Hart D. Fisher

Fisher graduated in 1992 with a fine and applied arts bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign.

In 1992, while still in college, Fisher founded the publisher, Boneyard Press, in Champaign, Illinois. Fisher credits another artist, Mark Beachum, as his inspiration to create his own company.{{Cite web |date=2008-11-12 |title=Hart Fisher Tells Us Crazy Stories: In The Beginning |url=http://www.optimumwound.com/hart-fisher-tells-us-crazy-stories-in-the-beginning.htm |access-date=2022-03-15 |website=Optimum Wound}}

Boneyard's first release was Hart's comic book, Jeffrey Dahmer: An Unauthorized Biography of a Serial Killer. The comic was released in spring 1992, just a few months after Dahmer was sentenced to life in prison for his horrific crimes. Upon its release, protests were held in Milwaukee, where Dahmer had lived,{{cite news|author=Johnson-Elie, Tannette|title=Dahmer comic book in demand in city|work=Milwaukee Sentinel|date=May 14, 1992|page=1, 13A}} as well as in Fisher's home town of Champaign.{{cite news|author=Williams, Celeste|title=Comic book on Dahmer sparks protests|work=Milwaukee Journal|date=June 14, 1992}}

Cashing in on his notoriety, Fisher published additional Dahmer-themed comics shortly thereafter, including Jeffrey Dahmer vs. Jesus Christ #1 (February 1993){{cite web|url=https://www.comics.org/issue/757138/ |title=Jeffrey Dahmer vs. Jesus Christ|website=Grand Comics Database|accessdate=June 27, 2022}} and Dahmer's Zombie Squad (1993).{{cite web|url=https://www.comics.org/series/48780/ |title=Dahmer's Zombie Squad|website=Grand Comics Database|accessdate=June 27, 2022}} Fisher appeared on a 1993 episode of the Sally Jessy Raphael show and on a CNN show in 1994 to discuss criticism of the creation of the Dahmer comics.{{cite news|title=Newswatch: Boneyard Press Wins Suit: Fisher Debates Families of Dahmer Victims on CNN|work=The Comics Journal|number=172|date=November 1994|page=23}}{{cite news|url=https://www.cbr.com/gerard-way-defends-comics-90s-talk-show-video/|title=A 16-Year Old Gerard Way Defends Comics in Unearthed Video|last=Dominguez|first=Noah|date=21 December 2022|work=Comic Book Resources|accessdate=12 June 2025}}

Besides Fisher's own work, Boneyard published "mature readers" material in the genres of unauthorized biographies, true crime, horror,{{cite news|title=Pacific Comics: The Inside Story, plus RIP Rocketeer Creator, Comics & Censorship|first=Jay Allen|last=Sanford|author-link=Jay Allen Sanford|date=April 21, 2008|work=San Diego Reader|url=https://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/bands/2008/apr/21/pacific-comics-the-inside-story-plus-rip-rocketeer/}} and erotic comics. The company's longest-running title was the 12-issue horror anthology Flowers on the Razorwire (1993–1997). Creators published by Boneyard included John Cassaday, Troy Boyle, Gerard Way, J. G. Jones and Angel Gabriele. Threshold Press was a Boneyard Press imprint.

In 1998, Boneyard Press published Stephen Elliott's first novel, Jones Inn.{{cite web|url=http://makemag.com/interview-daley-and-elliott/ |title=Two Separate Conversations: An Interview with Dave Daley and Stephan Elliott|author=Caroline Picard|date=February 23, 2014 |website=Make |accessdate=October 18, 2022}} Boneyard had previously published some of Elliott's poetry in the Flowers on the Razorwire comics anthology. Boneyard operated from 1991 to 2003.

