Al Columbia is an American cartoonist, illustrator, writer, photographer, musician, and filmmaker, best known for The Biologic Show and various works in anthologies and serial publications. He started his career in comics at the age of nineteen, when he was hired to assist Bill Sienkiewicz. Together, they created Big Numbers. In 1994, Columbia made The Biologic Show, published by Fantagraphics, developing a more grotesque, caricatural style of his own.
Columbia contributed stories such as “Pim and Francie” to the anthologies Zero Zero and Blab!, introducing the character of Seymour Sunshine. 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. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, the Seattle newspaper The Stranger and in magazines such as The Believer and Arthur. Pim & Francie: The Golden Bear Days, a book of Columbia’s previously unpublished work, was released in 2009, and subsequently nominated for two Ignatz Awards.
Works:
Doghead
23 Skidoo
The Biologic Show #0
The Biologic Show #1
The Pogostick #0
The Pogostick #1
Pim & Francie: The Golden Bear Days