Underground/Newave Comix: Post Your Obscure, Undocumented or Rarely Discussed 7 7

[CDNComix]

Brief Encounter

Published by: Real Free Press International; Contributor: Jean-Claude Buytaert; (aka Den Roose); Date: 1973; Price: no cover price; Page count: 64 pages;

Size: landscape digest (8.25 x 5.0); Kennedy #: international publication not cited; Print information: unknown;

When I was trolling on-line North American undergrounds I was fortunate to notice this beautiful trip-story book from the Netherlands. Jean-Claude Buytaert is a talented Flemish fine artist who worked both independently and within a collective called Ercola to produce number of European underground publications.

Edited May 30, 2019 by CDNComix

[CDNComix]

Tales of Bozi-Sattva (first and second printings)

Published by: Serious Funnies; Contributor: Tuck Petertil; Date: 1973; Price: 75 cents; Page count: first printing (32 pages); second printing (28 pages);

Size: magazine; (8.5 x 11.0); Kennedy #: 1958; Print information: first printing (300 copies according Petertil); second printing (700 according to Petertil);

Kennedy was a little off on this publication. Yes, there was an issue with printing the colour covers for 1,000 copies of the guts. But only 300 copies of the first printing of the colour cover survived. The remaining 700 copies of inner guts were salvaged when a second printing of the cover was produced as a single page. The new single page cover had to be directly glued on the first page of the guts. This dropped the page count of the second printing by 4 pages.

 

Edited April 12, 2019 by CDNComix

[CDNComix]

Rock n Roll Reptiles

Published by: self-published; Contributor: Tom Foster; Date: 1978; Price: $1.50; Page count: folded holder with 12 postcards;

Size: holder (6.25 x 5.5); Kennedy #: not cited; Print information: unknown;

Animals Go To Memphis Museum "Pink Palace"

Published by: Memphis Museum; Contributor: Tom Foster; Date: 1979; Price: $1.75; Page count: folded holder with 12 postcards;

Size: holder (6.00 x 5.5); Kennedy #: not cited; Print information: unknown;

Two similar, non-underground peripherals from Tom Foster that took more time than I care to admit with tracking down.

Edited April 15, 2019 by CDNComix

[CDNComix]

Brain Sugar

Published by: self published; Contributors: Lord Larry; Don BDF; Jerkface; Date: 1980; Price: one dollar; Page count: 36 pages;

Size: magazine; (8.0 x 10.5); Kennedy #: 0343; Print information: 10,000 copies according to Kennedy;

Brain Sugar is Canadian underground publication produced by Lord Larry who has managed to keep his true identity a well guarded secret (for me and some of my collecting friends) to this very day. For whatever reason, Kennedy did not credit a couple of other contributors involved in the project. How could anyone skip or miss a name like "Jerkface"? Although Brain Sugar is not ultra-rare, it is difficult to come by and I suspect to have been produced in number well below Kennedy's stated 10,000 copies. Where would an unknown artist get the cash to self-publish 10,000 copies of a colour cover litho magazine?

Edited April 17, 2019 by CDNComix

[CDNComix]

Lightningwar (first printing and both second printing variants)

Published by: Texas Comicbooks; Contributor: Douglas Bryson; Date: 1976; Price: no cover price; Page count: 20 pages;

Size: digest; first printing (5.33 x 8.0); second printing (5.5 x 8.0); Kennedy #: 1159; Print information: first printing; grey cover; (100 signed copies); second printing; olive and yellow covers; (100 copies of each);

From the moment that I had learned about the existence of 3 separate editions of Lightningwar, I knew that I had to find them all. Besides the cover art and the colour of the cover stock, there is very difference between the editions except the first printing is trimmer slightly narrower than the second.

Edited April 23, 2019 by CDNComix

[CDNComix]

Ript n' Rekt #2

Published by: SO Enterprises; Contributors: Ron Ostroff; Hank Siegel; Phil Bronstien; Zeke Brimstone; Ron D'Amico; Date: 1972; Price: 50 cents; Page count: 36 pages;

Size: comic; (6.5 x 9.5); Kennedy #: 1698; Print information: one printing; number of copies unknown;

The image of the lone figure on the last page, opposite the inner back cover (see below), pretty much sums up my feelings about this one. Believe it or not, four "Writers" and one "Artist" were credited and took responsibility for RR #2 as per the inside front cover. According to Kennedy and collecting lore there never was a first issue and started as a second issue..

Edited April 25, 2019 by CDNComix

[CDNComix]

What Are My Words Inside?

Published by: self-published; Contributors: RR Bruce; David Hansen; Date: 1974; Price: 75 cents; Page count: 32 pages;

Size: small comic; (5.5 x 8.5); Kennedy #: 2197; Print information: one printing; copies unknown;

Occasionally, I have been tempted to purchase some small press books and not pull trigger after finding out it's a poetry publication. I am not a big fan of the artform and the publications tend to be text bases with the odd illustration. But WAMWI is a solid true underground comix publication that also has the nice distinction of being printed by Apex Novelties.

