I've got a mini in the Snatch tradition here (with an S. Clay Wilson page) and others by artist's Brad Foster and dcr. It's issue #7 from June 1986 with a $1.25 back cover price called FNBK #7 (I think the subtitle is Obscure Obscene). Couldn't find anything on this series. Anyone know anything? It's by Obscure Publications in Long Beach, CA. Has a brown paper wrapper and pink paper guts on heavy stock with black ink.
Some scans, anyone know anything about this series? FNBK
That's new to me. It looks like the brown paper cover was glued on at one point in time. I'd love to see the other issues.
Any chance that you can scan the Wilson page?
Here you go, a scan of pages 2 and 3.
Yes, the brown cover was once glued in but the glue they used seemed to not be effective over time. There is also a 4 page foldout centerfold.
4 page fold-out centerfold by Johnny Zipper?
This looks like such a neat series, I curious why I can't find any references or info. listed? Was this so rare and "obscure"? :evil6:
That Wilson page is disgustingly wonderful! If this is any indication of the rest of the series, I want them. Thanks for adding to my want list.
Yep, me too. Wonder how many were in this series (more than 7?). Wish the address wasn't a P.O. Box, then there is more of a chance of tracking down some info. in Long Beach, not far from me.
I had never heard of Ann Howe before (as per the indicia), so I Googled her and found this:
Strange Rampage (http://turnerclassic.moviesunlimited.com/product.asp?sku=D63083) (1967)
Miss Anne Howe and her amazing 48-inchers and Bunny Ware are the stars of this perverse potboiler presenting sex-seeking secretaries, schoolteachers and go-go dancers who go to great lengths to degrade themselves, then go after men of all sorts in the evening hours.
(https://headcomix.info/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fturnerclassic.moviesunlimited.com%2Fboxcovers%2F250_Wide%2FD63083.jpg&hash=6b278c65c62dace0e9d3d212c27d23f204f10652)
From imdb.com
"A psychoanalyst discusses a new phenomenon in urban America: women driven mad by loneliness. He gives us four case studies, women he has treated. Elaine, 24, a secretary, and Janis, 24, a teacher, separately find a brochure about vacations in Miami Beach. What looks like a wild time of partying and dissolution becomes even more bizarre. Ann seems well-adjusted but complains of nonexistent rashes that lead to her showing lots of skin to strangers. The doctor fears for her arrest, so he comes up with an ingenious solution. Sally is his strangest patient: she wants such perfection in a man that she ends up with a Fiberglas mannequin. She requires the doctor's most personal cure. Written by {
[email protected]}"
Looks like she was in another movie in 1964 called The Lullaby of Bareland and perhaps could it be the same "Sally" Ann Howe in the 1968 Chitty Chitty Bang Bang?
I was able to find this on the .net. Looks like they produced another series called Obscure #1 (1984) & 1 1/2 (Summer 1985) by "Dave" d.c. roberts & steve craft.
Obscure. -- E. Long Beach, CA : Obscure Publications, . --
ill. ; 22 cm. -- "Use with adequate ventilation." --
LIBRARY HAS: no. 1 1/2 (Summer 1985)
1. New wave comics. Call no.: PN6728.55.O2O2
now that I know who dcr is...
This is FANTASTIC!
http://homepage.mac.com/monsterzero/iMovieTheater14.html
Something else by d.c. roberts:
http://dcroberts.com/Animation/flashtheaterPOOP.htm
Well, just picked up a copy of Obscure #1 (1984) and I'll post scans when it arrives.
Did you get that from Slippy Town?
Yep, even though his site is down, his e-mail works. He lives not too far from me it seems. Looks like he's the lead singer of some band that's been around for a while also.
I bought a few oddities from him in the past, though he was very slow to ship them out.
Hey, 50C, is there definitely work by Brad Foster in FNBK #7? I'd never heard of that one...
Yep.
I e-mailed Brad yesterday, asking him about this. It's not even listed on the bibliography on his site.
I called Dave Roberts yesterday and left a message on his machine, let's see if he responds and gives some info. on this series.
I contacted him, too.
Thanks much, 50C.
Quote from: Reverend on May 11, 2008, 08:56:47 AM
I e-mailed Brad yesterday, asking him about this. It's not even listed on the bibliography on his site.
Yeah, that's why I was wondering! That biblio is amazingly extensive.
Brad e-mailed me this morning, but he didn't recall the publication by name, so I sent him a couple of the scans from this thread, including the one featuring his art. I'm waiting to hear back.
I've e-mailed Steven Ogden as well. He's the guy who initially put together that exhaustive Foster biblio.
I never heard back from Roberts, did you Rev.?
Nope. He never got back to me. I'm still waiting for a follow-up from Foster, too. Any luck with Roberts?
Fixed last post.
This comic couldn't have a more appropriate name . . . OBSCURE!
Did you receive that copy of Obscure #1 from Slippy Town? I'm curious to see what it looks like.
Nope, not yet. Like you said, it appears he's slow to ship as it should only take one day to arrive. I sent a e-mail this morning by coincidence...
The Denver Zine Library has copies of both #1 and #1.5. I requested scans from them the day this thread was created and just received an e-mail this morning regarding technical difficulties. When I get the scan of #1.5, I'll post it here.
I'm hoping the rest of the books they (Obscure) published are of similar quality.
Here are the scans that I received from the Denver Zine Library (http://www.denverzinelibrary.org/) (Thanks, Dylan!).
Hi all - Steve Ogden here. Thanks, Rick, for bringing this to my attention. It's always fun to find out about a new "old" zine containing Brad's art. I have never heard of FNBK, although I do have a copy of Obscure 1.5 around here somewhere.
