Howard Cruse

Howard Cruse (born May 2, 1944) is an American alternative cartoonist known for the exploration of gay themes in his comics.

Cruse was raised in Springville, Alabama, the son of a preacher and a homemaker. His earliest published cartoons were in The Baptist Student when he was in high school. His work later appeared in Fooey and Sick. He attended high school at Indian Springs School in (what is now) Indian Springs, Alabama, and college at Birmingham-Southern College, where he studied drama, and had a brief career in television. In 1977, Cruse moved to New York City, where he met Eddie Sedarbaum, his life partner, whom he married after moving to North Adams, Massachusetts.

Career

Cruse's cartooning first attracted nationwide attention in the 1970s, when he contributed to underground comix publications. His best-known character from this period was Barefootz, the title character of a surreal series about a good-natured, well-dressed young man with large bare feet. Although dismissed by many underground fans as overly "cutesy", others found it a refreshing change of pace from "edgier" comix.

Howard Cruse (bishop)

John Howard Cruse (known as Howard; 15 February 1908 – 11 April 1979) was Bishop of Knaresborough from 1965 to 1972.

Cruse was educated at Jesus College, Cambridge and studied for ordination at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford before curacies at Southall and Folkestone. From 1936 until 1949 he held incumbencies at Harrow and Cambridge, followed by a 16-year stint as Provost of Sheffield. In 1965 he was appointed Suffragan Bishop of Knaresborough where he remained until his retirement. He married twice: firstly in 1942 Ethne Sterling-Berry; and after her death in 1977 Violet Briscoe.

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