Al Davison: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 18:17, 26 March 2025

Al Davison is an English comic book writer and artist, known for his autobiographical graphic novel The Spiral Cage, which explores his lifelong struggle with spina bifida and his journey as a comic book creator, martial artist, filmmaker, and performer. Born in Newcastle, England, he currently resides in Coventry, where he runs The Astral Gypsy, a comic studio and shop located in Fargo Village, Far Gosford Street, alongside his wife Maggie.

Career

The Spiral Cage

First published by Renegade Press in 1988, The Spiral Cage later received expanded editions from Titan Books (1990) and Active Images (2003). The graphic novel, which blends autobiography with surrealist and symbolic storytelling, has been highly praised for its introspective and innovative approach to disability and identity. It was also included in Tony Isabella’s 1000 Comic Books You Must Read.

A documentary about Davison’s life, also titled The Spiral Cage, was directed by Paul W. S. Anderson.

Other Notable Works

Beyond his autobiographical work, Davison has contributed to major comic publishers, including Vertigo, Dark Horse, and IDW Publishing. His work spans various genres, from fantasy and horror to science fiction.

In 2015, he was commissioned to create Manga Carta, a 10-page, 30-panel graphic tale exploring the journey and impact of the 800-year-old Magna Carta, as part of the Festival800 event in Lincoln, England. The story was made available for digital download on the festival's website.

Selected Bibliography

Graphic Novels and Comics

Creator-Owned Works

The Spiral Cage (Renegade Press, 1988; Titan Books, 1990; Active Images, 2003)
Minotaur’s Tale (Dark Horse Books, 1992)
Tainted (with Jamie Delano, one-shot, 1995)
Spiral Dreams (2000)
Hokusai Demons (Astral Gypsy Ltd, 2009)
The Alchemist’s Easel (Astral Gypsy Ltd, 2013)

Mainstream Comics Contributions

Crisis (Issue #34, 1989)
The Endless Gallery (one-shot, 1995)
Teknophage (with Paul Jenkins, Issues #7–10, 1995)
Hellblazer (Issue #101, 1996; mistakenly credited to Sean Phillips)
Vermillion (with Lucius Shepard, Issues #1–7, 1996–97)
The Dreaming (Issues #20–21, 1998; Issue #41 with Caitlin R. Kiernan, 1999)
9/11 Anthology (one story, 2002)
House of Mystery (Issue #17, 2009)
Doctor Who (with Tony Lee, Issues #1–2, #7–8, 2009–2010)
The Unwritten (Issue #24, 2009)
Tommy Taylor & The Ship That Sank Twice (Vertigo, 2014)
The Unwritten Apocalypse (Issues #5 & #7, Vertigo, 2014)
Manga Carta (2015)

