Steve Duin has sad news:

S. Clay Wilson, one of the seminal figures in the underground comix movement, suffered a “severe brain injury” last weekend, according to his partner, Lorraine Chamberlain, although no one is yet certain what caused those injuries.

“I just talked to the neurologist a few minutes ago,” Chamberlain said early Sunday afternoon. “He’s in a decline because of the pneumonia. They can’t seem to stabilize him.”

Chamberlain — Wilson’s partner of the last eight years (“though,” she added, “we’ve been flirting with each other for 40”) — said authorities in San Francisco originally believed that Wilson was mugged on his way home from a fairly heavy drinking binge. But Chamberlain now believes “it may be that he fell so many times” on the short walk home.

Wilson is one of the godfathers of underground comics, a perennial bad boy whose comics can be seen as utter filth, but a filth redeemed by a gusto for life and a passion for cartooning. Send a little good energy his way.
 

1 COMMENT

  1. Jesus! I met S. Clay only a few months ago. One minute I was sitting there drinking (I didn’t REALLY think I’d had that many), and the next thing, I was waking up on the floor of a (dark) hotel room. S. Caly was gone and Texiera was sticking a bottle of advil in my face (think extreme fisheye prospective, like in Frankenheimer’s Seconds). He said “Take this!”, and ran out to the comic show. Later, I found this note in my pocket, written by SCW – the name of a book he’d been telling me about (The Fan Man by William Kotzwinkle). The note is still taped to my wall… man! I guess I have to get that book.

  2. Reading his Journal interview I’m suprised he’s lasted this long. That said, although I’ve no real interst in the mans work, I like his attitude and hope he rcovers and goes on for another few decades.

    Get well soon S Clay Wilson, comics needs you.

  3. Reading his Journal interview I’m suprised he’s lasted this long. That said, although I’ve no real interest in the mans work, I like his attitude and hope he rcovers and goes on for another few decades.

    Get well soon S Clay Wilson, comics needs you.

  4. My mom is a friend of Wilson and I new him when I was a kid. He gave me a pickle lunch box when I was six or so and I have loved him ever since. He is a wild and crazy man with a HUGE heart and I am very sad to hear that he has been hurt. Everyone should be so lucky to have met him and to have him be part of your hippy family. I will treasure my memories and hope for more to come.
    Steph

  5. Talked to him on the ph about 4 years ago through Dale Ashmun from Psychotronic Magazine, Spare parts. He
    said this to me “boobilyboobliybooboliy?? “Oh Gawd” I said. Then he did that for a good 10 minutes… I send best wishes!
    He made my whole day laughing out loud!!!!!!!