World Literary Awards

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Marc Bell

マーク・ベル

Māku Beru

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1971-11-24 （London, Ontario）
Nationality
Canadian
Languages
English
Residence History
London, Ontario

Career

Occupations
Cartoonist, Artist
Active Years
1992-2024
Affiliations
Drawn & Quarterly, Fantagraphics, Highwater Books
Nominations
2003 Ignatz Award nomination for Promising New Talent for story in Rosetta (Alternative Comics), Shrimpy & Paul (Highwater Books), 2005 Doug Wright nomination in Best Book for Worn Tuff Elbow #1 published by Fantagraphics Books, 2005 Ignatz Award nomination for Outstanding Comic for Worn Tuff Elbow #1 published by Fantagraphics Books, 2007 Doug Wright nomination in Best Book for Nog A Dod (editor) anthology published by Conundrum Press, 2010 Doug Wright nomination in Best Book for Hot Potatoe published by Drawn & Quarterly, 2012 Doug Wright nomination in Pigskin Peters Award for Pure Pajamas published by Drawn & Quarterly, 2012 Ignatz Award nomination in Outstanding Artist for Pure Pajamas published by Drawn & Quarterly, 2016 Society of Illustrators nomination in Long Form for Stroppy published by Drawn & Quarterly, 2016 Doug Wright nomination in Best Book for Stroppy published by Drawn & Quarterly

Awards

Doug Wright Pigskin Peters Award
2010
Work: Hot Potatoe
Category: Pigskin Peters Award
Organization: Doug Wright Awards
Result: win

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Shrimpy and Paul and Friends

2003 Alternative comics

Collection of surreal and humorous comic strips featuring Shrimpy and Paul.

SurrealismAbsurd humor
Translations
  • Shrimpy et Paul (French, 2010)
  • Shrimpy e Paul (Portuguese, 2012)

Hot Potatoe

2009 Alternative comics

Monograph of his mixed media work and watercolored drawings.

Mixed mediaVisual art

Pure Pajamas

2011 Alternative comics

Comic work known for its unique style.

Surreal

Stroppy

2015 Alternative comics

Graphic novel featuring his signature absurd style.

AbsurdityHumor
Translations
  • Stroppy (French, 2018)
  • Stroppy (Spanish, 2018)

Bibliography

  • Boof
  • Hep
  • The Mojo Action Companion Unit Vol.2 #1
  • Shrimpy and Paul and Friends
  • Worn Tuff Elbow #1
  • The Stacks
  • The Hobbit (with Peter Thompson)
  • Fresh From Kiev
  • Nog a Dod (editor)
  • Ganzfeld #5 (co-editor)
  • Illusztraijuns for Brain Police
  • Hot Potatoe
  • Kelp Stingray (with Matthew Thurber)
  • Shrimpy et Paul
  • Dirty Dishes (editor)
  • Pure Pajamas
  • Shrimpy e Paul
  • Rudy (editor)
  • Love and Forgiveness (editor)
  • Boutique Mag #1
  • Stroppy
  • 18 Sausages (Boutique Mag #3)
  • Stroppy (French)
  • Stroppy (Spanish/Arg)
  • Worn Tuff Elbow #2
  • Boutique Mag #4
  • Banal Complications
  • Boutique Mag #5
  • Dear Foghorn Of Legs (Boutique Mag #6)
  • Raw Sewage Science Fiction
  • Worn Tuff Elbow #3
  • Non-Brut Funnies #1
  • Corn Comics #1
  • Alive Outside (co-edited)

Translations of Works

  • Shrimpy et Paul (French) and others
  • Stroppy (Spanish)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Mixed mediaWatercolored drawingsSurreal linework
Recurring Motifs
Absurd charactersAbstract humorPsychedelic elements

Legacy

Prominent figure in Canadian alternative comics, extensively published by Drawn & Quarterly, held numerous solo exhibitions internationally, and received/was nominated for awards like Doug Wright and Ignatz.

In Popular Culture

  • Comics published in Vice and LA Weekly

Trivia

  • The title 'Hot Potatoe' is deliberately misspelled (sic).
  • Produced numerous solo and collaborative self-published booklets.
  • Comics regularly appeared in Canadian weeklies.
  • Held solo exhibitions in New York, Toronto, Vancouver, and internationally.