Spain Rodriguez
Encyclopedia
Manuel Rodriguez better known as Spain or Spain Rodriguez, is an American underground
cartoonist
who created the character Trashman
. His experiences on the road with the biker gang, the Road Vultures, provided inspiration for his work, as did his left-wing politics.
, Rodriguez studied at the Silvermine Guild Art School. In New York City, during the late 1960s, he became a contributor to the East Village Other
, which published his own comics tabloid, Zodiac Mindwarp (1968).
A founder of the United Cartoon Workers of America, he contributed to numerous underground comics and also drew Salon
s continuing graphic story, The Dark Hotel.
Strongly influenced by 1950s EC comic book illustrator Wally Wood
, Spain pushed Wood's sharp, crisp black shadows and hard-edged black outlines into a more simplified, stylized direction. His work also extended the eroticism
of Wood's female characters. In such classics as Mean Bitch Thrills, Spain’s ladies were raunchy, explicitly sexual and sometimes incorporated macho sadomasochistic themes.
His more recent work is an illustrated biography of Marxist revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara, Che: A Graphic Biography (2009). Published in several different languages, it was described by comics artist Art Spiegelman
as "brilliant and radical."
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...
cartoonist
Cartoonist
A cartoonist is a person who specializes in drawing cartoons. This work is usually humorous, mainly created for entertainment, political commentary or advertising...
who created the character Trashman
Trashman (comic)
Trashman is a fictional character, a superhero created and drawn by Spain who appeared regularly in underground comix and magazines from 1968 through 1985.,Trashman's first appearance was as a full page serial comic strip in the New York City underground newspaper the East Village Other...
. His experiences on the road with the biker gang, the Road Vultures, provided inspiration for his work, as did his left-wing politics.
Biography
Born in Buffalo, New YorkBuffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, Rodriguez studied at the Silvermine Guild Art School. In New York City, during the late 1960s, he became a contributor to the East Village Other
East Village Other
The East Village Other , was an American underground newspaper in New York City, New York, published biweekly during the 1960s. EVO was among the first countercultural newspapers to emerge, following the Los Angeles Free Press, which had begun publishing a few months earlier...
, which published his own comics tabloid, Zodiac Mindwarp (1968).
A founder of the United Cartoon Workers of America, he contributed to numerous underground comics and also drew Salon
Salon.com
Salon.com, part of Salon Media Group , often just called Salon, is an online liberal magazine, with content updated each weekday. Salon was founded by David Talbot and launched on November 20, 1995. It was the internet's first online-only commercial publication. The magazine focuses on U.S...
s continuing graphic story, The Dark Hotel.
Strongly influenced by 1950s EC comic book illustrator Wally Wood
Wally Wood
Wallace Allan Wood was an American comic book writer, artist and independent publisher, best known for his work in EC Comics and Mad. He was one of Mads founding cartoonists in 1952. Although much of his early professional artwork is signed Wallace Wood, he became known as Wally Wood, a name he...
, Spain pushed Wood's sharp, crisp black shadows and hard-edged black outlines into a more simplified, stylized direction. His work also extended the eroticism
Eroticism
Eroticism is generally understood to refer to a state of sexual arousal or anticipation of such – an insistent sexual impulse, desire, or pattern of thoughts, as well as a philosophical contemplation concerning the aesthetics of sexual desire, sensuality and romantic love...
of Wood's female characters. In such classics as Mean Bitch Thrills, Spain’s ladies were raunchy, explicitly sexual and sometimes incorporated macho sadomasochistic themes.
His more recent work is an illustrated biography of Marxist revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara, Che: A Graphic Biography (2009). Published in several different languages, it was described by comics artist 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...
as "brilliant and radical."