Mark Newgarden
Encyclopedia
Mark Newgarden is an American underground
cartoonist
. His work has appeared widely, and his influential shape-shifting weekly feature Newgarden, which appeared in alternative weekly
newspapers like New York Press
, created a cult following for the artist.
Newgarden's work has appeared in a diverse array of venues from the pivotal avant-garde comics album RAW
to the New York Times op-ed page. His work has also graced the walls (and screens) of the Smithsonian Institution
, the Cooper-Hewitt, the Brooklyn Museum
, The Paley Center for Media, and the Institute of Contemporary Arts
in London. In 1992 Newgarden was designated as one of Entertainment Weeklys annual "Faces to Watch".
Newgarden attended New York's School of Visual Arts
in the late 1970s/early 1980s, where his classmates included fellow cartoonists/illustrators Drew Friedman and Kaz. He came to the attention of one of his teachers, Art Spiegelman
, who published him in RAW
and brought him, in 1983, as a creative consultant for the Topps Co. Newgarden was part of the team that created the Garbage Pail Kids
, and worked on new editions of Wacky Packages
as well as scores of other satiric and novelty products.
Equally recognized for words as well as pictures, Newgarden has become increasingly active in TV, film, and multimedia projects over the years. He has produced, conceived, scripted and designed programming for such entertainment megaliths as Nickelodeon and The Cartoon Network as well as interactive media for Microsoft Corp, Packard-Bell, and others.
In 1999 the cartoonist completed writing and directing four episodes of B. Happy, the first of the experimental "Web Premiere Toons" for Cartoonnetwork.com. His recent picture history of the practical joke and novelty industry, Cheap Laffs, was published by Harry N. Abrams in 2004; and We All Die Alone, a monograph collection of his comics and stories, was released from Fantagraphics Books
in 2006. His latest book is Bow-Wow Bugs a Bug, a wordless picture story from Harcourt Books.
Newgarden resides with children's illustrator and author Megan Montague Cash in an ex-funeral parlor in Williamsburg, Brooklyn
.
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...
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...
. His work has appeared widely, and his influential shape-shifting weekly feature Newgarden, which appeared in alternative weekly
Alternative weekly
An alternative newspaper is a type of newspaper, that eschews comprehensive coverage of general news in favor of stylized reporting, opinionated reviews and columns, investigations into edgy topics and magazine-style feature stories highlighting local people and culture. Their news coverage is more...
newspapers like New York Press
New York Press
New York Press was a free alternative weekly in New York City, that was published from 1988 to 2011. During its lifetime, it was the main competitor to the Village Voice...
, created a cult following for the artist.
Newgarden's work has appeared in a diverse array of venues from the pivotal avant-garde comics album RAW
RAW (magazine)
RAW was a comics anthology edited by Art Spiegelman and Françoise Mouly and published by Mouly from 1980 to 1991. It was a flagship publication of the 1980s alternative comics movement, serving as a more intellectual counterpoint to Robert Crumb's visceral Weirdo, which followed squarely in the...
to the New York Times op-ed page. His work has also graced the walls (and screens) of the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
, the Cooper-Hewitt, the Brooklyn Museum
Brooklyn Museum
The Brooklyn Museum is an encyclopedia art museum located in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. At 560,000 square feet, the museum holds New York City's second largest art collection with roughly 1.5 million works....
, The Paley Center for Media, and the Institute of Contemporary Arts
Institute of Contemporary Arts
The Institute of Contemporary Arts is an artistic and cultural centre on The Mall in London, just off Trafalgar Square. It is located within Nash House, part of Carlton House Terrace, near the Duke of York Steps and Admiralty Arch...
in London. In 1992 Newgarden was designated as one of Entertainment Weeklys annual "Faces to Watch".
Newgarden attended New York's 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 the late 1970s/early 1980s, where his classmates included fellow cartoonists/illustrators Drew Friedman and Kaz. He came to the attention of one of his teachers, Art Spiegelman
Art Spiegelman
Art Spiegelman is an American comics artist, editor, and advocate for the medium of comics, best known for his Pulitzer Prize-winning comic book memoir, Maus. His works are published with his name in lowercase: art spiegelman.-Biography:Spiegelman was born in Stockholm, Sweden, to Polish Jews...
, who published him in RAW
Raw
Raw is a term referring to food that has not been cooked.RAW or raw may refer to:-Technology:* Raw audio format, a file type used to represent sound as pulse-code modulation data...
and brought him, in 1983, as a creative consultant for the Topps Co. Newgarden was part of the team that created the Garbage Pail Kids
Garbage Pail Kids
Garbage Pail Kids , "La Pandilla Basura" or "Basuritas" in Latin America, "Gang do Lixo" in Brazil, "Sgorbions" in Italy, "Les Crados" in France and "Die total kaputten Kids" in Germany) is a series of trading cards produced by the Topps Company, originally released in 1985 and designed to parody...
, and worked on new editions of Wacky Packages
Wacky Packages
Wacky Packages are a series of trading cards and stickers featuring parodies of North American consumer products. The cards were produced by the Topps Company beginning in 1967, usually in a sticker format. The original series sold for two years, and the concept proved popular enough that it has...
as well as scores of other satiric and novelty products.
Equally recognized for words as well as pictures, Newgarden has become increasingly active in TV, film, and multimedia projects over the years. He has produced, conceived, scripted and designed programming for such entertainment megaliths as Nickelodeon and The Cartoon Network as well as interactive media for Microsoft Corp, Packard-Bell, and others.
In 1999 the cartoonist completed writing and directing four episodes of B. Happy, the first of the experimental "Web Premiere Toons" for Cartoonnetwork.com. His recent picture history of the practical joke and novelty industry, Cheap Laffs, was published by Harry N. Abrams in 2004; and We All Die Alone, a monograph collection of his comics and stories, was released from Fantagraphics Books
Fantagraphics Books
Fantagraphics Books is an American publisher of alternative comics, classic comic strip anthologies, magazines, graphic novels, and the adult-oriented Eros Comix imprint...
in 2006. His latest book is Bow-Wow Bugs a Bug, a wordless picture story from Harcourt Books.
Newgarden resides with children's illustrator and author Megan Montague Cash in an ex-funeral parlor in Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Williamsburg is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, bordering Greenpoint to the north, Bedford-Stuyvesant to the south, Bushwick to the east and the East River to the west. The neighborhood is part of Brooklyn Community Board 1. The neighborhood is served by the NYPD's 90th ...
.