Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers
Encyclopedia
The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers are a trio of underground comic
strip characters created by the U.S.
artist Gilbert Shelton
. The Freak Brothers first appeared in The Rag
, an underground newspaper
published in Austin, Texas, beginning in May 1968; and were regularly reprinted in underground papers around the United States and in other parts of the world.
Their first comic book appearance was in Feds 'n' Heads, published by Berkeley's Print Mint
in 1968. In 1969 Shelton and three friends from Texas founded Rip Off Press
in San Francisco, which took over publication of all subsequent Freak Brothers comics. The first compilation of their adventures, The Collected Adventures of the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers, had its first printing in 1971 and has been continually in print ever since. In addition to underground and college weekly newspapers, new adventures appeared in magazines such as Playboy
, High Times, and Rip Off Comix; these too were collected in comic book form. Shelton continued to write the series until 1992, in collaboration with Dave Sheridan
(1974–1982) and Paul Mavrides
(since 1978). The work enjoys a sizable cult following, and the magazines are widely available in comic stores.
While most underground comix are humorous, the Freak Brothers live a slapstick existence reminiscent of the best silent comedies. Their entire lives rotate around the procurement and enjoyment of recreational drugs, particularly marijuana. None of them have the slightest concern about gainful employment, and the only use for money is to procure some food and lots of drugs without getting "burned" by unscrupulous dealers or busted by the police
. Other storylines involve Fat Freddy's Cat
and a military empire of cockroaches in the kitchen. The stories often satirize the establishment
and right-wing politics
. For a counterculture
production, the standard of artwork is exceptionally high; Shelton's striving for accuracy and attention to detail have earned him comparisons with Hergé
.
The majority of the titles in the series consist of one or more multi-page stories together with a number of one-page strips. Many of the latter have a one-row skit featuring Fat Freddy's Cat at the bottom of the page. Some of the titles also contain a small number of strips featuring completely unrelated characters.
In 1972, The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers appeared in the full-length XXX-rated adult film Up in Flames. The story involved the brothers attempts to raise cash to make their rent deadline or get thrown out of their apartment. The film also featured Robert Crumb's character Mr. Natural as a health food store owner where Fat Freddy attempts to gain employment. The soundtrack featured music by The Grateful Dead and the movie can be purchased at http://www.somethingweird.com as a double feature with the XXX-rated comedy A Star is Born (not to be confused with the Judy Garland Film.)
The comic is currently being adapted into a clay animation
movie entitled Grass Roots
. But so far there is no release date or information about when the movie will be released or if it will be released at all.
s (hippies were commonly known as "freaks" in 1970s U.S. slang
) from San Francisco: Phineas Freakears, Freewheelin' Franklin, and Fat Freddy. The trio are anti-hero
es, taking large quantities of drugs and consistently defying authority. They are lazy (several storylines revolve around the "horror" of one of the brothers having to find work) and unreliable — particularly in the case of Fat Freddy.
The three Freak Brothers have very different personalities:
Other regularly occurring characters include:
The use of assorted psychoactive drugs is a predominant theme that runs throughout all volumes of this title. Marijuana is the most frequently mentioned, but numerous other stimulant
s and hallucinogen
s are mentioned as well. Most of the Freak Brothers stories include the use of drugs, or attempts to purchase them, for humorous effect, although heroin is notably missing from the list of drugs that the Freak Brothers would condone using. In one adventure, Franklin is shown to refuse, with alarm, an offer of 'smack' when hitching a ride. The theme of foreign travel is often explored, most notably in the three-part Idiots Abroad series. Food
is a commonly recurring subject. These stories most often involve Fat Freddy and his marijuana-induced "munchies" (increased appetite). The squalor engendered by the Brothers' indolence is often highlighted; several strips feature the household's cockroach
population, ruled over by a fascist monarchy
whose leader resembles General Douglas MacArthur
. Several stories satirise government
s, particularly the U.S. government
. These stories invariably show politician
s and their agents as corrupt
, incompetent, or both.
