Zap Comics #11 Prelim to Splash Page

Rick Griffin was a good friend of mine since 1973 when he first wandered into my Berkeley California comic book store Comics & Comix on Telegraph Ave at Dwight Way back in 1973.

We traded C&C's old comic books & pulps for his original art, with me first ending up with his original cover to the Print Mint edition of Tales From The Tube.

By 1991 I had became Rick Griffin's last art agent and semi-partner when we opened a Rick Griffin Art Gallery in The Cannery at San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf.

Rick Griffin created several gallery business logos, huge over-head store signage, insisting that gallery also carry comic strip book items from around the world as he remained true to all the art fields he enjoyed working in.

Rick Griffin could never forget his Zap Comics involvement and in this piece he also pays homage to his Von Dutch roots.

Rick Griffin was coming down from his mid-age crisis, tuning back into his kids, wanting to create new art as he began the next level of his extra-ordinary career.

Gaze into the detail of the crowned winged eye ball to understand where Rick's mind was at. He was at peace with himself. He was supremely confidant with his artistic abilities.

Later that same year after a tremendous amount of hard work and money laid out, Rick Griffin had his most unfortunate motorcycle accident. I miss my friend, we went to First Showing First Day of the 1989 Batman premiere at the Coronet Theatre over on Geary in San Fran. I miss the new art which would have been created in past 20 years.