Julian Hanshaw is a British cartoonist best known for his graphic novels The Art Of Pho, I'm Never Coming Back, and Tim Ginger.
Early years
Hanshaw attended The National Film and Television School where he studied animation for 3 years. His graduation animated film, The Church Of High Weirdness, featuring the voice of Matt Lucas won a Golden Reel award in Los Angeles for its sound design. After graduation Hanshaw worked in the UK animation industry directing/designing/storyboarding on a number of projects for companies including Arte, Channel 4, Disney UK, BBC. Hanshaw then worked as a senior animator of BAFTA winning children's series' such as Yoko! Jakamoko! Toto!, The Secret Show, and Charlie and Lola.
Work in comics
Hanshaw won The Observer/Comica short story award in 2008. A national competition run in conjunction with the UK national Sunday newspaper The Observer and Comica. The judging panel included head of Jonathan Cape, Dan Franklin, graphic novelist Rutu Modan and journalist Rachel Cooke; picked Hanshaw's piece Sand Dunes and Sonic Booms as the over all winner.
''The Art Of Pho'', 2010
In 2010 Jonathan Cape published Hanshaw's first graphic novel The Art Of Pho. A work that Academy Award-winning author/illustrator Shaun Tan described as 'Part travelogue, part dream, part cookbook all wrapped in an intriguingly designed rice paper roll: the Art Of Pho is deliciously surreal'. After favorable reviews the book was picked up by Dutch-based media company The Submarine Channel in 2011 who began to make the book into an online interactive motion comic. Directed by Lois van Baarle with Hanshaw taking on a designer role, the project won the 2012 Prix Europa award in Berlin and 3 Lovie awards at a ceremony in London 2012.
''I'm Never Coming Back'', 2012
Hanshaw's second book for Jonathan Cape was released in 2012. A collection of short stories including his Observer/Comica award winner, Sand Dunes and Sonic Booms. The stories intertwine on themes and geographical locations. Rutu Modan said of the book 'I was captured by the subtle humour and the imaginative way Julian Hanshaw tells his stories. This was followed by a deep longing for home, which we share'
''Hoax: Psychosis Blues'', 2014
Ravi Thornton gathered together 10 UK illustrators and graphic novelists including Bryan Talbot, Hannah Berry and Karrie Fransman, to illustrate sections of the book which dealt with the suicide of the author's brother. The project was also made into a stage production that premiered at the Manchester Royal Exchange.
''Tim Ginger'', 2015
Published by US comic publisher Top Shelf Productions in July 2015. A tale of a man in his later years coming to terms with his life choices. A tale which takes in cricket, conspiracy theories and being childless by choice. Dave McKean described the book as Ginger is an understated, wryly observed and welcome addition to this gathering of new voices. Tim Ginger was nominated for Best Book at the 2015 British Comic Awards and Best Graphic Novel by the LA Times.
''Cloud Hotel'', 2018
Published by US comic publisher Top Shelf Productions in June 2018. A Science Fiction autobiography based on the events in Hertfordshire 1971 when the author had an encounter with an Unidentified Flying Object. Shaun Tan has described the book as 'Crisp of line and hypnotically peculiar, Hanshaw deftly suspends us between dream and reality, as good comics do. As in life, the harder we look the more we see, and the stranger things invariably become.
''I Feel Machine'', 2018
Published by Self Made Heroin September 2018. I Feel Machine is an anthology edited by Julian Hanshaw and fellow UK comic artist Krent Able. Based on the theme of technology Hanshaw and Able invited prominent creators from around the world to contribute to the book. These are: The Will Eisner award winner Tillie Walden. Academy Award winner Shaun Tan. Ignatz Winner Box Brown. Erik Svetoft. Each artist, including Hanshaw and Able contributed a 22 page story to the anthology. Jeff Lemire described the book as: I Feel machine is a truly glorious thing. Some of my favourite cartoonists in the world between two covers, exploring one of my favourite themes. The ultimate comics machine! Shaun Tan had his story 'Here I Am' nominated for Best Short Story at the 2019 Eisner Award
''Not Everyone Rises'', 2015
Commissioned by the National Heritage, Hanshaw completed five site specific comics that were positioned on or near to historical events that occurred between Hastings and Rye on the South Coast of the UK. The comic panels used written and aural history to illustrate key local events, one being the RNLB The Mary Stanford disaster, 1928 in which the 17 man crew drowned.
Exhibitions
In 2014 Hanshaw took part in 'When Will The Creeps Meet' at London's Orbital comic shop alongside artists such as Krent Able and Shakey Kane. A book was published in conjunction Your Days Are Numbered magazine. Alongside 'Your Days Are Numbered' magazine founder Steve Turner, Hanshaw organized a group exhibition that took place in Paris and Europe's oldest comic shop Lambiek in Amsterdam in May/June 2015.
''Pho'' Restaurant
Since 2010 Hanshaw has worked closely with the UK based Vietnamese chain Pho as an illustrator. Hanshaw has designed posters/cards/wallpapers and bespoke in-house designs for the restaurants.
