American, b. 1955 Charles Burns is one of the most iconic figures in contemporary comics, recognized globally for his flawless, high-contrast linework and unsettling explorations of suburban malaise. After studying engraving and photography, during which time he collaborated with The Simpsons creator Matt Groening, Burns rose to prominence in 1981 through Art Spiegelman’s seminal RAW magazine. His aesthetic is a unique fusion of the "Clear Line" precision of Hergé, the gritty energy of American underground comix, and the formal compositions of Japanese woodblock prints. This pristine, cold style serves as the perfect vehicle for his "disturbing and stylized" imagery, which has graced the covers of The Believer for over a decade, as well as the pages of The New Yorker, Time, and Esquire. Burns’ magnum opus, the twelve-issue series Black Hole (1995–2005), is a definitive masterpiece of the medium. An allegorical tale of teenage mutation, the work earned him seven Harvey Awards, the Ignatz Award, and the Jury Prize at the Angoulême International Comics Festival. Through his clinical yet haunting lens, Burns remains the premier architect of the beautiful and the grotesque.