Sandy Carruthers
Encyclopedia
Sandy Carruthers is a Canadian
artist and graphic design instructor, known for his work as the first illustrator of the original Men in Black comic book
series, and as creator of the webcomic series, Canadiana: the New Spirit of Canada.
, Canada
and describes his earliest memory of anything comic book related as watching Batman
on TV when he was three. He began drawing at four when he recreated an illustration of a robot
stamp
. Even at this early age, he was able to accurately reproduce a larger version of this stamp.
Carruthers trained at Holland College
between 1979–1981 in its Commercial Design Program (later renamed Graphic Design) which he now teaches. He also attended Sheridan College
in Ontario
, taking its Illustration program.
He currently resides in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
, Canada.
and worked on many black and white titles. His biggest success was The Men in Black (comic), which he illustrated, the comic later becoming a film, Men in Black
. He also worked on Captain Canuck
. He worked as the Editorial Cartoonist for the Charlottetown Guardian newspaper
. He published a book of his editorial cartoons entitled Sh-It Happened.
He has worked on several graphic novels for Graphic Universe, a division of Lerner Publishing Group
(Minneapolis, U.S.
) including Yu the Great, Sunjata: Warrior King of Mali (a 13th-century West African story), and Terror in Ghost Mansion, a graphic novel in the style of interactive storytelling
.
His other main work is the webcomic Canadiana, also known as the New Spirit of Canada. Began in 2004, it draws heavily on the traditions of the superhero
genre, centred on the adventures and personal life of Jennifer Neuwirth. Carruthers is aided in chronicling Canadiana's adventures by penciller Jeff Alward and scripter Mark Shainblum
, the latter of whom is known in Canadian comics as a practitioner of superhero genre deconstruction
via Northguard
and parody
via Angloman. The series has resumed regular serialization in January 2007 with the assistance of artist Brenda Hickey.
Serialized in what was initially intended to be a weekly basis in fifty-two installments, but eventually settled into a semi-monthly framework, the origin story of Canadiana deals with several mature themes including religious theory and particularly afterlife
possibilities, cult programming, parental betrayal, and the survival of sexual abuse
in the course of explaining the beginnings of Jennifer Neuwirth's extraordinary abilities and her decision to adopt a costumed identity as a champion of 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...
artist and graphic design instructor, known for his work as the first illustrator of the original Men in Black comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
series, and as creator of the webcomic series, Canadiana: the New Spirit of Canada.
Biography
Carruthers was born on May 11, 1962 in Halifax, Nova ScotiaCity of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
, 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...
and describes his earliest memory of anything comic book related as watching Batman
Batman (TV series)
Batman is an American television series, based on the DC comic book character of the same name. It stars Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin — two crime-fighting heroes who defend Gotham City. It aired on the American Broadcasting Company network for three seasons from January 12, 1966 to...
on TV when he was three. He began drawing at four when he recreated an illustration of a robot
Robot
A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
stamp
Rubber stamp
Rubber stamping, also called stamping, is a craft in which some type of ink made of dye or pigment is applied to an image or pattern that has been carved, molded, laser engraved or vulcanized, onto a sheet of rubber. The rubber is often mounted onto a more stable object such as a wood, brick or an...
. Even at this early age, he was able to accurately reproduce a larger version of this stamp.
Carruthers trained at Holland College
Holland College
Holland College is the provincial community college for the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island. It is named after British Army engineer and surveyor Captain Samuel Holland...
between 1979–1981 in its Commercial Design Program (later renamed Graphic Design) which he now teaches. He also attended Sheridan College
Sheridan College
Sheridan College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning is a diploma and degree granting Canadian polytechnic institute with approximately 15,000 full time students and 35,000 continuing education students...
in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, taking its Illustration program.
He currently resides in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
, Canada.
