Arcana:

(JOHNSON, JOE). Johnson, Joe. NP (San Francisco, CA). ND (1967).: Self-Published. First Edition. Folio. Loose Prints in a Portfolio. Print Portfolio. Fine.. Eight individual 17 ½ x 11" heavy paper sheets printed photo-offset rectos only, 8 b&w illustrations. Joe Johnson was an early and prominent member of San Francisco's burgeoning LGBTQ community of the 1960s. While primarily known as the creator of the pioneering underground gay comics "Miss Thing" and "Big Dick", Johnson was additionally an accomplished artist and illustrator who at various times in the sixties and seventies produced fine art prints and greeting cards featuring male model studies. These were lo-fi ventures most likely sold under the counter, by word of mouth, and discreet mail order. This is a set of eight of these prints issued in 1967 by the artist each depicting a young male nude - six full frontal - reproduced by photo-offset on cream colored, heavy woven paper stock housed in a plain red textured paper portfolio. We acquired from a single source several variants of this set, with none bearing any form of labeling or printed documentation; just the plates with or without the portfolio. The prints were issued without a signature in the plate, but Johnson signed some in pencil, and even hand-colored a few in a flesh-colored watercolor. A brand new, most handsome example of this exceedingly uncommon item with each print additionally SIGNED "Joe Johnson" in pencil in the publisher's unprinted paper portfolio. Inventory Number: 026944