Dennis Eichhorn has died. He is best known for his autobiographical comic book, Real Stuff, and his indy underground newspaper, Northwest Extra. A well-known figure in the Seattle comics scene, his true-life stories featured a hippie-Bukowski sensibility. Of all the peple writing autobiographical comics in the 80s and 90s, he stood out as the only one to live an interesting life worth chronicling.
I tip my hat in respect to a fellow raconteur. I had no idea he was sick.
:(He was one of the greatest writers of auto-bio comix in their heyday. He wrote, and got some of the best cartoonists to illustrate. For a nice sample of his stuff, Dennis the Sullen Menace. Boing Boing has featured some of his stories. I also love Death of a Junkie. I’m hoping the complete run of Real Stuff will be reprinted someday.
He self-published a collection of the high points (unless “Swifty Morales Press” is an actual publisher, but I think Denny was their sole client). Back in the mid-90s, he was editorial director for Loompanics Unlimited, back in their “books about keeping severed heads alive” period.
I’ve got that book. Lots of great stories, but there are lots more need reprinting. Like the 2 part story of the neighborhood punks who stretched barb wire across the alley where he rode his bike and what happened to them.Dennis also wrote The Legend Of Wild Man Fischer, a humorous look at one seriously disturbed individual.