Editing Gary Panter

{{short description|American artist}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2015}}
{{Infobox comics creator
| image         = 
| caption       = 
| birth_name    = 
| birth_date    = {{Birth date and age|1950|12|1}}
| birth_place   = [[Durant, Oklahoma]], U.S.
| death_place   = 
| cartoonist    = y
| write         = y
| art           = y
| pencil        = 
| ink           = 
| edit          = 
| publish       = 
| letter        = 
| color         = 
| alias         = Gars Panter<ref>{{cite book |title=Jimbo: Adventures in Paradise |publisher=[[Pantheon Books]] |date=1988}}</ref>
| notable works = {{Plainlist|
* ''Jimbo''
* ''[[Pee-wee's Playhouse]]'' set designs
}}
| awards        = {{unbulleted list
 | [[Firecracker Alternative Book Award]], 1999
 | [[Inkpot Award]], 2005<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.comic-con.org/awards/inkpot |title=Inkpot Awards |access-date=June 3, 2024 |work=[[San Diego Comic-Con International]]}}</ref>
 | [[American Book Award]], 2007
 | [[Klein Award]], 2012
 | [[Daytime Emmy Award]] (x2)
}}
| website       = {{URL|garypanter.com}}
}}
'''Gary Panter''' (born December 1, 1950) is an American cartoonist, illustrator, painter, designer and part-time musician. Panter's work is representative of the post-[[Underground comix|underground]], new wave comics movement that began with the end of ''[[Arcade: The Comics Revue]]'' and the initiation of ''[[Raw (comics magazine)|RAW]]'', one of the main instigators of American [[alternative comics]]. ''[[The Comics Journal]]'' has called Panter the "Greatest Living Cartoonist."<ref>{{cite news |department=Features |title=In the Land Unknown with Gary Panter |first=Matt |last=Seneca |date=October 24, 2011 |work=The Comics Journal |url=https://www.tcj.com/in-the-land-unknown-with-gary-panter/}}</ref>

Panter has published his work in various magazines and newspapers, including ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' and ''[[Rolling Stone]]'', and in notable comics anthologies such as ''Raw'', ''[[BLAB!]]'', ''[[Zero Zero (comics)|Zero Zero]]'', ''[[Anarchy Comics]]'', ''[[Weirdo (comics)|Weirdo]]'', ''[[Kramers Ergot]]'', and ''[[Young Lust (comics)|Young Lust]]''. He has exhibited widely, and won two [[Daytime Emmy Awards]] for his set designs for ''[[Pee-wee's Playhouse]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0659831/awards/ |quote=2 wins & 3 nominations |title=Daytime Emmy Awards |work=[[IMDb]] |access-date=June 3, 2024}}</ref> His most notable works include ''Jimbo: Adventures in Paradise'', ''[[Jimbo's Inferno]]'', and ''Facetasm'', the latter of which was created together with [[Charles Burns (cartoonist)|Charles Burns]] (and which won a [[Firecracker Alternative Book Award]]).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.readersread.com/awards/firecracker.htm |title=Firecracker Alternative Book Awards |work=ReadersRead.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304133738/http://www.readersread.com/awards/firecracker.htm |archive-date=March 4, 2009}}</ref>

== Early life and education ==
Panter was born in [[Durant, Oklahoma]], and grew up in [[Brownsville, Texas]], and [[Sulphur Springs, Texas]].<ref name="JimboParadise" /> He attended [[East Texas State University]], where he studied under [[Jack Unruh]] and Lee Baxter Davis, and became part of the group of artists known as "The Lizard Cult."<ref>{{cite news |title=His Pet Monsters |first=Michael |last=Agresta |date=January 2, 2018 |work=[[The Texas Observer]] |url=https://www.texasobserver.org/his-pet-monsters/ |quote=Panter and his wild college cohort became known as the Lizard Cult...}}</ref>

== Career ==

=== Early work and punk scene ===
As an early participant in the Los Angeles [[Punk rock|punk]] scene in the 1970s, Panter defined the grungy style of the era with his drawings for the punk [[fanzine]] ''[[Slash (fanzine)|Slash]]'' and numerous record covers.

=== Jimbo and comics ===
Panter created [[Jimbo (comics)|Jimbo]], his punk [[everyman]], in 1974.<ref name="NYT2017" /> Jimbo embodies elements of [[Jack Kirby]] and [[Pablo Picasso|Picasso]].<ref name="NYT2017" /> The character was a regular feature in ''Slash'', ''[[Raw (comics magazine)|Raw]]'', and has been featured in his own comic book series and several graphic novels.