Edited April 26, 2019 by CDNComix

[CDNComix]

This One

Published by: self-published; Contributors: Douglas Bryson; Jim Valentino; Brad Foster; Guy Hatley; Date: 1981; Price: no cover price; Page Count: 20 unbound pages;

Size: small comic (5.5 x 8.5); Kennedy #: 2002; Print information: 300 copies;

Within the period of the late 70s and early 80s, Douglas Bryson was responsible about a dozen, digest sized, solo and collaborative (usually with the same people) efforts. This One is a little different than the rest, where 300 copies (Bryson usually produced small runs of 100-200 copies) with different card stock cover colours where produced and for a collaborative it mainly features Bryson's work. Jim Valentino even does a Bryson impression with his version of a Cap'N Retro story.

Edited May 1, 2019 by CDNComix

[CDNComix]

Exquisite Corpse Comix #1

Published by: Industrial Dream Factory; Contributors: Jamie (aka Bill Shut) Alder; Kelly Alder; Dr. $; Penny Bartlett; Aaron McClellan; Date: 1981; Price: two dollars; Page count: 8 pages;

Size: comic; (7.0 x 9.0); Kennedy #: 690; Print information: one printing; 100 copies;

I knew that the "exquisite corpse" game/technique was popularized by early 20th century dadaists in Paris. I was familiar with the version in which one person starts a sentence in a ad-libbed story or poem. But I did not know that game was also adapted to include the visually arts - one person starts a drawing (and sometimes folds it) and then the next person then adds to the design. Basically a non-strip of a comix jam. Jamie Alder really must have liked the concept because he when on to produce at least another 17 issues after the first.

Edited May 3, 2019 by CDNComix

[CDNComix]

Rise and Fall of Star Empire - Part 1

Published by: Double Paradox Publications; Contributors: Todd Shrull; Russel Fletcher; Date: 1981; Price: 65 cents; Page count: 24 pages;

Size: comic; (7.0 x 8.5); Kennedy #: not cited; Print information: unknown;

I personally enjoy collecting small press comics even at the fanzine level that attempt to publish a "real comic". Maybe the creators could not sell their idea to an established publisher because they did not have the requisite connections, track record or talent development. Although not truly underground, Rise and Fall was produced by two members of the Pastime Publications (Shocking Fear, Monday Funnies, Portland Underground Comix) high school stable.

Edited May 24, 2019 by CDNComix

[CDNComix]

Garbanzo Comix

Published by: self-published; Contributors: Harold Onickel; Michael Segal; Date: 1980; Price: 75 cents; Page count: 16 pages;

Size: mini; (5.5 x 4.25); Kennedy #: 815; Print information: one printing; 300 copies;

One of the three Onickel produced minis that Kennedy cited in his guide: this, Mr. Wipple and Scenes from the Election Year. 

Edited May 8, 2019 by CDNComix

[CDNComix]

Ike Lives

Published by: Warm Neck Funnies; Contributor: Mark S. Fisher; Date: 1973; Price: 50 cents; Page count: 20 pages;

Size: small comic; (7.0 x 8.25); Kennedy #: 1022; Print information: unknown;

Early effort from one of Boston's warm neckers (people with long hair or beards have warm necks) - Mark Fisher. According to his site, Mark Fisher graduated from Buffalo State College with a degree in graphic design and it definitely shows.

Edited May 10, 2019 by CDNComix

[CDNComix]

Tom Veitch Magazine #4

Published by: Eco-Ego-Echo; Contributor: Tom Veitch; Rick Veitch; Greg Irons; Darrell Devore; Date: 1971; Price: one dollar; Page count: 64 pages;

Size: comic; (6.75 x 9.75); Kennedy #: not cited; Print information: 500 copies;

In the very late 60s, Tom Veitch left behind his life as a Benedictine monk, moved to San Francisco and bought a printing press. At the time Greg Irons happened live down the street and began contributing to the third issue of Veitch's self-titled fanzine series. By issue four, the assistance of younger brother Rick was enlisted and what initially started as a poetry fanzine, landed pretty close to being a true underground (2/3 comix content).

Edited May 13, 2019 by CDNComix

[CDNComix]

Hoksila and His Friends

Published by: self-published; Contributor: Dan O'Neill; Date: unknown; Price: no cover price; Page count: single sheet folded into 4 pages

Size: digest; (5.5 x 8.5); Kennedy #: 991; Print information: unknown;

I am going assume that O'Neill produced this version of Hoksila at around the same the same story appeared in Dan O"Neill's Comics and Stories v.2, #1 (1975). Because it lacks a cover price, it may have been produced as a limited giveaway version.

