Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
Guide to the Clark Dissmeyer Comix and Small Press Collection 1977-2002
SC 003.5
Table of Contents
- Summary Information
- Biography/History
- Scope and Content
- Arrangement
- Administrative Information
- Related Materials
- Names and Subjects
- Detailed Description of Collection
- Series 1: Advertisements and Promotional Material, 1991-1992
- Series 2: Bibliographic Correspondence and Documentation, 1999
- Series 3: Catalogs, 1986-1998
- Series 4: Comix
- Series 5: Newsletters, 1988-1997
- Series 6: Comix Related Materials, 1992-1997
- Series 7: Review Zines, 1992-1993
- Series 8: Zines, 1982-1999
- Series 9: Oversize
Summary Information
- Repository
- Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
- Creator
- Dissmeyer, Clark Alan, 1963-
- Title
- Clark Dissmeyer Comix and Small Press Collection
- ID
- SC 003.5
- Date [inclusive]
- 1977-2002
- Extent
- 2.5 linear feet of shelf space, 4 boxes
- Language
- Collection materials are in GermanFinnishPortuguese
- Abstract
- This collection consists of small press literature and comic books collected by underground cartoonist Clark Dissmeyer. It includes holdings of unique and rare comics and homemade zines spanning two decades in the small press/underground genre. Much of the subject matter is controversial, and contains violent and/or sexual themes.
Preferred Citation
[Item Description]
Clark Dissmeyer Comix and Small Press Collection, 1977-2002 (SC 003.5)
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.
Biography/History
Underground/Newave comix cartoonist Clark Allen Dissmeyer (CAD) was born and raised in Nebraska. Little is known about his life except that he has lived almost exclusively in Nebraska and currently resides in Kearney, Nebraska. In addition to collecting small press and alternative comics, Dissmeyer is cited as one of the progenitors of the small press explosion of the 1980's and of the minicomix format, comix drawn on 8.5 x 11 paper and then photocopied, folded into quarters, cut, and bound. Out of this movement also came microcomix, an even smaller format used by a smaller number of cartoonists. Willis and other small press cartoonists exchanged their creations with fans and other cartoonists though the mail in the United States and worldwide. Some of Dissmeyer's notable works include Dadman and Sonboy, Giant-Sized Mini Comix, Babyfat, and Anal Retentive Horror.
Scope and Content
These underground comix and small press materials were collected by Clark Dissmeyer and were published circa 1977 to 2002. The collection consists of approximately 130 folders of individual titles, and some folders contain sequential issues of comix, newsletters, and zines. Standard and digest size comix make up one-fifth of the collection and while many are underground comix they are of a more professional quality than other formats. Among the standard comix include Rip Off Comix, The Weirdo, and Cool Cheese Comic. Minicomix consist of approximately 60 percent of the collection, a significant number given both the small size of the items and the rarity of minicomix. While many of the minicomix authors represented in this collection are not highly known, many of the titles were published in the early to mid-1980s and thus document the beginning of the minicomix genre. There are three microcomix folders in the collection.
Approximately 30 percent of the collection is non-comix related, consisting of advertising and promotional materials, catalogs, newsletters, and zines (from magazine, and self-published via photocopier). Of these, zines are the majority (about 15 percent of the collection) and are notable for their representations of the American music underground, counterculture, anti-television and anti-procreation movements, LGBT rights, and graphic poetry.
The Dissmeyer collection, along with the much-larger Willis Collection (SC 3.5) offers a significant snapshot of the American underground and counterculture in the 1980s and 1990s and many of the materials coincide with the birth of the underground comix scene (referred to by many cartoonists as "Newave").
Arrangement
This collection is arranged into nine series. Material in each series is arranged alphabetically by title.
Series 1: Advertising and Promotional Material, 1991-1992. This series contains materials related to the advertising and promoting of comix, zines, comic books, and promotional comix-related events.
Series 2: Bibliographic Correspondence and Documentation, 1999. This series contains transmittal lists and collection documentation by Clark Dissmeyer.
Series 3: Catalogs, 1986-1998. This series consists of catalogs for comix, comic books, anime, art supplies, and other unrelated materials.
Series 4: Comix, 1977-2002. This series contains three subseries: 4.1 Regular and Digest Comix, 1977-1999; 4.2: Microcomix, 1984-2002; and 4.3: Minicomix, 1979-1999. Microcomix are generally smaller versions of minicomix, where the 8.5 x 11 in sheet is folded into eights or sixteenths and then cut and bound.
Series 5: Newsletters, 1988-1997. This series consists of newsletters of small press, library, and environmental groups and organizations.
Series 6: Comix Related Materials, 1992-1997. This series contains a variety of materials relating to comix and comix creators.
Series 7: Review Zines, 1992-1993. This series consists of small press zines that review other small press zines.
Series 8: Zines, 1982-1999. This series consists of small press zines written by one or multiple authors.
Series 9: Oversize Materials. This series consists of materials too large for storage in the comix collection. Separation sheets are filed for these materials in their respective series.
Administrative Information
Publication Information
Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections © 2014
https://libraries.wsu.edu/masc/
Terrell Library
P.O. Box 645610
Pullman, WA, 99164-5610 USA
509-335-6691
mascref@wsu.edu
Restrictions on Access
This collection is open and available for research use.
Restrictions on Use
Copyright restrictions apply.
Acquisition Information
Clark Dissmeyer donated this collection to the Washington State University Libraries in multiple installments in 1999 (MS.2009.18).
Processing Information
Robert Franklin processed this collection in 2014.
Related Materials
Related Material
Steve Willis Underground Comics Collection, 1966-1997 (SC 003.1)
Lynn R. Hansen Underground Comics Collection, 1899-1994 (SC 003.2)
Paul Brians Comics Collection, 1950-2004 (SC 003.3)
Steve Willis Comix and Small Press Collection, 1968-2004 (SC 003.4)
Joseph M. Shea Comix and Small Press Collection, 1967-2010 (SC 003.6)
Jeff Zenick Comix and Small Press Collection, 1984-2003 (SC 003.7)
Comic Art and Culture Collection 1969-2009 (SC 003.8)
Names and Subjects
Subject(s)
- Comic books, strips, etc.
- Graphic novels
- Underground press publications
- Underground comic books, strips, etc.
- New wave comics
- Erotic comic books, strips, etc.
- Publishers and Publishing
Detailed Description of Collection
Series 1: Advertisements and Promotional Material, 1991-1992 |
||||
| box | folder | |||
|
Fraudeville 1992 |
1 | 1 | ||
|
Premios Simao/Simao Prix 1993 |
1 | 2 | ||
|
This is Don Public Theatre 1991 |
1 | 3 | ||
|
Who Are the Virtual Gods? 1992 |
1 | 4 | ||
|
|
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Series 2: Bibliographic Correspondence and Documentation, 1999 |
||||
| box | folder | |||
|
Dissmeyer Transmittals 1999 |
1 | 5 | ||
|
|
||||
Series 3: Catalogs, 1986-1998 |
||||
| box | folder | |||
|
Baby Sue Products undated |
1 | 6 | ||
|
Feh! Press Catalog 1991-1992 |
1 | 7 | ||
|
Mumbles Publications Catalog Fall-Winter 1986 1986 |
1 | 8 | ||
|