Welcome.
Still waiting for my copy of #1 and keeping an eye out for #1.5 also...
Been two weeks and I never heard back from Roberts (via phone or e-mail), too bad because I bet he could have supplied all the info. we could want.
Congrats to the Reverend on getting that copy of Obscure 1.5 that just closed on eBay. I was going to try to snipe it, but my damn computer locked up. I wasn't going to bid much higher than it went for, so I probably wouldn't have won, anyway.
I tried for it also but it went over my snipe.
Here's the Obsure #1 (it's from March 1984) that arrived a couple days ago finally. I was shocked to find it is a mag. size comic, no where near the size of the FNBK that's much smaller than a Snatch. Rev. Let us know if the Coloring book is attached and included in #1 1/2?
Thanks! I thought it was kind of funny that a copy popped up right around the time we were discussing it on this board. If it wasn't for this thread, I would've likely passed it by, considering that the cover isn't much to write home about. But if it has some Wilson art, it can't be all bad.
No problem. I'll post scans as soon as I receive it.
Obscure #1.5 (Summer 1985) arrived today. It's digest-size, measuring 5.5" x 8.5" and has the Obscure Coloring Book, a fat little comic in its own right, measuring 2" x 2.5", glued to the right page of the centerspread.
There is an add in the back for the Obscure Funbooks #1-5 for $0.50 each or a signed/numbered "hardbound" (cardboard covers in a variety of colors) version for $4.00.
Each Funbook seems to have its own subtitle. There are pictures of each (including the then forthcoming #6).
#1 I Want My MX-TV
#2 Ooga Booga
#3 (too small to read)
#4 (too small to read)
#5 I Want My MX-TV
#6 Toxo Rama
Thanks for the scans. Would it be possible to scan the indica and the FunBook ad?
Makes me wonder how many were printed and distributed of these FunBooks? Not many if the major Underground Collectors on this site hadn't seen any before (and it's been out for over 20 years). Was just wondering what I could get for #7 if I sold it?
By the way, anyone notice the letter to the editor in Weirdo #17 from Summer 1986 (page 3) from dc roberts (Long Beach)?
Found that on this site #1 used to be listed (on google cache) but doesn't appear there anymore.
http://lib.iastate.edu/spcl/manuscripts/MS636.html
All that was stated was Funbook #1 (1984), so we know that #1 came out in 1984 and #7 came out in 1986.
Hey Rev. How about a scan of the indica and ad from Obscure #1 1/2?
wow!
i am amazed that after all these years anyone even remembers obscure and that copies of 'em are still floatin' around out there.
to anyone who has contacted me by phone... sorry for being negligent in returning your calls.
i do much better with email. if you need info, that would be the way to go.
just curious... how much did the copy on ebay go for?
The copy of Obscure #1 1/2 sold for $18.50. I purchased my copy of #1 for $10 or $15 I think.
Welcome Dave and Steve.
Here's some updated info. There was 7 issues to the (Obscure) Fun Book series.
(Obscure) FuN BooK
"obscure book 'o' fun" #1 I WANT MY MX-TV! (1984)
#2 OOGA BOOGA-- (1984)
#3 Obscure Hot Shot! (1984)
#4 ooga-booga-ooga-booga-, etc., etc. (1984)
#5 I WANT MY MX-TV! (1984)
"OBSCURE FNBK" #6 toxo- -rama (1985)
"FNBK" #7 OBSCURE OBSCENE (June 1986) (blue & pink paper variants)
Also, there was 2 printings of Obscure #1 (1st printing / March 1984)(not the Fun Book, but the mag. size comix)
Thanks Dave!
Titles added to the Wiki :rocker:
i'm second Dave's comments - it is curious these are still floating around out there.
Just curious - what were the print runs on these 7 issues of the (Obscure) Fun Books, and how were they distributed/advertised?
it's been a long time, so i could be off on these numbers...
1-6 couldn't have been more than 100-150 each.
#7 was probably around 500 copies.
there wasn't any advertising outside of obscure #1 1/2. had some write-ups in undergrounds of the times (weirdo, etc)
there was a local comic book shop (hi-de-ho) that carried 'em for awhile.
they were distributed thru the mail, mostly with other mini-book guys.
That's were I got mine, last and only issue they had.
Quote from: monsterzero on June 10, 2008, 07:59:01 PM
it's been a long time, so i could be off on these numbers...
1-6 couldn't have been more than 100-150 each.
#7 was probably around 500 copies.
there wasn't any advertising outside of obscure #1 1/2. had some write-ups in undergrounds of the times (weirdo, etc)
there was a local comic book shop (hi-de-ho) that carried 'em for awhile.
they were distributed thru the mail, mostly with other mini-book guys.
Was there really a "hardbound" version with cardstock covers that comprised issues #1-5?
P.S. I still need to scan that ad from #1.5. Sorry for the delay.
oh yeah.
it had a heavy corrugated cardboard cover.
had a color xerox of a steve craft piece on the front! i think he did a couple different covers.
(color xeroxes were new back then. ...and expensive!)
i think i sold a couple of 'em. gave a couple away.
there can't be more than a dozen of 'em out there.
this is a flyer we used at a hi de ho comics.
it's very similar to the ad in the back of obscure 1 1/2.
So was the hardbound comprised of all 5 issues into one, or was there a hardbound of each of #1-5?
Thanks Dave for the info.
the hardbound had all 5 issues in it.
i think i have one copy left around here somewhere.
if i can find it, i'll scan and post the cover.