The Complete Hate Volume 1

by Peter Bagge

Peter Bagge, along with the Hernandez brothers and Daniel Clowes, is one of the primary architects of the alternative comics genre that exploded in the 1980s and 1990s. His compelling and best-selling comic book series Hate chronicled the exploits of Buddy Bradley and his gang of lovable losers through the rise and fall of the grunge era, and beyond. Going beyond mere satire, Bagge’s observations helped fashion the aesthetics and attitudes of the only significant youth movement to emerge from the Pacific Northwest. A contemporary review by Bruce Barcott in the Seattle Weekly stated, “Twenty years from now, when people want to know what it was like to be young in 1990s Seattle, the only record we’ll have is Peter Bagge’s Hate.”The Complete Hate is a new paperback series that includes the original 30-issue run from 1990–1998, the nine subsequent Hate Annuals, and tons of other Hate-related comics, illustrations, and ephemera created for books, magazines, comics, toys, and other merchandise. Bagge combined his cartoony drawing style with uncomfortably real Gen X characters, and the comic books resonated with readers. Vol. 1 collects the first major arc of the series, (Hate 1-15), focusing on young Buddy Bradley's travails in early 1990s Seattle, with a lengthy introduction by Bagge. Each volume contains new covers, endpapers, title pages, and other surprises by the author.

348 pages, Paperback

Published August 5, 2025

About the author

Peter Bagge is an American cartoonist known for his irreverent, kinetic style and his incisive, black-humored portrayals of middle-class American youth. He first gained recognition with Neat Stuff, which introduced characters such as Buddy Bradley, Girly-Girl, and The Bradleys, and followed it with Hate, his best-known work, which ran through the 1990s and later as annuals. Bagge’s comics often exaggerate the frustrations, absurdities, and reduced expectations of ordinary life, combining influences from Warner Brothers cartoons, underground comix, and classic cartoonists like Bob Clampett, Tex Avery, and Robert Crumb. Beyond satire and fiction, Bagge has produced fact-based comics journalism, biographies, and historical comics, contributing to outlets such as suck.com, MAD Magazine, toonlet, Discover, and Reason. His biographical works include Woman Rebel, about Margaret Sanger, Fire!!, on Zora Neale Hurston, and Credo, on Rose Wilder Lane. Bagge has collaborated with major publishers including Fantagraphics, DC Comics, Dark Horse, and Marvel, producing works such as Yeah!, Sweatshop, Apocalypse Nerd, Other Lives, and Reset. He has also worked in animation, creating Flash cartoons and animated commercials, and has been active as a musician in bands such as The Action Suits and Can You Imagine. Bagge’s signature art style is elastic, energetic, and exaggerated, capturing movement and comic expression in a way that amplifies both humor and social commentary. His personal politics are libertarian, frequently reflected in his comics and essays, and he has been a longtime contributor to Reason magazine. Bagge’s work combines biting satire, historical insight, and a relentless visual inventiveness, making him a central figure in American alternative comics for over four decades.

Reviews

[Sal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't need characters to be likable for me to enjoy a story but this is testing that principle. Outstanding cartooning, however.