{{short description|Gay American cartoonist}} {{Infobox comics creator | name_nonEN = | image = Jon Macy at Lambda Literary wards 2011.png | image_size = | alt = Jon Macy at the Lambda Literary Awards in New York, 2011 | caption = Jon Macy at the Lambda Literary Awards, New York, 2011. | birth_name = | birth_date = 11 September 1964 | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | nationality = American | nationality2 = | area = | alias = | notable works = Djuna: The Extraordinary Life of Djuna Barnes | collaborators = Sina Shamsavari and Justin Hall | awards = 2010 Lambda Literary Award for Gay Erotica | spouse = | children = | relatives = | signature = | signature_alt = | module = | website = | bodyclass = | nonUS = }}
'''Jon Macy''' is a gay American cartoonist.<ref name="out">{{cite web|url=https://lambdaliterary.org/2013/07/jon-macy-queer-visual-splendor/|title=Jon Macy: Queer Visual Splendor|first= Justin|last= Hall|date= 2013-07-08|publisher=Lambda Literary Foundation |quote= It was so refreshing for me as a modern gay man to just stop and really think about what it means to me when two men come together in a loving way|language=en|access-date=2022-08-27}}</ref> He is best known for his graphic novel ''DJUNA: The Extraordinary Life of Djuna Barnes'', a biography of the beautiful and irascible Modernist author. His graphic novel ''Teleny and Camille'' won a 2010 Lambda Literary Award for Gay Erotica.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lambdaliterary.org/23rd-annual-lambda-literary-award-finalists-and-winners/|title=Lambda Literary|access-date=2014-04-23|archive-date=2019-06-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190608020743/http://www.lambdaliterary.org/23rd-annual-lambda-literary-award-finalists-and-winners/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Some of his works have been finalists for other Lambda Literary Awards.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Lammys Directory: 1988-Present |url=https://lambdaliterary.org/awards/lammys-directory-1988-present/ |access-date=2026-01-28 |website=Lambda Literary |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Early life == Jon Macy was born on September 11, 1964, in California.
== Career == Macy's first series, ''Tropo'', was part of the early 1990s black and white alternative comics boom. It was followed by the erotic horror series ''Nefarismo'', published October 1994 – October 1995 by Eros Comix.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.comics.org/series/21995/|title=GCD :: Series :: Nefarismo|work=comics.org}}</ref> These stories contained dark and surreal motifs, mixing eroticism with hallucination and death/rebirth, a common theme in Macy's personal works.{{Citation needed|date=December 2017}}
Throughout the 1990s, Macy contributed to queer comics anthologies ''Meatmen'' and ''Gay Comics'', and gay skin magazines such as ''Steam'' by Scott O'Hara, ''Bunkhouse'' and ''International Leatherman''.<ref>{{cite book|title=Meatmen : an anthology of gay male comics.|oclc=156176613}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://denysh.com/docs/GayComixIndex.html |title=Gay Comix/Comics Index |work=denysh.com |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160420203243/http://denysh.com/docs/GayComixIndex.html |archivedate=2016-04-20 }}</ref> His work on ''Meatmen'' included a short story entitled "Tail". Gilad Padva argues in his academic paper "Dreamboys, Meatmen and Werewolves: Visualizing Erotic Identities in All-male Comic Strips" (2005) that Macy's "Tail" eroticizes and politicizes Sigmund Freud's homophobic myth of the Wolf Man.<ref>Gilad Padva, "Dreamboys, Meatmen and Werewolves: Visualizing Erotic Identities in All-male Comic Strips", ''Sexualities'', December 2005, vol. 8, no. 5, pp. 587–599.</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Dreamboys, Meatmen and Werewolves: Visualizing Erotic Identities in All-Male Comic Strips|oclc=439791710}}</ref>
After a hiatus of eight years, during which time he worked on his graphic novel ''Teleny and Camille'', Macy began publishing again with an autobiographical story, "Crazy in Bed", published in Robert Kirby's anthology ''The Book of Boy Trouble, Vol. 2''.<ref>{{cite book|title=The book of boy trouble. Vol. 2, Born to trouble|oclc=209597142}}</ref> He has since collaborated with various established and independent gay cartoonists, including Sina Evil and Justin Hall.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.opticalsloth.com/?p=18706|title=» Kirby, Robert (editor) – Three #2 Optical Sloth|work=opticalsloth.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Glamazonia : the uncanny super-tranny|oclc=738383418}}</ref>
In 2010, Macy's ''Teleny and Camille'' was published by Northwest Press, a graphic adaptation of the classic anonymous erotic novel ''Teleny'', attributed to be a collaboration between Oscar Wilde and other writers he knew.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oscholars.com/TO/Specials/Teleny/boyd.htm|title=Teleny|work=oscholars.com|access-date=2014-04-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924062055/http://www.oscholars.com/TO/Specials/Teleny/boyd.htm|archive-date=2015-09-24|url-status=dead}}</ref> ''Teleny and Camille'' then was awarded the 2011 Lambda Literary Award for Gay Erotica.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/25/comic-con-2011-lgbt-comic_n_908791.html#s315924&title=Jon_Macy|title=Comic-Con 2011: LGBT Writers, Artists Win Big (SLIDESHOW)| publisher=Huffingtonpost.com|accessdate=2013-07-23|date=July 25, 2011}}</ref> An excerpt was featured in ''Teleny Revisited'', a special issue of ''The Oscholars''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oscholars.com/TO/Specials/Teleny/titlepage.htm|title=Teleny Revisited|publisher=Oscholars.com|accessdate=2013-07-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120913123730/http://www.oscholars.com/TO/Specials/Teleny/titlepage.htm|archive-date=2012-09-13|url-status=dead}}</ref> Also in 2010, he, Diego Gomez and Fred Noland contributed to Justin Hall's ''Glamazonia: The Uncanny Super Tranny''. It was a finalist for the 2011 Lambda Literary Award for Transgender Fiction.<ref name=":0" />
Macy produced the self-published comic book series ''Fearful Hunter'' (2010–2014), started as an act of protest against California's Proposition 8.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thetwopagespread.tumblr.com/post/82100879329/interview-jon-macy-fearful-hunter-comics-on|title=The Two Page Spread|work=tumblr.com}}</ref> After the first three issues were published, this title was picked up by Northwest Press, who hosted a Kickstarter fundraiser in April 2014 to publish a compiled anthology including the final previously unpublished fourth issue.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/zan/jon-macys-fearful-hunter-the-complete-epic|title=Jon Macy's FEARFUL HUNTER - The Complete Epic|work=Kickstarter}}</ref> ''Fearful Hunter'' won the Prism Comics Queer Press Grant in 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://prismcomics.org/grant.php|title=Prism Comics » Queer Press Grant|work=prismcomics.org|access-date=2014-04-23|archive-date=2014-06-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140625044223/http://prismcomics.org/grant.php|url-status=dead}}</ref>
He has contributed to many anthologies including Justin Hall's ''No Straight Lines: Four Decades of Queer Comics'' and Robert Kirby's ''Qu33r''. He was co-editor, with Tara Madison Avery, of ''ALPHABET: the LGBTQAIU creators from Prism Comics''. ALPHABET was a finalist for the 2017 Lambda Literary Award for Anthology.<ref name=":0" />
In 2024, Macy published ''Djuna: The Extraordinary Life of Djuna Barnes''. It is a graphic biography about Djuna Barnes, a queer writer who befriended many American cultural figures like Peggy Guggenheim and T.S. Eliot but did not achieve the same level of recognition. Nick Havey, reviewing the work for the ''Washington Independent Review of Books'', said the work metaphorically shows "her life and legacy in vivid Technicolor" and although the book can jump around too quickly, the attention it pays to so many varied moments of her life is great for piquing readers' interest.