It is common for the storylines to begin with an air of realism, but rapidly descend via surrealism into complete insanity, often explained by use of the "...it was all a dream..." device.
Some of the best-loved Freak Brothers stories include:
In 2006, the company Grass Roots Films began production on a feature-length clay-animation film based on the series, called Grass Roots, co-produced by German distribution company X Filme. A 3-minute piece of test animation can be seen here.
Also Freewheelin' Franklin is shot by "McTrigger" in a '70s movie-trailer shown in The Simpsons episode "The Lastest Gun in the West
", ca. 9 min. 56 sec into the episode.
A number of compilation titles have been published that merge several of the original titles into one book. Also, there have been two full color books:
There have been two large collections, the first reprinting comic book covers in color, the second entirely in color.
An omnibus edition (ISBN 978-0-86166-159-6) of the entire series was published in late 2008.
Compilations of Fat Freddy's Cat
stories have also been published.
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...
strip characters created by the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
artist Gilbert Shelton
Gilbert Shelton
Gilbert Shelton is an American cartoonist and underground comix artist. He is the creator of The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers, Fat Freddy's Cat, Wonder Wart-Hog, Philbert Desanex, Not Quite Dead, and the cover art to The Grateful Dead's 1978 album Shakedown Street.He graduated from Lamar High...
. The Freak Brothers first appeared in The Rag
The Rag
The Rag was an underground paper published in Austin, Texas from 1966-1977. The sixth member of the Underground Press Syndicate, The Rag was one of the most influential of the early underground papers, known for its unique blend of radical politics, alternative culture and humor.- Early history...
, an underground newspaper
Underground press
The underground press were the independently published and distributed underground papers associated with the counterculture of the late 1960s and early 1970s in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and other western nations....
published in Austin, Texas, beginning in May 1968; and were regularly reprinted in underground papers around the United States and in other parts of the world.
Their first comic book appearance was in Feds 'n' Heads, published by Berkeley's Print Mint
Print Mint
The Print Mint was a major publisher of underground comics during the genre's heydey. Starting as retailer of psychedelic posters, it soon evolved into a publisher, printer, and distributor. It was "ground zero" for the psychedelic poster...
in 1968. In 1969 Shelton and three friends from Texas founded Rip Off Press
Rip Off Press
Rip Off Press, Inc. is a seminal publishing company that specializes in adult-themed literature and graphic novels, mostly in a specific comic book format known as underground comix.-Overview:...
in San Francisco, which took over publication of all subsequent Freak Brothers comics. The first compilation of their adventures, The Collected Adventures of the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers, had its first printing in 1971 and has been continually in print ever since. In addition to underground and college weekly newspapers, new adventures appeared in magazines such as Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
, High Times, and Rip Off Comix; these too were collected in comic book form. Shelton continued to write the series until 1992, in collaboration with Dave Sheridan
Dave Sheridan (artist)
Dave Sheridan was an American cartoonist and underground comix artist. He was the creator of Dealer McDope and Tales from the Leather Nun and collaborated with Gilbert Shelton and Paul Mavrides on The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers.- Biography :Born in 1943 and raised in the Cleveland, Ohio area,...
(1974–1982) and Paul Mavrides
Paul Mavrides
Paul Mavrides is an American artist, best known for his critique-laden comics, cartoons, paintings, graphics, performances and writings that encompass a disturbing yet humorous catalog of the social ills and shortcomings of human civilization...
(since 1978). The work enjoys a sizable cult following, and the magazines are widely available in comic stores.
