Underground Comics (5 of them = 3 points, + 5 for Zap+ 3 for Arcade + 2 for Crumb + 3 for Howard the Duck = overall 16 points) (if I understood it right)

 Zap Comix No 0-5

After reading Zap Comix, I had a feeling that I came back to the old comic strips panels style. The art style of a different artist, just like in early comics, is very whimsical, in some parts sketchy, not accurate, and sometimes disgusting. The paneling style stayed the same. Some even frames on the page tell the story or not tell it at all, but just give us bits of information. The story style sometimes is peculiar but innocent, but most of the time extremely adult like. Although for me, these themes about sex, lust, and laughs because of it are not adult ( I think adult stories are maybe simple in themes but at least a little deep), but the opposite. I had a feeling that people who were doing these strips were more children if these themes are the only ones they could draw about. But I guess taking the times these comics were made, it was an act of protest for these people. A gesture to show everyone that they can do whatever they want, and they are not afraid of it. 

Although it still hard for me to believe that such content could be printed for sale. 

All these comics I don't consider bad. Some of them are fun, some even smart, but most of them just very weird, like, for example, an ad about how life would be in the future, and the first thing they talk about is that people will not need to go to the toilet anymore. Some comics just made no sense but were an engaging surrealistic experience, like weird blobs turning into a man, then a hat, and then a woman. Or a landscape is turning into a balanced sign. 

Arcade Nos. 1-7 

For me, Arcade Comics were very similar to Zap, but maybe for a little less gross. It had some lovely moments, like, for example, silent comics that are beautifully drawn about a western man, coming home to his family but leaving it. Some weird but still interesting vast pictures of the bugs amusement park, where it is interesting to find every detail. Some funny comics even had some continuation, for example, a story about the mental hospital and their habitats. I think this is an excellent subject for adult content. There are, of course, some bizarre comics. For example, R. Crumb definitely had some kind of fetish about the woman with huge legs and asses. And of course, sexual comics are looking weird for me because I can see nothing smart or funny in it. It seems like the only depiction of the genitals was enough to make a worth comic. 

The interesting fact I noticed is that many styles in Zap and Arcade really remind me of the adult swim animation style. A technique where every disgusting part of the human body is exaggerated plus not the correct way. Or for example, the type of the Kim Dutch is very flat, and it looks like his characters can't bend a lot, but this kind of style works the best for the cheap animation. 

Middle-class Fantasies No 1

I also read Middle-class Fantasies No1, and that was a bit different experience for me, the art I thought looked much better, and the subject was not discussing. I enjoyed the weird frogman stories that ended up with a sad note about the girl imagining it all. It was funny to see a parody of Superman. Overall I thought that these comics might just be weird but completely readable for me.

Complete Crumb Comics Vol. 1 and Vol. 17 

Complete Crumb is bizarre comics that I think depict the insecurities that R. Crumb had in him. I read the first issue and the very last one to see if there would be any art style changes. And yes indeed, it was interesting to see how his style and his skills improve. The first issue is half drawn with a pencil and looks like a child's drawing. Every panel looks mostly like a sketch, dirty, and not accurate. The first issues also look cuter because of it. He defended hasn't been able to draw super realistic. That is why his art looked very stylistic, like kid's cartoons. But in the older ones, his skills start to grow, and he draws more and more realistic. And I am not sure I like it. His art becomes more disgusting for me because of it. 

Story wise, he tells the same adult stories of a small weak man's harsh life that I think he imagined himself. I also like that he spends a lot of time just telling a story about an unfortunate cat in his first issue. 

Complete Howard the Duck Vol 1. 

This comic looked and felt very much like a typical Marvel comic art and story. Magical parallel worlds, beautiful girl, manly heroic men, wise old wizards, and a duck look like a Donald duck. 

I think what is appealing in this story is that absolutely anything could happen because of the parallel multi-universe idea. People from different periods, Lavkraft looking monsters, magic, science, and cartoons. This story reminded me a lot of the Spider-verse movie, where other people from different worlds were fighting together. 

Here the main focus is on the duck. As a typical superhero, he saves girls, discovers crime scenes, and gets into trouble because he is a duck. 

Style wise, it was hilarious to see such a realistic marvel style combined with the cartoony duck. But somehow, this combination works for me. 

Overall, I can see why Underground comics were the way they are, and even if I don't like some of them, that doesn't mean they are bad or shouldn't be. I believe the artistic freedom to tell whatever you like no matter of the skill or the position in life is very important! That is why I think we are very happy to live in the internet era, where we as artist should not fight for you art to be there for people.