Fisher was a co-editor of Glenn Danzig's independent comic publisher Verotik from 1994 to 1995.{{cite news|title=Hart Fisher goes to Verotik|work=The Comics Journal|number=174 |date=February 1995|page=27}} In 1995, he and Christian Moore co-authored the comic A Taste of Cherry with which was released by Verotik.{{cite web |url=http://www.comicmonsters.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=941 |title=Hart D. Fisher Interview |website=Comic Monsters |date=2008-07-29 |accessdate=2013-02-06 |archive-date=May 1, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120501122339/http://www.comicmonsters.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=941 |url-status=dead }}

From 1995 to 1998, Fisher was a designer and copywriter for Sampson West Advertising.{{cn|date=August 2022}}

In 2003–2004, Fisher worked with a fellow horror writer/publisher, Joseph M. Monks, on a number of projects, including the books Road Kills (Chanting Monks Press, 2003) and Sex Crimes (co-published by Boneyard Press & Chanting Monks, 2003). Fisher directed the straight-to-video horror film, Flowers on the Razorwire: Chance Meeting (Crime Pays, 2004),{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0914802/ |title=Flowers on the Razorwire |website=IMDb |access-date=2013-06-30}} which was written by Monks.

In 2008, Fisher founded the film company American Horrors, a horror channel on FilmOn,{{cite web|author=monique |url=http://www.shockya.com/news/2012/02/11/filmons-american-horrors-streams-free-to-android-iphone-and-ipad-users/ |title=FilmOn's American Horrors Streams Free To Android, iPhone and iPad Users |website=Shockya|date= February 12, 2012|accessdate=2013-02-11}} and released on DVD the film The Garbage Man, which he wrote and produced, about an African-American serial killer.

In the early 1990s, Hero Illustrated magazine included Fisher on its "100 Most Important People in the Comic Book Industry", calling him the "most dangerous man in comics".{{cite web|url=http://www.optimumwound.com/hart-fisher-on-comics-journalism-frank-miller-running-danzigs-verotik-and-life-in-los-angeles.htm |title=Hart Fisher on Comics Journalism, Frank Miller, Running Danzig's Verotik and Life in Los Angeles|date=June 1, 2009 |author=Jason Thibault|publisher=Optimum Wound |accessdate=2013-02-06}}

The Larry King Live show in 2008 included a segment with Fisher about Jeffrey Dahmer memorabilia, including Fisher's comics.{{cite web|url=http://wn.com/hart_fisher_on_larry_king |title=Hart Fisher On Larry King |website=WN |date=2013-01-25 |accessdate=2013-01-29}} The episode also has a young Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance, an employee of Fisher's in the early 1990s. Fisher also discussed the Dahmer comic book on a panel at the 2011 South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas.{{cite web|url=http://www.austinchronicle.com/blogs/screens/2011-03-26/sxswf-reel-crime-reel-victims/ |title=Reel Crime, Real Victims: Phil Anselmo, Hart Fisher talk pain and punishment - Screens Blog |work=The Austin Chronicle |date=March 26, 2011 |accessdate=2013-01-29}}

In 1992, Boneyard sued Marvel Comics over Marvel's Hell's Angel/Dark Angel, as Boneyard was already publishing a comic with the title Dark Angel.{{cite news|title=Marvel to be Sued Twice for Same Comic Book: First the Hell's Angels, then Boneyard Press Object to Marvel's Hell's Angel/Dark Angel Comic|work=The Comics Journal|number=154 |date=November 1992|page=11}}

