The Anchorage Press last week ran a profile by Scott Christiansen of animation and comic book artist Brad Rader, who did the illustrations for the graphic novel Fogtown (published 2010), a finalist for best comic book in this year’s GLAAD Media Awards of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. (The winning comic book was DC Comics’ Batwoman.)

Rader collaborated on Fogtown with writer Andersen Gabrych.  Fogtown, Christensen writes,

revolves around an anti-hero named Frank Grissel, who Gabrych describes in the text as “a womanizing private dick who has seen it all and done it all-twice.” Grissel struggles with his identity, drinks way too much, and keeps his homosexuality closeted through much of the story. (It is 1953.) He is also naturally masculine and seems to despise effeminate gay men as much as women. But certain women and gay femmes are attracted to Grissel, who’s built like a linebacker. He’s rugged and when he’s sober, he carries himself with dignity.

Rader was raised in Anchorage, attending East High School, but left Alaska in the 1980s to attend art school.  He’s had a long career as a storyboard artist on various animated TV series, and won an Emmy® award in 1999 for his direction of the HBO animated series Todd McFarlane’s Spawn. But Rader also illustrates work for gay male readers and comic books for “adults who enjoy gross humor.”  He has two websites, Rader of the Lost Art and the “only suitable for adults” blog Flaming Artist.

Read more about Brad Rader in the Anchorage Press — and don’t forget to order your own copy of GLAAD Media Awards nominee Fogtown.