The Checkered Demon

For the AFI song The Checkered Demon, see Answer That and Stay Fashionable.

The Checkered Demon is a fictional character created by S. Clay Wilson, one of the leading underground comix artists of the 1960s and a contemporary of Robert Crumb. The Demon debuted in Zap Comix #2, in 1968.[1]

Fictional character history

A portly, shirtless being generally seen wearing checkered pants, the Demon is Wilson's hero (sometimes anti-hero), and is frequently called upon to kill the various demented bikers, pirates, and rapists who populate Wilson's universe. The Demon is unbeatable in combat, but prefers to copulate with rapacious women—such as Star-Eyed Stella, Ruby the Dyke, or Lady Coozette—or to sit around drinking Tree Frog beer. He has no concern for human life. Although the Demon is generally shown as having red skin and black and white checkered pants in color illustrations, Wilson has claimed that the character can actually make himself any color. He generally turns green on Saint Patrick's Day.[2]

After the run of Zap, the Demon frequently appeared in Crumb's Weirdo magazine, as well as in Wilson's own comics, such as Pork, and the Demon's own title, of which only 3 issues appeared.

A large number of Checkered Demon stories were collected in the book The Collected Checkered Demon: Volume One, published by Last Gasp. He also frequently appears in The Art of S. Clay Wilson, published by Ten Speed Press. It is rumored that Wilson's inspiration for the Checkered Demon was artist and friend Alfredo Arreguin.

He appears as a signature on the cover of Wilson's Grimm.

References

  1. ↑ Drake, Temple; David Kerekes (2004). Headpress Guide to the Counter Culture: A Sourcebook for Modern Readers. Headpress. p. 48. ISBN 978-1-900486-35-4. Retrieved 2009-03-06.
  2. ↑ The Art of S. Clay Wilson, Ten Speed Press, 2006