Edited May 15, 2019 by CDNComix

[CDNComix]

New Memphis Comics / Rebel Comics Newsletter #1 - The Adventures of Shannon McMorn

Published by: Radiation Graphics and Memphis Comics; Contributor: Tom Foster; Date: 1981; Price: 50 cents; Page count: 20 pages;

Size: digest; (5.5 x 8.5); Kennedy #: not cited; Print information: uncoloured and hand coloured front cover variants exist

Both Strawberry Funnies #1 and the artwork  for McMorn were produced around the same time (1972). Then it should not come as any surprise that both of these books are the closest to true "underground" as Tom Foster got. Not to sure why Kennedy left this little beauty out of guide. I am aware of the existence of a second issue of the Rebel Comics Newsletter. I have not personally seen it, so I do not know if it is a continuance of McMorm or even if it is commix based.

Edited May 21, 2019 by CDNComix

[CDNComix]

Ed's Black Hole Catalog

Published by: Nebula Productions; Contributors: Ed Ackerman; Steve George; Chuck Hlady; Joe Ackerman; Peter George; G. Jones; Tim Ender; Date: 1978; Price: one dollar; Page count: 28 pages;

Size: comic; (7.0 x 10.0); Kennedy #: 293; Print information: one printing; 650 copies;

A decent undergroundish one-shot fanzine from Canada. Like a lot of Canadian material from this era, it's a tougher book to find. A general rule-of-thumb that I find useful is to divide the number of copies of a Canadian underground by 10 to get a comparative with a US underground publication. In this case: 650 actual copies translates to a difficulty that is equivalent to finding an issue of a 65 copy US underground publication.

Edited May 21, 2019 by CDNComix

[CDNComix]

Cervine Follies #1 and #2

Published by: Teenage Lobotomy Productions; Contributors: Jerry Collins; Timothy Fay: Date: 1981; Price: 50 cents; Page count: 2 unbound sheets folded into 8 pages;;

Size: digest; (5.5 x 8.5); Kennedy #: 434 and 435; Print information: batch produced; number of batches or copies unknown;

By 1981, the rapid rise of the anthropomorphic comic was well under way. The situation eventually became so bad that artists and writers had to stand in line for several days in hope of claiming their animal of choice. If ducks, mice, aardvarks or turtles were already taken then you might have to settle with developing a deer-based "bambioid" comix series.

Edited May 23, 2019 by CDNComix

[CDNComix]

It's Me

Published by: Laughing Man Productions; Contributor: Mark S. Fisher; Date: 1983; Price: no cover price; Page count: 12 pages: heavy stock sheet folded as 4 hand coloured pages with 8 pages of B&W inner guts;

Size: mini; (4.25 x 3.5); Kennedy #: post guide; Print information: 100 signed and numbered copies; how many were hand coloured is unknown;

In 1983, Mark Fisher produced about 10 titles under the banner of his Laughing Man Productions. This unfortunately is the only issue from that grouping that I own or have even seen. Although I purchased the item about 2 years ago, it was only today that I noticed the wonderful surprise in between the folded sections of the cover - see last image.

Edited May 24, 2019 by CDNComix

[CDNComix]

Comet Tales #2 - Special Capt. Cannibas Issue

Published by: Rocket Comics; Contributor: Mike Robinson; Larry Nibert; Date: 1983; Price: 3 dollars; Page count: 32 pages;

Size: comic; (6.75 x 10.0); Kennedy #: post guide; Print information: one printing; 500 numbered copies;

Comet Tales is a better than most sci-fi pro-zine started in 1982 by James M. Pack. The second issue features a head-turning colour cover that causes some sellers in the on-line market attempting to justify an asking price of two hundred dollars plus. The second issue also features a letter from Larry Blake whom collaborated here-and-there with Nibert and Pack on the odd project, including the debut issue of his ultra-rare zine Afterworld.

Edited May 30, 2019 by CDNComix

[CDNComix]

Guts #1, #2 and #3

Published by: Lafler Productions; Contributor: Steve Lafler (#1-3); Steve Beaupre (#1-3); Bill Riley (#1); D. Cottrell (#2); Carl Mayfield (#2); Chazzz (#2); Linda Di Silvestro (#3); Rob Huffman (#3); Marcel Tulloh (#3); Date: 1981 (#1); 1982 (#2 and #3); Price: 65 cents (#1); one dollar (#2); dollar fifty (#3); Page count: 24 pages (#1); 32 pages (#2); 36 pages (#3);

Size: magazine; #1 and #3 (7.75 x 10.75); #3 ((7.75 x 10.75); Kennedy #: #1 (936); #2 (937); #3 (post guide); Print information: #1 (one printing of 1000 copies); #2 (one printing of 2500 copies); #3 (unknown);

You would not be alone in thinking that books with print runs above 1000 copies should not be an "Post Your Obscure Undergrounds" thread. I believe that something happened with the Guts series because copies do not appear on the market as the run numbers as stated by Kennedy would suggest. It took me way longer to piecemeal a set together than I would have thought. Its availability mimics a British underground publication.

Edited May 31, 2019 by CDNComix