MUERTOZ

Two years ago, I walked into my favorite bookstore one weekend and found something in the Japanese-language section that I’d never seen before: an issue of the avant-garde magazine Garo. It was 282 pages in length, printed in the usual manga-anthology size — think Shonen Jump — and the print varied between black and violet ink on newsprint, save for an eight-page photo spread by Gengui Numata at the beginning of the magazine (one of the few items actually identified in English), which was printed on thicker paper stock. Even if you don’t know the language, it was chock full of fascinating stuff, so I bought it, took it home and spent a happy two or three hours puzzling over its contents.

Alex Pardee ’s unique style is one conceived through watching years of horror movies, writing graffiti, and listening to gangster rap. His work best represents that of avibrant undead circus sideshow. Final pieces are often brought to life by translating random shapes and colors into signs of torment and absurdity. By juxtaposing these two conflicting moods, Alex makes his works more personal to his viewers, forcing them to project their own feelings and emotions onto each character in his twisted universe.
After months of hospitalization and many futile attempts at seeking out professional help in his early teens, Alex finally overcame his battle with severe depression and anxiety through his own form of therapy: art. His love for drawing and painting spawned from his fascination with the grotesque images of Garbage Pail Kids and Tales from the Crypt comics. For years Alex used sketch drawing and graffiti as an emotional outlet. He started photocopying collections of his sketches and scattering them around the Bay Area. He began placing his homemade books between the pages of tattoo and porn magazines, in clinic waiting rooms, and in public bathrooms. With the help of street canvas and Kinkos, Alex was able to overcome his emotional setbacks and move forward in the world of artistic expression.
In 1999 Alex was convinced by other artists to reprint his books professionally. He began working long shifts at a local toy store to finance this reprinting, and later that year My Book of Colors was released.
Since the release Alex has devoted every minute of his life to creating an entire universe of characters and monsters. In the past five years he has continued to release books like The Secrets of Hollywood and the popular Bunnywith series. The comics have spawned an entire plush line, calendars, and art exhibitions.
Alex Pardee’s devotion to his art has gained the attention of Warner Bros., Reprise Records, Upper Playground, Hurley International, RIDE snowboards, DefJux, and more. In 2004 he was tapped by the gold-selling rock group The Used to design the artwork for their album, In Love and Death. Alex’s designs were not only applied to record, but also the band’s merchandise, Website, marketing campaign, and the music video for the single “All That I’ve Got.”  In 2007, he continued to expand his universe with The Used by creating CHADAM and an entire family of characters used a visual representation of The Used’s new music. Chadam has become an online phenomenon, where tons of fans have created movies, drawings, sculptures and photos, all in order to expand the universe of Chadam.
In addition to demeaning celebrities, Alex continues to use his art as a means of self-medication, creating emotionally charged images on canvases, sketchbooks, and any other surfaces he can cover with his bizarre characters. From Oficial Bio at Eyesuckink.com

John Bergin is a comics artist and musician. From the mid 1980s, he is the award-winning author and illustrator of such graphic novels as 'From Inside', 'Ashes', 'Bone Saw', 'The Crow' and 'Golgothika'. He has also done web design, album cover artwork and book jacket illustration.
Source: Lambiek.net)