Volksverlag
The Volksverlag was a German comic book publisher.
With its series Schwermetall , Pilot and U-Comix as well as numerous albums and anthologies about the artists published in the magazines, the publisher was formative for the comic culture of the 1980s in Germany. A book program in the field of alternative culture was also offered at the same time .
history
As early as 1969 the magazines U-Comix and the alternative magazine Päng were published by a rural commune around Raymond Martin in Kucha , Franconia, under the publisher's name UPN-Volksverlag . After the group moved to a farm near Linden , the name was shortened to Volksverlag . From 1978 the magazine series Hinz & Kunz appeared , then Schwermetall and for a short time Pilot (based on the French original Pilote ) and Vampirella . At the beginning of the 1980s, the publisher was the largest provider of adult comics in Germany and was not only represented at the Erlangen Comic Salon , but also at the Frankfurt Book Fair . At the end of 1984 Raymond Martin and thus Volksverlag ended its activities, and the newly formed Alpha Comic Verlag took over the continued existence of the established magazines U-Comix and Schwermetall . The reason for Martin's withdrawal from the comic book business was the constant stress with minimal pay and the lack of time for his other interests. Many publications were also run without profit or even with a loss.
Magazines
- U-Comix (1969–1979 / first row)
- Päng (1970–1976)
- Forest & Meadows Comix (1972–1974)
- Hinz & Kunz (1978–1981)
- U-Comix (1980-1984)
- Heavy Metal (1980–1984)
- Vampirella (1981-1983)
- Pilot (1981-1984)
- Photo Comics (1982–1985)
- Witzbold (1982-1983)
Controversy and indexing
"Ridiculous" fees that were allocated to the draughtsmen of the Hinz & Kunz magazine were criticized . Some albums or books were also printed without a license, including albums by Enki Bilal , which then ended up in the shredder. There were also a number of indexes by the Federal Testing Office for writings harmful to minors . As a result, certain albums by Richard Corben , Theo van den Boogaard , Georges Pichard and 15 U-Comix special volumes were not allowed to be offered, traded or advertised. In 1983 the publisher had to pay DM 20,000 in fees and damages because the albums Imitations Volumes 1 and 2 by Roger Brunel contained sexist parodies of Asterix and Walt Disney characters and the publisher was then sued.
Web links
- Volksverlag at comicguide.de