Ink Stains 200: Gosh Wow 3

Gosh Wow​ holds a somewhat sacred place in the world of fanzines, featuring very early work from people like Berni Wrightson and others. Issue 3 is no exception!

Gosh Wow 3: Summer 1969
Publisher/editor: Robert Schoenfeld

Tom Sutton

I missed out on Gosh Wow when it was current, since it started in 1968 and this last issue came out in 1969...I didn't find out about fanzines until 1971. But I have always heard of it as one of the best of the early fantasy/comic zines. As you can see below, editor Schoenfeld had an eye for future greats, in this case, Berni Wrightson. I couldn't find any real information on Schoenfeld unfortunately...one factor being this zine was a last minute replacement for a different zine that will have some input from the principals a bit later (next month). At just 20 years old, though, he presented himself as very intelligent in his beginning editorial, Mad River. A plus is the bang-up spot illustration by Tom Sutton at left.

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Berni Wrightson (color by Bill Spicer)

Aside from the spot illustrations, convention coverage and some text articles, the bulk of the issue is devoted to the first installment and perhaps, first ever publishing, of the soon to be underground comix staple, Moondog, from George Metzger. We will get to that soon. The first two text entries, aside from the editorial, are wonderfully heavy photographically illustrated articles on the 1968 Comic Art Convention (by big name fan, Tom Fagan, and J. Randolph Cox), as well as Scarp con from the same year. Check out all the pros you could meet with little or no fanfare back then below!

John G. Fantucchio

As I said, the heat of the meat (as Colbert would say) of this issue is the 20 page epic introduction to George Metzger's character, Moondog. George would go on to publishing his  post apocalyptic series in the undergrounds through Print Mint. I do remember seeing it, but, at my age, undergrounds were hard to find and somewhat verboten. I did manage to hoard a few here and there, though! Just not this one.

The Wikipedia article states that he was "born in rural Illinois, and moved with his family to northern California when he was six years old. As a youth, he collected comic strips and read such authors as H. P. Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, and Herbert Asbury. He studied the work of such book illustrators as Fritz Eichenberg, and Lynd Ward. His later work was influenced by his interest in Maxfield Parrish, Hannes Bok, EC Comics, and various science fiction illustrators." Definitely of his time, it states also that "Obsessively drawing every night, Metzger could be found at his drawing board while friends gathered and talked around him. In the early days of the original Star Trek, Metzger and several friends would gather every Wednesday evening to watch. Always a guest at the hippest parties in the Bay Area, he often carried a flask of brandy in his back pocket for all to share. He was friendly with the underground artists of the day, plus many Bay Area bluegrass and country musicians, as well as the Grateful Dead."

Her certainly had no trouble world building, the evidence being Moondog. The art is lush, detailed, very evocative, while the lettering is definitely hand drawn, elaborate and, to be honest, a bit hard to read at times.

​Fantagraphics, a long time supporter of great comics (and comix), has a great bio book, as well as others that you can see here. Enough chit chat, let's get to the Dog!

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George Metzger

Back cover by Metzger

I have such incredible admiration for someone who can create such a detailed character and environment...I am sorry I missed out! Of course, you don't have to...just get the pdf...and those pages above are just the introduction! The letters page is somewhat expansive, featuring biggiewiggies such as Vaughn Bode, Doug Moench, Fred Hembeck Marv Wolfman, Dwight Decker, and more.

But wait...there's still more! As a bonus, you get to see issue 12 of The Buyers Guide for Comic Fandom! Get the pdf and check out the cover below by Jim Pinkoski! And Ken Kelley has a tiny little illustration in there (assuming "Kenn Kelley" is the same guy)!

Ken Meyer Jr.
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