Jason Lutes (born December 7, 1967)
at Comic Creator is an American

comics a medium used to express ideas with images, often combined with text or other visual information. It typically the form of a sequence of panels of images. Textual devices such as speech balloons, captions, and onomatopoeia can indicate ...

creator. His work is mainly historical fiction, but he also works in traditional fiction. He is best-known for his ''

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

'' series, which he wrote and drew over 22 years. He has also written a handful of other

graphic novel A graphic novel is a long-form, fictional work of sequential art. The term ''graphic novel'' is often applied broadly, including fiction, non-fiction, and anthologized work, though this practice is highly contested by comic scholars and industry ...

s, as well as many short pieces for anthologies and compilations. He now teaches comics at the

Center for Cartoon Studies The Center for Cartoon Studies (CCS) is a two-year institution focusing on sequential art, specifically comics and graphic novelsNew Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

, but his family soon relocated to

Missoula, Montana Missoula ( ; fla, label=Salish language, Séliš, Nłʔay, lit=Place of the Small Bull Trout, script=Latn; kut, Tuhuⱡnana, script=Latn) is a city in the U.S. state of Montana; it is the county seat of Missoula County, Montana, Missoula Cou ...

. In his early years, Lutes liked

superhero A superhero or superheroine is a stock character that typically possesses ''superpowers'', abilities beyond those of ordinary people, and fits the role of the hero, typically using his or her powers to help the world become a better place, ...

comics, but a trip to

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

exposed him to

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

an comics like ''

The Adventures of Tintin ''The Adventures of Tintin'' (french: Les Aventures de Tintin ) is a series of 24 bande dessinée#Formats, ''bande dessinée'' albums created by Belgians, Belgian cartoonist Georges Remi, who wrote under the pen name Hergé. The series was one ...

'' and ''

Asterix ''Asterix'' or ''The Adventures of Asterix'' (french: Astérix or , "Asterix the Gaul") is a ''bande dessinée'' comic book series about a village of indomitable Gaulish warriors who adventure around the world and fight the Roman Republic, wi ...

'', which he says greatly affected his style of drawing.Jason Lutes
profile at Read Yourself RAW Lutes went to college at the

Rhode Island School of Design The Rhode Island School of Design (RISD , pronounced "Riz-D") is a private art and design school in Providence, Rhode Island. The school was founded as a coeducational institution in 1877 by Helen Adelia Rowe Metcalf, who sought to increase the ...

, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1991. He moved to Seattle after graduation, where he found work for the alternative comics publisher

Fantagraphics Fantagraphics (previously Fantagraphics Books) is an American publisher of alternative comics, classic comic strip anthologies, manga, magazines, graphic novels, and the erotic Eros Comix imprint. History Founding Fantagraphics was found ...

, and eventually became art director of the alternative weekly '' The Stranger''. During this period, Lutes began writing and self-publishing his own comic work with Penny Dreadful Press. In 1993 Lutes began serializing a strip for ''The Stranger'', which was collected in 1996 in the critically acclaimed graphic novel '' Jar of Fools''. After two years of research, in 1996 Lutes embarked on the ambitious comic book series ''

'', an ongoing 22-chapter story set in the twilight years of Germany's

Weimar Republic The Weimar Republic (german: link=no, Weimarer Republik ), officially named the German Reich, was the government of Germany from 1918 to 1933, during which it was a constitutional federal republic for the first time in history; hence it is al ...

. When ''Berlins original publisher

Black Eye Productions Black Eye Books (formerly called Black Eye Productions) is a small but influential Canadian comic book publishing company founded by Michel Vrana. Under the auspices of Vrana, Black Eye was known as a publisher of artfully designed alternative com ...

closed in 1998,

Drawn & Quarterly Drawn & Quarterly is a publishing company based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, specializing in comics. It publishes primarily comic books, graphic novels and comic strip collections. The books it publishes are noted for their artistic content, ...

took over the series. Lutes subsequently moved to

Asheville, North Carolina Asheville ( ) is a city in, and the county seat of, Buncombe County, North Carolina. Located at the confluence of the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers, it is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the state's 11th-most populous cit ...

, in October 2002; this move forms the subject of his autobiographical ''Rules to Live By,'' collected in ''AutobioGraphix'' by

Dark Horse Comics Dark Horse Comics is an American comic book, graphic novel, and manga publisher founded in Milwaukie, Oregon by Mike Richardson in 1986. The company was created using funds earned from Richardson's chain of Portland, Oregon comic book shops known ...

. In 2007, Hyperion published the graphic novel ''Houdini: The Handcuff King,'' written by Lutes and illustrated by

Nick Bertozzi Nick Bertozzi (born May 26, 1970) is an American comic book writer and artist, as well as a commercial illustrator and teacher of cartooning. His series ''Rubber Necker'' from Alternative Comics won the 2003 Harvey Awards for best new talent and ...

. Starting in the spring of 2008, he became part of the faculty of the

Center for Cartoon Studies The Center for Cartoon Studies (CCS) is a two-year institution focusing on sequential art, specifically comics and graphic novels"15 Questions,"
''Sequential Highway'' (Nov. 8, 2012).

Personal life

Lutes has two sons, Clem (born 2006) and Max, with his partner Becka Warren.

