Underground: Mother's Oats

The experience of reading underground comics threw me into new territory in the world of comics, and art in general. Startling as it was, I found myself quite attracted to the selection I read not because of the subject matter, but the ideation and attitude surrounding it. The personal liberation that accompanies the creation of comics allows for complete inhibition in expression, particularly concerning subjects such as sex, drugs, and other obscenities that are otherwise taboo to mainstream culture.

Mother's Oats had parodies of advertisements filling pages before the comics that stood out to me as particularly entertaining because of their ruthlessness. One ad depicted two elderly people and stated "Getting old? Try LSD! I mean like what the hell? If you're that far gone why not?" This message signifies both the culturally defiant nature of underground comics and the adoption of drugs as an acceptable--perhaps even valuable--part of everyday life. I may respond to this idea positively because it is one that many of my dearest friends would be quick to advocate, but I also see great value in the openmindedness that it signifies. The uncensored tendencies of underground comics provides for a broad range of honest self expression, which I believe is the most valuable aspect of this genre.