Rory Hayes
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Rory Hayes (August 8, 1949 – August 29, 1983) was an American underground cartoonist in the late 1960s and early 1970s. His comics were drawn in an
expressionistic Expressionism is a modernist movement, initially in poetry and painting, originating in Northern Europe around the beginning of the 20th century. Its typical trait is to present the world solely from a subjective perspective, distorting it rad ...
,
primitivist Primitivism is a mode of aesthetic idealization that either emulates or aspires to recreate a "primitive" experience. It is also defined as a philosophical doctrine that considers "primitive" peoples as nobler than civilized peoples and was an o ...
style and usually dealt with grim subject matter such as paranoia, violent crime, and drug abuse. In addition to his own titles, ''Bogeyman'' and ''Cunt Comics'', he was published in many of the most prominent comics in the underground scene, including ''
Bijou Funnies ''Bijou Funnies'' was an American underground comix magazine which published eight issues between 1968 and 1973. Edited by Chicago-based cartoonist Jay Lynch, ''Bijou Funnies'' featured strong work by the core group of Lynch, Skip Williamson, Rob ...
'' and ''
Arcade Arcade most often refers to: * Arcade game, a coin-operated game machine ** Arcade cabinet, housing which holds an arcade game's hardware ** Arcade system board, a standardized printed circuit board * Amusement arcade, a place with arcade games * ...
''.