While most underground comix are humorous, the Freak Brothers live a slapstick existence reminiscent of the best silent comedies. Their entire lives rotate around the procurement and enjoyment of recreational drugs, particularly marijuana. None of them have the slightest concern about gainful employment, and the only use for money is to procure some food and lots of drugs without getting "burned" by unscrupulous dealers or busted by the police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
. Other storylines involve Fat Freddy's Cat
Fat Freddy's Cat
Fat Freddy's Cat is a fictional orange tomcat nominally belonging to Fat Freddy Freekowtski, one of the Freak Brothers, a trio of hippies who are featured in Gilbert Shelton's underground comix.-History:...
and a military empire of cockroaches in the kitchen. The stories often satirize the establishment
The Establishment
The Establishment is a term used to refer to a visible dominant group or elite that holds power or authority in a nation. The term suggests a closed social group which selects its own members...
and right-wing politics
Right-wing politics
In politics, Right, right-wing and rightist generally refer to support for a hierarchical society justified on the basis of an appeal to natural law or tradition. To varying degrees, the Right rejects the egalitarian objectives of left-wing politics, claiming that the imposition of equality is...
. For a counterculture
Counterculture
Counterculture is a sociological term used to describe the values and norms of behavior of a cultural group, or subculture, that run counter to those of the social mainstream of the day, the cultural equivalent of political opposition. Counterculture can also be described as a group whose behavior...
production, the standard of artwork is exceptionally high; Shelton's striving for accuracy and attention to detail have earned him comparisons with Hergé
Hergé
Georges Prosper Remi , better known by the pen name Hergé, was a Belgian comics writer and artist. His best known and most substantial work is the 23 completed comic books in The Adventures of Tintin series, which he wrote and illustrated from 1929 until his death in 1983, although he was also...
.
The majority of the titles in the series consist of one or more multi-page stories together with a number of one-page strips. Many of the latter have a one-row skit featuring Fat Freddy's Cat at the bottom of the page. Some of the titles also contain a small number of strips featuring completely unrelated characters.
In 1972, The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers appeared in the full-length XXX-rated adult film Up in Flames. The story involved the brothers attempts to raise cash to make their rent deadline or get thrown out of their apartment. The film also featured Robert Crumb's character Mr. Natural as a health food store owner where Fat Freddy attempts to gain employment. The soundtrack featured music by The Grateful Dead and the movie can be purchased at http://www.somethingweird.com as a double feature with the XXX-rated comedy A Star is Born (not to be confused with the Judy Garland Film.)
The comic is currently being adapted into a clay animation
Clay animation
Clay animation or claymation is one of many forms of stop motion animation. Each animated piece, either character or background, is "deformable"—made of a malleable substance, usually Plasticine clay....
movie entitled Grass Roots
Grass Roots (film)
Grass Roots is an upcoming clay animated film based on the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers underground comic strip created by Gilbert Shelton.-Plot:...
. But so far there is no release date or information about when the movie will be released or if it will be released at all.
Characters
The Freak Brothers are a threesome of hippieHippie
The hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that arose in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to other countries around the world. The etymology of the term 'hippie' is from hipster, and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into San Francisco's...
s (hippies were commonly known as "freaks" in 1970s U.S. slang
Slang
Slang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's language or dialect but are considered more acceptable when used socially. Slang is often to be found in areas of the lexicon that refer to things considered taboo...
) from San Francisco: Phineas Freakears, Freewheelin' Franklin, and Fat Freddy. The trio are anti-hero
Anti-hero
In fiction, an antihero is generally considered to be a protagonist whose character is at least in some regards conspicuously contrary to that of the archetypal hero, and is in some instances its antithesis in which the character is generally useless at being a hero or heroine when they're...
es, taking large quantities of drugs and consistently defying authority. They are lazy (several storylines revolve around the "horror" of one of the brothers having to find work) and unreliable — particularly in the case of Fat Freddy.
- Freewheelin' Franklin, although laid-back, is the most street-smart of the trio. Apparently he has always been on the streets. In one story he reveals that he grew up in an orphanage and never knew his parents. Tall and skinny, he has a big bulbous nose, a waterfall moustache, and a ponytail, and wears cowboy boots and a cowboy hat. He might be a biker if he didn't spend all his money on drugs. In one strip, he runs into an ex-girlfriend who has a child that bears a striking resemblance to himself, which he almost successfully evades, but is relieved when she doesn't recognize him, thus not obligating him to any parental position. His hair is red, blonde, or light brown.
