Whenever old time comix people get around the Sterno canned heat campfire at night out in the wilderness, away from the mainstream, they whisper tales of authors who, maybe, just maybe, will compile a history of the Newave comix movement the way it was meant to be told. Several of these supposed books have come up in the rumor mill over the years.
Michael Dowers edited Newave! The Underground Comix of the 1980s which was published by Fantagraphics earlier this year. Although it is a wonderful book, it doesn't really fall into the scope of the vapor book or books being discussed. First, Michael's effort has a focus on just one subgroup in the Newave, the 14-16 cm. little minicomic format. Also, his monograph was chiefly illustrated with some historical text supplementing the reprinted minicomix. No, the book or books being whispered about serve as the back story to the already published Newave! work.
Well, I'm here to tell you that I now know for sure one such book exists because I just finished proofreading the thing. Since the old Newavers are starting to die off at a rate that makes me very cross indeed, I'm gratified to see one from our own ranks has set the story down in print before we all croak. How he plans to publish the thing I do not know.
Before the use of the terms "zines," "graphic novels," "DIY," there was us, the Newavers. And we did it without Internet! This book traces our history and influence on current comic art. Hopefully the author will go public soon and get his book out there.
(Illustration is cover of Cranium Frenzy #1 (1981), as an example of the era)
