In 1995, I marked the first ten years of this publication. I celebrated this with an exhibit of the POETIC EXPRESS at the 2-South Gallery in Detroit. Eleven of the issues in this volume include my comic strip SURREAL THEATRE. I was still working at Crowley's department store. I was busy performing, writing and making art.
Issues 1 through 3 complete the "eccentric observer" series. Issue 6, created during a trip to Chicago in May, includes the poem not to laugh at the earth. Issue 8 was put out in New York City.
I start a series of comics in Number 9 dedicated to great "cartoon" artists. These include Milt Gross, Walt Kelly of Pogo fame, R. F. Outcault creator of The Yellow Kid, Winsor McCay who did Little Nemo in Slumberland, Tex Avery creator of Warner Brothers and MGM cartoons and Bugs Bunny and Al Capp who did Lil' Abner. My work here deals with themes such as money, athletics, dreams, TV, and the "scribble people."
Issue Number 9's also the 9th annual Dedications Issue. This issue includes the poem Pawn Shop, which is dedicated to Max and Dave Fleischer, the creators of Betty Boop and Popeye. It's one of my favorites, a surreal and dusty money poem. It also included Precisely Alive for Dorothea Tanning and Danger Above for Ludwig Zeller. Both were Surrealists. Zeller was a poet who also made amazing collages. There's also a poem Strength, Determination, Discipline, Magic for Albert Ayler.
Number 10 includes the poem In the Quiet Tone of Planets in memory of saxophonist John Gilmore. Number 16 included the poem Roar for Julius Hemphill, who had died in April.
Number 12 contains a "poem collection" that takes off from the worlds of Childhood.
Number 14 brought the 9th annual Emotional Digest issue including compassion, laughter and a nod to the anti-nostalgiac.
Personal Favorites: Number 1's fierce ("take two"), Number 11's The Sound and Number 13's life story.
The problems and pleasures of the Television set are addressed in issue Number 15, including As Seen on TV and a related SURREAL THEATRE strip. It's too hard picking favorites in this volume. This entire run of SURREAL THEATRE is experimental and comical, art brut funnies!