- Phineas T. Freakears is the intellectual and idealist of the group; he can and has created new drugs, takes an avid interest in politics, and is the most committed of the three to social change and environmental issues. He hails from Texas, and while his mother is relaxed and open-minded, his father is a card-carrying member of the John Birch SocietyJohn Birch SocietyThe John Birch Society is an American political advocacy group that supports anti-communism, limited government, a Constitutional Republic and personal freedom. It has been described as radical right-wing....
. He is the hairiest, tall and skinny with a thick bush of black hair, a beard, a nose that bears more than a passing resemblance to a marijuana joint, and glasses. He is the stereotypical left-wing radical, bearing a superficial resemblance to Abbie HoffmanAbbie HoffmanAbbot Howard "Abbie" Hoffman was a political and social activist who co-founded the Youth International Party ....
or Jerry RubinJerry RubinJerry Rubin was an American social activist during the 1960s and 1970s. During the 1980s, he became a successful businessman.-Early life:...
.
- Fat Freddy Freekowtski is the least intelligent, and can be seen as an embodiment of pure appetite. He is fat, or at least plump, with curly yellow hair. He regularly gets "burned" on drug transactions, and when he does "score," he usually manages to lose the drugs in various ways, such as by dumping them out of a shopping bag in front of a fan which then blows them out the window onto a police car. Fat Freddy comes from a large, quite ordinary family in Cleveland. In The Idiots Abroad, Freddy visits the Polish village of Gfatsk where everybody happens to look like him yet he is driven away by an angry mob as soon as they hear the name Freekowtski.
Other regularly occurring characters include:
- Fat Freddy's CatFat Freddy's CatFat Freddy's Cat is a fictional orange tomcat nominally belonging to Fat Freddy Freekowtski, one of the Freak Brothers, a trio of hippies who are featured in Gilbert Shelton's underground comix.-History:...
, who appears mainly in his own, separate strip at the bottom of the one-page Freak Brothers strips (getting his start just as Krazy KatKrazy KatKrazy Kat is an American comic strip created by cartoonist George Herriman, published daily in newspapers between 1913 and 1944. It first appeared in the New York Evening Journal, whose owner, William Randolph Hearst, was a major booster for the strip throughout its run...
did) also has several multi-page stories devoted to him. Many of his strips parallel a storyline in the corresponding Freak Brothers story, and often have themes of a scatologicalScatologyIn medicine and biology, scatology or coprology is the study of feces.Scatological studies allow one to determine a wide range of biological information about a creature, including its diet , healthiness, and diseases such as tapeworms. The word derives from the Greek σκώρ In medicine and biology,...
nature. The cat is sometimes known as "Fat Freddy Scat" and has used the alias "F. Frederic Skitty". His "nephews" refer to him as "Uncle F." He often finds himself confronting an army of cockroaches and a huge tribe of mice who share the apartment with the Freak Brothers. A sort of hippie GarfieldGarfieldGarfield is a comic strip created by Jim Davis. Published since June 19, 1978, it chronicles the life of the title character, the cat Garfield ; his owner, Jon Arbuckle; and Arbuckle's dog, Odie...
, he is far smarter than his owner (whom he frequently refers to as "the obeseObesityObesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems...
one") and regards the Freak Brothers with amused contempt. - Norbert the Nark, an inept DEADrug Enforcement AdministrationThe Drug Enforcement Administration is a federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Justice, tasked with combating drug smuggling and use within the United States...
agent who is continually trying, and failing, to arrest the Freak Brothers. - Hiram "Country" Cowfreak, a hippy who grows vast quantities of marijuanaCannabis (drug)Cannabis, also known as marijuana among many other names, refers to any number of preparations of the Cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug or for medicinal purposes. The English term marijuana comes from the Mexican Spanish word marihuana...
at his isolated farmstead. He is referred to as the Freak Brothers' "cousin". - Dealer McDope, one of the trio's dealers. He is often name-checked in the magazines but rarely appears "in person".
