Oz

Here's a psychedelic feast-for-the-eyes in the form of underground press magazine Oz. Oz was possibly most famous for the prosecution of its editors in 1971 for obscenity and conspiracy to corrupt public morals, following publication of the Schoolkids issue of Oz (#28).

Now, in what we hope are more enlightened times, you can read your very own electronically preserved copy of Oz. A warning, gentle reader. Although not the infamous Schoolkids issue, this magazine no doubt contains “obscene, lewd, indecent and sexually perverted articles, cartoons and drawings with intent to debauch and corrupt the morals of children and other young persons and to arouse and implant in their minds lustful and perverted ideas”. Not only that, it deals with “homosexuality, lesbianism, sadism, perverted sexual practices and drug taking”. Beware!

Thanks to Darwination for the lovely edit on this copy of Oz #31.

Download Oz #31

Discovering Comics

Denis Gifford was a comic creator, comics historian, and comic convention organiser who possessed a legendary collection of British comics, and an equally legendary knowledge of them.

His Wikipedia entry tells the shameful story that “despite hints that he might bequeath this vast collection to the country, via the Victoria and Albert Museum or similar, this was broken up and sold off after his death, having been rescued from the black bags of a non-specialist house clearance company”.

He wrote several books about comics and film. In his 1972 book Discovering Comics he gives us a rundown of British comics history from Ally Sloper, through many early comics, up to Eagle and the Marvel reprints of the 1960s.

Download Discovering Comics by Denis Gifford

Stampede

Stampede was a previews poster magazine from exciting but short-lived comic publisher Tundra UK. This 1992 issue featured Skin by the rather strange Peter Milligan and the undoubtedly seminal Brendan McCarthy.

Download Stampede (1992-03)