View source for Gilbert Shelton

{{short description|American cartoonist, born 1940}}
{{distinguish|Gilbert Sheldon}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox comics creator
| image         = Shelton, Gilbert 4.jpg
| caption       = Shelton at Comicfestival München 2013
| birth_name    = 
| birth_date    = {{Birth date and age|1940|5|31}}
| birth_place   = [[Houston, Texas]], U.S.
| death_date    = 
| death_place   = 
| field         = 
| cartoonist    = y
| training      = 
| alias = Ghoulbert Chesterton
| notable works = ''[[The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers]]''<br />''[[Fat Freddy's Cat]]''<br />''[[Wonder Wart-Hog]]''<br />''[[Not Quite Dead]]''
| patrons       = 
| awards        = [[Inkpot Award]], 1978<ref name=WhosWho /><br />[[Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame]], 2012
| collaborators = [[Dave Sheridan (cartoonist)|Dave Sheridan]], [[Paul Mavrides]], [[Pic (comics)|Pic]]
| spouse        = Lora Fountain
| website       = 
}}
'''Gilbert Shelton''' (born May 31, 1940)<ref name="comicbookdb">{{Cite web|url=http://comicbookdb.com/creator.php?ID=3007|title=Gilbert Shelton - Comic Book DB|date=May 3, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170503230823/http://comicbookdb.com/creator.php?ID=3007|archive-date=May 3, 2017}}</ref> is an American [[cartoonist]] and a key member of the [[underground comix]] movement. He is the creator of the iconic underground characters ''[[The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers]]'', ''[[Fat Freddy's Cat]]'', and ''[[Wonder Wart-Hog]]''.

== Biography ==
=== Early life and education ===
Shelton was born in Dallas, Texas, on May 31, 1940. His father, George Shelton, worked for [[Firestone Tire and Rubber Company|Firestone]], which moved the family around the southeast during the 1940s. They settled in Houston, Texas, where he graduated from [[Lamar High School (Houston, Texas)|Lamar High School]]. He attended [[Washington and Lee University]], [[Texas A&M University]], and the [[University of Texas at Austin]], where he received his bachelor's degree in the social sciences in 1961. His early cartoons were published in the University of Texas humor magazine ''[[The Texas Ranger (magazine)|The Texas Ranger]]''.<ref name="premisliberpress.cat">{{Cite web|url=http://www.premisliberpress.cat/en/2011-gilbert-shelton/|title=Premis Liberpress &#124; 2011 Gilbert Shelton}}</ref>

=== Early career ===
Directly after graduation, Shelton moved to New York City and got a job editing automotive magazines, where he would sneak his drawings into print. Early work of his was published in [[Warren Publishing]]'s ''[[Help! (magazine)|Help!]]''<ref name=WhosWho /> The idea for the character of ''Wonder Wart-Hog'', a porcine parody of [[Superman]], came to him in 1961. The following year, Shelton moved back to [[Texas]] to enroll in graduate school and get a student deferment from the [[Conscription|draft]]. The first two ''Wonder Wart-Hog'' stories appeared in ''Bacchanal'', a short-lived college humor magazine, in the spring of 1962. That same year, he published (in [[zine]] form) [[Frank Stack]]'s ''The Adventures of Jesus'', one of the first underground comix; Stack wrote and drew the comic strip under the name Foolbert Sturgeon.

Shelton then became editor of ''[[The Texas Ranger (magazine)|The Texas Ranger]]''<ref name=WhosWho>Shelton entry, [http://www.bailsprojects.com/bio.aspx?Name=SHELTON%2c+GILBERT ''Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999'']. Accessed November 5, 2016.</ref> and published more ''Wonder Wart-Hog'' stories.

After switching from graduate school to art school (where he befriended singer [[Janis Joplin]])<ref>Fox, M. Steven. [http://comixjoint.com/texasranger.html "Texas Ranger,"] ComixJoint. Accessed December 22, 2016.</ref> for two years, he was finally [[Conscription|drafted]], but Army doctors declared him medically unfit after he admitted to taking [[psychedelic drug]]s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://downthetubes.net/?p=41281|title=EXCLUSIVE: Gilbert Shelton reveals some Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers secrets, new collection extracts!|first=John|last=Freeman|date=November 3, 2017}}</ref> After this, in 1964 and 1965, he spent some time in [[Cleveland]], where his girlfriend Pat Brown (another UT alum)<ref name=Holland>Holland, Richard A. ''The Texas Book: Profiles, History, and Reminiscences of the University'' (University of Texas Press, 2006), pp. 223–299.</ref> was studying at the [[Cleveland Institute of Art]]. He applied for a job at the Cleveland-based [[American Greetings|American Greeting Card Company]] (where a fellow [[Underground comics|underground comic]] artist [[Robert Crumb]] had worked) but was turned down.{{citation needed|date=November 2016}}

