Bode is massively underrated in his influence of comics hip hop and even lingo, when I was a kid half my friends talked like cheech even our handwriting looked like the lettering 😂
Fantagraphics recently did a complete Cheech Wizard Hardcover called "Cheech Wizard's Book of Me". They also did a complete Bode Library in the 90's/ early 2000 which has a legend where all the stories where originally published (Mostly National lampoon for the stories in this issue I think aside from the first one which is from the Syracuse Daily Orange). My favorites from that line are the two cheech wizard volumes and the two Junkwaffel volumes but you cant really go wrong with any of them (There's also 4 volumes of "Erotica", one "Lizard Zen", one "Deadbone" and "Schizophrenia")
We really need a comprehensive Bode book, but until then, there's Comics Journal Special Edition Volume 5 from 2005 (one of those big square books they put out). The cover feature is "Manga Masters" but within there's a Bode section with lots of art and history, including the first Cheech pencil drawings going back to 1956 and a nice overview by George Beahm, who assembled the Vaughn Bode Index with the artist just before his death. Bode's Cheech strips are great, bawdy, slapstick but he was also capable of incredibly poignant moments, like the best of the Deadbone strips and some very unfunny, nightmarish violence, like in the Cobalt 60 stories.
Shout out to Dondi, Style Wars and Subway Art (one time most racked book in the UK) for getting me into da Bode. I got pretty much everything since the nineties including Poem Toons and Lizard Zen. Mark Bode gets a shout out too for keeping the Bode-grafitti legacy alive.
Crazy how influential Vaughn Bodē was in terms of the New York Graffiti scene (and Ralph Bakshi, but that's a different story). Also, I kinda love that his colour schemes were super vibrant... But also really simple. From my understanding (and I may be wrong here) Vaughn Bodēs main form of colouring was from marker pens, alcohol based marker pens. The kind that if you use them in a small studio space with no ventilation, you're probably gonna feel like you've been on the tea cup rides at Disney Land. ANYONE who loves this episode? There's a video of the man himself on TH-cam from a 1971/72 Canadian convention where he's talking about creators rights and his process and other mad stuff. He even got to record some of his cartoons being narrated by him at a college campus. None of Cheech (who Mark does a BRILLIANT impersonation of W.C. Fields) but it's still fascinating to hear how much he lived in his own world when he was making these comics for National Lampoon. Also, check out Mark Bodēs comics as well. Guys an absolute talent. ALSO check out Vaughn Bodēs work he did with Bernie Wrightson which is my favourite stuff that Wrightson did. EDIT: Also, Cheech Wizard WAS going to be a newspaper comic. Syndicated. He had an initial backlog set up where Cheech was called "Big Hat". It's tragic to read because you see them pencilled and inked.... Then there's a point where one of them is half inked.... then it's all pencils. And it just makes me go "We lost him too early."
Great commentary. I loved Bode's work. I had the distinct pleasure of seeing him do his narrated slide show presentation. Yes. I really am that old, as hard as it is for me to believe. After the show, which was to a relatively small audience, as comics were still considered nerdish, and definitely not for the "cool crowd", he walked into a small lobby where a bunch of us were chillin' on the floor. He was sitting, casually on the floor, and looking around to see if anyone wanted to chat. Not many did, and I was just too damn shy to get up and approach him. He was dressed like a superstar. Think Clapton, Jimi, back in the day. He had a real presence. If I had just one piece of his work with me, I would have collected myself enough to have him sign it. But alas ... things were very different back then.
@@buckocean7616 Very interesting how heavy the stigma against comics were in those days (even undergrounds). How times have changed (Gen Z, etc will grow up into full-fledged Anime / Manga nerds and it will be mainstream and "Cool"...)
Cobalt 60 by VB appeared as ten b/w pages in Witzend--in the 80's Vaughn's son Mark (and writer Larry Todd) expanded the story, serialized in Epic Magazine and then collected/finished in four magazine sized Tundra releases--these are the most narratively satisfying works in the Bode (pronounced Bo-DEE, despite the accent) catalogue, reading as a single, long form graphic novel (as opposed to a the single pg or short underground stories you describe): strong characters, a compelling plot, amazing colors. Other works of note include "THE MAN", a one shot about a lonely caveman, Sunpot, a sci fi story that Mark has recently revisited in Heavy Metal and the Schizophrenia collection, which brings pages of hand written journaling into the mix. Really heady stuff. Fantagraphics released close to a dozen, slim softcover collections about 20 years ago, and a complete Cheech Wizard hard cover more recently. Of These, I like the four "Erotica" books the most, but they're all good and due for new printings. Thanks for this video. Bode is one of my favorite cartoonists--I can't have been the only little dude who first saw his stuff in the letter column of Wizard Magazine. It was like the brightest lightbulb I ever saw--Walt Kelly on day glo acid.
