Joe Coleman

An illustrator and painter whose work can be seen in comics/pop art publications like Blab and Juxtapoz, Coleman paints modern American Gothic subjects (hobos, serial killers, underground artists) and religious subject matter (Jesus) with a fleshy, bulbous intensity. In some ways, much of his style makes reference to the Spanish-Mexican religious tradition that Frida Kahlo also drew upon.

His pranks -- including appearing to blow himself up and medieval-style geek antics -- have been documented in the "Pranks" volume of Re/Search Books, along with the works of other sinister clowns like Boyd Rice.

Coleman is striking in appearance, with a long black beard, resembling Coffin Joe to a superficial extent. As an avid enthusiast for weird, dark American culture, he is a serious collector of sideshow oddities -- he's a patron of Johnny Fox's Freakatorium in New York City, where he lives -- and is a supporter of strange artists like primitive rockabilly legend Hasil Adkins.