Obscuro Bezango Show 6

The Opening Night.  An astounding thing happened. Five of us from the old City Limits Gazette crowd were there at one time: Left to right, Bruce Chrislip, Tom Rehm, Wayno, Mike Hill. I was the 5th but how can I be in two places at once?

I was too busy schmoozing to take many photos, but I did document the following for you students of Newave Comix.

 Hillary chats up Bruce

Wayno, Chrislip, Hill. This was first time I have actually met Wayno in person, even though we corresponded off and on since the 1980s. He was a wonderful contributor to the Bil Keane Watch in City Limits Gazette and a major part of the spark in that title. He brought me a package of coasters, in part to replace my coffee stained and much loved Scottie's Bar coaster in my studio.

 Mike Hill, Bruce Chrislip

A graphic of the mysteriously vanished Maximum Traffic is on the wall

Bruce braved a four hour drive from Cincinnati to attend this opening. As the historian for our brand of comic art, his presence gave the event a a few more "chops" as they say in West Pennsylvania.

But too soon it was all over and the crowd spilled out to the night streets of Pittsburgh. Buzz Buzzizyk, Maximum Traffic, Tom Rehm, all free spirits inspired by the shadowy Borpo Deets, had their night of being honored.

Obscuro Bezango Show 5

A large piece of foamboard in the front window was open for graphic expression by gallery attendees

Obscuro Bezango Show 4

By the time I arrived most of the setup work was already done, but there were plenty of last minute details to work out.

Mike "Worker Poet" Hill also showed up. Both of us were documenting each other documenting the show.

 Picking up the programs at Sir Speedy in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Just about done. But one detail remained. On the far end you see a flat display with a red cover over it. Tom asked me to remove that cover and roll it up ...

... And when I did he surprised me with a display of my own work!

For a few seconds I couldn't speak.

Obscuro Bezango Show 3

Tom Rehm had been housing Maximum Traffic's Machine to Take Over the World at his cabin up in Butler County, Pennsylvania. We disassembled the piece, squeezed the thing into the back of a van, and reassembled it at the Future Tenant gallery in Pittsburgh. This interactive work of art became the centerpiece of the Obscuro Bezango show.