Influence and Legacy

Al Davison’s work has been influential in bringing disability narratives into comics, with The Spiral Cage being regarded as a landmark autobiographical work in the medium. His unique storytelling style, blending personal experience with surrealism, has earned him critical acclaim in both independent and mainstream comics circles.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Short description|English comic book artist}}
+'''Al Davison''' is an English [[comic book]] writer and [[artist]], known for his autobiographical graphic novel ''[[The Spiral Cage]]'', which explores his lifelong struggle with '''spina bifida''' and his journey as a '''comic book creator, martial artist, filmmaker, and performer'''. Born in '''Newcastle, England''', he currently resides in '''Coventry''', where he runs '''The Astral Gypsy''', a comic studio and shop located in '''Fargo Village, Far Gosford Street''', alongside his wife Maggie.
-{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
-{{EngvarB|date=August 2019}}
-'''Al Davison''' is an English comic book writer and artist from Newcastle, England. He now resides in Coventry, where he runs The Astral Gypsy, his studio and comic shop in [[Fargo Village]], Far Gosford Street, with his wife Maggie. He is most famous for his autobiographical graphic novel ''[[The Spiral Cage]]'' (Renegade Press, 1988, longer version Titan Books, 1990, Absolute edition from Active Images, 2003), which describes his lifelong struggle with [[spina bifida]] and his rise to successful [[comic book]] creator, [[martial arts]] instructor, film maker, and performer.<ref>McIlvenny, Paul, "Disabling Men: Masculinity and Disability in Al Davison's Graphical Autobiography ''The Spiral Cage'' in Soren Ervo, Thomas Johansson, ''Bending Bodies: Mounding Masculinities'', Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 1 Sep 2003</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Tuana|first=Nancy|title=Revealing Male Bodies|year=2002|publisher=Indiana University Press|url=https://archive.org/details/revealingmalebod00tuan|url-access=registration|quote=Al Davison spiral cage.|page=[https://archive.org/details/revealingmalebod00tuan/page/120 120]}}</ref> ''The Spiral Cage'' featured in [[Tony Isabella]]'s ''1000 Comic Books You Must Read''.<ref>{{cite book|last=Isabella|first=Tony|title=1,000 Comic Books You Must Read|year=2009|publisher=Krause Publications}}</ref>
-He is the subject of a documentary, also called ''The Spiral Cage'', directed by [[Paul W. S. Anderson]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Allon|first=Yoram|title=Contemporary British and Irish Film Directors: A Wallflower Critical Guide|year=2001|publisher=Wallflower|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OJAcf31BweQC&q=paul+anderson+spiral+cage&pg=PA7|author2=Del Cullen|author3=Hannah Patterson|page=7|isbn=9781903364215}}</ref>
+== Career ==
-As part of the 10-day [http://www.festival800.co.uk Festival800], which took place in Lincoln from 28 August to 6 September 2015, he has been commissioned to create ''Manga Carta'' – a 10-page, 30-panel graphic tale of the journey and impact of the 800-year-old Magna Carta. ''Manga Carta'' is available for download from the festival website since mid-August 2015.
+=== ''The Spiral Cage'' ===
+First published by '''Renegade Press in 1988''', ''The Spiral Cage'' later received expanded editions from '''Titan Books (1990)''' and '''Active Images (2003)'''. The graphic novel, which blends autobiography with surrealist and symbolic storytelling, has been highly praised for its '''introspective and innovative''' approach to disability and identity. It was also included in '''Tony Isabella’s ''1000 Comic Books You Must Read'''''.
-==Bibliography==
+A '''documentary''' about Davison’s life, also titled ''The Spiral Cage'', was directed by '''Paul W. S. Anderson'''.
-*''[[Crisis (Fleetway)|Crisis]]'', issue 34, 1989
-*''[[The Spiral Cage]]'' original graphic novel, 1990
-*''[[Minotaur's Tale]]'' Dark Horse Books, 1992
-*''[[Tainted (comics)|Tainted]]'' (with [[Jamie Delano]]) one-shot, 1995
-*''[[The Endless Gallery]]'', one-shot, 1995
-*''[[Teknophage]]'', (with [[Paul Jenkins (writer)|Paul Jenkins]]) 7–10, 1995
-*''[[Hellblazer]]'' issue 101 (with Paul Jenkins) (mistakenly credited to [[Sean Phillips]]), 1996
-*''[[Vermillion (comics)|Vermillion]]'', 1–7, (with [[Lucius Shepard]]) 1996-97
-*''[[The Dreaming (comics)|The Dreaming]]'', 20–21, 1998
-*''[[The Dreaming (comics)|The Dreaming]]'', (with [[Caitlin R Kiernan]]) 41, 1999
-*''[[Spiral Dreams]]'' 2000
-*''[[9/11 (comics)|9/11]]'', anthology, one story, 2002
-*''[[The Spiral Cage]]'' Active Image edition, 2003
-*''[[Hokusai Demons]]'' Astral Gypsy Ltd, 2009
-*''[[Doctor Who (comics)|Doctor Who]]'', (with [[Tony Lee]]) 1–2, 7-8 2009-10
-*''[[Doctor Who Annual (comics)|Doctor Who]]'', 2010
-*''[[The Unwritten]]'' issue 24, 2009
-*''[[House of Mystery]]'' issue 17, 2009
-*''[[The Alchemist's Easel]]'' The Astral Gypsy Ltd 2013
-*''[[Tommy Taylor & The Ship That Sank Twice]]'' Vertigo 2014
-*''[[The Unwritten Apocalypse #5 & #7]]'' Vertigo 2014
-* ''Manga Carta'', 2015
-==References==
+=== Other Notable Works ===
-{{Reflist}}
+Beyond his autobiographical work, Davison has contributed to '''major comic publishers''', including '''Vertigo, Dark Horse, and IDW Publishing'''. His work spans various genres, from fantasy and horror to science fiction.
-{{authority control}}
+In '''2015''', he was commissioned to create '''Manga Carta''', a '''10-page, 30-panel''' graphic tale exploring the journey and impact of the '''800-year-old Magna Carta''', as part of the '''Festival800''' event in '''Lincoln, England'''. The story was made available for digital download on the festival's website.
-{{DEFAULTSORT:Davison, Al}}
+== Selected Bibliography ==
+=== Graphic Novels and Comics ===
+==== Creator-Owned Works ====
+* ''The Spiral Cage'' (Renegade Press, 1988; Titan Books, 1990; Active Images, 2003)
+* ''Minotaur’s Tale'' (Dark Horse Books, 1992)
+* ''Tainted'' (with Jamie Delano, one-shot, 1995)
+* ''Spiral Dreams'' (2000)
+* ''Hokusai Demons'' (Astral Gypsy Ltd, 2009)
+* ''The Alchemist’s Easel'' (Astral Gypsy Ltd, 2013)
+==== Mainstream Comics Contributions ====
+* ''Crisis'' (Issue #34, 1989)
+* ''The Endless Gallery'' (one-shot, 1995)
+* ''Teknophage'' (with Paul Jenkins, Issues #7–10, 1995)
+* ''Hellblazer'' (Issue #101, 1996; mistakenly credited to Sean Phillips)
+* ''Vermillion'' (with Lucius Shepard, Issues #1–7, 1996–97)
+* ''The Dreaming'' (Issues #20–21, 1998; Issue #41 with Caitlin R. Kiernan, 1999)
+* ''9/11 Anthology'' (one story, 2002)
+* ''House of Mystery'' (Issue #17, 2009)
+* ''Doctor Who'' (with Tony Lee, Issues #1–2, #7–8, 2009–2010)
+* ''The Unwritten'' (Issue #24, 2009)
+* ''Tommy Taylor & The Ship That Sank Twice'' (Vertigo, 2014)
+* ''The Unwritten Apocalypse'' (Issues #5 & #7, Vertigo, 2014)
+* ''Manga Carta'' (2015)
+== Influence and Legacy ==
+Al Davison’s work has been influential in '''bringing disability narratives into comics''', with ''The Spiral Cage'' being regarded as a landmark autobiographical work in the medium. His unique storytelling style, blending '''personal experience with surrealism''', has earned him critical acclaim in both '''independent and mainstream comics circles'''.{{DEFAULTSORT:Davison, Al}}
 [[Category:20th-century births]]
 [[Category:Living people]]
@@ Line 45: / Line 51: @@
 [[Category:People with spina bifida]]
 [[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
-{{UK-comics-creator-stub}}