Promethean
Enterprises #5, 1974, Robert Crumb, Robert Williams, Rick Griffin, Bud Plant, Victor
Moscoso, Underground Magazine Comic, Near Mint Condition "RARE"
The final issue of Promethean Enterprises arrived in 1974, well over two years after the previous issue. Coeditor Jim Vadeboncoeur acknowledged in his editorial that "There is the distinct possibility that this may be our last issue." He cited rising production costs and a business merger that changed the publishers' relationship with the printer as risk factors for future issues. "But don't write us off yet," he declared.
Well, as it turned out we did have to write them off, but at least we got one more great issue of artwork and, for the first time, a long-form interview. Al Davoren interviewed Robert Crumb on August 6, 1972, right after Crumb's XYZ Comics hit the streets (and about 20 months before Promethean #5 was published). This is also around the time that Crumb had a live-in girlfriend, Kathy (living next door to Crumb's wife at the time, Dana), who accompanied Crumb to San Jose for the interview and occasionally tosses in a comment or two.
The interview runs over 30 pages, which is about half text and half samples of
early Crumb artwork (including several strips of "Roberta Smith, Office
Girl"). After a bit of small talk, the interview begins with Crumb's
interest in fanzines in the late '50s (and his own short-lived FOO!
fanzine) and moves through his early career with Help! magazine, Yarrowstalks
and Fritz the Cat, including the movie fiasco with Ralph Bakshi and Steve
Krantz. Crumb discusses Zap Comix, his visit to the Playboy mansion, his
passion for old music from the '20s and '30s, and his thoughts on the current
(1972) state of underground comics.
While I certainly haven't read every word Crumb has ever uttered in 40+ years
of interviews, I'm sure there are a few nuggets in this interview that aren't
available elsewhere.
The Crumb interview is presented at the beginning and end of the book, with the
middle providing the usual array of comic artwork from various sources. George
Metzger delivers the third chapter in "Panoply Mind" (over three
years after the second chapter in Promethean #3). The old man in the
forest takes our three protagonists on a mind trip through "the
city," where—in a dream—they meet a pivotal character who wields much more
power than some of them realize. By the conclusion of the chapter,
"Panoply Mind" has finally gotten interesting, but I've never found
another chapter published anywhere. Metzger moved to British Columbia, Canada
back in the '80s and left comics behind to work in animation.
Clifford Neal contributes a nice six-page story that was later reprinted in Dr.
Wirtham's Comix & Stories. The center spread features the rarely seen
bus-wrapping project that Victor Moscoso produced for KSAN radio back in 1971.
Bob Inwood provides a lushly illustrated 11-page story about a woman who is
married to a werewolf who kills both her dogs and her children... alas, I am
not aware if this story was ever concluded in another publication, but it
certainly should have been.
Elsewhere there is a terrific ink illustration by David Karbonik and a pair of
lighthearted watercolors inspired by early Disney animation by Bob Zoell. And
of course, there is the front cover art as well, which features an awesome foldout
cover by Robert Williams. Promethean Enterprises may have ended its run
after only five issues, but it made its mark by providing a remarkable
diversity of fine comic art by both traditional and underground artists. It is
rare indeed to find publications today that match Promethean and its
ambitious scope and quality of content.
The product is a vintage comic book titled "Promethean Enterprises #5 1974" from the US Comics tradition. It features the superhero team Promethean Enterprises in an action-packed adventure, suitable for a general audience. This single issue comic book, published by Promethean Enterprises themselves, is a valuable collector's item from the Bronze Age era (1970-83) of comics. With its vibrant color style and English language narrative, this comic book offers a glimpse into the world of superheroes and adventure in the 1970s.
Please Note: In the middle of top edge, on ONLY two pages mid-book, bindery interior tear of about 1/8" have been noted. (see photos) Slight interior noticeable small water stains appear on the first right hand page. Corners are cut square and sharp. Spine is tight and flat. Staples are the original, centered and clean with no rust. Paper is white supple and fresh.
HISTORICAL FOOTNOTES:
It is currently unknown how many copies of this
magazine were printed. It has not been reprinted. The covers are printed on a
heavy cover stock and the interior pages are printed on white offset paper. Kennedy's
Price Guide lists the mag as having 86 pages because he counted the foldout
cover as two extra pages (four in all). We are counting it as only two.
Promethean Enterprises #5 was originally intended to be sold for $1.50,
as indicated by the cover price in Robert William's logo for the book. However,
there were so many delays between the cover being designed and the magazine
being published, the publishers raised the price to $2.00 and added a sticker to the cover to reflect the higher
price. The cover shown above didn't have the sticker when I bought it and I
can't find any evidence that it ever did.
Jim Vadeboncoeur recalled one reason for the publishing delay in a message
board post from 2011: "I still have fond memories of issue #5, as well as
a lingering sense of trepidation over the prolonged efforts it took to produce
it. Do you remember IBM Selectric typewriters? I typed that Robert Crumb
interview (sixteen three columns, justified, three different font pages) on one
of those. Jeez, what a job!"
COMIC CREATORS: Jim Vadeboncoeur Jr. - coeditor, 41 (text), 82-83 (editorial) Al Davoren - coeditor, art director, 2, 3 (shared), 5-6, 8-11, 17-18, 22, 63, 65, 67-68, 72-73, 77-76 (interview with Robert Crumb), 80-82 (shared), 83 Bud Plant – coeditor Robert Williams - 1Rick Griffin - 3 (shared), 23 (collaboration) Robert Crumb - 3 (lettering), 5-22, 63-76 (art, interview, spot illustrations) George Barr - 4 (art for table of contents) known - 5, 7 (photos) George Metzger - 23 (collaboration), 25-33 Frank Brunner - 24 Robert Inwood - 23 collaboration), 45-55 Victor Moscoso - 23 (collaboration), 42-43 Keith Kleespies - 34, 61-62 Clifford Neal - 35-40 Trina Robbins – 56 Vincent Davis - 57-60 Bob Condon - 69-71 (story) David Karbonik - 77 Bob Zoell - 78-79 Alex Nino – 84
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its subjects in a humorously exaggerated and satirical way. For Adults Only is printed on the cover
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