**DOG*STAR FUNNIES #1 (1987)**

In 1987, Rick contributed various art to the first issue of artist Larry Loc's xerox zine, DOG*STAR FUNNIES. In 1991, Rick contributed further original works to Loc's second issue. "Glycerous Aquarium Footstool" (republished later in TABOO ESPECIAL) appears in issue #1.

GRIMES: "Larry Loc frequently produced his own xerox zines (partly because of access where he worked at the time). Various types. Invited me to do something for DOGSTAR, as he titled it. DOG*STAR FUNNIES, in fact... #1 eight pages plus covers, in a half foldable, mailing format. Includes my first 'ghosted', inked 'spot' credited to "gary roc; my illustrations for story by Larry's fried M.W. 'Grit' Thomas, Jr. about animals in their shells; another spot illo (a 'bug'); and my '86 two pager for the book, "Glycerous Aquarium Footstool" in nice big blowups from my eensy originals. Also features and includes: Loc's cover painting 'punk', a petrified bulldog, use of the buzzword epithet FMEH, and the subheading "Forgotten Genius Issue". Inside cover (John) Totleben sketch from 1980. Larry's intro and photo from '81 (?); Also Loc stories (illustrated text, one created with wife Ruth) a rare (probably only time) Loc creature drawing with Veitch inks, from '82. And my favorite of Larry's, his 'comic strip' assignments (leftover from (Joe) Kubert school) crammed together on the back. With my pal and his, Cowpie.

Who ever saw one and how many ya got me. It's always fun to go back and look at, tho'. And to be in.

So, for '91 Larry and I co-designed #2. More pages! Even less circulation!! You, too, can be without one!!!

Its highlights: handpuppet photo on cover by me; Larry's very long, but classic wishnik style foto fairytale; our co written 'Intro-Dachshund' full of almost intelligible verbiage; various and sundry paintings & for illos by me &/or Larry, including my second 'ghost' of Larry's characters Cowpie, the Acid Troll and my phony Loc character from #1 -- a sort of purulent Cecil the Sea Serpent in a 'boater' hat. Also another 2 pg comic by me called "Under The Rug". Long intended to be for that (#2) issue. This time done mostly in pen, rather than brush (and with completely different, more complexly relating characters) it's alot more difficult to tell what's going on in it. But, they're supposedly part of the same little world as the 'Footstool' characters (ie Matronfish, etc.) -- Rick Grimes (December 22nd, 2008).

**DOG*STAR FUNNIES #2 (1991)**

GRIMES: "DOG*STAR FUNNIES #2 is all (Rick) Grimes and (Larry) Loc or Loc and Grimes, I forget which. Save for one tiny spot illo, presumably by (Rick) Veitch, (and an anonymous, responding 'mystery' doodle), called from my old drawing board slop sheet Larry wound up with.

Between the two issues was the Kubert school reunion of '88 in the 'abandoned' high school (down in the town 'proper') since taken over by Joe (Kubert)'s ever expanding empire of edumacation. Saw Larry (& many others, of course) there and the robot, with plasticky, mechanical-jawed human head set up in second floor hallway. Evidently, the same one I'd heard of years before through Veitch, that Larry and Ernie Pasanen had built and designed to recite lines from the G.I. Gurdjieff trilogy I'd left behind in '78. The reunion gave me the chance to literally walk all over taking pictures for my other Weird Dick story settings. Supposedly the robot head had also been reprogrammed to recite the entire or select phrases from my DOG*STAR FUNNIES #1 story ('Bif, Bluehaired Bif is slapping her, slapping her!). But, every time I would show up, out of breath from my photo taking, I would just miss getting to hear it and the head (shades of They Saved Hitler's Brain), would be jabbering away about something mundane. Don't know if the 'bot had a name. It deserved one. It looked like they'd preserved one of those 'invisible men' medical figures and put its head on life support. Don't have many real anecdotes but that's a good one." -- Rick Grimes (December 22nd, 2008).