The period of 1965–1968 was an itinerant one for Shelton: he moved to New York to work for the [[underground paper]] ''[[East Village Other]]'', and to Los Angeles to work for the ''[[Los Angeles Free Press]]''.<ref name=TCJ /> Then Shelton became art director for the [[Vulcan Gas Company]], a rock [[music venue]] in [[Austin, Texas]], where he worked with [[Jim Franklin (artist)|Jim Franklin]]. He created a number of posters in the style of contemporary California poster artists such as [[Victor Moscoso]] and [[Rick Griffin]]. After a year of this, he moved to [[San Francisco]] in 1968, hopeful that being closer to the action would enable him to do more poster work.

That same year, [[Pete Millar (cartoonist)|Millar Publishing Company]], who had been publishing regular Wonder Wart-Hog stories since 1966, published two issues of ''Wonder Wart-Hog''. 140,000 copies of each were printed, but distributors did not pick up the magazine, and only 40,000 of each were sold.{{citation needed|date=November 2016}}

=== Underground comix star ===
Also in 1968 Shelton [[self-published]] ''[[Feds 'n' Heads]]'', a collection of strips first published in the Austin underground paper ''[[The Rag]]''. The comic featured Wonder Wart-Hog and what became his most famous strip, ''[[The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers]]''. The first edition of ''Feds 'N' Heads'' was hand-collated, folded, and stapled by Shelton in his garage, with an initial print run of 5,000 copies;<ref name=FedsNHeads /> it proved so popular that it was later re-issued multiple times by the San Francisco-based publisher the [[Print Mint]],<ref name=Estrin>Estren, Mark. ''A History of Underground Comics: 20th Anniversary Edition'' (Ronin Publishing, 2012), p. 54.</ref> selling over 200,000 total copies by 1980.<ref name=FedsNHeads>Fox, M. Steven. [http://comixjoint.com/fedsnheads-1st.html "Feds 'n' Heads,"] ComixJoint. Accessed Nov. 3, 2016.</ref>

In 1969, Shelton co-founded [[Rip Off Press]] with three fellow "expatriate" Texans: [[Fred Todd]], [[Dave Moriaty]], and [[cartoonist]] [[Jaxon (cartoonist)|Jack Jackson]].<ref name=Estrin /> Rip Off Comix published 13 issues of ''The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers'' comic from 1971 to 1997, with many issues undergoing multiple printings. Shelton created a spin-off strip, ''[[Fat Freddy's Cat]]'', in 1969.

During this period, Shelton was also a regular contributor to ''[[Zap Comix]]'' and other underground titles, including ''[[Bijou Funnies]]'', ''[[Yellow Dog (comics)|Yellow Dog]]'', ''[[Arcade (comics magazine)|Arcade]]'', ''[[The Rip Off Review of Western Culture]]'', and ''[[Anarchy Comics]]''. Along with [[R. Crumb]], [[S. Clay Wilson]], [[Robert Williams (artist)|Robert Williams]], [[Spain Rodriguez|"Spain" Rodriguez]], and two artists with reputations as [[psychedelic art|psychedelic]] [[poster]] designers, [[Victor Moscoso]] and [[Rick Griffin]], Shelton became part of the "''Zap'' collective," which remained mostly constant throughout the nearly 50-year history of ''Zap.''

In the 1970s, Shelton managed the [[Rip Off Press Syndicate]], which sold weekly content, including Shelton's own strips, to [[alternative newspaper]]s and [[student publication]]s.<ref name=ripoffcomix /> Much of the material produced for the syndicate was eventually published in the company's long-running [[Comics anthology|anthology]] ''[[Rip Off Comix]]'', which had debuted in 1977.<ref name= ripoffcomix />

Shelton designed the cover art for the 1973 album ''[[Doug Sahm and Band]]'', as well as [[The Grateful Dead]]'s 1978 album, ''[[Shakedown Street]]''.<ref name=WhosWho />

He also illustrated the cover of the early classic [[computer magazine]] compilation ''The Best of [[Creative Computing]] Volume 2'' in 1977.

