Art and story combine powerfully in this lyrical tale of a young man caught in the maelstrom of the civil rights movement and the systematic homophobia of small-town America. Told in flashback, this is the story of Toland Polk, the son of an uneducated white carpenter who has grown up in the Southern town of Clayfield. It is the 1960s, a time of passionate beliefs and violent emotions, and Clayfield's citizens are divided in the fight over segregation. As Toland fights on the side of the civil rights activists, he slowly begins to realize and try to deny that he is gay. With a subtle yet intricate plot, and distinctively evocative illustrations, Stuck Rubber Baby is an unflinchingly honest look at one man's world of fears, dreams and prejudice.

Stuck Rubber Baby

Cruse, Howard

Literature & Fiction

Perennial

Cartoons present a satirical view of gay lifestyles and contemporary American society

Dancin' Nekkid With the Angels

Comics & Graphic Novels

Comic Strips

St Martins Pr

Cartoons offer a satirical look at the lives of Wendel Trupstock, who works in a mail room, and his lover, Ollie Chalmers, an aspiring actor

Wendel on the Rebound

Arts & Photography

A compilation of Howard Cruse's gay-themed comic strips and comic book stories published between 1976 and 2008, with supplementary background material and a few unpublished extras. Some stories originally appeared in adults-only underground comix; for that reason this book carries a "for mature readers" warning

From Headrack to Claude

Humor & Satire

Nifty Kitsch Press

The complete collection of the entire groundbreaking gay comic strip series. Originally published in The Advocate throughout the 1980s, Howard Cruse’s Wendel is widely considered the first gay comic strip to be featured in mainstream media. A topical and heartfelt chronicle of one gay man’s journey through the often-rocky Reagan-Bush years, the strip followed the adventures of Wendel Trupstock, his boyfriend Ollie, and an unforgettable cast of supporting characters. More realistic than most comics of the time, Wendel did not observe the traditional comic strip formula. Instead, it presented realistic depictions of relationships, politics, personal struggles, and public triumphs, all seen through a gay perspective that was just coming into relative widespread acceptance. Wendel became more than a comic strip as it, and Cruse, were propelled into the rarefied pop culture category reserved for art and artists that not only entertain, but also influence and are influenced by shifts in public consciousness. Its influence was such that Tony Kushner wrote, "Wendel unfolds with the narrative complexity, nuance, detail, and honesty of a great satirical novel." The Complete Wendel contains every episode of the series and includes a new foreword by Cruse, who contextualizes the story of the creation and publication of the strip within the often tumultuous political zeitgeist of the 1980s. It also features a new cover and a special "where are they now" section created for this book.

The Complete Wendel

Graphic Novels

Universe

Wendel

Gay Presses of New York

Painstakingly researched and exquisitely illustrated,Stuck Rubber Baby is a groundbreaking graphic novel that draws on Howard Cruse's experience coming of age and coming out in 1960s Birmingham, Alabama. This 25th anniversary edition brings this rich and moving tale of identity and resistance is back in print--complete with an updated introduction from Alison Bechdel, rare photographs, and unpublished archival material that give a thorough, behind-the-scenes look at this graphic novel masterpiece. As a young gay man leading a closeted life in the 1960s American South, Toland Polk tries his best to keep a low profile. He's aware of the racial injustice all around him--the segregationist politicians, the corrupt cops, the violent Klan members--but he feels powerless to make a difference. That all changes when he crosses paths with an impassioned coed named Ginger Raines. Ginger introduces him to a lively and diverse group of civil rights activists, folk singers, and night club performers--men and women who live authentically despite the conformist values of their hometown. Emboldened by this new community, Toland joins the local protests and even finds the courage to venture into a gay bar. No longer content to stay on the sidelines, Toland joins his friends as they fight against bigotry. But in Clayfield, Alabama, that can be dangerous--even deadly.

Stuck Rubber Baby 25th Anniversary Edition

First Second

The groundbreaking, award-winning semi-autobiographical graphic novel returns in a new edition featuring an introduction by Alison Bechdel, awardwinning author of Fun Home.
In the 1960s American South, a young gas-station attendant named Toland Polk is rejected from the Army draft for admitting “homosexual tendencies,” and falls in with a close-knit group of young locals yearning to break from the conformity of their hometown through civil rights activism, folk music and upstart communality of race-mixing, gay-friendly nightclubs. Toland’s story is both deeply personal and epic in scope, as his search for identity plays out against the brutal fight over segregation, an unplanned pregnancy and small-town bigotry, aided by an unforgettable supporting cast.

Stuck Rubber Baby (New Edition)

Vertigo

The groundbreaking, award-winning semi-autobiographical graphic novel returns in a new edition featuring an introduction by Alison Bechdel, awardwinning author of Fun Home.
In the 1960s American South, a young gas-station attendant named Toland Polk is rejected from the Army draft for admitting “homosexual tendencies,” and falls in with a close-knit group of young locals yearning to break from the conformity of their hometown through civil rights activism, folk music and upstart communality of race-mixing, gay-friendly nightclubs. Toland’s story is both deeply personal and epic in scope, as his search for identity plays out against the brutal fight over segregation, an unplanned pregnancy and small-town bigotry, aided by an unforgettable supporting cast.
 From the Trade Paperback edition.

Early Barefootz

Humor & Entertainment

Humor

Fantagraphics Books

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Cruse, Howard. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Cruse, Howard

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Cruse, Howard. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Stuck Rubber Baby

Dancin' Nekkid With the Angels

Wendel on the Rebound

From Headrack to Claude

The Complete Wendel

Wendel

Stuck Rubber Baby 25th Anniversary Edition

Stuck Rubber Baby (New Edition)

Stuck Rubber Baby (New Edition)

Early Barefootz