Vaughn Bode is one of my favorite artist. Fantagraphics has done some great reprints of his comics and sketchbooks. The "Cheech Wizard Book of Me" that was released by Fantagraphics not too long ago is a great place to start it has his art in full color. "Deadbone" and "the Man" are also great. I would love to hear a shoot interview with Mark Bode. Thanks for the great video
The best reprints are without a doubt those done by fantagraphics. His best works are to be found in chech wizard, deadbone, junkwaffle but above all it's his series titled erotica, especially volume 1. this is his masterpiece and shows what he was capable of doing at the heights of his powers. Man, i love this stuff so much!
I went to Art & Design HS and EVERY black book pieces had Cheech Wizard characters. I picked these comics from a head shop down on canal street back in those days.
I remember reading several of the Cheech wizard comics featured in your vid in National Lampoon late 70's early 80's. The Nun, the Yellow death and Police busting in on Cheech & girl were CLASSICS . Thank you for a trip down Memory lane
Thanks SO MUCH for this video! I am currently having a Vaughn Bode moment. I am in the same boat as you guys. I love his cartooning, but I know precious little about his bibliography.
This is the cartoonist I would have loved to spend the day with the most, just to pick that unique and supremely talented brain. Ed and Jim are close 2nd's. ; )
I got in to comics as a graffiti writer thru graffiti culture and Vaughn Bode. I would see these characters in other peoples peaces and noticed that everybody was using them, from local writers in my city and to people around the world, also i would see photos of classic New York subway graffiti artists using them. I did a little research and found about Vaughn Bode. In graffiti culture Vaughn Bode characters are like public property, everybody is free to use them, and the signature lines of Vaughn Bode are embedded in the dna of graffiti culture estetic. Chech Wizard is what Vaughn Bode is most known for, but Deadbone Erotica is where you can experience the poetry and vastness of the worlds that he creates in sometimes one page. Junk Waffle is where he goes in the most detail describing these weird worlds of his, sometimes its like reading a instruction manual for the crazy characters.
Huge fan of Vaughan. His son Mark Bode is on Twitter sharing his art, his fathers art and collaborations between Vaughan Bode and Jeffery Catherine Jones.
My favorite Bode’ collections have been the Fantagraphics 8 1/2” x 11” soft backs from late 90’s to early 2000s Junkwaffel, Cobolt 60, Cheech, etc. Would love to see you talk about him with Darrow!
Guys, no mention of Vaughn's collaborations with Jeff Jones on their covers for the Warren comics? Vaughn drawing and Jones painting. Two styles that worked surprisingly well. I wish there was more of it.
Have a look at “The Man” by Bode. Also, while we’re in the underground’s, would love to see you guys tackle Charles Dallas “Psychotics Adventures” 3 issue series
Nice! Love you guys are looking more into Bodē! Always had a hard time finding good "complete" Cheech collections myself, but the non-Cheech Wizard "Junkwaffle" volumes and "Deadbone" collection that Fantagraphic put out back in the late 80s, early 90s are a really good and fun view into Vaughn's approach to world-building. Personally one of my favourites is also a non-Cheech Wizard story I have from Print Mint (1972) called "The Man". It's really a simple little story but always found it a solid mix of impactful and goofy slapstick. PS Vaughn and his son Mark who took over drawing Cheech always pronounce the last name as "Bo-dee" if helpful for future discussions (haha swear I'm not trying to be "that guy"!)
Great video as always,guys! Cheech Wizard takes back to 1974 with National Lampoon! Hoohah! Bode was just part of diverse variety of stuff going on there! Lampoon slammed the door for me to a much crazier creative world leading to Star Reach, Kitchen Sink& Heavy Metal! I really need to refresh myself on all things Vaughn Bode pronto! Did you guys know that Bode did some work with Bernie Wrightson in 1971? The Collected Purple Pictography by Vaughn Bode&Bernie Wrightson,October,1991 by Eros Comix aka Fantagraphics! I was lucky enough to get Berni to autograph it back in the 90’s! Also look up Mark Bode for more info! Thanks and definitely reading more underground comix!
