Zap Comix No. 4

Zap Comix #4

by Robert Crumb, Victor Moscoso, Gilbert Shelton

Certification #: 0226766004 Zap Comix 4 Issue 1971 Issue 1971 Apex Novelties 4.5 Page OFF-WHITE TO WHITE Grade 03/27/2014 Second Printing Universal Art Robert Crumb, Gilbert Shelton, Victor Moscoso and S. Clay Wilson art Victor Moscoso cover By the summer of 1969, Zap Comix was selling out printing after printing and the phenomenon of underground comix was well underway, with Bijou Funnies, Radical America Komiks, Tales from the Ozone, Feds 'n' Heads Comics, Snatch Comics and Bogeyman in the marketplace. The mass migration of underground artists to San Francisco continued, with people like Greg Irons, Dave Sheridan, Fred Schrier and Roger Brand showing up, with even more on the way. It seemed clear that underground comics were more than just a passing fad, like Nehru jackets or love beads, but Zap's key contributors were not about to rest on their laurels. They invited Spain Rodriguez and Robert Williams as the last two members into the Zap Collective and a specific agenda was set for Zap Comix #4. As Williams put it, "We decided to severely test the norm with this issue and to actually try to produce the most extremely disgusting periodical imaginable. We really wanted to push people's buttons." Ultimately, our findings determined that the 1st printing of Zap #4 must have an upper staple placement of 2 5/16 inch from the top edge of the book, give or take 1/32nd of an inch. There is no other reliable determining factor. COMIC Victor Moscoso - 1, 3-8, 37-39 (collaboration), 52 Robert Williams - 2, 17-20, 51 Robert Crumb - 9-14, 28-31, 36, 37-39 (collaboration), 40 S. Clay Wilson - 15-16, 26-27, 32, 37-39 (collaboration), 41-50 Gilbert Shelton - 21-25, 37-39 (collaboration) Spain Rodgriguez - 33-35, 37-39 (collaboration) Rick Griffin - 37-39 (collaboration)

Genres: Comics, Comix

50 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1969

About the author

Robert Dennis Crumb (born August 30, 1943)— is an American artist, illustrator, and musician recognized for the distinctive style of his drawings and his critical, satirical, subversive view of the American mainstream.

Crumb was a founder of the underground comix movement and is regarded as its most prominent figure. Though one of the most celebrated of comic book artists, Crumb's entire career has unfolded outside the mainstream comic book publishing industry. One of his most recognized works is the "Keep on Truckin'" comic, which became a widely distributed fixture of pop culture in the 1970s. Others are the characters "Devil Girl", "Fritz the Cat", and "Mr. Natural".

He was inducted into the comic book industry's Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1991.

Reviews

[Drew Canole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of it is basically just porno comics. The Crumb stuff rises above it with some interesting commentary. There's enough great artwork in here and sort-of funny stories to make it worthwhile.

[RSC_Collecting · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another wacky issue! With even more artists adding to the pot! And plenty of "adult content" wink wink. Let's see some of my favorites!

Joe Blow:
Goofy and unassuming comic about incest.

A Ball in the Bung Hole:
Weird and bizarre with a hilarious final panel of a ball in a hole.

Wonder Warthog:
Oh wow! Best Wonder Warthog comic I've read so far. Usually I'm not a big fan, but this was so funny. Catching Robert Scum in the act of pedaling smut to the youth! And finally getting it on with his work crush!

Horny Harriet:
Always makes me laugh. I love her!

And a whole bunch more!

[Garry Cannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

S. Clay Wilson continues to steal the show here while Moscoso delivers a better strip than the one he had done for the preceding issue. This issue’s Jam was a lot more enjoyable than the previous as well.

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

crumb, wilson and shelton's work has hugely improved since #3, and if sade can be considered a serious artist why can't they?

[Rick Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zap Comix #4, 1969

While earlier issues of Zap Comix were by no means shy about the level of mature humor and debauchery the individual comic strips engaged in, this issue takes it to a whole other level. Joining the Zap collective in this issue are Spain Rodriguez and Robert Williams, neither of whom are shy about the level of smut that Crumb, S. Clay Wilson, Gilbert Shelton, Rick Griffin and Victor Moscoso engage in. An early piece in this issue sets the tone quickly - "Joe Blow" by Crumb - which features a typical nuclear family that don't just have a laissez-faire towards incest, they actively indulge in it. The comic accelerates the action quickly and with little regard to the age appropriateness of the children being depicted. Not to be outdone though, Wilson, Shelton, and Rodriguez all produce some pretty horrifying depictions of sex throughout. I imagine that these cartoonists got caught up in the idea of delivering on the promise that underground comix would be unrestrained, unfiltered and unencumbered by societal norms, but I definitely think Zap Comix #4 took things a little too far. It's been said that these comics had satiric intent and hence none of the contributors ever regretted anything they depicted here, but there probably were a few too many lines being crossed when looking at this in hindsight. That said, this issue is legendary and worth the time for any fan of underground comix.