Morty Comix # 2414

 Before

 After

Morty Comix # 2414, part of the Watercolor Series, was inserted into a menu at a restaurant in Forks, Washington, where I met filmmakers Louise Amandes and Ron Austin for breakfast.

As I was stuffing the menu, Ron asked, "Aren't you worried someone is going to kick your ass?"

Well, as a matter of fact, yes. Particularly in the town of Forks, which had a much different reputation before the national media discovered this place. In the 1970s, we hitchhikers knew this was a town never to get stranded in.

Ron's question is a good one. This method of distributing Morty Comix could easily cross some legal/social boundaries if I am careless. Maybe I have even already crossed some. I am sure in some cases my distribution actions have been recorded by security cameras. But as we saw with Morty Comix # 2407 a security guy appeared to enjoy discovering the comic.

This is a blending of graphic and conceptual art. The rules of the game reveal themselves as we play. I'll try to be a bit more playful than those old Jack T. Chick comics I used to find in phone booths, but in many ways his method of distribution helped inspire me on this project.

If the old mailed Morty Comix drove completist collectors crazy, this new set, starting with Morty Comix # 2279,  will be extra hard to find and I must say there is some satisfaction in that.

But at some point I'll stop and allow this certain slice of Morty Comix to be incredibly hard to collect and then move on to something else.   

Phone photo 1706

Two raccoons attempt to hitch a ride

Five Mile Drive

Tacoma, Washington

Outside In # 1

1st edition, 1983, 150 copies on white cardstock.

2nd edition, December 1983, 20 copies on white cardstock.

3rd edition, 1984. Seattle, Washington : Starhead Comix, regular stock white paper.

Created with the intention of starting a visual directory of self-portraits.

The first issue featured Hank Arakelian, Clint Hollingsworth, Brad Foster, Tucker Petertil, Jean Turnbow, Mark Hopkins, and Jon Turnbow (now known as Strongbow)

The cover was an accident. I loved Hank's drawing and thought he sent this as his self-portrait right after I sounded the call. But it turned out he sent the graphic to me just to do it and didn't consider this a self-portrait. Yet it works and was the perfect illustration to kick off the series.



Hank's original still adorns my studio wall. My poor studio. Right now it looks like the Tasmanian Devil has paid it a visit.


Mark Hopkins is someone I've known since the third grade. He is one of the greatest natural born artists I've ever seen. While the other kids were drawing crude figures during art time in school, Mark would be creating an image that looked like a lost Van Gogh painting. Here's a photo of Mark and I in Santa Barbara, California, April 1, 1976 as we hitchhiked together down the West Coast. Mark's on the right. A lot of people thought we were brothers.

Bezango WA 985 #2

1st published Dec. 8, 2001, 50 copies, digest size, parchment cover.

2nd ed., June 2, 2002, 15 copies, digest size, blue cover.

Starting in August, 2002, this was a print-on-demand comic for a brief time.

The 1st Danger Room Reprint Ed., June 2005, 5 copies (1 yellow, 1 red, 1 blue, 1 pink, 1 green)

This issue has the local festival as the theme. Here in McCleary we have the Bear Festival, where bear stew is served. Seriously. In Winlock they have Egg Days, where eggs are eaten. It makes me wonder what they consume at Montesano's Festival of People.

The mountain beaver is real animal pretty much regulated by nature to the Pacific Northwest.

The character on page 3 was someone I witnessed up in suburban King County. The man on pages 4-5 is based and modified from a story that came from Port Townsend. The guy on pages 6-7 was a neighbor. The fellow on page 12 was from a story I heard about a local character in Winlock. I have a cousin on the Winlock City Council, by the way, and need to talk to him about why they have the world's 2nd or 3rd largest egg replica on display. The page 13 character really exists to this day. Page 14: I wrote about the Midnight Sponge in Evergroove Trivia pt. 39. Page 15: This guy gave me a ride while I was hitchhiking on Cooper Point in the 1970s. Page 18, my daughter, Rose, used to collect pieces of the road.

Morty Prima Facie!

The 1st edition was published by High Resolution Productions (Shawn Christie) in Cloquet, Minnesota. There are a few misleading details on this one. Although the cover has "no. 1" the comic was intended as a monograph rather than as a serial, so the real title is actually on the back page. The date on the back is c1986, but this minicomic didn't see print until 1987, I'm guessing in April or early May.

The 2nd edition was published by Future Comics (Chris DiRe) in Lancaster, New York. The 1st Future Comics printing had 50 copies on white paper in July, 1987. Chris kept the "no. 1" on the cover and a "Future Comics" logo on the top of the cover.

When the work became part of the Reprint Series in my 1994 print-on -demand spree, I stripped off the numerical designation. I have no idea how many copies of this little guy were printed.

The 1st Danger Room Reprint Ed. in June 2005 consisted of 5 copies on yellow cardstock. I incorrectly had the statement "Originally published 1986" on it.

This one has always been one of my favorites and it brings back fond memories of an age when I thought I was invulnerable. In the 1970s I saw a lot of the West Coast and New England thanks to hitching rides. Once in awhile I'd get stuck in a spot for quite some time (next to Disneyland was the worst ever!) and have a chance to just think. This comic was my attempt to capture that experience.

Of course, by 1986 there was no way I was ever going to hitch again-- I was an old guy-- in my 30s!

Notice how the conflict between Morty and myself becomes one of his great joys. That little mutt! I think I'll have to go to a doctor to have him surgically removed!