Slow Death

    (Last Gasp, 1970-1992)
™ and ©1970 Last Gasp Publishing

(From the Slings & Arrows Comic Guide)

Unlike most underground titles of the period, Slow Death has stories which are mostly grim or blackly humorous. Although the early creative lineup boasts Jaxon, Sheridan, Corben and Irons, it’s all rather primitive, derivative stuff. By issue #8, a Greenpeace special, the series had turned into a political and satirical title. The covers, by William Stout and Rand Holmes, encapsulate the militancy of the book’s stance. Subsequent issues continued to mix didactic stories, documentary-style strips and information pages. Atomic power was the theme for #9, while #10 and #11 were cheery compilations of info on cancer and energy respectively. In #10 and #11 there’s particularly good work from the late Greg Irons, one of the few creators who worked consistently on the title, including a Donald Duck strip based on the Kurtzman/Elder Disney parody (from Mad Magazine). Otherwise most of the work in the later issues rarely rises above the preachiness of the scripts. The exceptions to this are Guy Colwell’s “Herpes Is A Virus” in #10 (don’t read it if you’re squeamish) and Alan Moore and Bryan Talbot’s “Cold Snap,” reprinted in #11 from Food for Thought. ~NF

Recommended: #8, 10
Jump to issue:
  • 1
    #1
    Red border cover by Greg Irons and Jim Evans (Back Cover)
    Apr 1970
    Cover: $0.50
    W: Gary Grimshaw, Dave Sheridan, Jim Evans, Greg Irons, Fred Schrier, Rory Hayes, Jeffrey Hayes, Jack Jackson, Kim Deitch, Robert Crumb, Gilbert Shelton, Willy Mendes  ·  A: Gary Grimshaw, Dave Sheridan, Jim Evans, Greg Irons, Fred Schrier, Rory Hayes, Jeffrey Hayes, Jack Jackson, Kim Deitch, Robert Crumb, Gilbert Shelton, Willy Mendes, Jim Osborne, Ron Cobb
    B&W
    1 copy for $18.00
  • 1-2
    #1 - 2nd printing
    White border cover; Indistinguishable from 3rd and 4th printings
    Apr 1970
    Cover: $0.50
    W: Gary Grimshaw, Dave Sheridan, Jim Evans, Greg Irons, Fred Schrier, Rory Hayes, Jeffrey Hayes, Jack Jackson, Kim Deitch, Robert Crumb, Gilbert Shelton  ·  A: Gary Grimshaw, Dave Sheridan, Jim Evans, Greg Irons, Fred Schrier, Rory Hayes, Jeffrey Hayes, Jack Jackson, Kim Deitch, Robert Crumb, Gilbert Shelton
    B&W
    No copies available
  • 1-3
    #1 - 3rd printing
    Indistinguishable from 2nd and 4th printings
    Feb 1992
    Cover: $0.50
    W: Tom Veitch, Alan Moore, Greg Irons, Graham Manley, John Edgar, Warren Greenwood, Wallace Wood  ·  A: Greg Irons, Bryan Talbot, Graham Manley, John Edgar, Warren Greenwood, Wallace Wood
    No copies available
  • 1-4
    #1 - 4th printing
    Indistinguishable from 2nd and 3rd printings
    Feb 1992
    Cover: $0.50
    W: Tom Veitch, Alan Moore, Greg Irons, Graham Manley, John Edgar, Warren Greenwood, Wallace Wood  ·  A: Greg Irons, Bryan Talbot, Graham Manley, John Edgar, Warren Greenwood, Wallace Wood
    No copies available
  • 2
    #2
    Wraparound Cover by Jack Jackson and Dave Sheridan and Jack Jackson (Back Cover) and Dave Sheridan (Back Cover)
    Dec 1970
    Cover: $1.00