Huge Bode fan. His bloopiness always reminds me of Gahan Wilson. Really appreciate this as an "old school" hip hop head. The intersection of pop culture, comix, kung fu/genre/b-movies inherent in hip hop back then opened my eyes up to a lot of art I would've slept on otherwise. Props, gentlemen!
I went to Syracuse from 66 to70 and Vaughn and l came out to Cal in 72.l stayed, Von moved back and forth. I would love to go back and visit the city and school.
So happy to see you guys finally do some Bode!! You gotta get Darrow back for that Cobalt 60 episode, I beg you. I have my precious collection of Cobalts with Mark Bode sketches in each of them. Been a massive fan since I was introduced to Cheech when I was 14ish, in 1992.
Fantagraphics did collections of Cheech Wizard and other Bode stuff years ago (maybe the 1980s?); there were two volumes of Cheech Wizard, one of which collected "The Yellow Hat," which was a newspaper strip version of Cheech Wizard that I don't think ever got published before. My personal favorite of these collections was not a Cheech Wizard book but a book called Schizophrenia, which reprints my favorite Bode comic, "The Man."
knew his son from graffiti. he got mad at me because i said although bakashi is a biter wizards is a classic. i miss thos rotoscope psychadelic cartoons. if marc wants to clown them he should make some of his own.
Big Bodé fan! We need a series of deluxe artbook publication! So much of his older stuff like his book illustrations has not been reprinted. Get Taschen or another high profile publisher on the line…
Fun look at Bode. His work is definitely a bit of a blind spot for me, but I've always really enjoyed the little I've seen. Certainly an artist to dig into deeper. One of the things I love most about this channel is the the diverse scope of influences. From ACTION COMIC to ZAP!
From Wikipedia... Vaughn Bodē's monthly comic strip feature Purple Pictography ran in Swank magazine in 1971-1972. (Bernie Wrightson did the painted art for five of Purple Pictography episodes based on Bodē's scripts and rough layouts.)
There is so much to discover from Bode. There are the five strips he did with Bernie Wrightson, but my favorite collection is Cartoon Concert. Its a mass market collection of strips from Cavalier and other places
For me I buy up anything Vaughn/ Mark Bodé do. I recommend getting the Fantagraphics collections, not only do you get great art, but you get them in color as well. Look out for Deadbone, and the book Purple Pictography that he did with Bernie Wrightson.
Bode has been my favorite artist since I read them in Epic Illustrated . Sunpot brings back great memories. Cobalt 60 is so great. Yes read more underground comics.
Can't really comment on the 'best' collections or stories, but I think it would be fun for you guys to go through a few issues of National Lampoon just for the varied styles of cartoons and cartoonists they featured. It was my first taste of the subversive, being indoctrinated early on superhero stuff, and they have some classic artist to reflect on: Gahan Wilson, Shary Flenniken, Bobby London, Jeff Jones and also more mainstream comic artists doing spot features for the magazine - George Perez, Neal Adams, Frank Springer, Gray Morrow, etc.
When I was a kid (like grade school age), my dad and I were visiting Downtown Chicago and he bought me an issue of Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers of the newstand. Can't wait for you guys to cover that!
Last Gasp and Fantagraphics collected his Bode Erotica and Deadbone strips from the mens mags like Cavalier you mentioned. Mag size and full Bode color. My personal favorites for sure. 4 books worth, bit pricey but maybe Mr Groth can hook you up.
I remember him creating a series called Cobalt 60? It was a sci fi piece but unbelievably well done! I think it was printed in Heavy Metal magazine. I liked it more than Cheech Wizard.
It was the World Fantasy Award that Neil Gaiman won for Sandman that was controversial not the Hugo. He won Best Short Story. Of course the World Fantasy Award was designed by cartoonist, Gahan Wilson.
To me his masterwork was Deadbone, a self-contained world (Deadbone Mountain) of goofy, existential lizards. I had the 1976 trade paperback collection 2nd printing from Northern Comfort (which you haz now inspired me to purchase on the ebay).
