Manuel Rodriguez (March 2, 1940 – November 28, 2012), better known as Spain or Spain Rodriguez, was an American underground

cartoonist A cartoonist is a visual artist who specializes in both drawing and writing cartoons (individual images) or comics (sequential images). Cartoonists differ from comics writers or comic book illustrators in that they produce both the literary and g ...

who created the character

Trashman Trashman may refer to the following: * Trashman (character), a fictional character and eponymous comic book created by Spain Rodriguez * ''Trashman'' (video game), a 1984 video game for the ZX Spectrum *The Trashmen, a band from Minneapolis, Minnes ...

. His experiences on the road with the motorcycle club, the Road Vultures M.C., provided inspiration for his work, as did his

left-wing politics Left-wing politics describes the range of political ideologies that support and seek to achieve social equality and egalitarianism, often in opposition to social hierarchy. Left-wing politics typically involve a concern for those in ...

. Strongly influenced by 1950s

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, war novel, military fiction, dark fantasy, and science fiction from the 1940s through th ...

illustrator

Wally Wood Wallace Allan Wood (June 17, 1927 – November 2, 1981) was an American comic book writer, artist and independent publisher, widely known for his work on EC Comics's titles such as '' Weird Science'', '' Weird Fantasy'', and ''MAD Magazine'' fr ...

, Spain pushed Wood's sharp, crisp black shadows and hard-edged black outlines into a more simplified, stylized direction. His work also extended the

eroticism Eroticism () is a quality that causes sexual feelings, as well as a philosophical contemplation concerning the aesthetics of sexual desire, sensuality, and romantic love. That quality may be found in any form of artwork, including painting, ...

of Wood's female characters.

Biography

Early life

Manuel Rodriguez was born March 2, 1940, in

Buffalo, New York Buffalo is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of New York (behind only New York City) and the seat of Erie County. It is at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of the Niagara River, and is across the Canadian border from Sou ...

. He picked up the nickname Spain as a child, when he heard some kids in the neighborhood bragging about their Irish ancestry, and he defiantly claimed Spain was just as good as Ireland. Rodriguez studied at the Silvermine Guild Art School in

New Canaan, Connecticut New Canaan () is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 20,622 according to the 2020 census. About an hour from Manhattan by train, the town is considered part of Connecticut's Gold Coast. The town is bound ...

alongside cartoonist M.K. Brown.

Career

In New York City, during the late 1960s, he became a contributor to the

underground newspaper The terms underground press or clandestine press refer to periodicals and publications that are produced without official approval, illegally or against the wishes of a dominant (governmental, religious, or institutional) group. In specific rec ...

the '' East Village Other'', which published his own comics tabloid, ''Zodiac Mindwarp'' (1968). He covered the

1968 Democratic National Convention The 1968 Democratic National Convention was held August 26–29 at the International Amphitheatre in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Earlier that year incumbent President Lyndon B. Johnson had announced he would not seek reelection, thus maki ...

in Chicago as a reporter for the ''East Village Other'', adventures which were chronicled in ''My True Story'' (

Fantagraphics Books Fantagraphics (previously Fantagraphics Books) is an American publisher of alternative comics, classic comic strip anthologies, manga, magazines, graphic novels, and the erotic Eros Comix imprint. History Founding Fantagraphics was found ...

, 1994). One of his earliest strips, "Manning," featured a hard-boiled, over-the-top cop and was later cited as an influence on the British comics character Judge Dredd. A co-founder (with

Robert Crumb Robert Dennis Crumb (; born August 30, 1943) is an American cartoonist and musician who often signs his work R. Crumb. His work displays a nostalgia for American folk culture of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and satire of contem ...

) of the United Cartoon Workers of America, Spain contributed to numerous

underground comic Underground comix are small press or self-published comic books that are often socially relevant or satirical in nature. They differ from mainstream comics in depicting content forbidden to mainstream publications by the Comics Code Authority, ...

s in the 1960s–2000s, including '' San Francisco Comic Book'', '' Young Lust'', ''

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 * ...

'', '' Bijou Funnies'', '' Weirdo'', and Harvey Pekar's '' American Splendor''. Spain joined the '' Zap Comix'' collective in issue #4 (August 1969), and contributed stories to every issue from then until the comic's demise in 2005. In such classics as Spain's ''Mean Bitch Thrills'' (Print Mint, 1971), Spain's women are raunchy, explicitly sexual, and sometimes incorporated macho

sadomasochistic Sadomasochism ( ) is the giving and receiving of pleasure from acts involving the receipt or infliction of pain or humiliation. Practitioners of sadomasochism may seek sexual pleasure from their acts. While the terms sadist and masochist refer ...

themes.

