Button 011: Famous Cartoonist Dan Clyne (Hungry Chuck Biscuits)

Famous Cartoonist Button 11

Dan Clyne. Though his pointed ears suggest a character from Star Trek, this Chicago underground cartoonist was mainly known for his character Hungry Chuck Biscuits, a rather grotesque teenager who suffered from worms and other disorders. After his one-shot title plus appearances in Snappy Sammy Smoot and Teen-Age Horizons of Shangri-La, his character was well-enough known to be parodied as "Hungry Melvin Biscuits" in color in Bijou #8. Clyne's brief career in undergrounds ended and he began a successful and much longer career as a commercial illustrator.

Pinback Jack issued this "Famous Cartoonist Series" of self-portrait buttons back in 1975. All of the participating cartoonists were alive and created self-portraits specifically for this button set. With very few exceptions, the images have not appeared elsewhere in print. The buttons were distributed by Krupp Comic Works and Phil Seuling. This set was originally announced as 52 buttons, and the alphabetical numbering reflects that. However, two artists (Neal Adams and Rick Meyerowitz) turned in their self-portraits late, after the first 52 had already been designed. They were included in the set, but numbered 53 and 54 respectively, out of alphabetical sequence. Steve Krupp's Curio Shoppe is now the exclusive source of the remaining limited inventory.

All the color buttons in this set are metal with clear celluloid covers, are 2.25 inches in diameter, and have "safety" pinbacks. This button is listed for sale as an individual, but we do offer the complete set as well.