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Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Volume 37, Number 8. April 24 1972

The present state of the underground comic in the United States

The present state of the underground comic in the United States

Following a peak around 1970—1971 the production of comics in the US has suffered a decline. Reports from major distributors, and articles on the subject indicate that not only are a number of publishers on the verge of bankruptcy (November 1973) but a recent Supreme Court ruling on obscenity allowing local settings of standards has threatened future production. The decline in sales is largely a result of greater discernment among readers who now reject poorer quality comics. The decline in quality is a result of three factors: publication of arty talent, over confidence through initial strong sales of any comic and a desire on the part of some publishers to expand quickly by producing as large a range as possible. With the decline of the 'counter culture' comics have had to compete with other commerical products through normal retail channels. Their past success depended on the now defunct underground papers and now capitalist 'head' stores. Driven by changes in social circumstances the comic producers are forced to choose not just in terms of quality but in ideology. The writers have to choose between the hard road of opposition to bourgeois culture or a down-grading to further sex-ploitative mass-marketing.

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