The Complete C Comics

by Joe Brainard, Bill Kartalopoulos (contributor), Ron Padgett (foreword)

Genres: Comics, Poetry, Graphic Novels

200 pages, Hardcover

Published December 2, 2025

Reviews

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Complete C Comics comprised two issues published in 1964, coordinated and overseen by the artist and writer Joe Brainard (who drew the nearly 200 pages of illustrations appearing here) with contributions from and collaborations with John Ashbery, Frank O’Hara, Barbara Guest, and other affiliates of the New York School poets. The words and images unite the practices of Pop Art, Minimalism, and Surrealist absurdities in playful, spontaneous, and deliberately flawed ways that avoid engaging with the aesthetics of ugly. In short, The Complete C Comics feels like whimsy on a sunny day.

While NYRB is at it—publishing works that blur the lines between visual and verbal arts (under their “Comics” imprint, no less!) their editors might want to look into the collage cut-ups William Burroughs was also publishing at the same time with various ephemeral presses, including Boke Press, the original publisher of C Comics.

For more of my reviews, please see https://www.thebookbeat.com/backroom/...

[John Schorg · Rating 2 out of 5]

It doesn't linger in the memory like its reputation would suggest. A lot of it just doesn't make much sense.

[Michelle Altstaetter · Rating 5 out of 5]

xmas present from my boyfriend :3 probably the most unique thing i have ever read

[sare · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guy really had a thing for tiny arrows pointing at random stuff, didn't he?

"People of the world....Relax!"