Darryl Cunningham

This article is about the British writer. For the former VFL footballer, see Daryl Cunningham.

Darryl Cunningham
Born1960 (age 64–65)
UK
NationalityBritish
Area(s)Cartoonist
Notable works
Science Tales
Psychiatric Tales
The Age of Selfishness
Billionaires: The Lives of the Rich and Powerful

Darryl Cunningham (born 1960) is a British author and cartoonist who has written the books Science Tales (also known, in the US, as How to Fake a Moon Landing), Psychiatric Tales, The Age of Selfishness and Billionaires: The Lives of the Rich and Powerful.

Biography

Cunningham graduated from Leeds College of Art in Leeds, West Yorkshire.[1] He has stated that his influences include Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, and George Grosz.[2] The book Psychiatric Tales was partly inspired by Cunningham's years spent working as a health care assistant on an acute psychiatric ward in his native England, as well as his own experience with acute depression.[3]

Career

Cunningham's books include Psychiatric Tales (2010, Blank Slate Books) and Science Tales (2013, Myriad Editions). The foreword for the American edition of Science Tales, entitled How to Fake a Moon Landing: Exploring the Myths of Science Denial, was written by Andrew Revkin.[4]

Psychiatric Tales received a positive review in The Observer from Rachel Cooke, who wrote that it was "an unsettling but rewarding experience."[5] Cian O'Luanaigh also reviewed the book favourably, writing that it provides "an enlightening look at mental illness."[6]

Science Tales also received critical acclaim, for instance from New Scientist, who wrote that Cunningham's "charming artwork complements his concise arguments".[7] The book was also called "fantastic" by Cory Doctorow, who wrote that Cunningham "has a real gift for making complex subjects simple."[8]

Billionaires describes the lives and influence of Jeff Bezos, Rupert Murdoch, and the Koch brothers.

In May 2024 his graphic novel on Elon Musk, titled Elon Musk: Investigation into a New Master of the World, was published in France to good reviews. However it struggled to find an English-language publisher, which Cunningham attributed to a "climate of fear" from "legal consequences".[9]

In addition to his books, Cunningham is well known for his comic strips, which have appeared on the website of Forbidden Planet, and have also been featured in the Act-i-vate collective.[2] Additionally, his biography of Ayn Rand has been featured on io9,[10] and his strip about global warming, posted on his blog in December 2010, has been featured on Phil Plait's blog Bad Astronomy, with Plait saying that Cunningham is "careful to present the facts, and to be balanced where called for."[11] He has also created several webcomic strips, including Super-Sam and John-of-the-Night and The Streets of San Diablo.[12]

Bibliography

  • — (27 October 2010). Supercrash: How to Hijack the Global Economy. Myriad Editions. ISBN 978-1908434432.
  • — (2010). Psychiatric Tales. Blank Slate Books. ISBN 9781906653088.
  • — (2012). Science Tales. Myriad Editions. ISBN 978-1-908434-36-4.
  • — (November 2013). Uncle Bob Adventures. Vol. 1. Blank Slate Books.[13]
  • — (June 2014). Uncle Bob Adventures. Vol. 2. Blank Slate Books. ISBN 978-1906653316.
  • — (31 March 2015). The Age of Selfishness: Ayn Rand, Morality, and the Financial Crisis. Abrams Books. ISBN 978-1419715983.
  • — (15 February 2019). Graphic Science: Seven Journeys of Discovery. Myriad Editions. ISBN 978-0993563324.
  • — (7 November 2019). Billionaires: The Lives of the Rich and Powerful. Myriad Editions. ISBN 978-1912408221.
  • — (15 February 2022). Putin's Russia: The Rise of a Dictator. Drawn & Quarterly. ISBN 978-1770465046.
    • republished in France as Poutine: L'ascension d'un dictateur. Delcourt. 15 June 2022.
  • — (29 May 2024). Elon Musk: Enquête sur un nouveau maître du monde. Delcourt. ISBN 2413086129.

References

  1. ^ Fox, Killian (21 April 2012). "The talking penguin's guide to climate change". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
  2. ^ a b Spurgeon, Tom (7 June 2011). "CR Sunday Interview: Darryl Cunningham". Comics Reporter. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
  3. ^ McAlpin, Heller (8 February 2011). "Telling 'Psychiatric Tales' To Destigmatize Disease". NPR. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
  4. ^ Mozzocco, J. Caleb (22 August 2013). "Comic book science with de Heer and Cunningham". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on 7 September 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
  5. ^ Cooke, Rachel (17 July 2010). "Psychiatric Tales by Darryl Cunningham". The Observer. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
  6. ^ O'Luanaigh, Cian (19 July 2010). "My favourite medical graphic novels". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  7. ^ Cian O'Luanaigh (18 April 2012). "Cartoon rebuttals of conspiracy theories". New Scientist. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
  8. ^ Doctorow, Cory (11 May 2012). "Science Tales: short comic stories about science, skepticism, evidence and woo". Boing Boing. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
  9. ^ Barnett, David (23 November 2024). "'We live in a climate of fear': graphic novelist's Elon Musk book can't find UK or US publisher". The Observer. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
  10. ^ Davis, Lauren (29 September 2013). "Webcomic biography of Ayn Rand puts her works in context". io9. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
  11. ^ Plait, Phil (15 December 2010). "Comic takedown of global warming denial". Discover. Archived from the original on 27 November 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
  12. ^ "Darryl Cunningham". Blank Slate Books website. 2011. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
  13. ^ Oliver, Andy (3 April 2014). "Darryl Cunningham's Uncle Bob Adventures Volume 1- All-Ages Tall Tales Offering from Blank Slate Books is Rollicking Good Fun". Broken Frontier.