Chew the Fat: Undergrounds, Indies and Comics that 'Pushed the Envelope'...

 

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Redartz:   One book that really served to educate me early on about the comics industry and all it's variations was Les Daniels' "Comix: A History of Comic Books in America". Published in 1971, it was fairly current in 1974 when I got into comics seriously. Although the chapters on humor, funny animals, Marvel and DC were familiar territory for the burgeoning reader in me, the chapter on Underground Comix (spelled with an 'x' to differentiate from mainstream comics) was a real eye-opener. 

Here were described all the things that my parents were originally afraid that comics would expose me to: politics, sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll. Some of the material Daniels reprinted was explicit enough to make my naive self slightly uncomfortable. But some years later, I discovered a lot of great reading in those same Undergrounds. In particular, "Arcade: the Comics Revue" from Art Speigelman and Bill Griffith, showcased work by many of the Underground's top talents: Robert Crumb, Denis Kitchen,
Aline Kominsky, Spiegelman and Griffith. 

Bill Griffith was the man behind "Zippy the Pinhead", a very odd book that I found irresistable. Another book he produced was "Griffith Observatory", a heavily satiric, critical eye on American society of the late 1970's. 

Art Spiegelman, among many other things, gave us the monumental graphic series (and later novel) "Maus". And to this day, "Maus" remains the most powerful, most gut-wrenching, most impactful comic I've ever read. 

Which brings up another point about Undergrounds. Originally Undergrounds, which arose in the 60's and early 70's, were focused mainly on the non-code approved subjects mentioned above. Hence they were primarily available through 'head shops', college bookstores and such. But as they faded from the scene by the late 70's, they evolved into the Independent comics we enjoyed in the 80's and beyond. That may be a bit of an oversimplification, but many of the creators, subject matter and material that made the Undergrounds paved the way for books like "Maus".  We got Harvey Pekar's "American Splendor", Los Bros Hernandez' "Love and Rockets", and so on. Then there was Daniel Clowes, known for "Ghost World" and "Eightball", but I'm fond of his "Lloyd Llewelyn".

Therefore, this week, let's join the Underground. Whether it was Crumb's "Zap", or Howard Cruse's "Barefootz", what comics (comix) did you get a kick out of? Did you risk your parents' disapproval by indulging in a few Undergrounds? Did you follow any of the 80's indies? Could "The Walking Dead" exist without the ground being broken by Kitchen Sink's "Death Rattle"?  It's all on the table, all that edgy, risky, 'hide it from Mom and Dad' stuff...

Off the Bookshelf: Learning About Comics History...

Comix- A History of Comic Books in America, by Les Daniels; graphics by Mad Peck Studios

Redartz:  Good day, everyone! Anyone for a history lesson? I always am, especially when it's comics history. Which brings us to today's topic: learning about comics and the creators behind them. 

Shortly after I first got hooked by the comic bug, early in 1974, I found this book on sale in the 'cutout's section of a Walden Books (remember them?). I'd never heard of the author, and was at the time unaware of the alternative comics referred to by the title's term 'comix'.  Nonetheless, a quick browse through the book convinced me to buy it. Imagine, a book ABOUT comics, illustrated with the actual comics! Yes, there had been  other histories; Steranko had his "History of Comics". There was Jules Feiffer's "The Great Comic Book Heroes". But overall, there weren't that many books yet about the medium of comics, or the wide variety of subjects found therein. So, long story short, "Comix" became  my first comics history lesson. 

And it was a rich lesson indeed. Published in 1971, early in our illustrious Bronze Age, "Comix" reached waaaay back to Richard Outcault and his "Yellow Kid", and followed up with a fascinating tour of comics throughout the 20th. Century. Writer Daniels gives the prose a bit of a countercultural feel (certainly to be expected, given the pop cultural background of the late 60's/early 70's). Yet it also reads as an engaging , entertaining overview of comics history; filled with fascinating anecdotes. Consider some of the chapter headings: "The Birth of the Comic Book". "Dumb Animals". "The E.C. Revolution". "The Comics Code Controversy". "Mighty Marvel". "Underground Comics". Yes, Daniels touched all the bases here. And it was pure manna for this comics-starved kid. 

An example of a 40's "Crime" comic

Jack Cole. Amazing composition...

This book was my first exposure to EC Comics, to Golden age comics, to crime comics, to underground comics. So many genres I'd never dreamed of. Here, for the first time, I was introduced to some of the towering figures behind some of the stories I'd enjoyed: Will Eisner, Carl Barks, Harvey Kurtzman, Basil Wolverton. Further on, Daniels revealed to me the work of later creators such as Trina Robbins, Robert Crumb, and Gilbert Shelton. The story of the Comics Code Authority, and Fredrick Wertham? All that was in there as well. Oh, so much to absorb...

And it was easy to swallow this informative medicine: Daniels sweetened it with a generous dose of actual comics. Not only individual panels and pages, but many entire stories; color and black/white! He included some excellent examples, well chosen to give the reader a dose of the very best comics have to offer. We find Jim Steranko's entire story "At the Stroke of Midnight"from Tower of Shadows #1 (only complaint; wish this had been a color selection).

 

"A Visit With the Fantastic Four" by Lee and Kirby. From EC- "A Little Stranger" by Graham Ingles. A complete Barks Uncle Scrooge story. An early Two-Face story from Batman. Several great horror tales from Warren publishing. A "Mad" story by Wally Wood. An EC war story by Kurtzman. A Jack Cole Plastic Man story. And much, much more. Truly, it was an embarassment of comic riches. I devoured every page.

Les Daniels, through this book, lit the spark of interest for the vast wonders of comics past and present. He showed me how much more there was besides superheros and funny animals. Daniels put the works of the masters before me, identified them, and through them fired a fascination that continues to this very day. For this, I owe him immensely. Les Daniels, years later, produced a fine book about Marvel Comics; if memory serves Doug and Karen once discussed that tome over at the BAB. As much as his first book affected me, his later one is something I also need to add to my library.

Two  DC 'funny animals'; Fox and Crow

A cool EC house ad

 

A last word from Robert Crumb...

Before reading this book, I loved Spider-man and the Fantastic Four; Batman and Superman. After reading it, I loved Comics. So now I ask you; was there any book about comics that roused your interest? Where did you first learn of the early names and faces of the medium? How did you discover the early tales of our heroes, and their predecessors?  Tell us all about your 'history texts'...