Naughty Bits comic book (published by Fantagraphics)

This series ran for 40 issues, from 1991 through 2004. Like many creative endeavors (ask Donna Barr about her Desert Peach!) it started out as a bit of a joke and then took on a life of its own, turning into the contemporary epic of Midge McCracken, aka Bitchy Bitch. (And the story still goes on--I am writing a graphic novel of Midge’s life even now!)


Bitchy began as a rather rude story about a date-from-hell in Issue #1, (which is where the “Naughty” title came from) --Fantagraphics offered to publish it as a series and their output was pretty cutting-edge and ‘adult’ at that time, so I decided this was a great way to let it all hang out and tell some gritty-but-hilarious urban fiction stories from an unabashedly female point of view, (which nobody else in the industry seemed to be doing) with a scratchy, exaggerated art style that was just a joy to draw (a break from the tight, realistic art I was trying to draw in Winging It).


Many of my current readers were shocked, and I was not quite sure myself what to think of these stories except that-- I thought they were the funniest stories I had ever read-- and I was writing them! (This has been the story of my creative life, it seems.) Then I began to write about Midge’s background, her troubled childhood, introduced her dysfunctional co-workers at the job she hates but is not motivated enough to leave... and it just would not quit. Readers have followed Midge through many hair-raising everyday adventures and difficult choices--sometimes told with very dark humor. These stories earned me many Eisner comics industry award nominations, for Humor, Best Cartoonist, Writing, Best Short Story, etc.


In the issues, I also included stories by other cartoonists, autobiographical stories, cat and travel stories, and biographies of creative people I thought were very interesting and not widely known: Dr. Mary Walker, Opal Whiteley, Remedios Varo, and Louis Wain (this last one is now only available in Real Cat Toons)--and pages of letters and commentary by my highly appreciative (and sometimes highly critical) readers. It was the kind of comic book I would love to eagerly anticipate and then pick up when the latest issue was published--loaded with a variety of hilarious and thought-provoking stuff, unlike many current comic books which you could read through in ten minutes and then forget.


If Fantagraphics had not canceled the series for poor sales, I would still be writing and drawing it. But many of the stories have been collected in some of the paperbacks they have since published (many of which I am also selling) so, if you have not met Bitchy, this is as good an opportunity as any. Many of the later stories have not yet been collected in print, and who knows if they ever will. Eventually I may put some of these up on the web, or put out a book of my own, but that is all down the road.


As you will see below, some of the issues are sold out, or nearly so, but I still have copies of the others, though some issues are running very low, and when they’re gone, you will have to try to search the web for them. (I will keep a handful, of course!)


So, what it boils down to is, this is the best place to get the remaining issues, while they last, fresh-out-of-the-box, and I am offering them at a tremendous discount, in batches.


(Warning: NOT for the easily-offended!)


For five assorted issues, your choice, $10

(a savings of five dollars!)


For twelve assorted issues, your choice, $20

(a savings of sixteen dollars!)


For twenty assorted issues, your choice, $30

(that is half price)


And if you want everything that remains (all the ones listed below not sold out) the full set is $40-- Warning! Some may sell out before I can change list.


Once you have decided which issues you want and ordered the quantity, send me a separate email listing the ones you wish by their number.

I HOPE this is the non-complicated way to do it!

Issue #1-3--SOLD OUT (Note: this means I have ten or less of an issue--I don’t sell them in bulk orders until I know exactly how many are left.)

 

#4--“Unhappy Holidays” is a humorous and touching epic about Christmas in Bitchy’s past and present. Plus, “How to Marry Into Money” by Theresa Henry-Smith.


#5--The special “Men” issue features Toadman’s Return, plus one-pagers by special guest guys, Dennis Eichhorn, Pat Moriarity and Colin Upton.


#6--“Hippie Bitch Gets Laid,” features adolescent angst in the Psychedelic Era. I got an Eisner Award nomination for this one. Plus, doggies “do it” in the hilarious “Bitchy Bitch-in-Heat.”


#7--“Hippie Bitch Got Knocked Up.” Of course--and abortions are not legal yet! Guest pages by Pat Moriarity, Maggie Bloodstone, Ellen Forney and Sarah Bell.

