Years in Operation:
1966 - 1978
Detail
Country:
United States
Web Site:
Brands:
1
Indicia Publishers:
4
Series:
63
Printings:
176 (123 Issues)
Notes:
Don and Alice Schenker started The Print Mint as a picture-framing shop and retailer of posters and fine art reproductions on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley, California, in December 1965. Schencker's first comics job was a reprint of Joel Beck's Lenny of Laredo, published by the Print Mint in April 1966.
Beginning in 1968 publishing and distribution of underground comics became The Print Mint's major endeavor. With their partners the Ritas, Don did the organizing, editing and layout of the books, working with the artists. Bob and Peggy Rita and Alice handled the distribution and the day-to-day operations of the business. Alice also oversaw the Berkeley store. The company's main office was located at 830 Folger Avenue in Berkeley.
The first comix Print Mint published was the (initially) weekly tabloid Yellow Dog, edited by Don Schencker. Eventually, the Print Mint published such underground comix notables as Robert Crumb, Trina Robbins, Rick Griffin, S. Clay Wilson, Victor Moscoso, Gilbert Shelton, Spain Rodriguez, and Robert Williams. Titles they published included Zap Comix, Junkwaffel, Bijou Funnies, and Moondog. In addition they published one of the first ecologically themed comics, The Dying Dolphin, a solo effort by rock poster artist Jim Evans with contributions by Ron Cobb and Rick Griffin.
As the first publisher to invest heavily in the underground comix movement (and its distribution), the Print Mint was instrumental in the form's popularity and widespread reach in the late 1960s and early 1970s. As they were growing the market and putting money in the hands of the cartoonists, however, their business practices were called into question by a number of the more popular artists. A few of those, including Gilbert Shelton and Frank Stack, broke off in early 1969 to form their own publisher, Rip Off Press, taking some of the more established cartoonists (like Crumb) with them. From that point on, the Print Mint focused more on bringing new talent into the burgeoning underground industry.
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