Not Just for Playing With: Man Finds Therapy in Creating a G.I. Joe Alter Ego

I really love a weird story behind an artist. Henry Darger was a near shut in while writing his 30,000 page book with illustrations.

Martin Ramirez was institutionalized (possibly because he couldn’t speak English) and spent every waking minute drawing on whatever materials he could find.

Recently a friend clued me in to an artist named Mark Hogancamp.

Mark’s story is bizarre. In 2000 Mark was attacked and beaten into a coma while leaving a bar. When he came out of the coma he had little memory of his former life, his marriage, or his rampant alcoholism. He found comfort and therapy through his art, an ongoing photo series telling the tale of his GI Joe alter ego, Hogie, and the town of Marwencol.

The photos really speak for themselves.

You can find many many more, complete with captions, at Marwencol.

And trailer for Marwencol, the movie: