| Revolutionary Comics |
Article Index for Revolutionary |
Website Links For Revolutionary |
Information AboutRevolutionary Comics |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT REVOLUTIONARY COMICS | |
| comic book publishing companies of the united states | |
| comics based on bands | |
|
Please (format) this article as suggested in the and the . Remove this template after wikifying. This article has been tagged since April 2006. Revolutionary Comics (1989 – 1994) was a U.S. comic book publisher best known for the title “Rock N Roll Comics,” launched in 1989. Founded by publisher Todd Loren, the line featured unlicensed biographies of rock stars, told in comic book form but geared for adults, often with very adult situations (nudity, drug use, violence, etc.). Some musicians featured in the comics, like Frank Zappa and Kiss, were supportive, while others like the New Kids On The Block considered Revolutionary’s comics akin to bootlegs and sued. Loren claimed the First Amendment protected the journalistic rights of his "illustrated articles" and he took the matter to the California Supreme Court, who agreed. Loren’s win against the New Kids established, among other things, First Amendment rights for comics for the first time. Todd Loren (real name Stuart Shapiro) got his start in Detroit, promoting comic conventions and record collector shows. After moving to San Diego, California, he started up a mail order rock and roll memorabilia company called Musicade, which advertised in many major newsstand magazines. The Musicade catalog grew and by 1989 Loren had over two dozen employees taking and shipping orders. Seeing good sales on an unauthorized Bruce Springteen parody comic from Canada called “Hey Boss,” Loren decided to sell Musicade and launch a comic book line featuring rock stars. He hired “Hey Boss” artist Larry Nadolsky to draw the first issue of Rock ‘N’ Roll Comics, profiling Guns N’ Roses. On the comic’s release, Guns N’ Roses lawyer Peter Paterno sent Revolutionary a cease and desist order. This was reported in a Rolling Stone story that directly resulted in the entire 10,000 copy print run selling out in two weeks, thanks to buyers who thought G N’ R would sue the comic out of existence. No lawsuits actually happened, and the comic went into multiple new printings eventually totaling over 150,000 copies. Rock ‘N’ Roll Comics 3 and 4, on Bon Jovi and Motley Crue, did result in lawsuits. The bands had exclusive merchandising deals with Great Southern/Winterland Productions, who threatened comic distributors over carrying the issues and got a court injunction prohibiting Revolutionary from distributing either comic. This forced Revolutionary to build its own distribution network outside traditional comic shops, eventually getting them into music and gift retail outlets which had never carried comics before. This independence from the comic book marketplace served the company well as sales continued to rise from issue to issue, with their Metallica comic going into multiple print runs totaling over 75,000 copies. Early Revolutionary Comics contained straight biographies in comic form and Mad magazine styled parodies. The parodies were later dropped. Revolutionary’s bio comics also sported a cover logo reading "Unauthorized And Proud Of It," possibly in hopes of staving off further lawsuits. By the early nineties, Revolutionary Comics were among the top three selling independent comic companies in the U.S. Loren hired his father, Herb Shapiro, to be Vice President of the growing company, while Jay Allen Sanford (who’d worked for Loren’s Musicade and was writing for Rock ‘N’ Roll Comics as of its second issue) became the line’s head writer. New music titles were launched like Hard Rock Comics, the Pink Floyd Experience, the Led Zeppelin Experience and a 5-issue Pink Floyd series that the band liked well enough to include in their official “Shine On” box CD set. Rock ‘N’ Roll Comics number 12, an unauthorized bio of The New Kids On The Block, got Revolutionary sued again by Great Southern/Winterland. Loren set up a 900 number “Nuke the New Kids” to raise money for the company’s defense ($10.00 per call, billed by phone company). In April 1990, U.S. District Judge John S. Rhoades declared that R’N’R number 12 could legally be distributed because it is “part biography and part satire.” His twelve page ruling also stated that “Bookstores are filled with biographies - both authorized and unauthorized - of public figures. And, while the subjects of such biographies may be offended by the publication of their life stories, they generally have no claim for trademark infringement.” Rhoades’ ruling also stated “It appears that the First Amendment may trump any claim that the plaintiffs have for trademark infringement.” The resultant order stated that Winterland Concessions Co. failed to show that the case met the standards required to issue a preliminary injunction. This dissolved the temporary restraining order prohibiting distribution. The New Kids responded by filing suit for trademark infringement since their logo appeared in the comic. A settlement between the New Kids and Revolutionary was reached in August 1990. It permanently enjoined Revolutionary from “advertising, manufacturing, distributing and/or selling or otherwise commercially exploiting any publication displaying the trademark and/or logo of the New Kids On The Block, either as a group or individually.” Loren promptly reprinted the New Kids story in magazine format, without depicting the band’s logo anywhere in the story. Ironically, this and the other lawsuits garnered Revolutionary worldwide press, eventually resulting in record-breaking sales for an indie comic publisher. In June 1992, at the age of 32, Loren was found murdered in his San Diego condo. The case remains unsolved, though recent clues researched by the FBI link his death to serial killer Andrew Cunanan. The company continued for two more years, under Loren’s father and with Jay Allen Sanford serving as Managing Editor. During those years, Kiss participated in a three issue bio series called Kiss Pre-History and other new music titles were launched, such as British Invasion and Alternative Comics. The company closed its doors in 1994, having put out around 300 comic books. Sanford took the Carnal Comics imprint with him (flagship title: “True Stories Of Adult Film Stars”), a successful adults-only line still being published today. In 2005, BulletProof Film released a documentary film “Unauthorized and Proud Of It: Todd Loren’s Rock ‘N’ Roll Comics.” The film features interviews with Loren's family, surviving Revolutionaries, comic book colleagues, adversaries, supporters and past and present rock 'n' roll stars featured in Revolutionary’s Comics. The filmmakers also confront San Diego police about their investigation into Loren's murder, in clips interspersed with those closest to Loren who say they weren't even interviewed and/or who had to forcefeed possibly vital evidence and information to investigators who seemed uninterested. It’s revealed that initial suspects in Loren’s murder included Axl Rose and members of the New Kids On The Block. The murder remains unsolved. Among the creators who worked for Revolutionary Comics: underground painter Robert Williams, Tom Luth (Groo), Rich Buckler (Avengers), Daerick Gross (Vampire Lestat), Scott Jackson (Heavy Metal Monsters), Jay Allen Sanford (San Diego Reader), SS Crompton (Demi The Demoness), Spain Rodriguez (Zap Comix), Robert Bloch (author of “Psycho”), Rick Geary (National Lampoon), Larry Niven (author of “Ringworld”), George Clayton Johnson (writer for the original “Twilight Zone” and “Star Trek” TV shows), Ken Landgraff (Wolverine), Stuart Immonen (Supergirl), Len Kirk (Star Trek comics) and others. |
|
|