Vaughn Bode was born in Utica, New York, on July 22, 1941, just a few months prior to the outbreak of World War II. While not technically considered a 'baby boomer' (those millions of babies born between 1945 and about 1955, after American soldiers returned from the war(s) and set about making up for lost time), Bode was close enough in age to have experienced all of the frustration and disenfranchisement many baby boomers felt during the two decades of the 1960s and 70s.

If you were not alive during these turbulent decades, it may be difficult to fully understand what the youth of this country and even the whole world were going through. It was perhaps that those millions of 'boomers' were now graduating from high school or entering college and many of these young adults wanted to have something more than that which was offered to their parents--not only a new life, but new opportunities, new vistas and new experiences. By 1970, the Viet Nam 'Police Action' was spiraling out of control into a full scale war, a war that many young people did not understand and wanted no part of.

There was also a new approach to 'life' in general among young adults. While the late 1940s and 1950s were considered to have been years of the family, where staid fathers went to work and stay at home mothers took care of the house and numerous children (a 'Father Knows Best' and 'Ozzie and Harriet' mentality), the youth of this time wanted something different for themselves.

And so, there was a revolution of sorts. New values, new mores and new morals were explored and demanded by this age of youth and young adults. They broke away from the 'norm' and blazed new trails in art, literature and music, in the process frequently making themselves outcasts to anyone over the

age of thirty. Sometimes considered to be in the category of a demented genius, these people lived (and sometimes quickly died) during that brief span of time between the middle 1960s and the late 1970s. Among these gifted and tormented artists were the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison and Vaughn Bode.

There were many others, as well, whose light and flame burned brightly but ever so briefly even before this time, like the writer, Jack Kerouac, who died in 1969. But, their spark ignited a fire that fueled those artists who evolved during the 60s and 70s.

Vaughn Bode was not like other children, growing up. He sought after other pleasures than playing in the dirt and being Superman. A lonely and isolated child, he felt more comfortable living and playing in a world spawned by imagination, rather than the world around him, so invented characters and friends he felt more akin to.

Bode, like many of his contemporary brethren, lived far outside normal society and was frequently ridiculed and often misunderstood by most people, before and occasionally even after, his talent manifested itself. Undaunted, Vaughn took himself to a place where he felt more at home, surrounded by people who, like himself, were considered to be on the outskirts of society--San Francisco, California. In the early 1970s, this area was the place to be if you were an 'artist' of any caliber, who wished to get away from 'normal' society and experiment with life and whatever lay beyond. Vaughn Bode, ever the seeker after light and life, did indeed experiment, as did so many others at that time. But, tragically, he died during such an experiment, in San Francisco, on July 18th, 1975.

While I did not have the opportunity to actually meet Vaughn Bode, I was privileged to have been able to experience his artistic talent in real time. His cartoon creations appeared in a number of Men's Magazines (featuring the famous, or infamous, Bode Broads) in the early 1970s, as well as the popular National Lampoon magazine. A set of 'Junkwaffel' comics and the hardback edition of Deadbone were also produced during this time, starring some of his many characters, and his most famous and favorite creation, Cheech Wizard, appeared in his own comics and books. Later, his work also appeared in the magazine dedicated to comic art, Heavy Metal, which is still available today.

While being a comic artist, Bode garnered a number of awards during his short career, including in 1969, the coveted Hugo Award. His art has also influenced several generations of graffiti artists, who have copied onto literally thousands of buildings, fences and sidewalks, all across the nation, his unusual and distinctive style of artwork and lettering.

For those of you not familiar with his work, we here at 'The World of Myth' were fortunate enough to have been granted an interview with Vaughn's son, Mark Bode, who is himself a talented artist and writer. Mark has also been gracious enough to share with us some of his own artwork, along with some pieces of his late father's work, which appear along with this article. In addition, our contributing artist, MOK, who was also a fan of Vaughn Bode, has agreed to do a few sketches, after some of Bode's most famous characters.

If any of our readers are interested, more Bode art work may be seen at www.Markbode.com and comics and other books may be obtained through www.fantagraphics.com .

While Vaughn Bode is (perhaps) gone, he is far from forgotten. His son, Mark, helps to keep his art and vision alive and many fans still seek to explore the fantastic world he created and spent much of his time within. It has been said that Bode still travels through the cosmic/spiritual planes, seeking inspiration and entertainment. I for one hope this is true. Mayhap one day we might meet, somewhere 'out there' and what an experience that would be. I look forward to it. Until then, we can keep his vision alive through his art and by keeping him in our hearts and minds.

While many might consider a moment of silence an appropriate gesture to remember someone who is now gone, I think Vaughn Bode might appreciate a single line from one of his many comic strips, instead. It says more than anything else about what Bode wanted to pass on to a world that tried to make him conform to its rules, but consistently and miserably failed.

"Fuk Off!"

And so, we say, "Adios, cowboy," and may you continue to ride the cosmic realms, finding all that you seek.

---Vaughn Bode---

July 22, 1941--July 18, 1975