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Astra Zero

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Astra Zero
Born
Dustin Nicholls

Merritt, British Columbia
NationalityCanadian
Websitehttps://astrazero.com/

Astra Zero, born Dustin Nicholls, is a Canadian digital artist, illustrator, photographer, creative director, graphic designer and musician.

He began to use the name Astra Zero as a teenager in a punk band "and we all decided we wanted alter egos and for whatever reason".[1]

Family and early life

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Nicholls grew up in Faro, Yukon. His biological father is part-First Nation, part-Scottish. He was a keen artist from a young age, painting and drawing. His grandfather, also an artist, taught him as a child. He began experimenting with digital art as a teenager, using a family scanner and printer saying, "I would collect random stuff like leaves and garbage and scan it and then layer it over old photos and then print them out and draw over them." He then moved into using Photoshop and other similar programmes.[2]

Work

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Astra Zero's greatest influence is the Canadian artist, Floria Sigismondi. Other inspirations are horror, sci-fi and fantasy films, 90s cartoons plus gay and pop culture.[3]

Collections have included Infernal, Queer Horror Icons, Night Rebels, Dirty Paper, Latex and Bones, Restless Vampire, Pop Culture and Dark Vintage.

Historical parodies

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He created historical parodies of:

His most popular parody is Temptation of Adam & Steve, a revamp of Adam and Eve (1628) by Peter Paul Rubens.[4]

Other work

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Astra Zero has worked regularly with Alice Glass[5] and Alice Longyu Gao[6] as photo and video editor,[7] artist, photographer, animator,[8] visualiser and director.[9][10]

Astra Zero created the animation for The Pretty Reckless's 2020 music video Death by Rock and Roll with art direction by Lucas David. He created the artwork and text for the cover of REZZ + Alice Glass's single Not Enough and Saint Agnes's album Bloodsuckers. His work featured on the front cover of Bear World Magazine's 10th anniversary issue in October 2023.[11]

Other artistic contributions

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In 2024, Astra Zero created the new cover artwork for The Criterion Collection's re-release of the 1982 film Querelle.[12] The artwork generated some discussion and controversy.[13][14] Sources noted the bold and modern artistic direction taken for the cover of the film, which is known for its homoerotic themes and sensual imagery, with some finding it to be a significant departure from the film's aesthetic while others appreciated the fresh perspective.[13][14]

Publications

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He has published the following books:

  • Zero, Astra (2023). Retro Sinners. Astra Zero. ISBN 978-1738137299.
  • Zero, Astra (2023). MENtality and Monsters. Astra Zero. ISBN 978-1738137251.
  • Zero, Astra (2023). XXXL Activity and Colouring Book. Astra Zero. ISBN 978-1738137206.
  • Zero, Astra (2023). Dark Vintage. Astra Zero. ISBN 978-1738137275.
  • Zero, Astra (2023). Spooky Munch Adult Colouring Book. Astra Zero. ISBN 978-1738137282. with Dustin Nicholls
  • Zero, Astra (2024). GRAYSCALE. Astra Zero. ISBN 978-1998329007.
  • Zero, Astra (2024). Dark Vintage Vol.2. Astra Zero. ISBN 978-1998329052.

Music

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Astra Zero has released eleven singles and two EPs to date:[15]

Singles

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  • Chemistry, Back To Life (2015)
  • We Make the Rules (2016)
  • Chemistry (2017)
  • Walking on Fire, Wasted Tears (2018)
  • Broke This, Let It Roll[16] (2019)
  • Broke This (Extended Version) (2020)
  • Electric Hate / Revenge Spell (2024)
  • Wasted Tears -variant2 (2025)

EPs

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  • Drafts & Demo_s. Vol. 001 : Vulgar (Instrumentals) (2025)
  • Drafts & Demo_s. Vol. 001 : Vulgar [17](2025)

Other Releases

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  • broke this. again (Limited Edition Vinyl Record & CD) [18](2025)

References

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  1. ^ Hernandez, John (2023-10-06). "Beef, Bears and Horror: The Art of Astra Zero". Bear World Magazine. Retrieved 2023-12-26.
  2. ^ Hernandez, John (2023-10-06). "Beef, Bears and Horror: The Art of Astra Zero". Bear World Magazine. Retrieved 2023-12-26.
  3. ^ Michael Turnbull. "Introducing... Astra Zero". loverboymagazine.com. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
  4. ^ Hudson, David (2023-09-15). "People are praising this VERY revealing portrait of a Biblical 'Adam and Steve'". Queerty. Retrieved 2023-12-26.
  5. ^ Allie Gregory. "Alice Glass Unleashes New Single "Lips Apart"". exclaim.ca. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  6. ^ Sadie Bell. "Alice Longyu Gao is creating a maximalist, queer sonic party world that's better than our own". altpress.com. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  7. ^ KONSTANTINOS PAPPIS (19 August 2021). "Alice Longyu Gao Drops Video for New Song 'Kanpai'". ourculturemag.com. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  8. ^ Braden Bjella (11 June 2021). "interview alice glass". schonmagazine.com. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  9. ^ ALTHEA LEGASPI (19 November 2021). "Alice Glass Previews Debut Album With New 'Baby Teeth' Video". rollingstone.com. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  10. ^ Kyle Munzenrieder. "Alice Glass Takes Control of the Narrative". wmagazine.com. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  11. ^ Astra Zero (Oct 2023). "Bears, Sex and Horror". Bear World Magazine (No. 73 ed.). New York, USA: Gray Jones Media. p. 1.
  12. ^ Querelle on The Criterion Collection website
  13. ^ a b Astra Zero Creates Controversial Cover Art for Criterion's 'Querelle' Re-Release on Edge Media Network
  14. ^ a b Why This Homoerotic Classic About Sweaty Sailors Is Stirring Up Controversy 40 Years Later on Queerty
  15. ^ "Astra Zero". discogs.com. Retrieved 2025-05-11.
  16. ^ "INDUSTRIAL/POP MUSICIAN ASTRA ZERO RELEASES NEW SINGLE 'LET IT ROLL'". brutalresonance.com. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  17. ^ "Astra Zero – Drafts & Demo_s. Vol.001 : Vulgar". discogs.com. Retrieved 2025-05-11.
  18. ^ "Astra Zero – Broke This. Again". discogs.com. Retrieved 2025-05-11.
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