#10 Battle of the Titans 3
Only Printing / Spring 1982 / 52 pages / Rip Off Press
Editorial by Frappington Wildebeest VII • FFF Freak Broz in the 21st Century • Dinoboy on Mars • Wonder Warthog Battle of the Titans part 3 • Frank Crankcase’s Time Machine • Gilbert Sheldon’s Advanced Motoring Tips • Special Section SPanish Comix • La Dolce Vita • Day of the Death of John Lennon • Mundo Curioso • Outside the Law • Day of the Coup • Martinez (the fascist) • Saturday in the Apartments Ship Apts • What is Love? • Exit of Basques • Final Putsch in Spain • Your Comic Book • Letters to Rip Off • Rip Off Press Rooftop Miniature Golf Course and Beer Mediation Gazebo
#10 Battle of the Titans 3
about this issue
Rip Off Comix #10 continues the structure of the previous two issues, with domestic comics taking up the first half of the book followed by a section of European comics selected by Gilbert Shelton. This issue features cartoonists from Spain, though Shelton warns that the comics presented here are relatively demure (due to Rip Off Comix's "low-profile editorial policy) compared to the sex-and-violence depravity the Spaniards get away with in their own country (and their national adult humor magazine, El Vibora).
Indeed, the Spanish comics here are hit and miss, lacking the brilliance that occasionally glimmered in the previous issue's French comics. The American comics in the first half of the book fare slightly better, as Shelton contributes the amusing "The Fabulous Furry Freak Broz in the 21st Century" and the long-awaited third chapter in Wonder Wart-Hog's "The Battle of the Titans." The third installment sees our hero escape from his non-existence and reunite with his little brother Paranoid Punkpig, a warthog from ancient times named Piltdown Pig, and a warthog from the future named Pig-of-the-Future, to fight the crime wave that had run rampant in Muthalode since Wonder's elimination from existence... oh crap, you're just gonna have to read the story to (maybe) make sense of it all!
Frank Stack (aka Foolbert Sturgeon) provides what we fervently hope is only the first chapter in "Frank Crankcase's Time Machine" (which turns out to be true by the next issue, but it's not quite the thrill we imagined it). In this tale of suburban boredom, "midwestern intellectual" Frank Crankcase orders a time machine from Woolco and heads out on a time-traveling adventure, but because of some hasty decisions he ends up in big trouble, but thank God God is there to bail him out! At least this time.
Rip Off #10 is a solid entry in the early history of Rip Off Comix, though it turned out to be the last of the publication's comic-format issues. As promised by managing editor Frappington Wildebeest VII (this has to be Fred Todd, right?), Rip Off would enlarge its format and include interior color pages the next issue, thereby launching the publication into its "mature" phase and, despite a lengthy hiatus in production due to finances, cementing the title's place in comic anthology history.
HISTORICAL FOOTNOTES
It is currently unknown how many copies of this comic book were printed. It has not been reprinted.
COMIC CREATORS
Gilbert Shelton 1 (shared), 2, 3-7 (collaboration), 9-18 (collaboration), 24, 25 (text), 48-49, 52
Dave Sheridan 1 (shared), 3-7 (collaboration)
Paul Mavrides 1 (shared), 3-8 (collaboration), 8 (collaboration), 50 (collaboration)
Frank Stack 1 (shared), 19-23
Guy Colwell 1 (color)
Hal Robins 8 (collaboration)
Tony Bell 9-18 (collaboration)
Joe E. Brown 9-18 (collaboration)
Onliyu 25 (text)
G. Cifre 26
Gallardo 27-31 (collaboration)
Mediavilla 27-31 (collaboration)
Sento 32
Marti 33-35
Max 36-37
Kim 38-39
Mazario 40-43
Montesol 44
Simonides 45-47
Cecile Anguera 50 (collaboration)
Hal Robins 51 (spot illo for letters page)
Jay Kinney 51 (spot illo for ad)