Five Highlights From The Comics Journal #51

 

The first of many full-color back cover ads

THE COMICS JOURNAL #51 (November 1979)

1. NEWSWATCH: Undergrounds by Bruce Sweeney (Clay Geerdes uncredited)

There's a ton of mini-comics listed this month. Much thanks to Poopsheet Foundation for having cover reproductions of most of these rare comics (all images from PF, unless where indicated)

mycomicshop

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comixjoint

comicbookrealm

eBay

2. MARILYN BETHKE WATCH:  Criticism vs. Analysis and An Interview With Howard Chaykin

Marilyn Bethke (along with ten other Journal critics) responds to Paul Levitz's essay from the previous issue. Bethke's response starts thusly:

 "Paul Levitz has certainly made some valid points in his article. The kind of analysis within a historical frame of reference he refers to is clearly lacking in fan writing and would provide 'fans' and 'pros' with a thorough, working knowledge and background in comics art. Very little has been done in this area, and as a fairly young medium, comics could only benefit from scrupulous and scholarly commentary. But, and this is the important question, is it criticism? I think not."

 

Marilyn Bethke conducts one of the most awkward interviews in Journal history, with a pissed off Gary Groth conducting a follow-up interview.

3. WILDMAN & RUBBEROY vs. SPEED ALIEN by Grass Green (Eddie Eddings inks) 7 pages

4. UNDERGROUND COMIX: Sympathy for the Groundlevel by Bill Sherman

 "Groundlevel" is an outdated term from the late 70s, coined before the term "independent" comics became more prevalent in the 80s. It refers to the, then either nascent or nebulous, genre comics mixed with the creator-owned ethos of the undergrounds. Think Byron Preiss, Heavy Metal, Cerebus, or Eclipse at this time. 

Sherman examines one forgotten, Hot Stuf', and one well-known, Star*Reach, example of this term. I liked this bit of obscure history from the end of Sherman's column pointing to what may have happened to a lot of these Groundlevel titles.

Leave it to the Hercules Petix YouTube channel to show us inside Hot Stuf' 5-8:

5. SUSPENDED ANIMATION: The New Japanese Invasion by Jim Korkis

This is a sequel, of sorts, to "Suspended Animation: Metamorphoses: The Greeks Must Have Had a Word for It" from TCJ #42. Korkis gives an update on Metamorphoses and talks more about Japanese animation ied to the United States during the 60s and 70s. It was fascinating to learn more about Osamu Tezuka's history in animation, in particular. Korkis recounts Tezuka's visit to Los Angeles, and meeting an important anime proponent whose name comics fans may recall: Fred Patten.