Biography

Hayes was born with
esotropia Esotropia is a form of strabismus in which one or both eyes turns inward. The condition can be constantly present, or occur intermittently, and can give the affected individual a "cross-eyed" appearance. It is the opposite of exotropia and usual ...
in his left eye; later treatment was ineffective and as an adult he had mostly lost the sight in that eye. Growing up in
San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
, Hayes moved homes frequently with his family; by the time he was ten years old the family had moved ten times. At around ten years old, Hayes began exhibiting strange behavior, possibly related to an undiagnosed
personality disorder Personality disorders (PD) are a class of mental disorders characterized by enduring maladaptive patterns of behavior, cognition, and inner experience, exhibited across many contexts and deviating from those accepted by the individual's culture ...
. (Others have suggested Hayes may have been on the
autism spectrum The autism spectrum, often referred to as just autism or in the context of a professional diagnosis autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or autism spectrum condition (ASC), is a neurodevelopmental condition (or conditions) characterized by difficulti ...
.) Hayes and his older brother Geoffrey were into pop culture and comic books, including ''
Little Lulu ''Little Lulu'' is a comic strip created in 1935 by American author Marge (cartoonist), Marjorie Henderson Buell. The character, Lulu Moppet, debuted in ''The Saturday Evening Post'' on February 23, 1935, in a single panel, appearing as a flower ...
'', ''
Uncle Scrooge ''Uncle Scrooge'' (stylized as ''Uncle $crooge'') is a Disney comic book series starring Scrooge McDuck ("the richest duck in the world"), his nephew Donald Duck, and grandnephews Huey, Dewey, and Louie, and revolving around their adventures in ...
'', ''
Sugar and Spike ''Sugar and Spike'' is an American comic book series published by DC Comics from 1956 through 1971, named after its main protagonists. The series was created, written, and drawn by Sheldon Mayer. Publication history The series was launched in 1 ...
'', ''
Dick Tracy ''Dick Tracy'' is an American comic strip featuring Dick Tracy (originally Plainclothes Tracy), a tough and intelligent police detective created by Chester Gould. It made its debut on Sunday, October 4, 1931, in the ''Detroit Mirror'', and it ...
'', and, later,
EC Comics Entertaining Comics, more commonly known as EC Comics, was an American publisher of comic books, which specialized in horror fiction, crime fiction, satire, military fiction, dark fantasy, and science fiction from the 1940s through the mid-195 ...
. Together, they published homemade comics, which were encouraged by their mother. All through their teens the boys continued to make comics, home-made movies, and later,
fanzines A fanzine (blend word, blend of ''fan (person), fan'' and ''magazine'' or ''-zine'') is a non-professional and non-official publication produced by fan (person), enthusiasts of a particular cultural phenomenon (such as a literary or musical genre) ...
, including Rory's titles ''Monsters and Ghouls'' and ''The Dolls Weekly''. He favored drawing monsters and animals (bears, especially) over people in his work. Hayes dropped out of high school after his sophomore year, shortly thereafter moving to New York City with Geoffrey, who was pursuing a career as an illustrator and cartoonist. (
Geoffrey Hayes Charles Geoffrey Hayes (13 March 1942 – 30 September 2018) was an English television presenter and actor. He presented Thames Television's children's show ''Rainbow'' from 1972 to 1992. Early life and education Hayes had various jobs such as ...
became a successful comic book writer and children's book artist).Hayes, Geoffrey
"Rory's Story,"
''VQR'' vol. 84, #2 (Spring 2008).
Moving back to San Francisco at about eighteen years old, Hayes worked as an employee at
Gary Arlington Gary Edson Arlington (October 7, 1938 – January 16, 2014) was an American retailer, artist, editor, and publisher, who became a key figure in the underground comix movement of the 1960s and 1970s.Yardley, William"Gary Arlington, a Force in Unde ...
's San Francisco Comic Book Company, which soon released his first published comic, ''Bogeyman''. ''Bogeyman'' gained Hayes some notoriety in San Francisco during this era, and he began getting illustrations gigs and other opportunities to do comics. In 1969 Hayes produced his most notorious creation, ''Cunt Comics'', a 24-page explosion of violent, pornographic drawings (with contributions from
Jay Lynch Jay Patrick Lynch (January 7, 1945 – March 5, 2017) was an American cartoonist who played a key role in the underground comix movement with his ''Bijou Funnies'' and other titles. He is best known for his comic strip ''Nard n' Pat'' and the r ...
and
Kim Deitch Kim Deitch (born May 21, 1944 in Los Angeles, California)Donahue, Don and Susan Goodrick, editors. Deitch bio, ''The Apex Treasuet of Underground Comics'' (Apex Novelties, 1974), p. 127. is an American cartoonist who was an important figure in th ...
). From 1969–1976, Hayes was a regular contributor to underground anthologies such as ''
Bijou Funnies ''Bijou Funnies'' was an American underground comix magazine which published eight issues between 1968 and 1973. Edited by Chicago-based cartoonist Jay Lynch, ''Bijou Funnies'' featured strong work by the core group of Lynch, Skip Williamson, Rob ...
'', ''Snatch Comics'', ''Skull'', ''Insect Fear'', and especially ''
Arcade Arcade most often refers to: * Arcade game, a coin-operated game machine ** Arcade cabinet, housing which holds an arcade game's hardware ** Arcade system board, a standardized printed circuit board * Amusement arcade, a place with arcade games * ...
''. He also began using
recreational drugs Recreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasur ...
, including
amphetamines Substituted amphetamines are a class of compounds based upon the amphetamine structure; it includes all derivative compounds which are formed by replacing, or substituting, one or more hydrogen atoms in the amphetamine core structure with sub ...
and
LSD Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), also known colloquially as acid, is a potent psychedelic drug. Effects typically include intensified thoughts, emotions, and sensory perception. At sufficiently high dosages LSD manifests primarily mental, vi ...
. Hayes is listed as the associate editor of one of San Francisco Comic Book Company's last published projects, 1976's ''Buck Boy''. He was a landscape painter from 1976 until his death from a drug overdose in 1983.Hayes entry
''Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999''. Accessed Sept. 22, 2016.


Bibliography


Creator series and collections

* ''Bogeyman'' #1–3 (San Francisco Comic Book Company/
Company & Sons Company & Sons was an early underground comix publisher based in San Francisco, ran by John Bagley. The company operated from 1970 to 1973, publishing a total of 15 titles, all but one of them consisting of a single issue. Company & Sons was t ...
, 1969–1970) – issue #1 entirely by Hayes; issues #2-3 omnibus edited by Hayes * ''Cunt Comics'' #1 (
Apex Novelties The apex is the highest point of something. The word may also refer to: Arts and media Fictional entities * Apex (comics), a teenaged super villainess in the Marvel Universe * Ape-X, a super-intelligent ape in the Squadron Supreme universe *Apex ...
, 1969) * ''Laugh in the Dark'' (
Last Gasp Last Gasp or The Last Gasp may refer to * Last Gasp (publisher) * ''Last Gasp'' (''Inside No. 9''), a TV episode * '' The Last Gasp'', a 2007 album by Impaled * ''The Last Gasp'' (novel) * "Last Gasp" (song) {{dab ...
Eco-Funnies, 1971) * ''Where Demented Wented: The Art and Comics of Rory Hayes'' (Fantagraphics, 2008) –
posthumous Posthumous may refer to: * Posthumous award - an award, prize or medal granted after the recipient's death * Posthumous publication – material published after the author's death * ''Posthumous'' (album), by Warne Marsh, 1987 * ''Posthumous'' ...
collection of his work


