Robert Triptow

Robert Triptow (born May 10, 1952 in Salt Lake City, Utah) is an American writer and artist. He is known primarily for creating gay- and bisexual-themed comics and for editing Gay Comix in the 1980s, and he was identified by underground comix pioneer Lee Marrs as "the last of the underground cartoonists".^[1]

Career

A long-time resident of San Francisco,^[1] Robert Triptow was one of the earliest contributors to Kitchen Sink Press' anthology Gay Comix, beginning with issue #2. He succeeded Howard Cruse as editor of the series,^[2] editing issues #5 through #13 (1984–1991). During this time he edited the 1989 anthology Gay Comics, one of the earliest histories of the subject,^[3] which won the first Lambda Literary Award for Humor. He also co-edited the HIV-research fund-raising and educational anthology Strip AIDS U.S.A. (1988) with Trina Robbins & Bill Sienkiewicz.^[4]

As a journalist, Triptow has contributed to The Advocate, Bay Area Reporter, Frontiers, The Sentinel, and other West Coast LGBT publications.^[5]

In 2015, he released Class Photo, a wryly comedic graphic novel imagining short biographies for the individuals depicted in a 1937 school group photograph.^[1]

Bibliography

Books

• Gay Comics (ed.). New York: Plume; New American Library, 1989. 120p. ISBN 0-452-26229-1
• Strip AIDS U.S.A.: A Collection of Cartoon Art to Benefit People With AIDS. (ed. with Trina Robbins & Bill Sienkiewicz). San Francisco: Last Gasp, 1988. ISBN 978-0-86719-373-2
• Class Photo. Seattle: Fantagraphics, 2015. 64p. ISBN 978-1-60699-886-1

Contributions

In addition to Gay Comix, his cartoon work has appeared in:

• Robert Kirby and David Kelly, editors, (2008) The Book of Boy Trouble 2: Born to Trouble, Green Candy Press. ISBN 1-931160-65-1.
• Camper, Jennifer, editor (2007) Juicy Mother 2: How They Met, Manic D Press. ISBN 978-1-933149-20-2
• Camper, Jennifer, editor (2005) Juicy Mother Soft Skull Press. ISBN 1-932360-70-0
• Gregory, Roberta (2004), Naughty Bits #40, Fantagraphics.
• Gregory, Roberta (1999), Naughty Bits #28, Fantagraphics.
• Gregory, Roberta (1998), Naughty Bits #27, Fantagraphics.
• Kinney, Jay, editor (1993), Young Lust #8, Last Gasp, ISBN 0-86719-253-4.
• Bocage, Angela (1993), Real Girl #6, Fantagraphics, ASIN B000IQUH6S.
• Bocage, Angela (1991), Real Girl #2, Fantagraphics.
• Bocage, Angela (1990), Real Girl #1, Fantagraphics, ASIN B000KSA71O.
• Robbins, Trina, editor (1990), Choices: a pro-choice benefit comic anthology for the National Organization for Women, Angry Isis Press, ASIN: B002E5WBKG.
• Leyland, Winston (1986), Meatmen #1, G. S. Press.

Awards

• The first Lambda Literary Award for Humor, in 1990, for the 1989 anthology Gay Comics.
• Special Achievement Award from the San Diego Comic Con in 1989 for Strip AIDS U.S.A.

References

External links

• Official website
• Christensen, Charles "Zan" (February 23, 2008), Robert Triptow at WonderCon 2008 on YouTube, 1 minute 23 seconds.
• Christensen, Charles "Zan" (March 4, 2009). WonderCon Saturday: Robert Triptow, Brian Andersen & Trina Robbins on YouTube, 7 minutes.