In 1979, [[Universal Pictures|Universal Studios]] paid Shelton and Rip Off Press $250,000 for the rights to make a live-action ''Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers'' film.<ref name=ripoffcomix>Fox, M. Steven. [https://comixjoint.com/ripoffcomix.html "Rip Off Comix — 1977-1991 / Rip Off Press,"] Comixjoint. Retrieved Dec. 5, 2022.</ref> Shelton used his share (which was the bulk of the money) to finance repeated trips to Europe, and to eventually settle down in France. Meanwhile, the Universal-produced ''Freak Brothers'' film never made it to production.<ref name=ripoffcomix />

=== Later work ===
Shelton's ''[[Not Quite Dead]]'', done in collaboration with French cartoonist [[Pic (comics)|Pic]], appeared in ''[[Rip Off Comix]]'' #25 (Winter 1989) and in six ''Not Quite Dead'' comic books (1993–1996).

A new Wonder Wart-Hog story appeared in ''[[Zap Comix]]'' #15 ([[Last Gasp (publisher)|Last Gasp]], 2005), as well as ''The Complete Zap'' boxed set ([[Fantagraphics]], 2014) which contained ''Zap'' #16; and a new ''Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers'' story appeared in ''Zap'' #16 as well.

''Fifty Freakin' Years with the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers'' was published in 2017 by [[Knockabout Comics]]. It contains new strips by Shelton, as well as his written introduction.

== Music ==
In 1966 Shelton formed the Gilbert Shelton Ensemble and released a [[45 record]] on ESP Records, "If I Was A Hells Angel," b/w "Southern Stock Car Man," backed by members of the [[Austin, Texas|Austin]] [[psychedelic rock]] band The Conqueroo, consisting of Tom Bright, Bob Brown and Ed Guinn.

Since moving to France, Shelton has become part of a [[rhythm and blues]] group, the Blum Brothers, featuring Shelton on vocals and piano. The band features fellow cartoonist musician [[Bruno Blum]] on vocals and guitar. A Blum-produced album was recorded but not released. The Blum Brothers played at the Jockomo, a New Orleans-style bar in the [[11th arrondissement of Paris]].<ref name="premisliberpress.cat"/>

== Personal life ==
Shelton and his wife, [[literary agent]] Lora Fountain, left San Francisco in 1979.<ref>Ward, Ed. "The Fab Three," ''Texas Monthly'' (Nov. 1991), pp. 116–120.</ref> They were residents of [[Barcelona]], ([[Catalonia]], Spain) in 1980–1981,<ref name=TCJ>{{cite news | url = http://www.tcj.com/gilbert-shelton-in-conversation/ | title = Gilbert Shelton in Conversation | first = Elliot | last = Elam | work =[[The Comics Journal]] | issue = 302 | date = February 15, 2013| access-date = February 22, 2013}}</ref> and moved to France in 1984.<ref name=TCJ /><ref name=ripoffcomix />

== In popular culture ==
=== Film and TV ===
There have been several attempts to film Shelton's Freak Brothers characters and over the years  several [[film rights]] options have been taken on his work. None went to production.<ref name="Kuznik">{{cite news |title=Drawing conclusions |first=Frank |last=Kuznik |url=http://www.praguepost.com/tempo/1655-drawing-conclusions.html |publisher=[[The Prague Post]] |date=1 July 2009 }}</ref> In 1978, the unauthorized [[pornographic film]] ''[[Up in Flames (film)|Up in Flames]]'' was released, which "ripped off the Freak Brothers <nowiki>[</nowiki>and [[R. Crumb]]'<nowiki>s]</nowiki> [[Mr. Natural (comics)|Mr. Natural]] all in one go."<ref name="RipOffPress">{{cite web |url=http://www.ripoffpress.com/fbmovie.cfm |title=The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers Movie! |accessdate=2007-01-26 |publisher=Rip Off Press, Inc.'s Freak Brothers Factory Store |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070209052122/http://www.ripoffpress.com/fbmovie.cfm |archive-date=9 February 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

It was reported that Universal's acquisition of the Freak Brothers film rights in 1979 was in order to prevent competition against the [[Cheech & Chong]] franchise. Although a script was written, the film was never made.<ref name="Toonopedia">{{cite web |url=http://www.toonopedia.com/freakbro.htm |title=The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers |accessdate=2007-01-26 |author=Don Markstein |publisher=Toonopedia }}</ref><ref name="RipOffPress"/>

At one point, the Freak Brothers' antics were reportedly being turned into a [[Broadway musical]] {{citation needed|date=November 2016}} after a [[stop motion]] animated film, titled ''[[Grass Roots (film)|Grass Roots]]'' and produced by [[Celluloid Dreams]],<ref name="HollywoodReporter">{{cite journal |date=14 February 2006 |title=X takes 'Grassroots' toke |journal=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] }}</ref><ref name="Kuznik"/><ref name="Knowles">{{cite web |url=http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=22186 |title=There Is A God!!! I've Got Absolute Indisputable Proof of His Existence!!! |last1=Knowles |first1=Harry |author-link=Harry Knowles |date=13 January 2006 |publisher=[[Ain't It Cool News]] |accessdate=15 April 2010}}</ref> fell through.{{citation needed|date=October 2016}}.

