by Les Daniels
First published 1971
Danny Roth works as a freelance writer in New York when he stumbles into the wild universe of underground comics. He meets eccentric artists who create taboo-breaking stories about sex, drugs, and social rebellion. Danny finds himself drawn deeper into this counterculture scene, attending late-night parties where cartoonists debate art versus commerce. He watches talented creators struggle between their artistic vision and the need to pay rent. Some artists embrace the freedom to shock readers while others worry about crossing legal boundaries. Danny must decide whether to write an honest expose that could damage his new friends or produce a sanitized piece that betrays what he has witnessed. The comic book world forces him to examine his own values about art, friendship, and integrity. His journey reveals the tension between creative expression and social acceptance in an era of rapid cultural change.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, contemporary, comics
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, integrity-versus-friendship
Setting: New York
Period: 20th-century
198 pages · Hardcover · Outerbridge & Dienstfrey; dist
Content warnings: drug-use, explicit-sexual-content