Hart D. Fisher

Hart D. Fisher is an American horror crime author, comics book writer and publisher best known for creating a Jeffrey Dahmer comic book.[1]

Hart D. Fisher
BornHart D. Fisher
Champaign, Illinois
NationalityAmerican
Area(s)Cartoonist, Writer, Publisher
Notable works
Jeffrey Dahmer: An Unauthorized Biography of a Serial Killer
http://americanhorrors.com

Early life and education

Fisher graduated in 1992 with a fine and applied arts bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. While still in college, he founded Boneyard Press, a publishing company, which released the comic book based on Jeffrey Dahmer, an American serial killer.

Career

In 1992, upon the release of the comic Jeffrey Dahmer: An Unauthorized Biography of a Serial Killer, protests occurred in Milwaukee, where Dahmer lived,[2] and in Fisher's home town of Champaign, Illinois.[3] In August 1994, a suit filed by Dahmer's family against Boneyard Press and Fisher for the unauthorized release of the book was dismissed by a Milwaukee judge.[4] In the early 1990s, Hero Illustrated magazine included Fisher on its "100 Most Important People in the Comic Book Industry," calling him the "most dangerous man in comics."[5]

Fisher appeared in a 1993 episode of the "Sally Jessy Raphael" show to discuss criticism surrounding the creation of the Dahmer comics. He also discussed the comic book on a panel at the 2011 SXSW convention in Austin, Texas.[6] The "Larry King Live" show in 2008 included a segment with Fisher about Jeffrey Dahmer memorabilia, including Fisher's comics.[7] The episode also features a young Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance, an employee of Fisher's at the time.

From 1995 to 1998, Fisher was a designer and copy writer for Sampson West Advertising. In 1995, he co-authored the underground comic A Taste of Cherry with Christian Moore, which was released by Verotik, where Fisher was co-editor in '94 and '95.[8]

In 1998, Fisher published, through Boneyard Press, writer Stephen Elliott's first novel, Jones Inn,[9] as well as Elliott's poetry in the comic book anthology Flowers on the Razorwire.

In 2008, Fisher released on DVD the film The Garbage Man, which he wrote and produced, about an African-American serial killer. In the midst of filming in 1993, Fisher's girlfriend, Michelle Davis, was raped and murdered by Eric Daniels during an armed motel robbery, where she worked. Daniels was convicted of her murder and given a death sentence. But in 2001, then-Illinois Gov. George Ryan commuted Daniels' death sentence to life in prison.[10] Fisher testified for the prosecution at Daniels' trial.[11]

In 2008, Fisher, as reported by Rolling Stone magazine, accused former protege Gerard Way, an American musician and comic book writer, of promoting the claim that Way's Umbrella Academy release by Dark Horse was his first foray into comic book writing. Boneyard Press 13 years earlier had published Way's first comic book when he was 15, On Raven's Wings.[12]

Also in 2008, he founded the film company American Horrors, a horror channel on FilmOn.[13] Fisher lives in Los Angeles, California. Despite the discrepancy in timing, the still image used by Rolling Stone featuring Gerard Way asking a question during Fisher's appearance on the Sally Jesse Raphael show has a watermark by American Horrors, implying the still is somehow from one of Fisher's projects.

References
  1. "SXSW Files: An insight into Reel Crime - Arts & Entertainment - The Bridge". The Bridge newspaper. Retrieved 2013-01-29.
  2. Johnson-Elie, Tannette. "Dahmer comic book in demand in city" Milwaukee Sentinel May 14, 1992; pp. 1, 13A.
  3. Williams, Celeste. "Comic book on Dahmer sparks protests" Milwaukee Journal June 14, 1992.
  4. "Victims' Relative Lose Suit Against Dahmer Comics - Orlando Sentinel". Articles.orlandosentinel.com. 1994-08-21. Retrieved 2013-01-29.
  5. "Hart Fisher on Comics Journalism, Frank Miller, Running Danzig's Verotik and Life in Los Angeles". Optimum Wound. 2009-06-01. Retrieved 2013-02-06.
  6. "Reel Crime, Real Victims: Phil Anselmo, Hart Fisher talk pain and punishment - Screens Blog". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved 2013-01-29.
  7. "Hart Fisher On Larry King". Wn.com. 2013-01-25. Retrieved 2013-01-29.
  8. "Horror Comic Book News - Comic Monsters -Features". Comic Monsters. 2008-07-29. Retrieved 2013-02-06.
  9. "Interview: Daley and Elliott | MAKE Literary Productions, NFP". Makemag.com. Retrieved 2013-02-09.
  10. "Clemency for Daniels OK'd by the court". News-Gazette.com. 2004-01-24. Retrieved 2013-01-30.
  11. "Interview with Hart D Fisher "The Scariest Man in America"". Film Courage. 2011-02-03. Archived from the original on 2013-04-11. Retrieved 2013-01-30.
  12. "My Chemical Romance's Gerard Way Embroiled in Comic Controversy". Rolling Stone. February 26, 2008. Retrieved 2013-01-29.
  13. monique. "FilmOn's American Horrors Streams Free To Android, iPhone and iPad Users". Shockya.com. Retrieved 2013-02-11.
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