 

#8--“Hippie Bitch Gets an Abortion” in chilling detail, which concludes this highly-acclaimed trilogy. Another page by Donna Barr.


#9 and 10--SOLD OUT


#11--Part 2 of Bitchy’s vacation. But this is where the vacation really begins anyhow, so you are not missing much. And you get to meet Kenney! Plus, humorous stories about my OWN travels abroad and a guest piece by Lee Kennedy.


#12--The hilarious conclusion of Bitchy’s vacation epic. Plus, “Things I Ate on My Trip to Europe” and the first of many guest pages by Patty Leidy!


#13--“Bitchy Goes Back to Work” and discovers she has a lesbian co-worker, who is also an old school chum! And a page by Kris Dresen.


#14--Marcie wages a Religious Right Holy War against the office lesbian. Plus two pages by Jeremy Dennis.


#15--“Bitchy’s College Daze” begins in this issue. It’s 1970 and Midge finally gets to cut loose! Plus a cartoon interview with Bitchy and a page by Donna Barr.


#16--In this “Sexual Revolution” issue, Midge discovers the Birth Control Pill AND the Anti- Vietnam war movement. Whether you were there or not, you can NOT miss this hilarious look at stupider times!


#17-- SOLD OUT


#18--In “Bitchy’s Boy Trouble,” Bitchy has dinner with a lesbian family and things get dangerous with Kenney! Plus, “Are You A BWS?” by Donna Barr and a color collage back cover by Amy Sacks.


#19--"Boy Trouble" concludes with a hilariously graphic look at (some) men's and women's attitudes towards each other. Plus an autobiographical two pager by Donna Barr and another color collage by Amy Sacks!


#20--"Sylvia's Week." How much does it cost to feel enlightened? A revealing and very funny look at Bitchy's New Age Middle Manager. Plus a guest page by Maaike Hartjes.


#21--"Fallout." Life in the Kennedy Era with Bitsy Bitch. 6 pages of Bitchy Butch, world's angriest dyke. "New Hire" by Mark Campos, a page by Donna Barr, and "Talking to Mom" by me.


#22--“Adult-erated” is all about Midge’s first job and apartment during the Swinging Seventies! An autobio piece about my creative process. My page,“That Boy-Girl Thing,” and a page by Carrie McNinch.


#23--An epic "Bitchy Butch" coming-out story. Three pages by Lee Kennedy on the London heat wave, two pages by Colin Upton on Robert Crumb and my page on the "Guaranteed Get-Over-It Kit."


NOTE! None of the following Bitchy stories (except Issue #27) have been reprinted in any collections. 24-26, along with issues  28-31 tell a continuing story.


#24--"Marcie's Super Sunday" follows our Born-Again heroine in her own adventure. Ramona and "Mister Angel" are introduced. Plus, Bitchy feels her age in "Bitter Old Bitch," and meets Chuckie.


#25--Bitchy's love-hate relationship with Chuckie is off to a stormy beginning, and Marcie and Mister Angel continue to try to save Ramona's soul.


#26--“Bitchy Bitch Finally Gets Some” in this issue and “Bitchy Butch Gets Laid (And It’s About Time!)” Our two “bitches” are satisfied… at least for a while!


#27--“Burn, Bitch, Burn” reveals the darkly humorous side of the Dark Ages. I did my historical research for this one and it shows! Plus, pages by Christine Olson, Robert Kirby and “Class Photo” by Robert Triptow.


#28--My Eisner-nominated cat story, “Bye Bye Muffy.” The Bitchy-Chuckie love/hate saga begins to heat up. Some of my “Space Cadet” episodes, three pages of “Class Photo” and two pages of color paperdolls, some rather naughty!


#29--Bitchy begins to get ticked off with Chuckie and Marcie begins to “lose it.” Plus, “Bye Bye Daddy,” which is a long autobio piece about my father’s Alzheimer’s Disease, and two pages by Joyce Farmer.


