LENNY of LAREDO by Joel Beck. Third Printing (white cover) © 1965 but published by The Print Mint in April 1966.

There were only three printings of this important underground comic book, and the first two printings are so scarce as to be almost never seen. And this is the only edition of the three in a standard comic book format (7" x 10 1/16"), although the covers and content are black & white.

Lenny of Laredo was the second underground comic book ever (preceded only by Jaxon's God Nose). To put this timeline in perspective, Joel Beck created Lenny of Laredo a full two years before R. Crumb's first Zap hit the scene! The potty-mouthed "Lenny" in Lenny of Laredo is inspired by '50s stand-up comic Lenny Bruce, whose monologues sprinkled with four-letter words shocked middle America. Beck, living in the San Francisco Bay area, was also inspired by Mario Savio's Free Speech Movement at the University of California--Berkeley in the mid-sixties. Lenny is a cornerstone item in any serious underground comix collection.

Condition: Very Good/Fine. There is a very light vertical crease down the middle, suggesting that the original owner briefly put it is his back pocket when leaving a head shop in 1966. It is now barely noticeable. There is a spot of light beige discoloration at the top left edge of the cover with a mirror discoloration in the same spot on the back cover, There is a 3/8" surface abrasion next to the front cover beige spot. In the oval art border to the right of Lenny's turban there is another small 1/2" abrasion and what looks to be a very sight repair of a barely visible surface tear. There are two tiny beige spots on the inside front cover. The pages are bright white and the book is otherwise fuully intact and tight. It is virtually impossible to find this early underground in mint condition.

Provenance: Certified to be from the collection of a childhood friend of cartoonist Joel Beck.

Price: $250.00

One copy in stock. Adults only.