Been waiting to see Bode get some light here under your spotlight. I would consider COBALT 60 his magnum opus by a mile.It's an ultra violent post apocalyptic punch to the face. I'm sure it made an impression on George Miller and Ralph Bakshi (go watch WIZARDS again). A publisher called Walworth published a trade edition back in 1988 which included Vaughn's original strips as well as Mark's continuing stories (which I believed were published over in Epic Illustrated?). It's a nice looking book (a bit $$); i see Bud Plant has 1 left in stock as I type this. The original Cobalt story is also included in the recent "Best of Witzend" hardcover (that's the cherry on top of the ice cream sundae- that book is loaded with too much goodness). I would love to see a shoot interview with Mark as well.
Fantagraphics have a real nice book called cheech wizard’s book of me, I think it’s all the wizard strips in one book with a bunch of extras and sketches
i have a collection of underground comics from god nose to mr natural... several bodes work.... zap rip off freak brothers if you want a list respond to this ill check back
What is the origin of the term "Cheech"? i only know it from Cheech Wizard and Cheech & Chong, but I always assumed it was a nickname of some sort - is it short for something?
Best Bode lmo: SUNPOT, JUNKWAFFEL, WAR LIZARDS. Those things were produced for publications like EAST VILLAGE OTHER, GALAXY etc and have less sex comedy and more 'hippie burnout' dead-end mysticism.
Bode is massively underrated in his influence of comics hip hop and even lingo, when I was a kid half my friends talked like cheech even our handwriting looked like the lettering 😂
Fantagraphics recently did a complete Cheech Wizard Hardcover called "Cheech Wizard's Book of Me". They also did a complete Bode Library in the 90's/ early 2000 which has a legend where all the stories where originally published (Mostly National lampoon for the stories in this issue I think aside from the first one which is from the Syracuse Daily Orange). My favorites from that line are the two cheech wizard volumes and the two Junkwaffel volumes but you cant really go wrong with any of them (There's also 4 volumes of "Erotica", one "Lizard Zen", one "Deadbone" and "Schizophrenia")
We really need a comprehensive Bode book, but until then, there's Comics Journal Special Edition Volume 5 from 2005 (one of those big square books they put out). The cover feature is "Manga Masters" but within there's a Bode section with lots of art and history, including the first Cheech pencil drawings going back to 1956 and a nice overview by George Beahm, who assembled the Vaughn Bode Index with the artist just before his death.
Bode's Cheech strips are great, bawdy, slapstick but he was also capable of incredibly poignant moments, like the best of the Deadbone strips and some very unfunny, nightmarish violence, like in the Cobalt 60 stories.
Shout out to Dondi, Style Wars and Subway Art (one time most racked book in the UK) for getting me into da Bode. I got pretty much everything since the nineties including Poem Toons and Lizard Zen. Mark Bode gets a shout out too for keeping the Bode-grafitti legacy alive.
Crazy how influential Vaughn Bodē was in terms of the New York Graffiti scene (and Ralph Bakshi, but that's a different story). Also, I kinda love that his colour schemes were super vibrant... But also really simple. From my understanding (and I may be wrong here) Vaughn Bodēs main form of colouring was from marker pens, alcohol based marker pens. The kind that if you use them in a small studio space with no ventilation, you're probably gonna feel like you've been on the tea cup rides at Disney Land.
ANYONE who loves this episode? There's a video of the man himself on TH-cam from a 1971/72 Canadian convention where he's talking about creators rights and his process and other mad stuff. He even got to record some of his cartoons being narrated by him at a college campus. None of Cheech (who Mark does a BRILLIANT impersonation of W.C. Fields) but it's still fascinating to hear how much he lived in his own world when he was making these comics for National Lampoon. Also, check out Mark Bodēs comics as well. Guys an absolute talent. ALSO check out Vaughn Bodēs work he did with Bernie Wrightson which is my favourite stuff that Wrightson did.
EDIT: Also, Cheech Wizard WAS going to be a newspaper comic. Syndicated. He had an initial backlog set up where Cheech was called "Big Hat". It's tragic to read because you see them pencilled and inked.... Then there's a point where one of them is half inked.... then it's all pencils. And it just makes me go "We lost him too early."
Great commentary. I loved Bode's work. I had the distinct pleasure of seeing him do his narrated slide show presentation. Yes. I really am that old, as hard as it is for me to believe. After the show, which was to a relatively small audience, as comics were still considered nerdish, and definitely not for the "cool crowd", he walked into a small lobby where a bunch of us were chillin' on the floor. He was sitting, casually on the floor, and looking around to see if anyone wanted to chat. Not many did, and I was just too damn shy to get up and approach him. He was dressed like a superstar. Think Clapton, Jimi, back in the day. He had a real presence. If I had just one piece of his work with me, I would have collected myself enough to have him sign it. But alas ... things were very different back then.
