Comic Power

Dates

September 18 - October 30, 1993

Curators

John Carlin and Carlo McCormick

Project Coordinator

Melissa Rachleff

Artists

Doug Allen
Peter Bagge
Isabella Bannerman
Lynda Barry
Mark Beyer
Jim Blanchard
Vaughn and Mark Bode
Chester Brown
Charles Burns
Steven Cerio
Howard Chaykin
Russell Christian
Dan Clowes
Sue Coe
Joe Coleman
R. Crumb
Howard Cruse
Scott Cunningham
Dame Darcy
Georganne Deen
Kim Deitch
Evan Dorkin
Julie Doucet
Pascal Doury
Eric Drooker
Dennis Eichhorn
Tim Fielder
Mary Fleener
Drew Friedman
Phoebe Gloeckner
Justin Green
Bill Griffith
Rick Griffin
Sabrina Jones
Glenn Head
Ric Heitzman
Danny Hellman
Gilbert Hernandez
Jaime Hernandez
Stephen Holman
Jarrett Huddleston
Brad Johnson
Ben Katchor
Kaz
J.D. King
Aline Kominsky-Crumb
Stephen Kroninger
Krystine Kryttre
Peter Kuper
Carol Lay
Gary Leib
Steve Marcus
Mark Marek Mariscal
Paul Mavrides
David Mazzucchelli
Heather McAdams
Patrick McDonnell
Richard McGuire
Pat Moriarity
Victor Moscoso
Mark Newgarden
Diane Noomin
Gary Panter
Savage Pencil
The Pizz
Mimi Pond
Kevin C. Pyle
P. Revess
Bruno Richard
Trina Robbins
Spain Rodriguez
Jonathon Rosen
Jonathan Royce
Richard Sala
David Sandlin
Dori Seda
P. Shaw
Gilbert Shelton
R. Sikoryak
Siobhan
Art Spiegelman
Leslie Sternbergh
S.M. Taggart
Seth Tobocman
Ray Tompkins
Lance Tooks
Carol Tyler
Chris Ware
Wayne White
J.R. Williams
Robert Williams
S. Clay Wilson
Jim Woodring
Angela Wyman
Thomas Zummer

Exhibition

   On September 18, 1993, Exit Art / The First World presented Comic Power: Independent/Underground Comix, U.S.A., a group exhibition of over 75 contemporary comic artists from the past 30 years.

   Comic Power focused upon the emergence of underground and independent comics, commonly referred to as comix, in the United States. Unlike the commercial comic industry, underground comics are designed primarily for an adult audience. The themes and issues engaged by underground comic artists are explicitly personal, with powerfully idiosyncratic sexual, social and political themes. Also, underground comic art is strongly visual, putting forth an innovative approach to graphic design and artistic expression that is builds upon and challenges traditional comic strip form and content.

   Comic Power considered underground comics in the context of its hybrid nature: as an art form and as an instrument of popular culture. The exhibition highlighted the innovative design that forms the basis for all comic art, providing audiences with an understanding of the relationship between art and text; subject matter and audience.

   Comic Power consisted of over 250 examples of work by comic artists. It included original drawings published in independent comic books. Comic Power also included a reading area consisting of hundreds of comic books, anthologies and other independent publications from across the U.S., Canada and abroad providing an important context for which to understand the art work presented. The reading area was be a comfortable place for the public to read, learn and enjoy discovering more about the wide and diverse range of comic publications.

Comic Power were four specially curated projects:

1. Newspaper Comic Strips, 1898-1945 curated by Patrick McDonnell, artist and author of a history on Krazy Kat, was a selected overview of early weekly comic strips printed in the United States. This section included over 40 examples of the color Sunday pages by such well known comic artists as Lionel Feininger (The Kinder Kids), R.F. Outcault (Buster Brown), Winsor McCay (Little Nemo In Slumber Land), and George Herriman (Krazy Kat), among others. This section traced an aesthetic relationship to the work of underground comic artists working today.

2. Back to the Future: Politically Blacklisted Cartoonists curated by artist Sue Coe featured the political cartoons of the 1930s from The New Masses and The Daily Worker to work currently presented in the People's Weekly World. These cartoonists remain largely unknown in the United States, although their work is deserving of serious attention. This installation presented the work by these politically black-listed cartoonists in the context of the social issues of the 1930s that are still pertinent today.

3. Cheap Laffs: The Art of the Novelty Item from the collection of artist Mark Newgarden was a selected group of toys and gadgets. These pop culture artifacts familiarized the public with these esoteric and forgotten objects from America's past. Some of the objects were designed by comic artists, some were advertised staples in commercial comic magazines, and others reflect a sundry group of odd-ball trinkets.

4. ZAP artists curated by Jacaber Kastor of Psychedelic Solution, NYC

COMIC POWER exhibition and invitation concept and design by Papo Colo.

Exhibit travels to

Massachusetts College of Art
January 20 - February 20, 1994

Vancouver Art Gallery, Canada
April 15, - June 15, 1994

Dunlop Art Gallery, Regina, Canada
July 7 - September 18, 1994

Public Programs

Under the Influence of Comics Oct. 5
John Carlin, Donna DeSalvo, Carlo McCormick, Art Spiegelman

Serial Strips: Comics and Cinema Oct. 12
Lewis Klahr, Gary Panter, J. Hoberman

Comix Stripped: Creating & Distributing Alternative Comix Oct. 19
Howard Cruse, Eric Drooker, Kaz, David Mazzucchelli, Bob Sikoryak, Leslie Sternbergh, Seth Tobocman. Peter Kuper and Scott Cunningham, moderators

Free lunchtime talks

An Epic Battle Through the Comix Universe Sept. 29
John Carlin, Carlo McCormick

The New York Political Comix Magazine Speaks Out! Oct. 6
Scott Cunningham, Sabrina Jones, Peter Kuper, Seth Tobocman

Painting and Installation Oct. 13
Gary Panter, David Sandlin, John Carlin

Politically Blacklisted Cartoonists Oct. 20
Sue Coe, Norman Goldberg, Charles Keller, Tim Wheeler

Exhibit Archive | 94-95 Calender