At one point, Fisher faked his own death as an April Fools' Day Prank.{{cite news|title=The Very Raw Hart D Fisher|date=July 14, 2009|first=Rich|last=Johnston|work=Bleeding Cool|url=https://bleedingcool.com/comics/recent-updates/the-very-raw-hart-d-fisher/}} In 1993, Fisher's girlfriend, Michelle Ray Davis, was raped and murdered during an armed robbery at the motel where she worked.{{cite news|title=Michelle Ray Davis Murdered|work=The Comics Journal|number=162 |date=October 1993|page=22}} Fisher testified for the prosecution at the trial,{{cite web |url=http://filmcourage.com/content/interview-hart-d-fisher-scariest-man-america |title=Interview with Hart D Fisher "The Scariest Man in America" |website=Film Courage |date=2011-02-03 |accessdate=2013-01-30 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130411174931/http://filmcourage.com/content/interview-hart-d-fisher-scariest-man-america |archivedate=2013-04-11 }} and the perpetrator was convicted of the murder and given a death sentence. In 2001, however, Illinois Governor George Ryan commuted the death sentence to life in prison.{{cite web|url=http://www.news-gazette.com/news/other/2004-01-24/clemency-daniels-okd-court.html |title=Clemency for Daniels OK'd by the court |work=News-Gazette |date=2004-01-24 |accessdate=2013-01-30}}

In August 1994, a suit was filed by Dahmer's family against Boneyard Press and Fisher for the unauthorized release of the first Dahmer comic.{{cite news|title=Boneyard Press Sued|work=The Comics Journal|number=153 |date=October 1992|page=31}} The suit was soon dismissed by a Milwaukee judge.{{cite news|author=|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1994/08/21/victims-relative-lose-suit-against-dahmer-comics/ |title=Victims' Relative Lose Suit Against Dahmer Comics |work=Orlando Sentinel |date=1994-08-21 |access-date=2013-01-29}}

In 1995, Boneyard in turn was sued by the sportsman and felon O. J. Simpson for the unauthorized biographical comics, Doin' Time with O.J. and O.J.'s Big Bust-Out.{{cite news|title=O.J. Simpson Targets Boneyard|work=The Comics Journal|number=179 |date=August 1995|page=179}}

In 2008, Fisher accused his former protege Gerard Way of promoting the false claim that The Umbrella Academy (Dark Horse Comics) was Way's first foray into comic book writing. 13 years earlier, when Way was 15 years old, Boneyard Press had published Way's first comic book, On Raven's Wings.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/my-chemical-romances-gerard-way-embroiled-in-comic-controversy-20080226 |title=My Chemical Romance's Gerard Way Embroiled in Comic Controversy |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=February 26, 2008 |accessdate=2013-01-29}}

As of 2018, Fisher lived in Williams Bay, Wisconsin.{{cite report|title=American Horrors Medical Fund|publisher=GoFundMe|date=March 1, 2018}} Fisher's wife, Wakako Kawagoshi-Fisher, died in 2018.{{cite web|title=R.I.P. Waka...|date=25 February 2018|work=From Parts Unknown|url=https://frompartsunknown.net/r-i-p-waka/}}

• {{cite news|author=Barnette, Mark|title=Comics Library: The New Icon: Boneyard Press|work=The Comics Journal|number=172 |date=November 1994|page=9-50}}
• {{cite news|author=Groth, Gary|title=The Sledgehammer: A Chat with Hart Fisher|work=The Comics Journal|number=193 |date=February 1997|page=34-36}}

{{Reflist|2}}

• {{IMDb name|1591795|Hart D. Fisher}}
• {{gcdb publisher|id= 3467 |title=Boneyard Press}}

• [https://americanhorrors.net AmericanHorrors.net]
• {{Twitter|Hart_fisher}}
• [http://horrornews.net/38660/interview-hart-d-fisher/ Horror News Interview: Hart D. Fisher (Garbage Man, Boneyard Press)]
• [https://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3274985/interview-hart-d-fisher-the-most-dangerous-man-in-comics-talks-american-horrors-boneyard-press/ "Interview: Hart D. Fisher 'The Most Dangerous Man In Comics' Talks American Horrors & Boneyard Press,"] Bloody Disgusting (2014)

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Category:1969 births

Category:Living people

Category:American comics writers

Category:American horror writers

Category:American male writers

Category:People from Champaign, Illinois

Category:University of Illinois College of Fine and Applied Arts alumni