@@buckocean7616 Very interesting how heavy the stigma against comics were in those days (even undergrounds). How times have changed (Gen Z, etc will grow up into full-fledged Anime / Manga nerds and it will be mainstream and "Cool"...)
Cobalt 60 by VB appeared as ten b/w pages in Witzend--in the 80's Vaughn's son Mark (and writer Larry Todd) expanded the story, serialized in Epic Magazine and then collected/finished in four magazine sized Tundra releases--these are the most narratively satisfying works in the Bode (pronounced Bo-DEE, despite the accent) catalogue, reading as a single, long form graphic novel (as opposed to a the single pg or short underground stories you describe): strong characters, a compelling plot, amazing colors.
Other works of note include "THE MAN", a one shot about a lonely caveman, Sunpot, a sci fi story that Mark has recently revisited in Heavy Metal and the Schizophrenia collection, which brings pages of hand written journaling into the mix. Really heady stuff.
Fantagraphics released close to a dozen, slim softcover collections about 20 years ago, and a complete Cheech Wizard hard cover more recently. Of These, I like the four "Erotica" books the most, but they're all good and due for new printings.
Thanks for this video. Bode is one of my favorite cartoonists--I can't have been the only little dude who first saw his stuff in the letter column of Wizard Magazine. It was like the brightest lightbulb I ever saw--Walt Kelly on day glo acid.
Vaughn Bode is one of my favorite artist. Fantagraphics has done some great reprints of his comics and sketchbooks. The "Cheech Wizard Book of Me" that was released by Fantagraphics not too long ago is a great place to start it has his art in full color. "Deadbone" and "the Man" are also great. I would love to hear a shoot interview with Mark Bode. Thanks for the great video
The best reprints are without a doubt those done by fantagraphics. His best works are to be found in chech wizard, deadbone, junkwaffle but above all it's his series titled erotica, especially volume 1. this is his masterpiece and shows what he was capable of doing at the heights of his powers. Man, i love this stuff so much!
Cheech! Great video, guys - already looking forward to the Darrow/Bode episode. Hope you can make that happen! 👍😀
I went to Art & Design HS and EVERY black book pieces had Cheech Wizard characters. I picked these comics from a head shop down on canal street back in those days.
I remember reading several of the Cheech wizard comics featured in your vid in National Lampoon late 70's early 80's. The Nun, the Yellow death and Police busting in on Cheech & girl were CLASSICS . Thank you for a trip down Memory lane
Thanks SO MUCH for this video! I am currently having a Vaughn Bode moment. I am in the same boat as you guys. I love his cartooning, but I know precious little about his bibliography.
This is the cartoonist I would have loved to spend the day with the most, just to pick that unique and supremely talented brain. Ed and Jim are close 2nd's. ; )
That cobalt 60 comic is in Junkwaffel #2 and it has a bunch of Bode comics done in pencil
Love to see more Vaughn Bode!
Wow thankyou for sharing!!!
I got in to comics as a graffiti writer thru graffiti culture and Vaughn Bode. I would see these characters in other peoples peaces and noticed that everybody was using them, from local writers in my city and to people around the world, also i would see photos of classic New York subway graffiti artists using them. I did a little research and found about Vaughn Bode. In graffiti culture Vaughn Bode characters are like public property, everybody is free to use them, and the signature lines of Vaughn Bode are embedded in the dna of graffiti culture estetic. Chech Wizard is what Vaughn Bode is most known for, but Deadbone Erotica is where you can experience the poetry and vastness of the worlds that he creates in sometimes one page. Junk Waffle is where he goes in the most detail describing these weird worlds of his, sometimes its like reading a instruction manual for the crazy characters.
Omg I love cheech wizard soo much
Huge fan of Vaughan.
His son Mark Bode is on Twitter sharing his art, his fathers art and collaborations between Vaughan Bode and Jeffery Catherine Jones.
My favorite Bode’ collections have been the Fantagraphics 8 1/2” x 11” soft backs from late 90’s to early 2000s Junkwaffel, Cobolt 60, Cheech, etc. Would love to see you talk about him with Darrow!
Guys, no mention of Vaughn's collaborations with Jeff Jones on their covers for the Warren comics? Vaughn drawing and Jones painting. Two styles that worked surprisingly well. I wish there was more of it.