Panter's good friend [[Matt Groening]]<ref>{{cite video |title=Matt Groening on Gary Panter, May 27th, Los Angeles |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyrVrymqH54 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211213/ZyrVrymqH54 |archive-date=December 13, 2021 |url-status=live |language=en |access-date=October 23, 2021 |publisher=Dan Nadel |via=YouTube |date=June 13, 2008}}</ref> said of Jimbo, "He and his friends are always up against systems of control... Jimbo is a wild combo-platter of brilliant drawing and stuff you didn't know could be done with mere pen and ink."<ref name="NYT2017">{{cite news |title=When a Comic Book Hillbilly and Milton Collide |first=Dana |last=Jennings |date=July 21, 2017 |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/21/books/when-a-comic-book-hillbilly-and-milton-collide.html}}</ref> Groening has also stated that Jimbo's spiky hair inspired the design of [[Bart Simpson]].<ref name="NYT2021">{{cite news |department=Graphic Content |title=Gary Panter's Jagged, Shape-Shifting Antihero Was Made for Our Moment |first=Ed |last=Park |date=April 5, 2021 |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/05/books/review/gary-panter-jimbo-adventures-in-paradise-crashpad.html}}</ref>

''Jimbo in Purgatory'' ([[Fantagraphics]], 2004) and ''[[Jimbo's Inferno]]'' (Fantagraphics, 2006) are graphic novels combining classical literature, particularly [[Dante]]'s ''[[Divine Comedy]]'', with pop and punk culture sensibilities. ''Jimbo's Inferno'' received an [[American Book Award]] in 2007.<ref>{{cite news |title='Jimbo' Gets American Book Award |work=[[ICv2]] |date=October 30, 2007 |url=https://icv2.com/print/article/11559}}</ref>

=== Rozz Tox and graphic novels ===
In 1979,<ref name="Lambiek">{{cite web |url=https://www.lambiek.net/artists/p/panter.htm |title=Gary Panter |work=[[Lambiek]]}}</ref> Panter's ''[[Rozz Tox Manifesto]]'' was published in the [[Ralph Records]] catalog, advocating for artists to engage the capitalist system.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rozztox.com/the-manifesto.html |first=Gary |last=Panter |title=The Rozz-Tox Manifesto |work=[[New West (magazine)|New West Magazine]] |via=RozzTox.com}}</ref> He also collaborated with Jay Cotton on ''Pee-Dog: The Shit Generation'' for the [[Church of the SubGenius]].

Panter continued to publish alternative comics and graphic novels, including ''Cola Madnes'' and contributions to the avant-garde magazine ''RAW''.

=== ''Pee-wee's Playhouse'' and set design ===
In the 1980s, Panter became the set designer for the children's television show ''[[Pee-wee's Playhouse]]''. His visual approach diverged sharply from prevailing trends in children's media, eschewing simplified, pastel visuals for densely layered, chaotic sets. He won two [[Daytime Emmy Awards]] for his work on the show.

While designing for television, he remained active in comics and illustration.

=== Later projects and publications ===
Panter created the online series ''Pink Donkey'' for [[Cartoon Network]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Phillips |first=Owen |title=Gary Panter's Lo-Fi, High-Tech Art |website=[[CNN]] |date=September 5, 2000 |url=https://www.cnn.com/2000/TECH/computing/09/05/gary.panter.idg/index.html |access-date=2024-06-19}}</ref>

In 2008, [[PictureBox]] published ''Gary Panter'', a two-volume, 700-page retrospective including sketches and previously unpublished material.

In 2010, the French publisher United Dead Artists released two volumes of his work: ''The Wrong Box''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.uniteddeadartists.com/site.php?type=P&id=44 |work=United Dead Artists |title=The Wrong Box |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150220163852/http://uniteddeadartists.com/site.php?type=P&id=44 |archive-date=February 20, 2015}}</ref> and ''The Land Unknown''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.uniteddeadartists.com/site.php?type=P&id=43 |work=United Dead Artists |title=The Land Unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150220132105/http://uniteddeadartists.com/site.php?type=P&id=43 |archive-date=February 20, 2015}}</ref>

== Use by music artists ==
[[Warner Bros. Records]] commissioned Panter to paint the album covers for the unauthorized releases of [[Frank Zappa]]'s albums ''[[Studio Tan]]'' (1978), ''[[Sleep Dirt]]'' and ''[[Orchestral Favorites]]'' (1979).