    W: Jack Jackson, Dave Sheridan, Jim Osborne, Richard Corben  ·  A: Jack Jackson, Dave Sheridan, Jim Osborne, Richard Corben
    B&W
    No copies available
  • 2-2
    #2 - 2nd printing
    2nd Printing with white skull on cover and Amorphia ad on page 34
    Dec 1970
    Cover: $0.50
    W: Jack Jackson, Dave Sheridan, Jim Osborne, Richard Corben  ·  A: Jack Jackson, Dave Sheridan, Jim Osborne, Richard Corben
    No copies available
  • 2-3
    #2 - 3rd printing
    3rd Printing with yellow skull on cover and Amorphia ad on page 34
    Dec 1970
    Cover: $0.50
    W: Jack Jackson, Dave Sheridan, Jim Osborne, Richard Corben  ·  A: Jack Jackson, Dave Sheridan, Jim Osborne, Richard Corben
    No copies available
  • 2-4
    #2 - 4th printing
    4th Printing with yellow skull on cover and Last Gasp Mind Candy ad on page 34
    Dec 1970
    Cover: $0.50
    W: Jack Jackson, Dave Sheridan, Jim Osborne, Richard Corben  ·  A: Jack Jackson, Dave Sheridan, Jim Osborne, Richard Corben
    No copies available
  • 2-5
    #2 - 5th printing
    5th Printing with $1.00 cover price
    Dec 1970
    Cover: $1.00
    W: Jack Jackson, Dave Sheridan, Jim Osborne, Richard Corben  ·  A: Jack Jackson, Dave Sheridan, Jim Osborne, Richard Corben
    No copies available
  • 2/A
    #2 Variation A
    Silver Paper 1st Printing Cover; Cover A printed on silver paper
    Dec 1970
    W: Jack Jackson, Dave Sheridan, Jim Osborne, Richard Corben  ·  A: Jack Jackson, Dave Sheridan, Jim Osborne, Richard Corben
    About 100 exist
    No copies available
  • 3
    #3
    Pentagram Press logo on front cover by Richard Corben and Greg Irons (Back Cover)
    Nov 1971
    Cover: $0.50
    W: Dave Sheridan, Richard Corben, Jim Osborne, Jack Jackson, Larry Welz  ·  A: Dave Sheridan, Richard Corben, Jim Osborne, Jack Jackson, Larry Welz
    B&W
    1 copy for $1.28
  • 3-2
    #3 - 2nd printing
    “Over 50K Sold!” noted on Pentagram Logo Box
    Nov 1971
    Cover: $0.50
    W: Dave Sheridan, Richard Corben, Jim Osborne, Jack Jackson, Larry Welz  ·  A: Dave Sheridan, Richard Corben, Jim Osborne, Jack Jackson, Larry Welz
    B&W
    No copies available
  • 3-3
    #3 - 3rd printing
    75¢ cover price
    Nov 1971
    Cover: $0.75
    W: Dave Sheridan, Richard Corben, Jim Osborne, Jack Jackson, Larry Welz  ·  A: Dave Sheridan, Richard Corben, Jim Osborne, Jack Jackson, Larry Welz
    No copies available
  • 3-4
    #3 - 4th printing
    $1 cover price
    Nov 1971
    Cover: $1.00
    W: Dave Sheridan, Richard Corben, Jim Osborne, Jack Jackson, Larry Welz  ·  A: Dave Sheridan, Richard Corben, Jim Osborne, Jack Jackson, Larry Welz
    No copies available
  • 4
    #4
    Nov 1972
    Cover: $0.50
    W: George Metzger, Tom Veitch, Richard Corben, Eric Kimball  ·  A: George Metzger, Greg Irons, Richard Corben, Jack Jackson, Eric Kimball, Dave Sheridan
    B&W
    No copies available
  • 4-2
    #4 - 2nd printing
    2nd Printing with 75¢ cover price
    Nov 1972
    Cover: $0.75
    W: George Metzger, Tom Veitch, Richard Corben, Eric Kimball  ·  A: George Metzger, Greg Irons, Richard Corben, Jack Jackson, Eric Kimball
    No copies available