The New City Limits Catalogue of Groovy Stuff Issue number 1 undated |
1 | 9 | ||
|
Ten Thousand Things Catalog 1998 |
1 | 10 | ||
|
|
||||
Series 4: Comix |
||||
Subseries 4.1: Regular and Digest Comix, 1977-199 |
||||
| box | folder | |||
|
11/12 Dave 1995 |
1 | 11 | ||
|
Arnie Arnolds Space Cadet! 1980 |
1 | 12 | ||
|
Automatics undated |
1 | 13 | ||
|
Baby Sue Vol. 2 numbers 1-4, Vol. 3 numbers 1-2 1988-1998 |
1 | 14 | ||
|
Bat Comix 1982 |
1 | 15 | ||
|
Betta Bob, The Siamese Fighting Fish! 1999 |
1 | 16 | ||
|
Big Dog's Goat Farm Dispatch number 2 1992 |
1 | 17 | ||
|
Bigger 1996 |
1 | 18 | ||
|
Buddah on the Road number 2 undated |
1 | 19 | ||
|
The Collected Charles Charles 1985 |
1 | 20 | ||
|
Cool Cheese Comic undated |
1 | 21 | ||
|
Deep Girl number 4 1994 |
1 | 22 | ||
|
Doubts and Visions 1991 |
1 | 23 | ||
|
Highbrow 1991 |
1 | 24 | ||
|
Houdini the World's Handcuff King and Prison Breaker 1991 |
1 | 25 | ||
|
Juice City 1997 |
1 | 26 | ||
|
Karkus Ratus numbers 1 and 2 1998 |
1 | 27 | ||
|
Laugh Clown Laugh undated |
1 | 28 | ||
|
The Local Comics Compilation numbers 1 through 10 1998 |
1 | 29 | ||
|
Mumbles numbers 1 through 5 1983-1985 |
1 | 30 | ||
|
The Rain's Falling on Hard Nose Harry 1979 |
1 | 31 | ||
|
Real Hep! 1 and 2 1983 |
1 | 32 | ||
|
Real Scream Comics 1992 |
1 | 33 | ||
|
Rip Off Comix 1977 |
1 | 34 | ||
|
Simao number 3 1993 |
1 | 35 | ||
|
Shitty Comix undated |
1 | 36 | ||
|
The Weirdo numbers 2 through 3 1979-1980 |
1 | 37 | ||
|
Welcome to 1991 undated |
1 | 38 | ||
Subseries 4.2: Microcomix, 1984-2002 |
||||
| box | folder | |||
|
Dead Soldiers 1984 |
1 | 39 | ||
|
The Just Say No to Tuna Book number 2 1990 |
1 | 40 | ||
|
Ricko Comix 2002 |
1 | 41 | ||
Subseries 4.3: Minicomix, 1979-1999 |
||||
| box | folder | |||
|
[Untitled] 1990 |
1 | 42 | ||
|
5 O'Clock Shadow 1989-1992 |
1 | 43 | ||
|
A Finkster. A Rose. 1979 |
1 | 44 | ||
|
A Romp with Burns and Allen 1990 |
1 | 45 | ||
|
Alex Tamsula's The Thing's In Town 1980 |
1 | 46 | ||
|
The Baby Sue Book 1985 |
2 | 1 | ||
|
Baby Sue's Philosophy Book undated |
2 | 2 | ||
|
Baby Sue's Recipe Book undated |
2 | 3 | ||
|
Babylon Mystery 1987 |
2 | 4 | ||
|
Bagman #one 1999 |
2 | 5 | ||
|
Bend Over number 1 undated |
2 | 6 | ||
|
La Camara Desmayada 1982 |
2 | 7 | ||
|
Christian's Birthday Comix undated |
2 | 8 | ||
|
Clavicle Book 1998 |
2 | 9 | ||
|
Cold Comfort 1999 |
2 | 10 | ||
|
Cool Maps 1992 |
2 | 11 | ||
|
Dilation Comix 1982 |
2 | 12 | ||
|
Doodles 1 1995 |
2 | 13 | ||
|
Doppelganger 1981 |
2 | 14 | ||
|
Eggo-Man number 1 undated |
2 | 15 | ||
|
Farmboy Funnies 1992-1993 |
2 | 16 | ||
|
Friendly Garbage! number 1 1981 |
2 | 17 | ||
|
Garbanzo Comix number 1 1980 |
2 | 18 | ||
|
Garden Comics number 5 1986 |
2 | 19 | ||
|
Hallowman 1995 |
2 | 20 | ||
|
How Do I Do My Wicked! Comics 1994 |
2 | 21 | ||
|
Insect Man 1990 |
2 | 22 | ||
|
Insufficient Dada Mini 1991 |
2 | 23 | ||
|
King of Palms 1995 |
2 | 24 | ||
|
Lust Ratio 1982 |
2 | 25 | ||
|
Meat Signals 1982-1986 |
2 | 26 | ||
|
Modern Depression Magazine 1981 |
