IS THE EARTH DYING A SLOW DEATH?

Along with sex, dope, violence and tributes to EC horror, underground comics also tackled the 70s political hot potato of ecology. In 1970, the topic had become a publicly-recognized concern, and although other countries acknowledged the growing fragility of the world's ecosystem, it was the United States and its vocal counterculture movement that were the self-declared pall bearers of a dying Earth.

Leaving no stoner unturned, underground artists jumped on the subject with their own interpretation of eco-consciousness, meaning they made it the main topic behind the usual façade of sardonic and irreverent humor. Preeminent was SLOW DEATH FUNNIES published by Ron Turner's Last Gasp out of San Francisco (where else?).

Shown here is the first printing, published in 1970. It is identifiable from the red border on the front cover. Subsequent printings had a white border.

NOTE: All stories are written by the artist.

Cover by Greg Irons.

Willie Mendes.

Gary Grimshaw.

Dave Sheridan.

Jim Osborne.

Jim Evans.

Greg Irons.

Gary Grimshaw.

Dave Sheridan.

Gilbert Shelton.

Fred Schrier.

Rory and Geoffrey Hayes (top); Ron Cobb (bottom).

Jack Jackson (aka "Jaxon").

Kim Deitch.

R. Crumb.

Gilbert Shelton.

Tony Auth (top); Randy Tuten (bottom).

Jim Evans.

EXTRA!

Celebrated underground cartoonist Ron Cobb designed the now world-recognized symbol for ecology, as well as the ecology flag design. He garnered much attention with his single panel cartoons reflecting the political views of 60s and 70s counterculture.

The ecology symbol was first published on the front page of the LOS ANGELES FREE PRESS (November 7-November 13, 1969).

Cobb's first professional work was as an animation in-betweener for Disney. In the 60s he painted several covers for FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND. He became well known for his weekly cartoons in the FREE PRESS. He went on to become a concept artist for Hollywood films including STAR WARS and ALIEN. He also designed the the "Father's sword" and the "Atlantean sword" for CONAN THE BARBARIAN. Cobb died in 2020 at the age of 83.

Conan the Barbarian Atlantean sword.

Conan the Barbarian Father's sword.

See more of Ron Cobb's work HERE.

VENICE SIDESHOW

After having lived in Venice, California for five years from 1980-1985 I got a pretty good taste of the counterculture as it was at the the time. The days of Flower Power were dying on the vine, but there were still remnants of Peace and Love here and there, albeit diluted with the cynicism that comes with time. I lived in a one-bedroom cottage six short blocks from the ocean that had been built for beach vacationers in the 1930's with my then-girlfriend to the tune of $240 a month.

Six blocks down and a little further south was the famed boardwalk and muscle beach where the freak show would be in full swing on any given day. And after playing street hockey in my earlier days, I took up roller skating again, which was a good way to get around faster than walking.

Venice is also where I got one of my gigs in the animation industry. Located upstairs in a rickety old building, I learned all about the trade from old-timers and up-and-comers alike. I remember one in particular, Amby Paliwoda, an animator who had previously worked for many years at Disney. He was a great guy and was always willing to talk shop about the industry and the "good old days". Kunimi Terada was my supervisor and became production supervisor some years after I left. A sweet lady and very patient!

The Duck Soup Produckions logo.

Duck Soup Produckions was located at Main and Pier and co-owned by Roger Choinard and Duane Crowther. The studio's specialty was TV commercials and one client I remember working on was 9 Lives cat food. The shop moved around a few more times over the ensuing years before it finally closed.

In the 1970's, Venice was still pretty "hippy-esque" and it's not surprising that it finally got it's own underground newspaper. Subtitled, "Greatest Show on Pulp!" the aptly titled, VENICE SIDE SHOW tabloid was a psychedelic panoply that echoed other counterculture newspapers like the local LOS ANGELES FREE PRESS and Bay Area broadsheets BERKELEY BARB and THE SAN FRANCISCO ORACLE that were either gone or on their way out by 1974 when this was printed. Unlike the others, though, VENICE SIDE SHOW focused on fun and was bereft of politics. There is no mention of Nixon, Watergate or the Vietnam War and the closest article to anything politically radical was Harlan Ellison's satire, "Ecoawareness". How refreshing! So far as I know, this was the only issue printed, but what a goldmine of talent!

FURTHER READING:

• Uncovering the Sixties: The Life and Times of the Underground Press by Ape Peck (Citadel Press, 1991)
• Free Press: Underground and Alternative Publications, 1965-1975 by Jean-Francois Bizot and Barry Miles (Universe, 2006)
• Rebel Visions: Underground Comix by Patrick Rosenkranz (Fantagraphics Books, 2003)