Al Columbia

Al Columbia (b.1970) started his career in comics at the age of nineteen, when he was hired to assist Bill Sienkiewicz. Together, they created 'Big Numbers', which Al eventually took over. In 1992, however, the pressure of continuing this real-world, realistically painted comics series became too much for him. Al Columbia vanished, destroying the fourth issue of 'Big Numbers' he was working on, and nothing was heard from him until 1994. He then made 'The Biologic Show', published by Fantagraphics, in which he broke away from the realistic, Sienkiewicz-inspired style, developing a more grotesque, caricatural style of his own. From 1995 on, Al Columbia experimented, contributing stories such as 'Pim and Francie' to the anthologies 'Zero Zero' and 'Blab!', introducing the character of frightened little Seymour Sunshine. On November 19, 2001 The New York Times ran one of Columbia's illustrations. In 2003 he wrote two issues of The Pogostick, an unfinished comic book series illustrated by Ethan Persoff that was nominated for a Harvey Award. Pim & Francie: The Golden Bear Days, a book collection of previously unpublished work, was released in November 2009.