Underground Comix Show Wyandotte, Mi June 16th

[art_daddy-migration]

What: Patt Slack’s River’s Edge Gallery presents an Underground Comics show Pop Art Funnies. The show will include original works and prints by Martin Hirchak, Gary Grimshaw, Matt Feazell, Sean Bieri, Pete Trugeon, Carl Lungren, Nate Higly, and Mark Arminski.

When: June 16th, Wyandotte’s Third Friday. Opening will be from 6:00-11:00pm and the artists will be in attendance.

WHERE: Patt Slack’s River’s Edge Gallery 3024 Biddle, Wyandotte. (734)246-9880, Contact Aimee or Patt

 

 

River’s Edge Gallery in Wyandotte is going underground featuring the art work of Marty Hirchak and his cohorts or contributors to his self-written, self-published, self-distributed and self-financed comic Pop Art Funnies on June 16th during Wyandotte’s Third Friday. It is a legendary show bringing together for the first time the pioneers of the underground comix movement along with todays comix creators, all under one cover: Pop Art Funnies.

It’s all about underground comix, otherwise known as ‘comics’ if they are more like Spiderman or Archie, which these are not. Underground comix are not for children. The comix started in 1967 as a social-political-cultural rebellion to incite change. Underground comix favorite target? Nixon and the Vietnam war. The current underground artists are reviving and continuing the tradition started almost forty years ago. Featuring the artists of Pop Art Funnies, River’s Edge exhibits why comics are not just about muscular men in tight costumes but can be political and satirical as well. Underground comix and its original art has become one of the most collectable items in the art world. Artists such as Gary Grimshaw and Carl Lundgren were at the forefront with such well known comix creators as R. Crumb. Detroit during its cultural mecca days of the later 60’s produced such well known titles as “Tales from the Ozone” , “Motor City Comix” and “Slow Death Funnies” among others. Much of this early work is culturally, socially and historically important having documented the hippie movement, the anti-war movement, the proliferation of drugs and free sex.

The Pop Art Funnies show will feature its own creator, Martin Hirchak. While Hirchak first released Pop Art Funnies in 2003, his love of creating comics began much earlier. He began drawing in 1967 (at age 2) on his parents walls and at the age of ten the novice artist was first published with his cartoon titled “Harold Horse” in the Northeast Detroiter, a local newspaper at the time. More praise was brought in 1977 when Hirchak won the 4H poster contest.

From 1975 to 1983 Hirchak drew his homemade comics while being involved in the Detroit punk scene, which he is still in (his band “Smarties” will release a second album soon). Hirchak also contributed to the Fanzine Ditkomania (a fanzine is a magazine created by fans for their own benefit. Ditkomania was dedicated to Spiderman co-creator Steve Ditko). Hirchak was the cover artist from 1992 to 1994. The search for a job as a comic artist lead Hirchak no where. Rejections from Marvel, D.C., Mad Magazine, and Hanna Barbera caused Hirchak to self-publish on the small press level. From 1990 to 2002 Hirchak published his own comics and passed them out for free on Monroe Street. Though out this period Hirchak kept a job as a sign painter, many of which can be seen in the Eastern Market, Cork Town and much of Metro Detroit.

Hirchak began to publish Pop Art Funnies in 2003. Other well known artists such as Gary Grimshaw, Matt Feazell, Sean Bieri, Pete Trugeon, Carl Lungren, Nate Higley, and Mark Arminski began contributing starting with issue no.2 The first issues of Pop Art Funnies originally sold for ten cents is now going for $10 or more in the collectors market. Now in its third year Pop Art Funnies, which has seven printed issues with the eighth almost done, has developed a national following. The latest issue, #7, features characters such as SuperBull, Sourpuss the Clown, The Saginaw Kid, Sonny Boy, Wally, Ted, and more. It also showcases legendary rocker David Black, guitarist for “Seduce”.

The Pop Art Funnies show will open at River’s Edge Gallery on June 16th at 6:00pm until 11:00pm. Artists contributing to the show include Martin Hirchak, Gary Grimshaw, Matt Feazell, Sean Bieri, Pete Trugeon, Carl Lungren, Nate Higly, and Mark Arminski. Artists will be there and refreshments will be served.

 

www.artattheedge.com

[aardvark88]

Will Gary Grimshaw be designing the UG con poster? Post image when available.

Noticed strong demand for UG comix at local retailer. 1 collector scooped up $400 worth of higher grade comix before their 25% off sale last week.