In 2006, one of Panter's paintings was used as the cover art for [[Yo La Tengo]]'s album ''[[I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass]]''.

== Personal life ==
From 1978 to 1986, Panter was married to writer Nicole Panter, who was the manager of Los Angeles punk rock band the [[Germs (band)|Germs]]. He later married art director Helene Silverman.<ref name="JimboParadise">{{cite book |last=Panter |first=Gary |title=Jimbo: Adventures in Paradise |publisher=[[Pantheon Books]] |location=New York |date=1988 |isbn=978-0-394-75639-4 |section=Bio}}</ref>

== Style ==
Panter was influenced by, among others, [[Frank Zappa]]'s art director [[Cal Schenkel]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.garypanter.com/bio.html |title=Gary Panter Interview |work=GaryPanter.com |first=Edwin |last=Pouncy |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081028204823/http://www.garypanter.com/bio.html |archive-date=October 28, 2008 |date=2003}}</ref> His comics are fast and hard and are drawn in an expressionistic manner. His works balance the worlds of painting, commercial art, illustration, cartoons, alternative comix, and music.<ref>{{cite web |last=Bors |first=Chris |title=Gary Panter in New York |website=[[ARTINFO]] |date=May 8, 2008 |url=http://www.artinfo.com/news/story/27542/gary-panter-in-new-york/ |access-date=2008-05-14}}</ref>

== Exhibitions ==
With [[Winsor McCay]], [[Lyonel Feininger]], [[George Herriman]], [[Elzie Segar]], [[Frank King (cartoonist)|Frank King]], [[Chester Gould]], [[Milton Caniff]], [[Charles M. Schulz|Charles Schulz]], [[Will Eisner]], [[Jack Kirby]], [[Harvey Kurtzman]], [[Robert Crumb]], [[Art Spiegelman]] and [[Chris Ware]], Panter was among the artists honored in the exhibition "Masters of American Comics" at the [[Jewish Museum (New York)|Jewish Museum]] in New York City, from September 16, 2006, to January 28, 2007.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thejewishmuseum.org/exhibitions/Comics |title=Exhibitions: Masters of American Comics |publisher=[[The Jewish Museum]] |access-date=2010-08-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511174819/http://www.thejewishmuseum.org/exhibitions/Comics |archive-date=May 11, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Kimmelman |first=Michael |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/13/arts/design/13comi.html |title=See You in the Funny Papers (Art Review) |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=October 13, 2006}}</ref>

An exhibition of originals of Gary Panter's drawings and paintings was shown at the [[Phoenix Art Museum]] from April 21 through August 19, 2007. An exhibition of paintings was at the Dunn and Brown Contemporary Gallery in Dallas in October 2007.<ref>{{cite web |last=Limnios |first=Michael |title=Interview with Avant-Garde Artist Gary Panter—One of the First New Wave Cartoonists in the 1970s |website=Blues.gr |url=http://blues.gr/m/blogpost?id=1982923:BlogPost:224912 |date=June 17, 2015 |access-date=2021-10-23}}</ref>

== Awards and honors ==
Panter was the recipient of the 2012 [[Klein Award]], which was given by the [[Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art]] at their annual [[MoCCA Art Festival]] in New York.

