The term "underground comics" or "comix" describes the self-published or small press comic books that sprang up in the US in the 1960s. The movement was initially centered in San Francisco. Prominant artists associated with this movement include Robert Crumb, Robert Williams, S. Clay Wilson, Rick Griffin, Gilbert Shelton, Art Spiegelman and Kim Deitch.
Underground comix were written by and for the 1960s counter-culture and psychedelic movement, and a number of independent comics of this era were humorous (and unquestionably adult-oriented) stories about hippies and rebels who enjoyed sex and drugs, while putting up with persecution by evil police officers.
also see
- alternative comics
- underground newspapers
Notable Underground Comix
- Adventures of the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers (Gilbert Shelton)
- Air Pirates Funnies (Dan O'Neill, others. Sparked a famous copyright lawsuit from Disney)
- Arcade (anthology edited by Bill Griffith and Art Spiegelman)
- Bijou Funnies (Chicago-based anthology, Jay Lynch and others)
- Binky Brown Meets the Holy Virgin Mary (Justin Green)
- Bogeyman (Rory Hayes and others)
- Coochie Cootie's Men's Comics (Robert Williams)
- Corn Fed (Kim Deitch)
- Hytone, Despair, Big Ass, XYZ (Robert Crumb)
- It Ain't Me Babe (anthology edited by Trina Robbins)
- Tales from the Tube (Rick Griffin)
- Wimmen's Comix (anthology edited by the Wimmen's Comix Collective)
- Zap Comix (Robert Crumb, Spain Rodriguez, S. Clay Wilson, Rick Griffin, Robert Williams, Victor Moscoso)
Recommended Books
- Patrick Rosenkranz; Rebel Visions: the Underground Comix Revolution, 1963-1975; Fantagraphics Books; ISBN 1-56097-464-8 (hardcover, 2002)