Jack Norton - Dirty Little Comics: A Pictorial History of Tijuana Bibles and Underground Adult Comics of the 1920s–1950s

T ijuana Bibles were palm-sized, underground, explicit comic books. Produced in the United States, they were extremely popular in the 1920s and 30s. Most artists are unknown, as the publication of this explicit work was illegal.

During the Great Depression era of the 1930s, Tijuana Bibles were called eight-pagers, Tillie And Mac books, Jiggs and Maggie books, Jo-Jo books, bluesies, blue bibles, gray backs and two by fours. In the 1940s they were simply called Dirty Little Comics, and by the early 1950s these glorious works of dirty art would finally be known as Tijuana Bibles - a term still in use today.

The term Tijuana Bible originated in southern California, playing on the untrue belief that these cheap little comics were manufactured and smuggled across the border from Tijuana, Mexico.

This seedy backstory only added to the smutty appeal of these comics. They were sold under the counter for a quarter anywhere men hang out: bars, bowling alleys, auto-shops, tobacco stores, barbers, burlesque halls and tattoo parlors. If a gentlemen knew the right second hand bookstore or magazine stand, he could ask for the latest book.

They were obscene parodies of popular cartoon characters or superheroes and real life figures such as Hollywood celebrities, politicians and newsmakers were often featured as well. Before World War II, Tijuana Bibles were highly humorous often times using well-known dirty puns and jokes to great comedic success.

Of course, Tijuana Bibles reflected the pop culture sensibilities of the era so many ethnic and racial stereotypes can be found within. This make strike modern day readers as shocking, perhaps even offensive, yet these works are presented in this book as historical artifacts - relics to a time where racism was more openly expressed in pop culture.

On a happier note, the artistry of these images is simply amazing. Its clear where groundbreaking artists of the 1960s such as R. Crumb were getting inspiration from: Tijuana Bibles!

Sadly, most of the artists, writers and publishers of these Tijuana Bibles are unknown, as their publication was illegal and therefore clandestine and always anonymous. As such, the quality of art ranges from passionate amateur to skilled professional, and all points in between. What can not be denied, is mans ever present lust for sex, sex and more sex!

The final panel of a Dixie Dugan book included in this collection is of special interest. Upon seducing a curvy lass, the artist hero proclaims:

I, my dear, am creator of literature which creates hard pricks an hot cunts, the only art that creates a desire for sexual intercourse, and which also causes me to remain in privacy

Truly, the creators of Tijuana Bibles were able to create an early example of beautiful pornography, smut that was silly and hot, political and arousing. They did this while remaining unknown - hidden behind pen names which were often amusing and highly sexual.

Some researches speculate that organized crime syndicates were behind the publishing of Tijuana Bibles, but this belief is from salaciously embellished news reporting of the day.