Bibliography

Lutes has published work in a variety of forms.Coyote vs. Wolf (Lutes's blog)
Bibliography
/ref>

Series

* '' Jar of Fools'' (1994) * ''

'' (1996–2018, ) ** ''Berlin'' Book One: ''City of Stones'' (2000, ) ** ''Berlin'' Book Two: ''City of Smoke'' (2008, ) ** ''Berlin'' Book Three: ''City of Light'' (2018, )

Children's series

* “The Secret Three” (with Jake Austen, in ''

Nickelodeon Magazine ''Nickelodeon Magazine'' is a defunct American children's magazine inspired by the children's television network Nickelodeon. Its first incarnation appeared in 1990 and was distributed at participating Pizza Hut restaurants; the version of the ma ...

'', 1997–1999) * “Sam Shade” (with

Paul Karasik Paul Karasik ( ; born 1956)Kartalopoulos, Bill''Indy'' magazine (Spring 2004). is an American cartoonist, editor, and teacher, notable for his contributions to such works as '' City of Glass: The Graphic Novel'', ''The Ride Together: A Memoir of ...

, in ''

'', 2002–2005)

Graphic novels

* ''The Fall'' (with

Ed Brubaker Ed Brubaker (; born November 17, 1966) is an American comic book writer, cartoonist and screenwriter who works primarily in the crime fiction genre. He began his career with the semi-autobiographical series '' Lowlife'' and a number of serials i ...

) (2001) * ''Houdini: The Handcuff King'' (words; pictures by

, 2007) (2007, Hyperion), (2008, Disney–Hyperion)

Short work

* (inks) '' Rock & Roll High School'' #1–2 (with

Bob Fingerman Bob Fingerman (born August 25, 1964) is an American comic book writer/artist born in Queens, New York, who is best known for his comic series ''Minimum Wage'' (Fantagraphics Books). Career In 1984, while still a student at New York City’s Scho ...

and

Shane Oakley Shane Oakley is a British illustrator and comic book artist from Stoke-on-Trent, England. Biography Oakley began his career contributing to the alternative comics review '' Deadline Magazine'' in the 1980s, where he created '' Fatal Charm'' with ...

) (

Roger Corman's Cosmic Comics Roger William Corman (born April 5, 1926) is an American film director, producer, and actor. He has been called "The Pope of Pop Cinema" and is known as a trailblazer in the world of independent film. Many of Corman's films are based on works t ...

, 1995) * “Side Trip” (in ''

Dark Horse Presents ''Dark Horse Presents'' was a comic book published by American company Dark Horse Comics from 1986. Their first published series, it was their flagship title until its September 2000 cancellation. The second incarnation was published on MySpace, r ...

'' #125, pp. 23–28, 1997) * “Late Summer Sun” (in ''Drawn & Quarterly: A Picture Story Book'' (Volume 2, number 6), pp. 31–38, 1997 June, ) * “We Three Things” (pictures only, script by Peter Gross; in ''

Vertigo Vertigo is a condition where a person has the sensation of movement or of surrounding objects moving when they are not. Often it feels like a spinning or swaying movement. This may be associated with nausea, vomiting, sweating, or difficulties w ...

,'' ''

The Books of Magic ''The Books of Magic'' is the title of a four-issue English-language comic book mini-series written by Neil Gaiman, published by DC Comics, and later an ongoing series under the imprint Vertigo. Since its original publication, the mini-series has ...

'', '' Winter's Edge'' #2, pp. 35–42, 1998) * “Rules to Live By” (in ''AutobioGraphix'', by

, 2003). * “Small Explosions” (in ''Rosetta'' #2, 2004)

Illustrations

Occasional illustrations: * Album cover for ''

Troubled by the Fire ''Troubled by the Fire'' is the third studio album by Laura Veirs Laura Pauline Veirs (born October 24, 1973) is an American singer-songwriter based out of Portland, Oregon. She is known for her folk/ alternative country records and live per ...

'' (2003),

Laura Veirs Laura Pauline Veirs (born October 24, 1973) is an American singer-songwriter based out of Portland, Oregon. She is known for her folk/ alternative country records and live performances as well as her collaboration with Neko Case and k.d. lang o ...

* Illustrations for
How Did Economists Get It So Wrong?
,

Paul Krugman Paul Robin Krugman ( ; born February 28, 1953) is an American economist, who is Distinguished Professor of Economics at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, and a columnist for ''The New York Times''. In 2008, Krugman was th ...

, ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

''.

Unpublished work

Unpublished work includes: * 1-page biography of J. R. R. Tolkien for ''The Stranger'' (1997) * "Which Witch is Witch?", 3-page story for "Sam Shade" in ''

'', written by

(2003) * short Charles Atlas parody for ''The Stranger'' (2004)

Other work

Lutes has done some game work,Coyote vs. Wolf (Lutes's blog)
Game Work
/ref> such as unit portraits for the open-source video game

Battle for Wesnoth ''The Battle for Wesnoth'' is a free and open-source turn-based strategy video game with a high fantasy setting, designed by Australian-American developer David White and first released in June 2003. In ''Wesnoth'', the player attempts to build ...

(2006), a map for '' Dominions 3: The Awakening'' (2006), and website illustration for '' City of Heroes'' (2005).