Jack Fallows is an illustrator, cartoonist, model maker, game designer and musician who was born and raised in Newcastle and now lives and works in Leeds, UK. They have been self-publishing comics and zines since 2001 and founded the Paper Jam Comics Collective in 2007; the group has since published dozens of inclusive collaborative anthologies and held exhibitions, film screenings, live music events and more. In 2023, they founded Leeds Comics Collective, who are now following in Paper Jam’s footsteps. Jack was an editor, gallery coordinator, cover artist and contributor to the 2016 British Science Festival’s Asteroid Belter kids comic.
In addition to being a qualified primary school teacher, Jack has also been running comic and art workshops since 2008 - both as a freelancer and as part of East Street Arts’ community outreach program. In 2017, they began self-publishing the monthly illustrated puzzle story Cryptogram Puzzle Post and now work on the project full-time. In the same year, and in collaboration with Thought Bubble Festival and Leeds Light Night, Jack created an interactive, immersive puzzle exhibition entitled The Lost Forest, which drew thousands of visitors across two evenings. They have also been consultant, art director, fabricator and puzzle/story designer for various escape room projects.
Notable past works include The Light in the Mist, a tarot puzzle tale designed in collaboration with Post Curious; the Axolotl series of diary comics and accompanying prose zine The Unstraight A; the bands efemel, Skull Puppies and the collection of solo music Compilation; record art and show posters for Jeffrey Lewis, Me Rex, Jolie Holland, Martha, O’Messy Life, Charly Bliss and Modern Baseball; and commercial design work for Newcastle University, NARC, The Crack and the LGBT Foundation.
If you would like to get in touch about possible projects, collaborations or commissions, Jack would love to hear from you: cryptogrampuzzlepost@gmail.com
