Matt Howarth
Matt Howarth is an American comic book writer/artist known for such series as "Those Annoying Post Bros", "Savage Henry", "Star Crossed", and "Bugtown". Biography. Howarth's influences include writers Philip K. Dick and H. P. Lovecraft, comics artists Steve Ditko, Bernie Wrightson, Moebius, and Philippe Druillet, and progressive music. He was active in the field of fanzines from 1969, when he also co-founded Howski Studios. Career. Howarth, via Howski Studios, published a number of graphic novels and comics in the years 1976–1985. Howarth's first ongoing series was "Those Annoying Post Bros.", about two fun-loving  bad boys from the fictional Bugtown. In the early 1980s "Heavy Metal" introduced "Post Bros" as a continuing story, but they did not have their own comic book until Vortex Comics began publishing "Those Annoying Post Bros." in 1985. It ran for 18 issues until 1990. In 1991, the title was taken over by Rip Off Press, which published an additional 20 issues until 1994. MU Press picked up the title from 1994–1998, publishing 25 more issues, for a total of 63 issues. While continuing to produce "Those Annoying Post Bros." Howarth wrote and drew the six-issue limited series  Particle Dreams for Fantagraphics in 1986–1987. In 1988, Fantagraphics also published Howarth's six-issue series "". From 1987 to 1994, Howarth did the comic book series "Savage Henry" for Rip Off Press, about the adventures of a guitarist from an alternate reality. He is the lead guitarist for a fictional insect band called The Bulldaggers. Most issues of this series featured authorized guest appearances by real musicians, including The Residents, Hawkwind, Moby, Ash Ra Tempel, Klaus Schulze, Nash the Slash, Foetus, Yello, Wire, Steve Roach, Richard Pinhas, Ron Geesin, and David Borden. Conrad Schnitzler (an original member of Tangerine Dream  and Kluster) was a regular guest in this series and several graphic novels. Howarth created album cover artwork for several releases on the Birdo'Pray record label. He also provided the illustrations for "Dr. Adder" by K. W. Jeter. James Wallis of Hogshead Publishing designed a roleplaying game based on Howarth's "Bugtown" comics. Wallis brought his "Bugtown" game to Phage Press in 1992 to be produced, but creative differences kept Wujcik from agreeing with him so Wallis pulled out of Phage in 1994. Wallis brought his "Bugtown" game to Wizards of the Coast, but he found no success there either  as Howarth was unable to come to an agreement with Wizards on royalties. In 1996, Erick Wujcik convinced Howarth to relicense the "Bugtown" rights to him, although Wujcik never actually published a game based on the comic. Howarth did write and draw a "Bugtown"/Amber crossover called "Amber Raves of Pain" for "Amberzine" #6 (February 1994) through #9 (January 1997). In 1994–1995, Antarctic Press published Howarth's four-issue series "Konny & Czu". The MU Press imprint Aeon Press published Howarth's six-issue limited series "Comix of Two Cities" in 1996. The DC Comics imprint Helix released Howarth's three-issue  limited series "Star Crossed" in 1997. In the 2000s, Howarth published the six-issue series "Bugtown" and the second-volume of "Keif Llama: Xeno-Tech" (also six issues), both with MU Press. Since 2008 Howarth has published a number of prose novels and short story collections through a print on demand service. In 2012, Sonoluxe Records released Howarth's 110 page graphic novel "The Last of the Neon Cynics" as a PDF File on an Enhanced CD also featuring nine pieces composed by musician Bill Nelson as a soundtrack. Set in the 23rd century, the Science-Fiction Western features an  intergalactic cowboy called Cassidy. The same year, Howarth contributed a comic to accompany Arthur Brown's CD "The Magic Hat".