Howard Cruse (1944)

Howard Cruse Dancin' Nekkid With the Angels Complete 3-Page Story "Creepy Snuff Porn" Original Art (Kitchen Sink Press, 1987). Cruse, Underground Comix innovator and key architect of the gay-comics movement, strikes back with outrage against censorship. In 1986's 2,000-Page Meese Report, imposed by President Ronald Reagan and Attorney General Edwin Meese, a federal commission targeted mass-market erotica as well as Mob-driven pornography -- a sop to the repressive cult that became the American Family Association. The attempted purge drew a popular backlash on First Amendment grounds from quarters as diverse as the American Booksellers Association, Playboy magazine, and civil-liberties advocates. Not even an anti-Meese admonishment from the District of Columbia U.S. Court packed such a wallop as Cruse delivered with this deliberately coarse and violent rebuttal. His clean-lined drawing style creates a bracing contrast with the harsh ferocity of his narrative. Context is everything, and a thorough understanding of Cruse's indignation requires an awareness of the ham-fisted fascist scare tactics of the Meese Commission. The piece contains prevalent elements of nudity and violence. Ink over graphite on Bristol board, with an image area of 12.5" x 18.5". Occasional bits of retouching are unobtrusive. Excellent condition. From the Denis Kitchen Collection. HID09710052018 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved