Tuesday, August 13, 2024

STEVE KEETER & LARNED JUSTIN: A SMALL-PRESS COMICS HISTORY


The Talking Small Press Comics hosts, Steve Keeter and Larned Justin, have just dropped an informative discussion on YouTube: A Mini Comics Oral History Archive, which caters to homegrown, comic publications from the 1970s, 80s & 90s.

Steve tells how he was inspired to share his artwork, beginning with the fanzine, The World of Edgar Rice Burroughs, and then the acclaimed, Om series, and Larned tells how he was surprised there was even an indie-comics platform, but was enlightened enough to test the waters with his Mad Magazine-slanted Candid Cartoons under the clever alias, Will Davis (a combo of legends, Will Elder and Jack Davis).

The guys then go down the historic line, detailing the labor-of-love, "ditto" method, followed by the later, polished, Kinko's trend. Tim Corrigan's huge influence on the medium, through Small Press Creative Explosion, is mentioned, as well as the ever reliable UFO Newsletter, along with such noted names in the field as Steve Shipley, Chuck Robinson, Kel Crum, Larry Blake, Byron Black, John Miller, Steve Willis, Steve Keats, Jeff Gaynor, Alan James Hanley and Winston Leroy Jackson. The conventions that helped perpetuate their passionate endeavors are acknowledged, as well. 

I really learned a lot from this installment and appreciate Steve and Larned's invaluable insights and recollections. So will you.

Tap in at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrOc0GKQe0I&t=187s

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