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Publisher: The Print Mint Inc
Years in Operation: 1966 - 1978
Disclose Detail
Country: Flag United States Web Site: Brands: 1 Indicia Publishers: 4 Series: 63 Printings: 176 (123 Issues) Disclose 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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Series Name Years in Print Issues (Printings)
All Girl Thrills {Comic Books} 1971 - 1
American Flyer Funnies {Comic Books} 1971 - 0
Arcade the Comics Revue {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Created by Art Spiegelman and Bill Griffith. Each issue's title page contains a self-portrait from all the contributors. Not to be confused with Charles and Robert Crumb's self-made publication from the early 1960's.
1975 - 1976 7
Bent {Comic Books} 1971 - 1
Bijou Funnies {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Print Mint published only the following editions of this series: #1 (2nd printing) #2 (1st & 2nd printings) #3 (1st & 2nd printings) #4 (1st printing) There were no further printings of #1. All subsequent editions were published by Kitchen Sink: #2 (3rd printing) #3 (3rd printing #4 (2nd printing & up)
1969 - 1970 4
Book of Raziel {Comic Books} 1969 - 1
The Captain {Comic Books} 1972 - 1
Captain Guts {Comic Books} 1969 - 1971 3 (4)
The Collected Cheech Wizard {Comic Books} 1976 - 1
Coochy Cooty Men's Comics {Comic Books} 1970 - 1
Despair {Comic Books} 1969 - 1 (2)
Deviant Slice Comics and Funnies and Stories, Etc. {Comic Books} 1972 - 1
Deviant Slice Comix {Comic Books} 1973 - 1
The Dying Dolphin {Comic Books} 1970 - 1
El Perfecto Comics {Comic Books} 1973 - 1 (2)
Feds 'N' Heads Comics {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers appearance; second to fourteenth print editions; First print self-published as: Feds 'N' Heads Comics (Gilbert Shelton, 1968 series).
1969 - 1978 2 (4)
Girl Fight Comics {Comic Books} 1972 - 1974 2
Googiewaumer Comics {Comic Books} 1969 - 1
Guano Comix {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Numbering continues from ? Issues #1-3 were college humor magazines.
1972 - 1
Heavy Tragicomix {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Second printing exists February 1972. "Heavy Tragi-Comics" on cover only.
1969 - 1970 1
High-Flyin' Funnies Comix & Stories {Comic Books} 1970 - 1
Hit the Road {Comic Books} 1972 - 1
The Human Drama {Comic Books} 1978 - 1
Illuminations {Comic Books} 1971 - 1
Insect Fear {Comic Books} 1970 - 1973 3
Junkwaffel {Comic Books} 1972 - 1976 4 (7)
The Kingdom of Heaven Is Within You Comix {Comic Books} 1969 - 1
Lemme Outa Here {Comic Books} 1978 - 1
Lenny of Laredo {Comic Books} 1966 - 1
Light Comitragies {Comic Books} 1971 - 1
The Man {Comic Books} 1972 - 1975 1 (2)
Manhunt {Comic Books} Age Restricted 1973 - 1
Mean Bitch Thrills {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: The 1st and 2nd printings are believed to be indistinguishable.
1971 - 1
Meef Comix {Comic Books} 1972 - 1973 2
Mom's Homemade Comics {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Published #1 (2nd & 3rd printings only) and #2.
1969 - 1970 2 (3)
Moondog {Comic Books} 1969 - 1973 3
(Not Only) The Best of Wonder Wart-Hog {Comic Books} 1973 - 1 (2)
Occult Laff-Parade {Comic Books} 1973 - 1
Radical America {Comic Books} 1969 - 1
Real Pulp Comics {Comic Books} 1971 - 1973 2
Rubber Duck Tales {Comic Books} 1971 - 1972 2
San Francisco Comic Book {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: #1 by San Francisco Comic Book Company. #2 by The Print Mint for the San Francisco Comic Book Company. #3 by The Print Mint for the San Francisco Comic Book Company. #4 by The Print Mint. #5 by The Print Mint and Last Gasp. #6 by Last Gasp. Produced by San Francisco Comic Book Company. #7 by Last Gasp.
1973 - 1
Savage Humor {Comic Books} 1973 - 1973 1
Show + Tell {Comic Books} 1973 - 1
Snatch Comics {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: The Print Mint took over the reprinting of the Snatch comics from Apex Novelties in 1972.
1972 - 1976 3 (6)
Softcore {Comic Books} 1973 - 1
Spaced Out {Comic Books} 1972 - 1
Sphinx {Comic Books} 1974 - 1
Spiffy Stories {Comic Books} 1969 - 1
Suds {Comic Books} 1969 - 1
Tales from the Ozone {Comic Books} 1970 - 1
Tales from the Tube {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: 2nd edition; 1st edition printed as a bound-in insert to Surfer Magazine.
1973 - 1
Tales of Sex and Death {Comic Books} 1971 - 1975 2
Tales of Toad {Comic Books} 1970 - 1971 2
Truckin' {Comic Books} 1972 - 1974 2
Tuff Shit {Comic Books} 1972 - 1
Uneeda Comix {Comic Books} 1970 - 1
Yellow Dog {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Issued in self-wrappers. Edited and illustrated by Robert Crumb and others. Series started in Berkeley California shortly after Zap and before Crumb's other projects (Despair, Big Ass Comics etc.). Includes early contributions from Joel Beck, Robert Williams, Andy Martin, Rick Griffin, Chester Crill and others. The first twelve issues were reprinted in 1973 as a fifth anniversary edition. Sold together in a manila envelope.
1968 - 1973 22 (32)
Young Lust {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Title had multiple publishers. #1 by Company & Sons. Later printings by Last Gasp. #2 by The Print Mint. #3 by Last Gasp. #4 by The Print Mint. #5-8 by Last Gasp.
1971 - 1972 2 (4)
Young Lust {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Title had multiple publishers. #1 by Company & Sons. Later printings by Last Gasp. #2 by The Print Mint. #3 by Last Gasp. #4 by The Print Mint. #5-8 by Last Gasp.
1974 - 1
Zam-Zap Jam {Comic Books} 1974 - 1
Zap Comix {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Issues 0-2 originally published by Apex Novelties. The Apex brand was retained on the cover for several issues after that as a legacy tribute.
1969 - 1978 10 (38)
Κύκλωψ Comics [Kuklōps Comics] {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Listed in the Kennedy Guide as "Kukawy Comics." The title is Greek for "Cyclops".
1969 - 1

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