CRAZY MEN GO WILD!

CRAZY MEN GO WILD!

32-page digest-size comix with Full Color Covers
Published by Thru Black Holes Comix
Prod., Color, Backgrounds & Characters by: Michael Roden
Copyright © 1986
1700 copies were printed.
$2.00

This wonderful comix is pretty well summed up in the CRAZY MEN GO WILD! Advertising Flyer:

"Crazy Men Go Wild!" is a visual journey through the Psychedelic Crazy Castle. Dozens of rooms are filled by over a hundred characters in the tradition of Basil Wolverton and "Big Daddy" Roth!

Let's take a look at the specifics:

cover MICHAEL RODEN and JEFF GAITHER untitled drawing (Crazy Men Go Wild!)

This mind-boggling collaboration between these two amazing artists provides the starting point for this trippy fun comix.

There's a lot of Jeff in C.M. Go Wild! That's because I actually started the book because Jeff was so gung-ho and kept sending lots of killer artwork. This was even before I finished C.M. on V. completely. Notice how I've given up collage. Who needs it when artists like Jeff send me great art to use in place of regular collage material? In a way it's still collage. Except I add my own characters too as well as backgrounds. MR: undated letter to DLC

pages 2-32 Welcome to the ... Crazy Castle!

This visually stunning story is truly a benchmark in the history of comix. This incredible Fun House story includes guest contributions by (in order of appearance) JEFF GAITHER, XNO, ED "BIG DADDY" ROTH, JIM RYAN, BOB X, JOHN MATHIES, R.K. SLOAN, S. FIORILLA, MARK FISHER, and ED NEWTON. Notice the cameo appearance by Plain Loon on page 21. This really has to be seen to be appreciated.

The whole Crazy Castle idea was inspired by the Mystery Fun House in Orlando, Fl. Not that the place was the greatest thing ever, but it had some cool parts and so many rooms that it took 1 hour! MR: letter to DLC dated 11/23/86

Prior to its completion, MR discussed the concept behind this amazing comix:

Here's a little background on the book. The whole thing is inspired by the Mystery Fun House (Orlando) and has a flavor of the 60's ... . The setting is the "Crazy Castle," which is illuminated throughout by black light. This is an interesting concept for me ... using imaginary lighting. Every page in "C.M. Go Wild!" is either a 1/2 or full pager. So there's a big difference [between that and] "C.M. on V." But that's what I'm after, a difference between the comix. Since I have only so many types of lines and patterns to choose from as my building blocks of drawing, I have to depend on concepts to make the difference. MR: letter to DLC dated 3/5/86

Finally, a few words on the basic concept of the Crazy Men themselves:

You'll find the Crazy Men infiltrating a lot of my artwork. They're part of a new era, using much less collage. Not that I have any regrets about using montage in my comix. It's just a new era for me. I used to want an enigmatic feel from my comix. Now it's more cartoony but still with a surrealistic feel. Ray Zone calls is Americana Grotesque. MR: letter to DLC dated 7/27/85

The TBHC collaborative comix are really in a class by themselves. They combine all of the excitement and surprise of any great multi-artist comix with the direction and vision of MICHAEL RODEN as chief architect of the amazing worlds that he creates as home to the wonderful characters who inhabit these comix. His approach as editor-in-chief allows a considerable degree of artistic freedom to his contributors while providing at the same time a surprising degree of continuity and a rock solid sense of place. As crazy as things get in these comix, they never seem forced or artificial. One almost gets the sense that these comix are simply a glimpse into the everyday lives of some very interesting and very out-there characters. And maybe, in the final analysis, that’s exactly what they are.

Resource Notes:
Thanks to MICHAEL RODEN for sending me copies of this amazing comix.
Print run per MICHAEL RODEN: letter to DLC dated 11/23/86.

Available From:
Thru Black Holes Comix & Collectibles eBay Store

History:
Page posted to the online Michael Roden Catalog 23 August 2006.