist, and author. His political cartoons often appear in a multi-panel comic-strip format and frequently blend comic-strip and editorial-cartoon conventions. The cartoons appear in approximately 100 newspapers around the United States...
, Donna Barr
Donna Barr
Donna Barr is an American comic book author and cartoonist.She was born in Everett, Washington, the second child in a family of six siblings....
, and P. Craig Russell
P. Craig Russell
Philip Craig Russell , also known as P. Craig Russell, is an American comic book writer, artist, and illustrator. His work has won multiple Harvey and Eisner Awards...
.
Since 2002, he has written a political/arts blog, I Didn't Write That!
In Summer 2004, he directed the premiere of his comedy Suspension of Disbelief(written 1989) in Chicago for Theatre O' the Absurd. He had previously appeared as Saturninus in their 2003 performance of Titus Andronicus
Titus Andronicus
Titus Andronicus is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, and possibly George Peele, believed to have been written between 1588 and 1593. It is thought to be Shakespeare's first tragedy, and is often seen as his attempt to emulate the violent and bloody revenge plays of his contemporaries, which were...
, also supplying the poster design. More recently, in 2009 he performed in "Koba's Bad Cut" and "Strictly Kosher" with Seattle's McCroskey Memorial Internet Playhouse.
Roberson created the characters Vladrushka (inspired in part by actresses Georgina Spelvin
Georgina Spelvin
Georgina Spelvin is the stage name of Michelle Graham, a former American pornographic actress who is best known for her appearance in the classic film The Devil in Miss Jones.-Early life:...
and Joan Severance
Joan Severance
-Early life:Severance was born in Houston, Texas to John and Martha Severance. Her father was an IBM Systems Manager that had to move frequently around the world. According to Severance "by the time I was 11, we'd lived in 12 different places". Severance and her family also lived in Libya, but in...
) and Rosa & Annalisa for the adult comics publisher Eros Comix
Eros Comix
Eros Comix is an adult-oriented imprint of Fantagraphics Books, established in 1990 to publish pornographic comic books. Eros Comix sells anime videos, DVDs, adult comic books, and books of erotic art and photography...
, later serializing their adventures in This Sickness at Adultwebcomics.com, and in a print comic of the same name.
He has also collaborated with a number of writers, most often Charles Alverson
Charles Alverson
Charles Elgin Alverson is a novelist, editor and screenwriter who has sometimes used the byline Chuck Alverson. He co-scripted the film Jabberwocky ....
. as well as Janet Harvey, John E. Williams, and Shane Durgee.
From November 2008 to April 2009, he was the regular illustrator for humorist David Volk's column "Last Stop" in AAA's Journey Magazine. Pages from his stories "Martha" and "Story of OH!" were exhibited at the Robert Daniel Gallery in Tacoma, WA June 12–13, 2009.
Most recently, he began in 2010 a comics adaptation of Frank Wedekind
Frank Wedekind
Benjamin Franklin Wedekind , usually known as Frank Wedekind, was a German playwright...
's tragedy Lulu, Roberson's depiction of the character's appearance inspired by the Italian actress Stefania Casini
Stefania Casini
Stefania Casini is an Italian actress and film director.-Selected filmography:- External links :*...
. Roberson is at present serializing the work online, the first two chapter now published in print in THIS SICKNESS #6 and 7. He also announced in 2010 a VLADRUSHKA ongoing series, set to debut around 2011-2, and reportedly to also include the famous public-domain underground characters Octobriana and Projunior.
External links
- Bottomless Studio
- Deconstructing Comics reviews Vladrushka and The Man-2011(podcast)
- Deconstructing Comics Talks with John Roberson about theatre, comics & storytelling-2011(podcast)
- Joey Manley podcast Interview, 2006, Talkaboutcomics.com(mp3 download)
- Austin English interview, 2001, Spark-Online.com
- Seattle Times, p. A1, 1/17/09
- Lulu online
- Vladrushka online (adult content)
Selected Bibliography
Bottomless Studio(All as editor, contributor and publisher.)
- This Sickness #7 with LULU, 2011
- This Sickness #6 with LULU, 2010
- Suspension of Disbelief, a play in Two Acts, 2011
- Martha, an autobiographical graphic novella, 2010
This Sickness Vol. 1(1-5), 2008–2010 (all written & drawn by Roberson unless otherwise noted)
1. "Story of OH!" and "Rapunzel", written by Charles Alverson and drawn by Roberson
2. "Soft Ceiling"
3. Vladrushka
4. "October Surprise"
5. "Martha"
Plastic 1-8, 1998-2001 (serialized Vitriol and other stories)
Working For the Man, 2003
Eros Comix
Eros Comix
Eros Comix is an adult-oriented imprint of Fantagraphics Books, established in 1990 to publish pornographic comic books. Eros Comix sells anime videos, DVDs, adult comic books, and books of erotic art and photography...
/ Fantagraphics (2003–2006)
Menage a Trois #3 & 7 (Rosa & Annalisa, "October Surprise" and "a.")
Blowjob #3 & 19 (Vladrushka, "Red Star" and "Gulag Gangbang")
Footlicker #3 (Vladrushka, "Friction")
Other
Legal Action Comics #1, 2001 (Danny Hellman, ed.)