Rip Off Comix


Rip Off Comix was an underground comix anthology published between 1977 and 1991 by Rip Off Press. For much of its run, the series served as a vehicle for Gilbert Shelton's work, particularly Wonder Wart-Hog. For a period the title billed itself "the International Journal of Humor and Cartoon Art" and showcased the work of European cartoonists from a variety of countries. As time passed, the sensibility of the anthology changed from underground to alternative comics. For many years, the series was edited by Rip Off Press co-publisher Kathe Todd.

Publication history

The first ten issues of Rip Off Comix were standard comic book size and were published approximately every 6 months. From issue #11 onward Rip Off Comix was published magazine-size.
The title suffered a four-year hiatus between issue #12 and the next issue, #14 ; issue #13 was skipped in the numbering. From that point forward the title was published quarterly until it was cancelled in 1991. As a result of skipping issue #13, even though the series ended with issue #31, only 30 issues were published in total.
Running for 14 years, Rip Off Comix was the second-longest-running title of any published by Rip Off Press.

Overview

's Wonder Wart-Hog was a recurring character in issues #1-12 . Shelton, Tony Bell, and Joe E. Brown, Jr. collaborated on the Wonder Wart-Hog storyline "Battle of the Titans," chapters 1–5, in issues #8-12, a collaboration that spanned 20 years from the start to the finish of the story.
Shelton's The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers were also frequently featured in early issues, appearing in issues #1–14, skipping only issue #7.
Along with Shelton, Bill Griffith, Ted Richards, Frank Stack, Joel Beck, and Harry Driggs were frequent contributors to early issues.
One of Fred Schrier's last comics pieces appeared in issue #3. Dave Sheridan was a regular contributor from issues #3–9.
With issue #8, Rip Off Comix opened the doors of the anthology to European contributors with a new feature called "Cartoonists of the World". That issue featured a section on British cartoonists, including Alan Moore, Leo Baxendale, Edwin Pouncey, Steve Moore, Edward Barker, and Terry Gilliam. Issue #9 highlighted "comix from France," including Jean-Marc Reiser, Bernard Willem Holtrop, Florence Cestac, and Charlie Schlingo.
Issue #10 had a special section on Spanish cartoonists, including Guillem Cifré, Juan Mediavilla, Miguel Gallardo, Sento, Marti Riera Ferrer, Francesc Capdevila, Joaquim Aubert Puigarnau, Nazario Luque, Javier Montesol, and Simonides. Issue #11 devoted a section to Dutch cartoonists, including Joost Swarte, Kamagurka, Peter Pontiac, and Evert Geradts.
Shelton edited issues #11–12. With issue #11, Rip Off Comix converted to magazine format, adding text features as well as comix. It also began billing itself as "the International Journal of Humor and Cartoon Art." Shelton and Paul Mavrides began serializing "The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers in The Idiots Abroad" in issues #11 and 12. Issue #12 featured Danish cartoonists, including Storm Petersen, Fred Milton, Claus Deleuran, Ole Pihl, Peter Kielland-Brandt, Mardon Smet, Henning Kure, Sussi Bech, and Joergen Nielsen.
Spain Rodriguez and Larry Todd contributed to issue #14; issue #15 featured a number of Franco-Belgian cartoonists, including Jean-Michel Thiriet, Frank Margerin, Philippe Vuillemin, Pierre Ouin, Jean-Christophe Menu, Paul Carali, Charlie Schlingo, and Ray Goossens.
Larry Marder and Don Simpson contributed a story to issue #17.
Gilbert Shelton and the French cartoonist Pic's Not Quite Dead characters first appeared on the cover of issue #19, with their first adventure occurring in issue #25.
Regular contributors in the late 1980s-early 1990s included such notable names as Mary Fleener, Dennis Worden, Trina Robbins, Larry Welz, Mark Bodé, Joshua Quagmire, J. R. Williams, Carol Lay, and Nina Paley, as well as R. L. Crabb, Ace Backwards, Ronn Foss, Bruce Bolinger, Wayne Honath, Douglas Michael, Lindsay Arnold, Paul Ollswang, The Pizz, George Parsons, and Lyndal Ferguson.
Mack White's first professionally published story, "El Bandito Muerto," appeared in issue #26.