Week 6: Underground Comix

In the 1960’s came the arrival of underground comics, which was a surge of hippie inspired comic books that dealt with social as well as political issues of that time such as sex, drugs, rock n roll, and anti-war protesting. Because of the sensitive subject matter these ‘comix’, now with the emphasis of an x rating, were not publically sold. These comix originated from a variety of sources, which can be traced back to the 1950s. First there was the influence of the Mad tradition. Also, underground newspapers such as The East Village Other which featured articles, music reviews and hippie news, started to publish comix and attract more work. A major underground influence was also the anti-censorship reaction to the imposed 'comics code.'

The underground comics movement was a movement truly dedicated to its time. In the late 1960s, the hippie movement in America was very much involved with protests against the Vietnam War, civil rights, anarchism, women’s suffrage, and LGBT liberation. Add to this a peaked interest in the value of taking drugs and of the “free love" movement, and you had a thriving new wave culture hell bent against old-fashioned principles. Many creators faced financial risk or even being arrested for circulating or spreading what the public considered to be obscene. By the end of the 1960’s, women had their own wave of commix as well, and 1975 marked the end of the first era of underground comix.

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