Christopher Forgues' 'Distant Ruptures' Anthology Showcases Experimental Comics Legacy
Graphic artist CF, whose real name is Christopher Forgues, has been recognized for his distinctive comic style since the early 2000s, characterized by non-Euclidean panels and unconventional characters. He began his artistic journey with the Fort Thunder collective in Providence, Rhode Island, from 1995 to 2001, collaborating with peers like Brian Chippendale. His early works included partnerships with Ben Jones and contributions to anthologies such as Kramer's Ergot (2000-2019) and Nazi Knife (2006-). His prominent series, Powr Mstrs, was released from 2007 to 2010 by Dan Nadel's Picture Box Inc. The anthology Distant Ruptures, curated by Harkham, compiles pieces from 2000 to 2010. Influenced by Gary Panter and postwar manga artists, CF's influence on popular culture was acknowledged in a 2016 Art in America essay, and he continues to engage with audiences via Patreon and self-published comics.
Key facts
- Christopher Forgues, known as CF, is an American cartoonist active since the early 2000s
- His work features non-Euclidean panels, impish characters, and subverted fantasy tropes
- CF was part of the Fort Thunder collective in Providence, Rhode Island from 1995 to 2001
- Early collaborations include Paper Radio with Ben Jones of Paper Rad
- Strips appeared in anthologies like Kramer's Ergot, Nazi Knife, and The Simpsons' Comics Treehouse of Horror
- Powr Mstrs (2007-2010) was published by Dan Nadel's Picture Box Inc.
- Distant Ruptures, edited by Sammy Harkham, collects works from 2000-2010 and is published by New York Review of Comics
- CF's influences include Gary Panter, John Porcellino, Jenny Zervakis, Ebisu Yoshikazu, and Yoshiharu Tsuge
- Dan Nadel discussed CF's cultural influence in a 2016 Art in America essay
- CF currently self-publishes via Patreon, printing comics on till roll paper
Entities
Artists
- Christopher Forgues
- CF
- Brian Chippendale
- Matt Brinkman
- Ben Jones
- Sammy Harkham
- Jonas Delaborde
- Hendrik Hegray
- Dan Nadel
- Leomi Sadler
- Gary Panter
- John Porcellino
- Jenny Zervakis
- Ebisu Yoshikazu
- Yoshiharu Tsuge
- Fritz Lieber
- Jack Vance
- Michael Moorcock
- André Masson
- Hans Bellmer
- Raymond Roussel
- Margot Ferrick
- Zoë Taylor
- Jamie Sutcliffe
Institutions
- Fort Thunder
- Paper Radio
- Paper Rad
- Kramer's Ergot
- Nazi Knife
- The Simpsons' Comics Treehouse of Horror
- Picture Box Inc.
- New York Review of Comics
- Art in America
- Strange Attractor Press
- Netflix
- Urban Outfitters
- Patreon
- Artreview.com
Locations
- Providence
- Rhode Island
- United States
- New York
- London
- United Kingdom
- Mexico