's first appearance was as a full-page serial in the ''East Village Other''.Rodriguez, Spain. ''Trashman Lives!'' (Fanatagraphics Books, 1997), p. iv. After moving from New York City to

San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish for " 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 fourth most populous in California and 17t ...

in 1970, Spain's ''Subvert Comics'' series (1970–1976) featured "three full length ''Trashman: Agent of the Sixth International'' stories."''Trashman Lives'', pg. v. Trashman later appeared in such publications as ''

High Times ''High Times'' is an American monthly magazine (and cannabis brand) that advocates the legalization of cannabis as well as other counterculture ideas. The magazine was founded in 1974 by Tom Forcade.Danko, Danny"Norml Founder Retires – Exhal ...

'', '' Heavy Metal'', '' Weirdo'', ''

'' magazine, ''Zap'' #11-13, and the Fantagraphics anthology '' Zero Zero'' #2. From 1976 to 1998, Spain contributed cover art to more than a dozen issues of the popular pornographic magazine ''

Screw A screw and a bolt (see '' Differentiation between bolt and screw'' below) are similar types of fastener typically made of metal and characterized by a helical ridge, called a ''male thread'' (external thread). Screws and bolts are used to ...

''. Spain drew ''

Salon Salon may refer to: Common meanings * Beauty salon, a venue for cosmetic treatments * French term for a drawing room, an architectural space in a home * Salon (gathering), a meeting for learning or enjoyment Arts and entertainment * Salon ( ...

'''s continuing graphic story, ''The Dark Hotel'', which ran on the website in 1998–1999. His starkly forceful, naturalistic style perfectly matched Conan Doyle's eerie stories in ''

Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a " consulting detective" in the stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with observation, deduction, forensic science and ...

' Strangest Cases'' (Word Play Publications, 2001). Spain's later work included an illustrated biography of

Marxist Marxism is a left-wing to far-left method of socioeconomic analysis that uses a materialist interpretation of historical development, better known as historical materialism, to understand class relations and social conflict and a dialecti ...

revolutionary

Ernesto "Che" Guevara Ernesto Che Guevara (; 14 June 1928The date of birth recorded on /upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/78/Ernesto_Guevara_Acta_de_Nacimiento.jpg his birth certificatewas 14 June 1928, although one tertiary source, (Julia Constenla, quoted ...

, ''Che: A Graphic Biography'' (

Verso Books Verso Books (formerly New Left Books) is a left-wing publishing house based in London and New York City, founded in 1970 by the staff of '' New Left Review''. Renaming, new brand and logo Verso Books was originally known as New Left Books. The ...

, 2008). Published in several different languages, it was described by cartoonist

Art Spiegelman Art Spiegelman (; born Itzhak Avraham ben Zeev Spiegelman on February 15, 1948) is an American cartoonist, editor, and comics advocate best known for his graphic novel '' Maus''. His work as co-editor on the comics magazines ''Arcade'' and '' Ra ...

as "brilliant and radical." His history of the California farmworker movement, ''Farmworker Comix'' was published posthumously in 2014 by the California Federation of Teachers. Spain designed several posters for the

San Francisco Mime Troupe The San Francisco Mime Troupe is a theatre of political satire which performs free shows in various parks in the San Francisco Bay Area and around California. The Troupe does not, however, perform silent mime, but each year creates an original ...

, a political satirist theatre company. Rodriguez taught art classes at

Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts (MCCLA) is an arts nonprofit that was founded in 1977, and is located at 2868 Mission Street in the Mission District in San Francisco, California. They provide art studio space, art classes, an art gallery ...

for many years, and he supported the creation of murals in the

Mission District The Mission District (Spanish: ''Distrito de la Misión''), commonly known as The Mission (Spanish: ''La Misión''), is a neighborhood in San Francisco, California. One of the oldest neighborhoods in San Francisco, the Mission District's name is ...

Death

Rodriguez died at his home in San Francisco on November 28, 2012, after battling cancer for six years.Fagan, Kevin (November 28, 2012)
"Spain Rodriguez: Zap Comix artist dies"
''

San Francisco Chronicle The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and Michael H. de Young. The pa ...

''.

Awards

In July 2013, during the

San Diego Comic-Con San Diego Comic-Con International is a comic book convention and nonprofit multi-genre entertainment event held annually in San Diego, California since 1970. The name, as given on its website, is Comic-Con International: San Diego; but it is ...

, Rodriguez was one of six inductees into the Will Eisner Hall of Fame. The award was presented posthumously by '' Mad'' magazine cartoonist and ''

Groo the Wanderer ''Groo the Wanderer'' is a fantasy/comedy comic book series written and drawn by Sergio Aragonés, rewritten, co-plotted and edited by Mark Evanier, lettered by Stan Sakai and colored by Tom Luth. Over the years it has been published by Pacific ...