Finally, in 2021, an animated series called ''Freak Brothers'' featuring the voices of [[Pete Davidson]], [[John Goodman]] and [[Woody Harrelson]], premiered on the [[streaming service]] [[Tubi]]. It was renewed for a second season, which began in June 2023.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/streaming/tubi-grooves-into-adult-toons-with-debut-original-the-freak-brothers/|title = Tubi Grooves into Adult Toons with Debut Original 'The Freak Brothers'|date = 19 October 2021}}</ref>

=== Music ===
==== "Set My Chickens Free" ====
Shelton's strip "Set My Chickens Free," published in issue #1 of the ''[[Bijou Funnies]]'' comic (1968) has been used in multiple music projects:
* In 1969, the words were set to music by The [[Hub City Movers]] and recorded as "The Chicken Song"; re-released in 1983 as "Set Your Chickens Free".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/1480935-The-Hub-City-Movers |title=The Hub City Movers |publication-date=2021 |access-date=August 26, 2021 |publisher=Discogs }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.madmusic.com/artist_details.aspx?ArtistID=2847 |title=Gilbert Shelton & The Hub City Movers |publication-date=2019 |access-date=August 26, 2021 |publisher=Captain Wayne’s Mad Music.com }}</ref>
* In [[David Carradine]]'s 1975 album ''Grasshopper'' (and 1976 single "Cosmic Joke"), he uses the words in "Chicken Song."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.discogs.com/David-Carradine-Grasshopper/master/443344 |title=David Carradine - Grasshopper |publication-date=2021 |access-date=August 27, 2021 |publisher=Discogs }}</ref>
* In 1994, [[Merle Haggard]] used the words in his song "Set My Chickens Free," released on his studio album ''[[1994 (album)|1994]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.discogs.com/Merle-Haggard-1994/master/1174581 |title=Merle Haggard - 1994 |publication-date=2021 |access-date=August 27, 2021 |publisher=Discogs }}</ref>

=== Literature ===
Shelton's "Set My Chickens Free" cartoon was also published on page 128 of [[Abbie Hoffman]]'s ''[[Steal This Book]]'' (1971), illustrating its third section, ''"Liberate!"''

== Bibliography ==
=== Wonder Wart-Hog ===
[[File:Gilbert Shelton.jpg|thumb|Gilbert Shelton at the [[London Film and Comic Con]] in July 2013]]
* ''Wonder Wart-Hog'' (2 issues, Millar Publishing Company, 1967)
* ''(Not Only) The Best of Wonder Wart-Hog'' (3 issues, Rip Off Press and the Print Mint, 1973) — issues #1-2 published by Rip Off Press, #3 by the Print Mint
* ''Wonder Wart-Hog, Hog of Steel'' (3 issues, Rip Off Press, 1995)
* ''Wonder Wart-Hog and The Battle of the Titans'' (Rip Off Press, 1985)
* ''Underground Classics'' #5 (Rip Off Press, 1987) —titled  "Wonder Wart-Hog Vol. 1"
* ''Wonder Wart-Hog and the Nurds of November'' (Rip Off Press, 1988)
* ''The Best of Wonder Wart-Hog'' (Knockabout Comix, 2013)

=== ''The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers'' ===
* ''The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers'' (13 issues, Rip Off Press, 1971–1997) — with Dave Sheridan (1974–1982) and Paul Mavrides (1978–1997)
* ''Thoroughly Ripped with the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers and Fat Freddy's Cat!'' (Rip Off Press, 1978) {{ISBN|9780896200777}}. There are 2 editions, one with a [[board game]], one without
* ''Underground Classics'' #1 (Rip Off Press, 1985) — titled "The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers #0"
*''The Complete Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers'', Volume One (Knockabout Comics, 2001) {{ISBN|0-86166-146-X}} — reprints ''The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers'' #0–7 and 12
*''The Complete Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers'', Volume Two (Knockabout Comics, 2003) {{ISBN|0-86166-149-4}} — reprints ''The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers'' #8-11 and 13
* ''The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers Omnibus'' (Knockabout Comics, 2008)
* ''Fifty Freakin' Years with the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers'' (Knockabout Comics, 2017)