#30--I visit “The Republican Picnic” and live to tell about it! “Bitchy Gets Good and Ready” for the Millennium (remember THAT, folks?) and learns something very disturbing about Chuckie. AND, Marcie is armed and dangerous! F.R. Lewis contributes a text piece, “Alternate Bitchy Reality Piece” and in “Comic Books Aren’t Just for Boys Anymore,” I relate my creative history from childhood to present.


#31--The Chuckie Saga concludes when Bitchy tells him to get lost! Marcie ends up in the hospital. I whine about my heartbreaks and tell all about the “New Kitty On The Block.” Me-OW!


#32--“Mama Drama.” Is Bitchy’s mother getting senile? Long illustrated biography of the fascinatingly eccentric Dr. Mary Walker, early feminist, author, and Civil War heroine. Romance comic satire with John Lustig’s “Last Kiss.”


#33--Christmas-wrap wrap-around cover. Bitchy gets Botox from Mom. “Why I Hate the Holidays” by Patty Leidy. My autobio pieces, “How I Spent the Summer” and “A Kitty Tale With A Happy Ending” and illustrated biography of the controversial Opal Whiteley.


#34--Bitchy meets her Inner Child. Plus, my short pieces: "Only a Dream," "Cat on the Job," "The First Day of Spring," and "Artist Guest of Honor." Plus some Bitchy Strips and MORE "Last Kiss."


#35--Bitchy deals with the “9-11” panic, plus a lengthy and humorous account of a journey across the Midwest with Donna Barr, Wally Crane, and myself. AND, another remarkable woman’s biography: Remedios Varo, a Spanish Magic Realist painter who was famous in Latin America but almost unknown in the U.S.


#36--Part 1 of “It’s a Bitchy, Bitchy, Bitchy, Bitchy World” brings many ghosts from Midge’s past onto a collision course! Another autobiographical story about my exploits, and a hilarious Patty Leidy story about Florida Cockroaches that will leave you scratchin’! And my “9-11” tribute piece in color!


#37--Conclusion of “Bitchy, Bitchy, Bitchy, Bitchy World” and the short stories, “Let’s Go to Makah Days” about a trip to the Reservation, and “Sick Kitty Comix.” Plus the short (prose) story, “Cars” by Bruce Taylor.


#38-- SOLD OUT


#39--One of the scariest covers ever! Another hilarious road trip with Donna and Roberta, this time to Southern California. AND the reconstructed travel diary of my trip to Spain and Portugal. Plus, very scary visuals, as Bitchy thinks her own body is out to get her!


#40--The last issue of Naughty Bits, ends with a bang! “The End, So Far…” with Bitchy finally hitting Menopause. Lots of short stories: “Bye-Bye Daddy, Part 2,” “Death’s a Bitch,” “My 24-Hour Comic, sort of…” and “I Love the Library Sale.” And another Bruce Taylor story, PLUS a humorous look at gay weddings by Robert Triptow.

REPEATS


Collections which contain “Bitchy” stories also in these comics: (Each collection has an original story, as well.)


Life’s a Bitch

Issues 3-4, 6-8, 10-14 and 18-21


As Naughty As She Wants to Be

Issue 5


At Work and Play With Bitchy

Issues 10-14


Bitchy’s College Daze

Issues 15-19


Burn, Bitchy, Burn

Issues 20-22, 27


A Bitch Is Born

(out of print)

Issues 3-4, 6-8


As you’ve noticed, the issues all have many other stories and features (some by other creators) besides the Bitchy tales! None of these are in the collections.

Content of individual issues of Naughty Bits

Click on each page to enlarge

It’s a wonder that Midge can get anything accomplished at work with these two co-workers in the office! From Issue #30.

Poor Midge...she finally decides to splurge--sort of. And, when she’s dealing with her mother, it’s usually a no-win situation! From Issue #37.

Buy_Robertas_Books.html

Back to: Buy Roberta’s Books!

Midge’s childhood, in the era of bomb shelters, the Kennedy Era and cruel playmates (THAT  part hasn’t changed much). From Issue #21, and Burn, Bitchy, Burn.

Ahh...more of those “good old days”... it’s 1970 and young Midge is trying to raise some money for her illegal abortion. Mom is just as clueless as ever. From Issue #7 and the Life’s A Bitch collection.


I just love doing these (recent) historical stories! Hope it shows.