'' creator

Sergio Aragonés Sergio Aragonés Domenech ( , ; born September 6, 1937) is a Spanish/Mexican cartoonist and writer best known for his contributions to '' Mad'' magazine and creating the comic book '' Groo the Wanderer''. Among his peers and fans, Aragonés is ...

. The other inductees were Lee Falk,

Al Jaffee Allan Jaffee (born Abraham Jaffee; March 13, 1921) is an American cartoonist. He is notable for his work in the satirical magazine '' Mad'', including his trademark feature, the ''Mad'' Fold-in. Jaffee was a regular contributor to the magazine ...

Mort Meskin Morton Meskin (May 30, 1916 – March 29, 1995)Social Security Death Index, SS# 071-16-1099. was an American comic book artist best known for his work in the 1940s Golden Age of Comic Books, well into the late-1950s and 1960s Silver Age. Early li ...

, Joe Sinnott, and Trina Robbins."Eisner Awards Current Info"
. Comic-Con International: San Diego. Retrieved September 11, 2013.

Exhibitions

* 1988 (June 27–August 10) Galería Esquina de la Libertad (San Francisco) — "Spain : a View from the Bottom: Posters, Comic Strips, Caricatures and More" * 2012 (September 14, 2012–January 13, 2013)

Burchfield Penney Art Center The Burchfield Penney Art Center, or just the Burchfield Penney, is an arts and educational institution part of Buffalo State College, located adjacent to the main campus in Buffalo, New York, United States. Dedicated to the art and vision of ...

Buffalo State College The State University of New York College at Buffalo (colloquially referred to as Buffalo State College, SUNY Buffalo State, Buffalo State, or simply Buff State) is a public college in Buffalo, New York. It is part of the State University of New ...

(Buffalo, NY) — "Spain: Rock, Roll, Rumbles, Rebels & Revolution"

Bibliography

* ''Subvert Comics'' #1–2 (Rip Off Press, 1970–1972); #3 ( Saving Grace, 1976) * ''Mean Bitch Thrills'' ( Print Mint, Sept. 1971) * ''Food Price Blackmail: Who's Behind the High Cost of Eating'', text by Margaret Lobenstein & John Schommer. United Front Press, 1973. * ''Trashman Lives!: The Collected Stories from 1968 to 1985'' (Fantagraphics, 1989). * ''She: Anthology of Big Bitch'' (with Susie Bright). San Francisco: Last Gasp, 1993. * ''My True Story''. Seattle: Fantagraphics Books, 1994. * ''Nothing in This Book Is True, But It's Exactly How Things Are'', text by Bob Frissell. Berkeley: Frog Ltd., 1994. * ''Alien Apocalypse 2006'' (with Kathy Glass and Harold S. Robbins). Berkeley: Frog Ltd., 2000. * ''Sherlock Holmes' Strangest Cases'' by

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle (22 May 1859 – 7 July 1930) was a British writer and physician. He created the character Sherlock Holmes in 1887 for '' A Study in Scarlet'', the first of four novels and fifty-six short stories about Ho ...

. San Francisco: Word Play Publications, 2001. * '' Nightmare Alley'' by William Lindsay Gresham. Seattle: Fantagraphics Books, 2003. * ''You Are a Spiritual Being Having a Human Experience'', text by Bob Frissell. Berkeley: Frog Ltd., 2003. * ''Che: A Graphic Biography'', edited by Paul Buhle. London/New York: Verso, 2008. * ''Devil Dog: the Amazing True Story of the Man Who Saved America'', text by David Talbot. Simon & Schuster, 2010. * ''Cruisin' with the Hound'' (Fantagraphics Books, 2012). * ''Farmworker Comix: a History of the Farm Labor Struggle in California'', text by Bill Morgan. (California Federation of Teachers, 2014). * ''Dies Irae: One Man Against the American Empire (A Graphic Story of 9/11)'', text by Wolcott Wheeler. Independently Published, 2003,2018.

References

Notes

Sources

* Ascher, Jon
"Sifting Through the Trash: Spain and Trashman,"
JonAscher.com (1998). * Hodler, Tim
"Spain Rodriguez: Tributes,"
''The Comics Journal'' (NOV 29, 2012). * Talbot, David
"Death of an American original: Cartoonist Spain Rodriguez subverted the youth of America,"
''Salon'' (DEC. 1, 2012). * Vallen, Mark

Art for a Change website (Dec. 5, 2012). * Viglietta, Sal
"Road Vultures and Rumbles,"
''Artvoice Weekly Edition''vol. 8, #42 (Oct. 14, 2009).