Origin
Neil appears in issue seven of the Drawn & Quarterly comic book series, Optic Nerve.
Creation
Neil was created by Adrian Tomine.
Character Evolution
Neil is a loner with voyeuristic tendencies. He is mentally and emotionally unstable, and regularly sees a psychiatrist. He has an unhealthy obsession with Vanessa and visits the card shop where she works frequently, finding excuses and inventing fictional birthdays to explain his need to buy so many greetings cards – which he keeps in a drawer at home, unsent.
Neil spends a lot of time watching his neighbours go about their business, and often spies on them during intimate moments. When he sees Vanessa cheating on her boyfriend with Carlos, Neil tips him off about it, leading to a brutal confrontation between the two men. The attack leaves Carlos hospitalized. After causing the breakdown of Vanessa and Whit’s relationship, and the resultant violence, Neil is shown to be quite serene and content. Vanessa becomes increasingly hostile toward Neil, and tells him that she hates him – but no more than she hates everybody else.
Major Story Arcs
Neil does not appear in any major story arcs.
Powers And Abilities
Neil is a human character with no special powers or abilities.