Humphry Osmond: Psychedelic Pioneer and the Doors of Perception

In 1998, Drawn & Quarterly published a single-issue comic biography exploring the life and work of Humphry Osmond, the British psychiatrist who coined the term "psychedelic" and whose research with mescaline inspired Aldous Huxley's The Doors of Perception. This concise, fact-driven portrait focuses on Osmond's pioneering studies in the 1950s and his controversial legacy in the field of consciousness-altering substances. It stands as a thoughtful, non-sensationalized entry from the early days of the modern graphic novel boom, capturing a pivotal moment in the intersection of science and counterculture.