Comix: A History of Comic Books
Produced with his fellow Brown University classmate, writer-historian-musician Les Daniels, Comix: A History of Comic Books in America is among the earliest comprehensive histories of the art form and first to recognize that ALL comics, from Tijuana bibles, to EC Comics, to funny animals, to underground comix — and not just the mainstream super-hero fare — are equally deserving of recognition. Notable is the fact that The Mad Peck not only designed the book and illustrated the cover, but he wrote the “Mighty Marvel” chapter, in the process visiting the Bullpen and he also helped to attain the help of Warren Publishing’s Jim Warren to gain access to contemporary publishers.
The reviews are in!
The New York Times, Dec. 7, 1971
The New York Times, Dec. 6, 1971
Michigan Daily Times, Aug. 18, 1972
Boston After Dark Vol. II, #51, Jan, 4, 1972
Creepy #47 [Sept. ’72].
ALA The Back List, Jan, 1, 1972
Comixscene, edited and published by Jim Steranko, published this review of Comix by Gary Brown, which prompted an indignant rebuttal by the Mad Peck, seen here in all of its four-page glory! Whether the retort saw print isn’t known.
The notion for Comix began as an article on underground comix written by the Mad Peck, for Fusion magazine, seen here.
Here’s an illo and photostat by Peck created to promote sale orders directly to the publisher. (Note the different publisher name, Outerbridge & Lazard, than the actual initial publisher, Outerbridge & Dienstfrey.)