- Tricky Prickears, a blind and deaf detective, sometimes billed as "The Freak Brothers' favorite law enforcement officer" (a parody of Dick TracyDick TracyDick Tracy is a comic strip featuring Dick Tracy, a hard-hitting, fast-shooting and intelligent police detective. Created by Chester Gould, the strip made its debut on October 4, 1931, in the Detroit Mirror. It was distributed by the Chicago Tribune New York News Syndicate...
). - Governor Rodney Richpigge, A stereotypical rich, corrupt politician whom the Freak Brothers hold in general contempt. The Governor's son is a cocaine dealer.
Storylines and themes
Stimulant
Stimulants are psychoactive drugs which induce temporary improvements in either mental or physical function or both. Examples of these kinds of effects may include enhanced alertness, wakefulness, and locomotion, among others...
s and hallucinogen
Psychedelics, dissociatives and deliriants
This general group of pharmacological agents can be divided into three broad categories: psychedelics, dissociatives, and deliriants. These classes of psychoactive drugs have in common that they can cause subjective changes in perception, thought, emotion and consciousness...
s are mentioned as well. Most of the Freak Brothers stories include the use of drugs, or attempts to purchase them, for humorous effect, although heroin is notably missing from the list of drugs that the Freak Brothers would condone using. In one adventure, Franklin is shown to refuse, with alarm, an offer of 'smack' when hitching a ride. The theme of foreign travel is often explored, most notably in the three-part Idiots Abroad series. Food
Food
Food is any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for the body. It is usually of plant or animal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals...
is a commonly recurring subject. These stories most often involve Fat Freddy and his marijuana-induced "munchies" (increased appetite). The squalor engendered by the Brothers' indolence is often highlighted; several strips feature the household's cockroach
Cockroach
Cockroaches are insects of the order Blattaria or Blattodea, of which about 30 species out of 4,500 total are associated with human habitations...
population, ruled over by a fascist monarchy
Monarchy
A monarchy is a form of government in which the office of head of state is usually held until death or abdication and is often hereditary and includes a royal house. In some cases, the monarch is elected...
whose leader resembles General Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
. Several stories satirise government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
s, particularly the U.S. government
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
. These stories invariably show politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
s and their agents as corrupt
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
, incompetent, or both.
It is common for the storylines to begin with an air of realism, but rapidly descend via surrealism into complete insanity, often explained by use of the "...it was all a dream..." device.
Some of the best-loved Freak Brothers stories include:
- Grass Roots: The Brothers find a "year's supply" of cocaineCocaineCocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
and move to the country with the proceeds. They manage to snort it all in two days. - Chariots of the Globs: Fat Freddy's Cat is abducted by aliens.
- Mexican Odyssey: The Brothers holiday in MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, are thrown in jail and escape with the help of shaman Don Longjuan, in a partial spoof of the Carlos CastanedaCarlos CastanedaCarlos Castaneda was a Peruvian-born American anthropologist and author....
books. - The Idiots Abroad: The Brothers are split up attempting to travel to ColombiaColombiaColombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
hoping to score on cheap dope down there, yet none of them manages to even just reach BogotáBogotáBogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
; Fat Freddy accidentally joins a group of nuclear terrorists in ScotlandScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
before disrupting the International Workers' DayInternational Workers' DayInternational Workers' Day is a celebration of the international labour movement and left-wing movements. It commonly sees organized street demonstrations and marches by working people and their labour unions throughout most of the world. May 1 is a national holiday in more than 80 countries...
military parade in MoscowMoscowMoscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, USSR and being subsequently sold to slavery in AfricaAfricaAfrica is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, Franklin is almost killed by a native apocalyptic South American cult before joining a group of pirates, while Phineas ends up in MeccaMeccaMecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
and becomes the world's richest man after founding a new religion.