  • 4-3
    #4 - 3rd printing
    3rd Printing with $1 cover price
    Nov 1972
    Cover: $1.00
    W: George Metzger, Tom Veitch, Richard Corben, Eric Kimball  ·  A: George Metzger, Greg Irons, Richard Corben, Jack Jackson, Eric Kimball
    No copies available
  • 5
    #5
    Apr 1973
    Cover: $0.50
    W: Dave Sheridan, Tom Veitch, Charles Dallas, Rand Holmes, Richard Corben  ·  A: Dave Sheridan, Greg Irons, Charles Dallas, Rand Holmes, Richard Corben
    B&W
    2 copies from $10.00
  • 5-2
    #5 - 2nd printing
    Cover: $0.75
    W: Tom Veitch, Alan Moore, Greg Irons, Graham Manley, John Edgar, Warren Greenwood, Wallace Wood  ·  A: Greg Irons, Bryan Talbot, Graham Manley, John Edgar, Warren Greenwood, Wallace Wood
    No copies available
  • 5-3
    #5 - 3rd printing
    Cover: $1.00
    W: Tom Veitch, Alan Moore, Greg Irons, Graham Manley, John Edgar, Warren Greenwood, Wallace Wood  ·  A: Greg Irons, Bryan Talbot, Graham Manley, John Edgar, Warren Greenwood, Wallace Wood
    No copies available
  • 6
    #6
    Jan 1974
    Cover: $0.75
    W: Charles Dallas, George Metzger, Rand Holmes, Jack Jackson  ·  A: Charles Dallas, George Metzger, Rand Holmes, Jack Jackson
    B&W
    No copies available
  • 7
    #7
    Dec 1976
    Cover: $1.00
    W: Jack Jackson, Greg Irons, Ben DiCaprio, Bill Wray, Errol McCarthy, William Stout  ·  A: Jack Jackson, Greg Irons, John Edgar, Bill Wray, Errol McCarthy
    B&W
    No copies available
  • 8
    #8
    Jul 1977
    Cover: $1.00
    W: Greg Irons, Mike Becker, William Stout, Doug Hansen, Michael T. Gilbert, Sam Wray, Roger Brand, Shelby Sampson, Dennis Ellefson, Tim Boxell  ·  A: Brenda Bernu, Mike Becker, William Stout, Doug Hansen, Michael T. Gilbert, Sam Wray, Roger Brand, Shelby Sampson, Dennis Ellefson, Tim Boxell
    Greenpeace issue; B&W
    1 copy for $14.00
  • 8-2
    #8 - 2nd printing
    no printing number stated inside front cover by William Stout
    Jul 1977
    Cover: $1.00
    W: Greg Irons, Mike Becker, William Stout, Doug Hansen, Michael T. Gilbert, Sam Wray, Roger Brand, Shelby Sampson, Dennis Ellefson, Tim Boxell  ·  A: Brenda Bernu, Mike Becker, William Stout, Doug Hansen, Michael T. Gilbert, Sam Wray, Roger Brand, Shelby Sampson, Dennis Ellefson, Tim Boxell
    Greenpeace issue; B&W
    No copies available
  • 9
    #9
    Aug 1978
    W: Greg Irons, Mike Becker, Dennis Ellefson, Errol McCarthy, Tim Boxell  ·  A: Greg Irons, Mike Becker, Dennis Ellefson, Errol McCarthy, Tim Boxell
    B&W
    2 copies from $8.95
  • 10
    #10
    Nov 1979
    Cover: $1.50
    W: Greg Irons, Dennis Ellefson, Guy Colwell, George Di Caprio, Janet Abbey, Vung Tau Vince, Tim Boxell  ·  A: Greg Irons, Dennis Ellefson, Guy Colwell, Warren Greenwood, Vung Tau Vince, Tim Boxell
    In indicia: Special Cancer and Medicine Issue; B&W
    No copies available
  • 11
    #11
    Jan 1992
    Cover: $2.95
    W: Tom Veitch, Alan Moore, Greg Irons, Graham Manley, John Edgar, Warren Greenwood, Wallace Wood  ·  A: Greg Irons, Bryan Talbot, Graham Manley, John Edgar, Warren Greenwood, Wallace Wood
    B&W
    2 copies from $24.98