=== Fat Freddy's Cat ===
*''The Collected Adventures of Fat Freddy's Cat and his Friends'' (Gilbert Shelton, 1975)
*''The Adventures of Fat Freddy's Cat'' ([[Knockabout Comics]], 1977) {{ISBN|0-8296-0054-X}} — reprints the four small ''Adventures of ...'' comix except for 4 strips from #2 and 1 strip from #3
*''The Adventures of Fat Freddy's Cat Book 1'' ([[Rip Off Press]], 1977)
*''The Adventures of Fat Freddy's Cat Book 2'' (Rip Off Press, 1977)
*''The Adventures of Fat Freddy's Cat Book 3'' (Rip Off Press, 1977)
*''The Adventures of Fat Freddy's Cat Book 4'' (Rip Off Press, 1980) — titled "The Burning of Hollywood"
*''The Adventures of Fat Freddy's Cat Book 5'' (Rip Off Press, 1980)
*''More Adventures of Fat Freddy's Cat'' (Rip Off Press, 1981) {{ISBN|0-89620-057-4}} — reprints 91 one-page strips
*''Fat Freddy's Comics & Stories'' (2 issues, Rip Off Press, 1983–1985)
*''The Fat Freddy's Cat Omnibus'' (Knockabout Comics, 2009) {{ISBN|0-86166161-3}} — reprints ''The Adventures of Fat Freddy's Cat'' #1-7, ''The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers'' #1-6

=== Other titles ===
* ''[[Feds 'N' Heads]]'' (self-published, 1968) — re-issued in multiple printings by the [[Print Mint]]
* ''Give Me Liberty: A Revised History of the American Revolution'' 1976
* ''Underground Classics'' #12: "Gilbert Shelton in 3D" (Rip Off Press, 1990)
* ''Philbert Desanex' Dreams'' (Rip Off Press, 1993)
* ''Not Quite Dead'' (6 issues, Rip Off Press, 1993–1996; Knockabout Comics, 2005–2010) — with [[Pic (comics)|Pic]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
{{wikiquote}}
* {{Comicbookdb|type=creator|id=3007}}
* [http://theragblog.blogspot.com/2010/03/ramsey-wiggins-me-and-gilbert-shelton.html "Me and Gilbert Shelton: A Memoir," by Ramsey Wiggins, ''The Rag Blog''], March 8, 2010.
* [http://www.nmia.com/~vrbass/wart-hog/ The Hog of Steel, a complete bibliography of Wonder Wart-Hog]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20111104222758/http://www.vintageut.com/ UT Texas Ranger Magazine archive]
* [http://www.atariarchives.org/bcc2/showpage.php?page=cover  Best of Creative Computing, Volume 2 cover art]

=== Interviews ===
*{{cite news | title = Gilbert Shelton Interview | url = http://www.tcj.com/2_archives/i_shelton.html | publisher = (Online excerpts) [[The Comics Journal]] | issue = 187 | date = May 1996 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20000304232328/http://tcj.com/2_archives/i_shelton.html | archive-date = March 4, 2000}}
* [https://archive.org/details/RagRadio2010-03-09 "Cartoonist and Underground Comix Artist Gilbert Shelton" on Rag Radio], interviewed by [[Thorne Webb Dreyer|Thorne Dreyer]], March 9, 2010.
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20061117012403/http://oc-tv.net/gilbert-shelton.htm Video Interview with Gilbert Shelton on oc-tv.net]

{{Underground comix cartoonists}}
{{Inkpot Award 1970s}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shelton, Gilbert}}
[[Category:1940 births]]
[[Category:American comic strip cartoonists]]
[[Category:American comics artists]]
[[Category:American comics writers]]
[[Category:American satirists]]
[[Category:American satirical comics writers]]
[[Category:American satirical comics artists]]
[[Category:American expatriates in France]]
[[Category:Artists from Austin, Texas]]
[[Category:Artists from the San Francisco Bay Area]]
[[Category:The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American poster artists]]
[[Category:Psychedelic artists]]
[[Category:Texas A&M University alumni]]
[[Category:Underground cartoonists]]
[[Category:University of Texas at Austin College of Liberal Arts alumni]]