Memory Lane

I was digging around in the free databases available through the Monona Public Library - in particular EBSCOHost and found an amazing array of resources like the very pricey magazine War in History for free. (However, intuitive it isn't.)

One thing led to another and I stumbled onto archives of the SDS, which - and I know you will find this hard to believe - was the subject of my senior honors thesis at the University of Illinois in 1979.

I had to share this graphic created for a student strike.

(Clever, but it's not entirely clear how skippin' school would lead to The Revolution, but that was always a weakness of Marxists. How would we get from regular old here and now, even regular old revolutionary here and now, from the dictatorship of the proletariat to the full freedom and the "withering away of the state".)

Less humorous is the May 4th archive from Kent State. 

Underground Fun

If you remember the Sixties (or if you've forgotten large chunks of the Sixties or if you've only heard about the Sixties) you should truck on down to the Chazen Museum of Art to see Underground Classics: The Transformation of Comics into Comix, 1963–1990. The show runs through July 12, 2009. Details


Not only did these artists break ground in social and political commentary, but they also changed the business of comics by retaining intellectual property rights over their work rather than selling them to the publisher.

The show includes an amazing array of underground comix, including R. Crumb, Gilbert Shelton, and a garboonfull of others. The show includes the iconic "A Short History of America". (History of America, Crumb)

It is not for the little kiddies, however, unless you want to answer a lot of awkward questions. I was quite surprised to find that the exhibit includes one of my favorite comix that involves, well, I can't adequately describe it, but suffice to say it is outrageous, gross, and blatantly sexual. Go the show and guess which one it is.

The Chazen is located at 800 University Avenue, Madison.

Gallery Hours:

Tuesday – Friday 9 am - 5 pm
Saturday – Sunday 11 am - 5 pm

Related stuff:

Buy R. Crumb stuff

Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers

Zap Comix - Pop-Cult.Com

Crumb / Zap Comix and other Covers


More 60's stuff:

Take the Vietnam War Pop Quiz

Sixties Project Home Page