Comics Magazine

The O!☆#?✴ Comics Magazine was edited and published by Ian and Andrew Haig. The cover was designed by Andrew Haig and screen-printed in 5 colours. The first and only issue is LP sized square. The Haigs, Philip Brophy and Maria Kozic had worked on the Trash & Junk Culture exhibition a year earlier, and continued their shared love of comics with O!☆#?✴, providing 72 of the comic's 92 pages. The Haig brother's publication clearly aligned its style and content with the EC, Mad and Zap legacies carried on by Raw, Weirdo and Blab. Superheroes (or parodies thereof) were non-existent, as was artsy nerdy 'graphic novel' diaristic drivel. As claimed on the front cover, O!☆#?✴ "contains 92 pages of graphic violence".

The inside front and rear flaps is patterned with a hoard of freaky faces drawn by Maria Kozic and Philip Brophy – © 1989

"Death Dust" features a selection of tacky vintage biker decals. Philip Brophy © 1989
"Dusk to Dawn" features a collage of seminal drive-in greats. Philip Brophy © 1989

"Death Styles of the Rich and Famous" targets the worst of 'quality actors' of the time and gives them a different kind of award. Philip Brophy © 1989

The four monstrous Cock Rock dudes of "Rock Hard" each bear a tattoo from the runes symbols of Led Zeppelin IV. Philip Brophy © 1989

"Who What Where Why" is what happens when you cross an advertisement for The Car with Alain Robbe-Grillet. Philip Brophy © 1989
"Twelve Inch Mountains" is a comic onomatopoeic splash page of every sound that occurs in the 12" mix of Prince's Mountains. Philip Brophy © 1989

"Thirty Germs On Acid". Philip Brophy © 1989
"Send Artwork Skater Monster". Philip Brophy © 1989