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Havey |first=Nick |date=December 27, 2024 |title=Djuna: The Extraordinary Life of Djuna Barnes |url=https://www.washingtonindependentreviewofbooks.com/bookreview/djuna-the-extraordinary-life-of-djuna-barnes |access-date=2026-01-28 |website=Washington Independent Review of Books |language=en}}</ref> ''Djuna'' was a finalist for the 2025 Lambda Literary Award for Bisexual Nonfiction.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lewis |first=L. D. |date=July 30, 2025 |title=Announcing the Finalists for the 37th Annual Lambda Literary Awards |url=https://lambdaliterary.org/2025/07/announcing-the-finalists-for-the-37th-annual-lambda-literary-awards/ |access-date=2026-01-28 |website=Lambda Literary |language=en-US}}</ref> ''Djuna'' received two Eisner award nominations: Best reality based work, and Best Writer/Artist.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2025 Eisner Award Nominees — a staff-created list from San Diego Public Library |url=https://sandiego.bibliocommons.com/v2/list/display/2185513069/2790449127 |access-date=2026-05-11 |website=San Diego Public Library |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Bibliography==
=== Comics ===
*''Tropo'' #1-8 (1991–1993, Blackbird Comics) *''Nefarismo'' #1-8 (1994–1995, Eros Comix) *''Meatmen'' #16-21 (1994–1998, Leyland Publications) *''Gay Comics'' #23 and 25 "Personal ADventuring" and "Secret Self" (Bob Ross) *''Wilde Magazine'' #1-3 "Garth" (1995 PDA Press) *''Steam'' Vol. 1, Issue 3 - Vol. 3, issue 4 "Hot Water" (1994–1996, PDA Press) *''Negative Burn'' #43 "Snow Cone", writer Aldyth Beltane (1997, Caliber Comics) *''Titanium Lover'' webcomic (1997, Titan Media) *''International Leatherman'' #25-30 "Midnight Sons" (1999–2000, Brushcreek Media) *''Bunkhouse'' # 17-29 "Tailblazer" (1997–2000, Brushcreek Media) *''Book of Boy Trouble Vol. 2'' "Crazy in Bed" (2008, Green Candy Press) *''Glamazonia'' "Rentboy Year One", writer Justin Hall (2010, Northwest Press) {{ISBN|978-0984594016}} *''THREE'' #2 "Dragon", writer Sina Evil (2011, Robert Kirby) *''Fearful Hunter'' #1-3 (2010–2012, Jon Macy) *''New Years to Christmas: 15 Queer Holiday Tales'' "Happy Family Moment" (2012, Digital Fabulists) {{ISBN|978-0615733302}} *''Gay City: Volume 5: Ghosts In Gaslight, Monsters In Steam'' "Paper Lantern" (2013, Minor Arcana Press and Gay City Health Project) {{ISBN|978-1489580146}} *''No Straight Lines: Four Decades of Queer Comics'' "Teleny and Camille, excerpt" (2013, Fantagraphics) {{ISBN|978-1-60699-718-5}} *''Qu33r'' "Obsessive Repulsive" (2013, Northwest Press) {{ISBN|978-1938720369}} *''ALPHABET the LGBTQAIU creators from Prism Comics'' (2016, Stacked Deck Press) {{ISBN|978-0-9970487-1-1}} * ''RFD Number 165 Spring 2016'' (RFD) {{ISSN|0149-709X}} * ''The Shirley Jackson Project'' edited by Robert Kirby (2016, Ninth Art Press)
=== Movies ===
*''Fallen Angel'' DVD, interstice illustrations (1997, Titan Media)
=== Novels ===
*''Teleny and Camille'' (2010, Northwest Press) {{ISBN|978-0-9845940-0-9}} * ''Fearful Hunter'' the complete epic (2014, Northwest Press) {{ISBN|978-1938720543}} * "Djuna: The Extraordinary Life of Djuna Barnes" (2024, Street Noise Books) {{ISBN|978-1951491338}}
=== Coloring Books ===
* ''The Queer Heroes Coloring Book'' (2016, Stacked Deck Press) * ''Butch Lesbians of the 20s 30s and 40s Coloring Book'' (2017, Stacked Deck Press) {{ISBN|978-0-9970487-6-6}} * ''Butch Lesbians of the 50s 60s and 70s Coloring Book'' (2018, Stacked Deck Press) {{ISBN|978-0997048797}} * "Polyamory Coloring and Activity Book" (2023, Stacked Deck Press {{ISBN|979-8988399209}} ==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [http://northwestpress.com/ Northwest Press website] * [http://prismcomics.org/ Prism Comics website] * [http://stackeddeckpress.com/ Stacked Deck Press website] * [https://streetnoisebooks.com/ Street Noise Books website] * [https://www.jonmacygraphicnovels.com/ Jon Macy website]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Macy, Jon}} Category:Living people Category:LGBTQ comics creators Category:1964 births Category:American gay writers Category:Lambda Literary Award winners Category:American LGBTQ artists Category:American graphic novelists Category:American LGBTQ novelists Category:American male novelists