Works
Carruthers first started working in comics at Malibu GraphicsMalibu Comics
Malibu Comics was an American comic book publisher active in the late 1980s and early 1990s, best known for its Ultraverse line of superhero titles. The company's headquarters was in Calabasas, California. Malibu imprints included Aircel Comics and Eternity Comics...
and worked on many black and white titles. His biggest success was The Men in Black (comic), which he illustrated, the comic later becoming a film, Men in Black
Men in Black (film)
Men in Black is a 1997 science fiction comedy film directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, starring Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith and Vincent D'Onofrio. The film was based on the Men in Black comic book series by Lowell Cunningham, originally published by Marvel Comics. The film featured the creature effects...
. He also worked on Captain Canuck
Captain Canuck
Captain Canuck is a fictional Canadian comic book superhero. Created by writer Ron Leishman and artist/co-writer Richard Comely, the original Captain Canuck first appeared in Captain Canuck #1 ....
. He worked as the Editorial Cartoonist for the Charlottetown Guardian newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
. He published a book of his editorial cartoons entitled Sh-It Happened.
He has worked on several graphic novels for Graphic Universe, a division of Lerner Publishing Group
Lerner Publishing Group
Lerner Publishing Group, based in Minneapolis in the U.S. state of Minnesota since its founding in 1959, is one of the largest independently owned children's book publishers in the United States. With more than 3,500 titles in print, Lerner Publishing Group offers nonfiction and fiction books for...
(Minneapolis, U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) including Yu the Great, Sunjata: Warrior King of Mali (a 13th-century West African story), and Terror in Ghost Mansion, a graphic novel in the style of interactive storytelling
Interactive storytelling
Interactive Storytelling [IS] is a form of digital entertainment in which users create or influence a dramatic storyline through actions, either by issuing commands to the story's protagonist, or acting as a general director of events in the narrative...
.
His other main work is the webcomic Canadiana, also known as the New Spirit of Canada. Began in 2004, it draws heavily on the traditions of the superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
genre, centred on the adventures and personal life of Jennifer Neuwirth. Carruthers is aided in chronicling Canadiana's adventures by penciller Jeff Alward and scripter Mark Shainblum
Mark Shainblum
Mark Shainblum is a Canadian writer who lives in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Though he has worked as a journalist and editor, Shainblum is best known as a science fiction and comic book writer....
, the latter of whom is known in Canadian comics as a practitioner of superhero genre deconstruction
Deconstruction
Deconstruction is a term introduced by French philosopher Jacques Derrida in his 1967 book Of Grammatology. Although he carefully avoided defining the term directly, he sought to apply Martin Heidegger's concept of Destruktion or Abbau, to textual reading...
via Northguard
Northguard
Northguard is a Canadian superhero created in 1984 by Mark Shainblum and Gabriel Morrissette.Developed during the mid-1980s burst of small- and medium-press comics publishing by Canadians, Northguard was one of several serious efforts at developing a made-in-Canada superhero series for modern...
and parody
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
via Angloman. The series has resumed regular serialization in January 2007 with the assistance of artist Brenda Hickey.
Serialized in what was initially intended to be a weekly basis in fifty-two installments, but eventually settled into a semi-monthly framework, the origin story of Canadiana deals with several mature themes including religious theory and particularly afterlife
Afterlife
The afterlife is the belief that a part of, or essence of, or soul of an individual, which carries with it and confers personal identity, survives the death of the body of this world and this lifetime, by natural or supernatural means, in contrast to the belief in eternal...
possibilities, cult programming, parental betrayal, and the survival of sexual abuse
Sexual abuse
Sexual abuse, also referred to as molestation, is the forcing of undesired sexual behavior by one person upon another. When that force is immediate, of short duration, or infrequent, it is called sexual assault. The offender is referred to as a sexual abuser or molester...
in the course of explaining the beginnings of Jennifer Neuwirth's extraordinary abilities and her decision to adopt a costumed identity as a champion of Canada.
External links
- Sandy Carruthers official site, with some of his work.