== Bibliography ==
* {{cite book |title=Hup |publisher=self-published |location=Los Angeles |date=1977 |oclc=1333461698}}
* {{cite book |title=The Asshole: A Parable |publisher=self-published |date=1979 |postscript=,}} minicomic.
* {{cite book |title=Okupant X |publisher=Diana's Bimonthly Press |location=Providence, R.I. |date=1979 |oclc=6646685}}
* {{cite book |title=Dal Tokyo |publisher=[[Fantagraphics Books]] |location=Seattle |date=1983}}
* {{cite book |title=Invasion of the Elvis Zombies |publisher=[[Raw Books]] |location=New York |date=1984 |isbn=978-0-915043-01-9}}
* {{cite book |title=Facetasm: H Simulated and Real |publisher=Gates of Heck |location=Richmond, VA |date=1992 |oclc=27892532 |postscript=,}} with [[Charles Burns (cartoonist)|Charles Burns]].
* {{cite book |title=Cola Madnes |publisher=Funny Garbage |date=2000 |isbn=978-0-9701626-0-1 |url=https://archive.org/details/colamadnes0000pant }}
* {{cite book |title=100.1: Drawings by Gary Panter |publisher=Plywood Press |location=Brooklyn |date=2004 |isbn=978-0-9763102-0-4}}
* {{cite book |title=Satiro-Plastic: The Sketchbook of Gary Panter |publisher=Drawn and Quarterly |location=Montreal |date=2005 |isbn=978-1-896597-86-7}}
* {{cite book |title=Hey Dork!: The Sketchbook of Gary Panter |publisher=Drawn and Quarterly |location=Montreal |date=2007 |isbn=978-1-894937-88-7}}
* {{cite book |last=McMullen |first=Brian |title=Gary Panter |publisher=PictureBox |location=Brooklyn |date=2008 |isbn=978-0-9794153-1-9}}<ref>{{cite web |last=McMullen |first=Brian |title=Gary Panter |website=[[Bomb (magazine)|Bomb]] |date=October 1, 2008 |url=https://bombmagazine.org/articles/2008/10/01/gary-panter/ |access-date=2024-06-19}}</ref>
* {{cite book |title=The Land Unknown |publisher=Galerie Martel |date=2009}}
* {{cite book |title=Songy of Paradise |publisher=Fantagraphics |location=Seattle |date=2017 |isbn=978-1-68396-028-7}}<ref name="NYT2017" />
* {{cite book |title=Crashpad |publisher=Fantagraphics |location=Seattle |date=2021 |isbn=978-1-68396-416-2}}

=== Jimbo ===
* {{cite book |title=Raw One-Shot Edition No. 1: Jimbo |publisher=[[Raw Books]] |date=1982}}
* {{cite book |title=Jimbo: Adventures in Paradise |publisher=[[Pantheon Books]] |location=New York |date=1988 |isbn=978-0-394-75639-4}}<ref name="JimboParadise" /> mostly a collection of strips that originally appeared in [[Slash (fanzine)|Slash]], the ''[[Los Angeles Reader]]'', and ''[[Raw (comics magazine)|Raw]]''; reissued by [[New York Review Books]] in 2021.<ref name="NYT2021" />
* {{cite book |title=Jimbo (issues #1–7) |publisher=[[Zongo Comics]] |date=1995–1997}}
* {{cite book |title=Jimbo in Purgatory |publisher=Fantagraphics |location=Seattle |date=2004 |isbn=978-1-56097-572-4}}
* {{cite book |title=Jimbo's Inferno |title-link=Jimbo's Inferno |publisher=Fantagraphics |location=Seattle |date=2006 |isbn=978-1-56097-691-2}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{cite web |url=http://www.pinkdonkey.com/interface.html |format=Flash |title=Pink Donkey |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 28, 2003 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030428190511/http://www.pinkdonkey.com/interface.html |quote=Incomplete archive of flash components}}
* {{cite web |url=https://www.suicidegirls.com/girls/anderswolleck/blog/2679144/gary-panter-jimbo-in-purgatory/ |publisher=[[Suicide Girls]] |work=Interview |title=Gary Panter – Jimbo in Purgatory |date=February 1, 2005}}
* {{cite web |url=http://www.jeetheer.com/comics/panter.htm |author-link=Jeet Heer |first=Jeet |last=Heer |title=Gary Panter's Jimbo in Purgatory |date=September 4, 2004 |work=Review |url-status=usurped |archive-date=April 10, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060410150106/http://www.jeetheer.com/comics/panter.htm}}
* {{cite web |url=http://joeclark.org/garypanter.html |title=Mmm! Panter-y! |date=1993 |first=Joe |last=Clark |work=Overview}}

{{Underground comix cartoonists|state=collapsed}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Panter, Gary}}
[[Category:American comics writers]]
[[Category:American comics artists]]
[[Category:1950 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Durant, Oklahoma]]
[[Category:American graphic designers]]
[[Category:American graphic novelists]]
[[Category:American surrealist artists]]
[[Category:20th-century American illustrators]]
[[Category:21st-century American illustrators]]
[[Category:20th-century American painters]]
[[Category:21st-century American painters]]
[[Category:American essayists]]
[[Category:American SubGenii]]
[[Category:Alternative cartoonists]]
[[Category:American album-cover and concert-poster artists]]
[[Category:Artists from Oklahoma]]
[[Category:American Book Award winners]]
[[Category:Underground cartoonists]]
[[Category:Inkpot Award winners]]
[[Category:East Texas A&M University alumni]]
[[Category:Counterculture of the 1970s]]
[[Category:Counterculture of the 1980s]]