Skip Williamson
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Skip Williamson (born August 19, 1944) is an American underground cartoonist and central figure in the underground comix movement. Williamson is known for being the most political and satirical cartoonist of the underground comix movement.
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Childhood
Williamson was born in San Antonio, Texas, but later moved to Lynchburg, Virginia, and then to Canton, Missouri. Williamson's real first name is Mervyn; however when he was a child, he was a bit of a troublemaker, so his Nana gave him the nickname "Skip" after Percy Crosby's comic strip character "Skippy".
First Publication
Williamson's first published cartoon was in Harvey Kurtzman's HELP! Magazine in 1961. The cartoon was accepted by then Help! editor Gloria Steinem. The cartoon was of two New Orleans trash cans. One was labeled "Negro Trash" the other "White Trash". Subsequently, comedian Dick Gregory when on The Tonight Show and showed the cartoon on national television, launching Williamson into the mainstream.
Underground Comix
Williamson moved to Chicago in 1967 to help long time friend Jay Lynch publish The Chicago Mirror. The Chicago Mirror was later changed to Bijou Funnies, which was one of the first and longest running underground comix.
The Chicago 8
Because of Williamson's friendship with Yippie activist Abbie Hoffman, he was allowed into the courtroom where the Chicago 8 trial was being held, where he did sketches of key characters in the trial. Hoffman gave Williamson part of the advance from his book, Steal This Book, for Williamson to produce a comic that would raise money for the Chicago 8 defense fund. Williamson produced the comic book Conspiracy Capers, which featured the art of Jay Lynch, Jay Kinney, Dan Clyne, Paul David Simon and more. Later Williamson would illustrate the first printing of Abbie Hoffman's book, Steal This Book.
Skip Williamson characters
- Snappy Sammy Smoot
- Rag-time Billy
- Necropolis Keester
- Neon Vincent
- Nell & Void