2 | 27 | ||
|
Mr. Mike undated |
2 | 28 | ||
|
Mr. Whipple! 1981 |
2 | 29 | ||
|
Near Fiction 1991 |
2 | 30 | ||
|
Notary Sojac 1980 |
2 | 31 | ||
|
One (1) Day Close to Hell undated |
2 | 32 | ||
|
Rare Mini Comix 1988 |
2 | 33 | ||
|
The Rise and Fall of Mr. Fuck You Man undated |
2 | 34 | ||
|
Sheep Shots, Sheep Tricks and Sheep Thrills 1989 |
2 | 35 | ||
|
Shoes 1998 |
2 | 36 | ||
|
Scenes From the Election Year: 1980 1980 |
2 | 37 | ||
|
Snap Happie! 1989 |
2 | 38 | ||
|
Star Face number 3 1985 |
2 | 39 | ||
|
Suburban Mojo undated |
2 | 40 | ||
|
They Were In Love 1986 |
2 | 41 | ||
|
Treed Phoofee 1994 |
2 | 42 | ||
|
Trippincat Artist Works: Bump 1992 |
2 | 43 | ||
|
TV: Modern Man, Primitive Man 1984 |
2 | 44 | ||
|
Wedgehead 1991 |
2 | 45 | ||
|
Weird Secretary 1983 undated |
2 | 46 | ||
|
WHY?!? 1995 |
2 | 47 | ||
|
|
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Series 5: Newsletters, 1988-1997 |
||||
| box | folder | |||
|
The Desert Leafy Green number 8 undated |
2 | 48 | ||
|
News and Notes From All Over/S.E.T. Free: The Newsletter Against Television 1989-1997 |
2 | 49 | ||
|
Twisted Image numbers 11, 17-23, 25, 27-29, 31-37 1988-1992 |
2 | 50 | ||
|
These Exit Times numbers 1, 2, 4 undated |
2 | 51 | ||
|
|
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Series 6: Comix Related Materials, 1992-1997 |
||||
| box | folder | |||
|
Franklin's Tower Sticker 1995 |
2 | 52 | ||
|
Memo Pads With A Message 1992-1997 |
2 | 53 | ||
|
Postcards 1993 |
2 | 54 | ||
|
|
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Series 7: Review Zines, 1992-1993 |
||||
| box | folder | |||
|
City Limits Gazette 1992-1993 |
2 | 55 | ||
|
|
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Series 8: Zines, 1982-1999 |
||||
| box | folder | |||
|
Aquarium Town number 2 1995 |
3 | 1 | ||
|
Brass Tacks numbers 1-4, 7 1995-1999 |
3 | 2 | ||
|
Cancer is Your Friend 1984 |
3 | 3 | ||
|
Challenger 6-7 1997-1998 |
3 | 4 | ||
|
Comix Viruz number 1 undated |
3 | 5 | ||
|
Communique After Dark 0 1993 |
3 | 6 | ||
|
Cult Comix number 4 undated |
3 | 7 | ||
|
Damn number 1 undated |
3 | 8 | ||
|
Derogatory Reference 92 1999 |
3 | 9 | ||
|
Edna's Edibles Issue 3-5 1995 |
3 | 10 | ||
|
The Epistle of Christopher John Jedidiah Manzanedo Patron Saint of Palms 1995 |
3 | 11 | ||
|
FEH! numbers 5, 13-19 1988-1995 undated |
3 | 12 | ||
|
The Freethinker numbers 5 and 6 1996-1997 |
3 | 13 | ||
|
Hungry Maggot number 9 1996 |
3 | 14 | ||
|
Instant Karma number 1, Vol. 1 1991 |
3 | 15 | ||
|
King Sex 1986 |
3 | 16 | ||
|
Listen Up! number 2 1993 |
3 | 17 | ||
|
Meshggah number 15 1998 |
3 | 18 | ||
|
Puddle Dream 1998 |
3 | 19 | ||
|
Snuff It undated |
3 | 20 | ||
|
Tele Times Vol. 3, number 29 1982 |
3 | 21 | ||
|
Ten Thousand Things numbers 23-27, 30-34 undated |
3 | 22 | ||
|
Weird City undated |
3 | 23 | ||
|
Yearbook 2 1988-1990 |
3 | 24 | ||
|
|
||||
Series 9: Oversize |
||||
| box | folder | |||
|
Twisted Image undated |
4 | 1 | ||
|
|
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