Cranium Frenzy # 5

1st edition, 1985, Pullman, Washington, 70 copies, grey cover, enlarged digest. For some reason I printed these in 1985, but held them for a few months into 1986 before distributing them. If I recall I think I timed it so several new comix were released at the same time. It really wasn't scarlet fever.

2nd edition, February 1986, Pullman, Washington, 30 copies, yellow cover, enlarged digest. I've scanned and posted this edition here, but included the original page [2] from the 1st ed. at the end.

Available as a print-on-demand title, 1994-1996 in regular digest size.

Special Fandom House Edition, 20 copies, September or October 1994, regular digest size. Fandom House put in a special order for hundreds of dollars worth of reprinting many titles. Oddly, none of these have ever subsequently shown up in eBay or Rick Bradford's Poopsheet Shop as far as I know.

1st Danger Room Reprint Edition, June 2005, 5 copies, pink cover, regular digest size.

I wish I could provide some trivia background for this one, but it was drawn during my most prolific period, so it doesn't stand out in my memory. It was during the high tide of Reaganism, when America slipped and fell into the loony pit, and where, as the Tea Baggers have shown us, we remain.

But not to pick just on the Right. I find that vigorous political enthusiasts on both sides have a severe humor deficit. Recently one Olympia activist criticized a rival progressive newspaper in part because it "celebrates frivolity" and was too "lowbrow." Holy elitism, Batman! It appears my quarter century-old comic must have some universals in there that can still be applied today.

Yes, that's my self-portrait on page 22.

The inscription on page [2] still holds true. A free Morty Comic to the first person who translates it!

Phone photo 132

Point Plaza East, Tumwater, Washington

Cranium Frenzy # 4

1st edition, spring 1983, Olympia, Washington. 74 copies, cherry cover, enlarged digest size.

Available as a print-on-demand title, 1996, regular digest size.

1st Danger Room Reprint Edition, June 2005, 5 copies, yellow cover, regular digest size.

Easily the most unusual issue of this series to date.

To start with, the cover was a linoleum block print using an oil-base color. I remember all those covers hanging to dry from clothes lines in the studio, making the room look like a used car lot. The subsequent printings did not have original block print covers.

The other unique part of this issue had to with the contributors. Nine other people had artwork in this comic: Robin Coder-Willis, Lee Norton, Anina Sill, Kevin Sill, Dean True, Jon Turnbow, Petrina Walker, Stevie Webb, and Kevin Wildermuth.

Kevin W. created the stamp seen in the upper right-hand corner of the cover. Except for Turnbow, all the other artists in the book were not involved with cartooning. In this comic he used the name "T. Warp." Jon is better known today under the name Strongbow.

For various reasons, I'll just be scanning and posting my own work here.

In a lot of ways my 1983 story also fits our current era.

Phone photo 131

Cranium Frenzy # 3

1st edition, February or March 1982, Seattle, Washington, 60 copies, white.

2nd edition, March or April 1982, Seattle, Washington, 27 copies, white.

Both editions are an odd size, 18 x 11 cm. The 1st edition has a typo in Prof. Verner Von Vernervon's word balloon, the word "know" is omitted. This was corrected for the 2nd edition.

This title was made available on a print-on-demand basis through my Reprint Series in 1994-1996. This version was enlarged to a regular digest format.

The 1st Danger Room Reprint Edition, June 2005, was also in the regular digest format. 5 copies (4 yellow, 1 green).

Basically the entire comic is one illustrated essay, a technique I first used in college while studying with The Evergreen State College faculty member Thad Curtz, a writing instructor who pointed me in some directions that really helped me grow as a cartoonist.

The caption subtitle is "an annotated portrait gallery," which made creating this comic so enjoyable. I love drawing faces, and this format enabled me to present all sorts of characters.

Trivia:

The Plowzone People comes from a job I had for a bit entering data in a computer for the University of Vermont involving an archaeological plowzone.

Three seconds in the life of Rindo Bloch inspired Bryan, my brother, to write a play called Ten Seconds in the Life of Fenwick Green. The posters for the play reprinted the three panels from Cranium Frenzy # 3.

The sordid space age specimen was my self-portrait in 1982.

Phone photo 130

Icon in Tumwater, Washington