Stories elsewhere

* ''Bijou Funnies'' #2 (
Print Mint The Print Mint, Inc. was a major publisher and distributor of underground comix based in the San Francisco Bay Area during the genre's late 1960s-early 1970s heyday. Starting as a retailer of psychedelic posters, the Print Mint soon evolved into ...
, 1969) – "Pober Saltine" * ''Bijou Funnies'' #3 (Print Mint, 1969) – "Granny Crackbaggy in Stoned Again" * ''Radical America Komiks'' (Radical America, 1969; published by
Students for a Democratic Society Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) was a national student activist organization in the United States during the 1960s, and was one of the principal representations of the New Left. Disdaining permanent leaders, hierarchical relationships ...
) – "Change" * ''Snatch Comics'' #2 (Apex Novelties, 1969) – 6 pages * ''Snatch Comics'' #3 (Apex Novelties, 1969) – "Snot Nose Harold" (2 pp.) * ''All Stars'' ( San Francisco Comic Book Company, 1970) * '' Ebon'' (San Francisco Comic Book Company, Jan. 1970) – 2 pages * ''Skull'' #1 (
Rip Off Press Rip Off Press Corporation, Inc. is a comic book mail order retailer and Distribution (business), distributor, better known as the former publisher of adult-themed series like ''The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers'' and ''Rip Off Comix'', as well as ...
, 1970) – "Lorz" * ''
Slow Death Funnies ''Slow Death'' is an underground comix anthology published by Last Gasp, the first title published by the San Francisco Bay Area-based press. Conceived as an ecologically themed comics magazine (in conjunction with the first Earth Day), the title ...
'' #1 (Last Gasp, 1970) – "Chance for Survival" (art by Rory Hayes s R. Hayes story by Geoffrey Hayes . Hayes * ''Hydrogen Bomb and Biochemical Warfare Funnies'' (
Rip Off Press Rip Off Press Corporation, Inc. is a comic book mail order retailer and Distribution (business), distributor, better known as the former publisher of adult-themed series like ''The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers'' and ''Rip Off Comix'', as well as ...
, 1970) * ''Insect Fear'' #2 (Print Mint, 1972) – "The Wrath of Mazor Storn" * ''Insect Fear'' #3 (Print Mint, Winter, 1972) – "The Midnight Monster" * ''
Arcade Arcade most often refers to: * Arcade game, a coin-operated game machine ** Arcade cabinet, housing which holds an arcade game's hardware ** Arcade system board, a standardized printed circuit board * Amusement arcade, a place with arcade games * ...
'' #2 (Summer 1975) – "Bleeorp! Gaggg" * ''Arcade'' #4 (Winter 1975) – "Freak Circus" * ''Arcade'' #5 (Spring 1976) – "Terror from the Grave" * ''Arcade'' #6 (Summer 1976) – p. 34 "AGE of REASON" & p. 48 "A FEAR of Froaks" (art by Rory Hayes s R. Hayes story by Geoffrey Hayes) * ''Arcade'' #7 (Fall 1976) – "Dark Night" * '' Weirdo'' #12 (
Last Gasp Last Gasp or The Last Gasp may refer to * Last Gasp (publisher) * ''Last Gasp'' (''Inside No. 9''), a TV episode * '' The Last Gasp'', a 2007 album by Impaled * ''The Last Gasp'' (novel) * "Last Gasp" (song) {{dab ...
, 1993) – 9-page story, "Popoff Hayes the Drug Fiend" (published posthumously)


References


External links


Hayes bio
at Lambiek's Comiclopedia, including some examples of his work

at ComixJoint {{DEFAULTSORT:Hayes, Rory Underground cartoonists 1949 births 1983 deaths Drug-related deaths in California Artists from San Francisco