Button 021: Famous Cartoonist Justin Green (Binky Brown Meets Holy Virgin Mary)

Famous Cartoonist Button 21

Justin Green. Green's painfully autobiographic comic, Binky Brown Meets the Holy Virgin Mary, became a cult classic and had a deep influence on the field. He has long been a cartoonist admired by other cartoonists but unable to earn a living completely from comics. Consequently much of his career has been spent as a sign painter (which led to an ongoing comic strip about sign painting). He contributed to Arcade, Shangri-La, Snarf, Comix Book, Yellow Dog, Dope Comix, Young Lust and other undergrounds. He is clearly a sensitive artiste: note the tear in his eye! We also have Green's '70s "Smoking Causes Cancer!" button (below).

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.