Did similar collaborations with Larry Todd and Richard Corben (!)
I have "The Collected Cheech Wizard" comic paperback. I found it at a Con called Retropalooza here in North Texas.
Bode “all about me “ is a great way to look at his process and coloring !
Cheech Wizard so cool!
Have a look at “The Man” by Bode. Also, while we’re in the underground’s, would love to see you guys tackle Charles Dallas “Psychotics Adventures” 3 issue series
Nice! Love you guys are looking more into Bodē! Always had a hard time finding good "complete" Cheech collections myself, but the non-Cheech Wizard "Junkwaffle" volumes and "Deadbone" collection that Fantagraphic put out back in the late 80s, early 90s are a really good and fun view into Vaughn's approach to world-building. Personally one of my favourites is also a non-Cheech Wizard story I have from Print Mint (1972) called "The Man". It's really a simple little story but always found it a solid mix of impactful and goofy slapstick.
PS Vaughn and his son Mark who took over drawing Cheech always pronounce the last name as "Bo-dee" if helpful for future discussions (haha swear I'm not trying to be "that guy"!)
no views baby, this shit is in my morning routine like CLOCKWORK. Coffee and Kayfabe to start the day
Great video as always,guys! Cheech Wizard takes back to 1974 with National Lampoon! Hoohah! Bode was just part of diverse variety of stuff going on there! Lampoon slammed the door for me to a much crazier creative world leading to Star Reach, Kitchen Sink& Heavy Metal! I really need to refresh myself on all things Vaughn Bode pronto! Did you guys know that Bode did some work with Bernie Wrightson in 1971? The Collected Purple Pictography by Vaughn Bode&Bernie Wrightson,October,1991 by Eros Comix aka Fantagraphics! I was lucky enough to get Berni to autograph it back in the 90’s! Also look up Mark Bode for more info! Thanks and definitely reading more underground comix!
Very unique talent, loved those Vaughn Bode books (thank you for saying his name, could never pronounce it).
Huge Bode fan. His bloopiness always reminds me of Gahan Wilson. Really appreciate this as an "old school" hip hop head. The intersection of pop culture, comix, kung fu/genre/b-movies inherent in hip hop back then opened my eyes up to a lot of art I would've slept on otherwise. Props, gentlemen!
Oh, and Junkwaffel is one my faves, off the top of my head.
I went to Syracuse from 66 to70 and Vaughn and l came out to Cal in 72.l stayed, Von moved back and forth. I would love to go back and visit the city and school.
Thank you for a great video and for introducing me to another comic creator
So happy to see you guys finally do some Bode!! You gotta get Darrow back for that Cobalt 60 episode, I beg you. I have my precious collection of Cobalts with Mark Bode sketches in each of them. Been a massive fan since I was introduced to Cheech when I was 14ish, in 1992.
Fantagraphics did collections of Cheech Wizard and other Bode stuff years ago (maybe the 1980s?); there were two volumes of Cheech Wizard, one of which collected "The Yellow Hat," which was a newspaper strip version of Cheech Wizard that I don't think ever got published before. My personal favorite of these collections was not a Cheech Wizard book but a book called Schizophrenia, which reprints my favorite Bode comic, "The Man."
I looked up Schizophrenia -- it came out in 2001.
knew his son from graffiti. he got mad at me because i said although bakashi is a biter wizards is a classic. i miss thos rotoscope psychadelic cartoons. if marc wants to clown them he should make some of his own.
Vaughns masterpiece was Cobalt 60, the 8 page short story. Very influential.
Cheech Wizard , Cartoon Messiah !
Big Bodé fan! We need a series of deluxe artbook publication! So much of his older stuff like his book illustrations has not been reprinted.
Get Taschen or another high profile publisher on the line…
Fun look at Bode. His work is definitely a bit of a blind spot for me, but I've always really enjoyed the little I've seen. Certainly an artist to dig into deeper. One of the things I love most about this channel is the the diverse scope of influences. From ACTION COMIC to ZAP!
A hardcover collection came out a few years ago. Just grab that one
From Wikipedia...
Vaughn Bodē's monthly comic strip feature Purple Pictography ran in Swank magazine in 1971-1972. (Bernie Wrightson did the painted art for five of Purple Pictography episodes based on Bodē's scripts and rough layouts.)
I really like Cobalt 60. I think that’s his best work.
