Rip Off Press
Encyclopedia
Rip Off Press, Inc.
is a seminal publishing company that specializes in adult-themed literature and graphic novel
s, mostly in a specific comic book format known as underground comix
.
ists Gilbert Shelton
and Jack Jackson
. The initial plan was to print rock-band promotional posters on an old press and do comix on the side, but by 1972 the printing business had faded away and the company had become a publishing house
. During 1972 the Rip Off Press published a magazine/comic book called The Rip Off Review of Western Culture
under Dave Moriaty's supervision. The Rip Off Press resided at 1250 17th Street in San Francisco from 1970 until 1975. By this time Moriaty and Jackson had long since gone back to Texas. The company moved to a smaller space on San Jose Avenue near the city's southern border in mid-1975, with warehouse space across town at the Bayview Industrial Park. This 3-story, block-square building, which housed over a hundred other businesses, burned to the ground on April 6, 1986 following an explosion in an illegal fireworks factory in the basement.
Thus freed of a 17-year accumulation of comix and other paraphernalia, Fred Todd (who at this point was the only original partner still working in the business) decided to relocate Rip Off Press to Auburn, California where he and his wife Kathe could continue to run the company while raising their two small children in more pleasant surroundings. The move was made in June of 1987, and during the next few years Rip Off Press continued to publish Shelton's Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers plus the Rip Off Comix anthology magazine, Larry Gonick's Cartoon History of the Universe, Matt Howarth's Those Annoying Post Bros. and many other titles.
After the collapse of the Direct Market in the early 1990s (fueled by Marvel Comics' withdrawal of its 40% market share from the distribution system), Rip Off Press began taking steps to cut costs and gradually retreated from publishing to sell backlist comics to its store and mail order customers, plus the many fans finding them online. The Todds moved the business to much smaller quarters adjoining their home in 1999, where they continue to sell comix, mostly through the company web site.
Rip Off Press is also notable for being the original company to publish the fourth edition of the Principia Discordia
, a Discordian religious text written by Gregory Hill. It was also an early publisher of the infamous booklet on drug manufacturing, Psychedelic Chemistry.
Corporation
A corporation is created under the laws of a state as a separate legal entity that has privileges and liabilities that are distinct from those of its members. There are many different forms of corporations, most of which are used to conduct business. Early corporations were established by charter...
is a seminal publishing company that specializes in adult-themed literature and graphic novel
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
s, mostly in a specific comic book format known as 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...
.
Overview
The company was founded January 17, 1969, in San Francisco by Fred Todd, Dave Moriaty, and cartoonCartoon
A cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
ists 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...
and Jack Jackson
Jaxon
Jaxon was the pen name of Jack Jackson , an American cartoonist. Many consider him the first underground comix artist. He co-founded the seminal Rip Off Press.-Career:Jack Jackson was born in 1941 in Pandora, Texas...
. The initial plan was to print rock-band promotional posters on an old press and do comix on the side, but by 1972 the printing business had faded away and the company had become a publishing house
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
. During 1972 the Rip Off Press published a magazine/comic book called The Rip Off Review of Western Culture
The Rip Off Review of Western Culture
Rip Off Review Of Western Culture was an underground comic magazine based in San Francisco, California. There were three issues in 1972. The publication was historically significant in that it brought together the work of many noteworthy underground artists and writers.-History:The Rip Off Review...
under Dave Moriaty's supervision. The Rip Off Press resided at 1250 17th Street in San Francisco from 1970 until 1975. By this time Moriaty and Jackson had long since gone back to Texas. The company moved to a smaller space on San Jose Avenue near the city's southern border in mid-1975, with warehouse space across town at the Bayview Industrial Park. This 3-story, block-square building, which housed over a hundred other businesses, burned to the ground on April 6, 1986 following an explosion in an illegal fireworks factory in the basement.
Thus freed of a 17-year accumulation of comix and other paraphernalia, Fred Todd (who at this point was the only original partner still working in the business) decided to relocate Rip Off Press to Auburn, California where he and his wife Kathe could continue to run the company while raising their two small children in more pleasant surroundings. The move was made in June of 1987, and during the next few years Rip Off Press continued to publish Shelton's Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers plus the Rip Off Comix anthology magazine, Larry Gonick's Cartoon History of the Universe, Matt Howarth's Those Annoying Post Bros. and many other titles.
After the collapse of the Direct Market in the early 1990s (fueled by Marvel Comics' withdrawal of its 40% market share from the distribution system), Rip Off Press began taking steps to cut costs and gradually retreated from publishing to sell backlist comics to its store and mail order customers, plus the many fans finding them online. The Todds moved the business to much smaller quarters adjoining their home in 1999, where they continue to sell comix, mostly through the company web site.
Rip Off Press is also notable for being the original company to publish the fourth edition of the Principia Discordia
Principia Discordia
Principia Discordia is a Discordian religious text written by Greg Hill and Kerry Thornley . It was originally published under the title "Principia Discordia or How The West Was Lost" in a limited edition of 5 copies in 1965...
, a Discordian religious text written by Gregory Hill. It was also an early publisher of the infamous booklet on drug manufacturing, Psychedelic Chemistry.
Featured artists and comix
- Rip Off Comix
- Gilbert SheltonGilbert SheltonGilbert 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 Fabulous Furry Freak BrothersFabulous Furry Freak BrothersThe 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...
, 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:...
, Wonder Wart-HogWonder Wart-HogWonder Wart-Hog is an underground comic book character, a porcine parody of Superman, created by Gilbert Shelton and Tony Bell.His secret identity is the mild-mannered reporter Philbert Desanex...
, Not Quite DeadNot Quite DeadNot Quite Dead is an underground comic book series by Gilbert Shelton and the French cartoonist Pic, published in France by the magazine Flag and in the U.S. by Rip Off Press. The title is the name of a fictional band... - Dave SheridanDave 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,...
- Carol LayCarol LayCarol Lay is the author of a weekly comic strip, Way Lay, which first appeared in 1992 and which runs in the LA Weekly and Salon. It is also printed in daily and weekly newspapers as far afield as Hong Kong and Norway. Lay has been drawing professionally for over 25 years.-Biography:Lay was born...
: Good Girls - Chuck AustenChuck AustenChuck Austen is an American comic book writer/artist, TV writer and animator. In the comics industry, he is known for his work on War Machine, Elektra, Action Comics, and the X-Men franchise, and in television, he is known for co-creating the aniamted TV series Tripping the Rift.-Early life:Austen...
: Strips - SS Crompton: Demi the DemonessDemi the DemonessDemi the Demoness is a fictional, humorous, erotic comics character whose fantasy adventures have been published since 1992. She has appeared in numerous comic crossovers with other characters including Shaundra, Captain Fortune, Mauvette, Vampirooni, Cassiopeia the Witch, Djustine, and adult film...
- Matt HowarthMatt HowarthMatt Howarth is an American comic book writer/artist known for such series as Those Annoying Post Bros, Savage Henry, Star Crossed, and Bugtown....
: Savage Henry, Those Annoying Post Bros
External links
- Rip Off Press.com - Official website