In animation
In 2006, the company Grass Roots Films began production on a feature-length clay-animation film based on the series, called Grass Roots, co-produced by German distribution company X Filme. A 3-minute piece of test animation can be seen here.
Also Freewheelin' Franklin is shot by "McTrigger" in a '70s movie-trailer shown in The Simpsons episode "The Lastest Gun in the West
The Lastest Gun in the West
"The Lastest Gun in the West" is the twelfth episode of The Simpsons’ thirteenth season. It first aired on the Fox network on February 24, 2002. In the episode, Bart, after being chased by a vicious dog, runs into a retired Western star named Buck McCoy, who soon becomes Bart's idol...
", ca. 9 min. 56 sec into the episode.
Catchphrases
The Freak Brothers comics include a number of catchphrases that have worked their way into the underground consciousness:- "Dope will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no dope."—Freewheelin' Franklin
- The Los Angeles Public LibraryLos Angeles Public LibraryThe Los Angeles Public Library system serves the residents of Los Angeles, California, United States. With over 6 million volumes, LAPL is one of the largest publicly funded library systems in the world. The system is overseen by a Board of Library Commissioners with five members appointed by the...
paraphrased this as "Books will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no books" on an in-library poster featuring the likeness of Freewheelin' Franklin.
- The Los Angeles Public Library
- "Don't get burned!" (usually aimed at Fat Freddy as he sets out to purchase drugs)
- "Smoking grass and drinking beer is like pissing into the wind."
- "While you're out there smashing the state, don't forget to keep a smile on your lips and a song in your heart!"
- "Keed Spills!" - Fat Freddy: from a 1-page poster (shown above) that parodied the anti-amphetamine campaign phrase "Speed Kills".
List of Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers titles
Titles in the series are often referred to by their number, but almost all of them additionally have a title in words.- Underground Classics (Freak Brothers No.0) (issues 0 to 7 are in black and white)
- The Collected Adventures Of... (Freak Brothers No.1)
- Further Adventures of those... (Freak Brothers No.2)
- A Year Passes Like Nothing (Freak Brothers No.3)
- Brother, Can You Spare 75¢ for the... (Freak Brothers No.4)
- Grass Roots (Freak Brothers No.5)
- Six Snappy Sockeroos (Freak Brothers No.6)
- Several Short Stories (Freak Brothers No.7)
- The Idiots Abroad, Part I (Freak Brothers No.8) (both color and black and white editions)
- The Idiots Abroad, Part II (Freak Brothers No.9) (both color and black and white editions)
- The Idiots Abroad, Part III (Freak Brothers No.10) (both color and black and white editions)
- Freak Brothers No.11 (both color and black and white editions)
- Freak Brothers No.12 (black and white only)
- Freak Brothers No.13 (reprints in black and white of stories from Thoroughly Ripped plus new cover and one story never before printed in the US, The Plant.)
A number of compilation titles have been published that merge several of the original titles into one book. Also, there have been two full color books:
- Thoroughly Ripped (1978) ISBN 0-89620-077-9 (2 editions, one with the board game, one without)
- Grass Roots (1984) ISBN 0-89620-090-6
There have been two large collections, the first reprinting comic book covers in color, the second entirely in color.
- The Complete Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers, Volume One (2001) ISBN 0-86166-146-X (reprints comic books 0 through 7 and 12)
- The Complete Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers, Volume Two (2003) ISBN 0-86166-149-4 (reprints comic books 8 - 11 and 13) (note: according to the reverse title pages, the second volume has the same ISBN 0-86166-146-X)
An omnibus edition (ISBN 978-0-86166-159-6) of the entire series was published in late 2008.
Compilations of Fat Freddy's Cat
Fat Freddy's Cat
Fat Freddy's Cat is a fictional orange tomcat nominally belonging to Fat Freddy Freekowtski, one of the Freak Brothers, a trio of hippies who are featured in Gilbert Shelton's underground comix.-History:...
stories have also been published.