There is so much to discover from Bode. There are the five strips he did with Bernie Wrightson, but my favorite collection is Cartoon Concert. Its a mass market collection of strips from Cavalier and other places
For me I buy up anything Vaughn/ Mark Bodé do. I recommend getting the Fantagraphics collections, not only do you get great art, but you get them in color as well. Look out for Deadbone, and the book Purple Pictography that he did with Bernie Wrightson.
Bode has been my favorite artist since I read them in Epic Illustrated . Sunpot brings back great memories. Cobalt 60 is so great. Yes read more underground comics.
Finally some Bode , thank you !
Best recent reprint of Cheech Wizard is : ‘Book Of Me’ … also Dedbone vol 1 and Erotica vol 1 are other good places to start
I purchased every Bode volume that Fantagraphics has published, but I would buy it all again as a “complete Bode” series.
Can't really comment on the 'best' collections or stories, but I think it would be fun for you guys to go through a few issues of National Lampoon just for the varied styles of cartoons and cartoonists they featured. It was my first taste of the subversive, being indoctrinated early on superhero stuff, and they have some classic artist to reflect on: Gahan Wilson, Shary Flenniken, Bobby London, Jeff Jones and also more mainstream comic artists doing spot features for the magazine - George Perez, Neal Adams, Frank Springer, Gray Morrow, etc.
When I was a kid (like grade school age), my dad and I were visiting Downtown Chicago and he bought me an issue of Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers of the newstand. Can't wait for you guys to cover that!
I was just watching Wizards right before watching this vid hahaha.
The Purple Pictography strip from Swank magazine is worth a look. Written by Bodé with art by Berni Wrightson.
Vaughns layout was called Pictography
i know Bode from Hip Hop and Graff.
I know him from graffiti
Last Gasp and Fantagraphics collected his Bode Erotica and Deadbone strips from the mens mags like Cavalier you mentioned. Mag size and full Bode color. My personal favorites for sure. 4 books worth, bit pricey but maybe Mr Groth can hook you up.
legendary artist. there are some strips he did in collaboration with Bernie Wrightson that look awesome. too bad he died so young, so much to give.
I Read the in the 80's in national lampoon. i lost track when national lampoon went down hill
I remember him creating a series called Cobalt 60? It was a sci fi piece but unbelievably well done! I think it was printed in Heavy Metal magazine. I liked it more than Cheech Wizard.
It was in Epic magazine, Marvel's attempt to compete with Heavy Metal.
Finally we get the wizard
Junkwaffel is the best I think! :P
It was the World Fantasy Award that Neil Gaiman won for Sandman that was controversial not the Hugo. He won Best Short Story. Of course the World Fantasy Award was designed by cartoonist, Gahan Wilson.
His facebook posts from fans and photos of his art on his profile are full of awesome street art. :D
To me his masterwork was Deadbone, a self-contained world (Deadbone Mountain) of goofy, existential lizards. I had the 1976 trade paperback collection 2nd printing from Northern Comfort (which you haz now inspired me to purchase on the ebay).
Been waiting to see Bode get some light here under your spotlight. I would consider COBALT 60 his magnum opus by a mile.It's an ultra violent post apocalyptic punch to the face. I'm sure it made an impression on George Miller and Ralph Bakshi (go watch WIZARDS again). A publisher called Walworth published a trade edition back in 1988 which included Vaughn's original strips as well as Mark's continuing stories (which I believed were published over in Epic Illustrated?). It's a nice looking book (a bit $$); i see Bud Plant has 1 left in stock as I type this. The original Cobalt story is also included in the recent "Best of Witzend" hardcover (that's the cherry on top of the ice cream sundae- that book is loaded with too much goodness). I would love to see a shoot interview with Mark as well.
Fantagraphics have a real nice book called cheech wizard’s book of me, I think it’s all the wizard strips in one book with a bunch of extras and sketches
i have a collection of underground comics from god nose to mr natural... several bodes work.... zap rip off freak brothers if you want a list respond to this ill check back
What is the origin of the term "Cheech"? i only know it from Cheech Wizard and Cheech & Chong, but I always assumed it was a nickname of some sort - is it short for something?
Vaughn didnt do grafitti, that was his son Mark.
Best Bode lmo: SUNPOT, JUNKWAFFEL, WAR LIZARDS. Those things were produced for publications like EAST VILLAGE OTHER, GALAXY etc and have less sex comedy and more 'hippie burnout' dead-end mysticism.
By the way, pronounce it Bodey...just sayin