Gary Arlington
| Gary Arlington | |
|---|---|
| Born | Gary Edson Arlington October 7, 1938 San Jose, California |
| Died | January 16, 2014 (aged 75) San Francisco, California |
| Nationality | American |
| Area(s) | publisher, retailer, artist |
|
Notable works
|
San Francisco Comic Book Company San Francisco Comic Book |
Gary Edson Arlington (October 7, 1938 – January 16, 2014) was an American retailer, artist, editor, and publisher, who became a key figure in the underground comix movement of the 1960s and 1970s. As owner of America's first comic book store, the San Francisco Comic Book Company, located in San Francisco's Mission District, Arlington's establishment became a focal point for the Bay Area's underground artists. He published comics under the name San Francisco Comic Book Company as well as Eric Fromm (not connected to the German critical theorist). Cartoonist Robert Crumb has noted, "Gary made a cultural contribution in San Francisco in the late '60s, through the '70s, '80s & '90s that was more significant than he realizes."
Julian Guthrie, in the San Francisco Chronicle, described the youthful Arlington's art interests:
In 1968, Arlington was down on his luck, penniless and essentially homeless. The closure of his parents' house forced him to sell his extensive personal comics collection, which included many rare comics from the era's Golden Age as well as a trove of EC Comics. Arlington opened the San Francisco Comic Book Company, located in San Francisco's Mission District at 3339 23rd Street. It soon became a focal point for the Bay Area's underground artists. (The Bay Area itself was a Mecca for underground cartoonists from all over the country.)Lambiek's Comiclopedia offers this description of the artistic avenues provided by Arlington:
As guru and "godfather" of underground comics, he encouraged and directed many artists on their path to publication. His tiny 200-square-foot store became the underground nexus where artists met, discussed projects and exchanged ideas. Employees at Arlington's store included Simon Deitch, Rory Hayes, and Flo Steinberg.
Arlington also published some important early underground titles, including the first two issues of Robert Crumb's Mr. Natural. He published a number of experimental minicomics by Art Spiegelman.
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