Comix Book
Encyclopedia
Comix Book was an underground
comic book
series published from 1974–1976, originally by Marvel Comics
. It was the first underground comic to be published by a mainstream publisher. Edited by Denis Kitchen
, Comix Book featured work by such underground luminaries as Justin Green
, Kim Deitch
, Trina Robbins
, Art Spiegelman
, and S. Clay Wilson
. While it did not depict the explicit content that was often featured in underground comix, it was more socially relevant than anything Marvel had previously published.
became attracted to the energy and cutting-edge art styles of the underground comix
movement (which, ironically, by this period was already beginning to wane). Interested in capitalizing on the genre, Lee approached artist and Kitchen Sink Press publisher Denis Kitchen about packaging an underground-style publication for Marvel. Lee requested only that contributors would submit significantly less explicit work, appropriate for newsstands sales. Kitchen, eager to broaden the economic and distribution opportunities for underground cartoonists, agreed to Lee's proposal.
Lee, apprehensive about push-back from fans and distributors, insisted that Comix Book not carry the Marvel name, instead being released by Magazine Management Co. (a Marvel Comics
company). Lee himself was only credited on the masthead as "instigator." He and Kitchen agreed to produce a black-and-white oversize magazine similar to that of the contemporaneous Marvel imprint Curtis Magazines
. As with the Curtis publications, the format allowed Marvel to dispense with the restrictions of the Comics Code Authority
, thereby creating a freer creative space more akin to the no-holds-barred ethos of the underground. In addition, like most underground comics, Comix Book carried no advertising. Kitchen was also able to win a number of unprecedented concessions for his contributors, including the return of all artwork, and eventually allowing artists to keep their copyrights.
Comix Book #1 was launched with a cover-date of Oct. 1974. In addition to comics, issues of Comix Book usually featured text pieces like Kitchen editorials, interviews, and a letters page
. Unfortunately, Comix Book either failed to find its audience, was mishandled by baffled newsstand distributors, or both. Lee cancelled the book when issue #3 hit the newsstands. Kitchen, however, had assembled two additional issues. After a year of negotiations, he persuaded Marvel to let his own Kitchen Sink Press
publish issues #4 and 5 in 1976.
Underground comix
Underground comix are small press or self-published comic books which are often socially relevant or satirical in nature. They differ from mainstream comics in depicting content forbidden to mainstream publications by the Comics Code Authority, including explicit drug use, sexuality and violence...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
series published from 1974–1976, originally by Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
. It was the first underground comic to be published by a mainstream publisher. Edited by Denis Kitchen
Denis Kitchen
Denis Kitchen is an American underground cartoonist, publisher, author, and agent from Wisconsin, and the founder of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.-Early life:...
, Comix Book featured work by such underground luminaries as Justin Green
Justin Green
Justin Considine Green is an American cartoonist who pioneered autobiographical comics. He is best known for his 1972 comic book Binky Brown Meets the Holy Virgin Mary....
, Kim Deitch
Kim Deitch
-Sources:* at Lambiek's Comiclopedia-External links:* Ford, Jeffrey. *Heller, Steven. **...
, Trina Robbins
Trina Robbins
Trina Robbins is an American comics artist and writer. She was an early and influential participant in the underground comix movement, and one of the few female artists in underground comix when she started. Both as a cartoonist and historian, Robbins has long been involved in creating outlets for...
, Art Spiegelman
Art Spiegelman
Art Spiegelman is an American comics artist, editor, and advocate for the medium of comics, best known for his Pulitzer Prize-winning comic book memoir, Maus. His works are published with his name in lowercase: art spiegelman.-Biography:Spiegelman was born in Stockholm, Sweden, to Polish Jews...
, and S. Clay Wilson
S. Clay Wilson
S. Clay Wilson is an American underground cartoonist and central figure in the underground comix movement. Wilson is known for aggressively violent and sexually explicit panoramas of "lowlife," often depicting the wild escapades of pirates and bikers. He was an early contributor to Zap Comix,...
. While it did not depict the explicit content that was often featured in underground comix, it was more socially relevant than anything Marvel had previously published.
Publication history
In 1973, Marvel publisher Stan LeeStan Lee
Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
became attracted to the energy and cutting-edge art styles of the underground comix
Underground comix
Underground comix are small press or self-published comic books which are often socially relevant or satirical in nature. They differ from mainstream comics in depicting content forbidden to mainstream publications by the Comics Code Authority, including explicit drug use, sexuality and violence...
movement (which, ironically, by this period was already beginning to wane). Interested in capitalizing on the genre, Lee approached artist and Kitchen Sink Press publisher Denis Kitchen about packaging an underground-style publication for Marvel. Lee requested only that contributors would submit significantly less explicit work, appropriate for newsstands sales. Kitchen, eager to broaden the economic and distribution opportunities for underground cartoonists, agreed to Lee's proposal.
Lee, apprehensive about push-back from fans and distributors, insisted that Comix Book not carry the Marvel name, instead being released by Magazine Management Co. (a Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
company). Lee himself was only credited on the masthead as "instigator." He and Kitchen agreed to produce a black-and-white oversize magazine similar to that of the contemporaneous Marvel imprint Curtis Magazines
Curtis Magazines
Curtis Magazines was an imprint of Marvel Comics that existed from 1971 to 1980. The imprint published black-and-white magazines that did not carry the Comics Code Authority seal. Initially, page counts varied between 68,76, and 84 pages....
. As with the Curtis publications, the format allowed Marvel to dispense with the restrictions of the Comics Code Authority
Comics Code Authority
The Comics Code Authority was a body created as part of the Comics Magazine Association of America, as a tool for the comics-publishing industry to self-regulate the content of comic books in the United States. Member publishers submitted comic books to the CCA, which screened them for adherence to...
, thereby creating a freer creative space more akin to the no-holds-barred ethos of the underground. In addition, like most underground comics, Comix Book carried no advertising. Kitchen was also able to win a number of unprecedented concessions for his contributors, including the return of all artwork, and eventually allowing artists to keep their copyrights.
Comix Book #1 was launched with a cover-date of Oct. 1974. In addition to comics, issues of Comix Book usually featured text pieces like Kitchen editorials, interviews, and a letters page
Comic book letter column
A comic book letter column is a section of a comic book where readers' letters to the publisher appear. Comic book letter columns are also commonly referred to as letter columns , letter pages, letters of comment , or simply letters to the editor...
. Unfortunately, Comix Book either failed to find its audience, was mishandled by baffled newsstand distributors, or both. Lee cancelled the book when issue #3 hit the newsstands. Kitchen, however, had assembled two additional issues. After a year of negotiations, he persuaded Marvel to let his own Kitchen Sink Press
Kitchen Sink Press
Kitchen Sink Press was a comic book publishing company founded by Denis Kitchen in 1970. Kitchen owned and operated Kitchen Sink Press until 1999. Kitchen Sink Press was a pioneering publisher of underground comics, and was also responsible for numerous republications of classic comic strips in...
publish issues #4 and 5 in 1976.
External links
- Comix Book No. 5 at DenisKitchen.com