Smegma the Magazine (1978-1981)

Smegma the Magazine was published in New York City between 1978 and 1981.
It is archived in the permanent library collection
at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)

It is also included in the library collections at:
New York University (Elmer Holmes Bobst Library)
Princeton University Library
Smithsonian Institution Libraries, Washington, DC
SUNY at Buffalo
University at Buffalo
University of California, Los Angeles

As the punk music scene exploded, this New York City publication burst onto the local art world seeming to express the same creative, anarchic, playful energy in print.

While it certainly would be listed among the very first montage-style punkzines, it’s creativity, innovation and scope went far beyond the others – with artwork contributions including original drawings by Tuli Kupferberg (of the Fugs), an exclusive interview with Lance Loud (star of the first reality tv show “An American Family”) poetry, and works by many know and unknown artists – including many Correspondence/Mail artists such as Buster Cleveland, John Evans, E.F.Higgins III, and many others.

The third issue included a 2-sided flexidisc recording, an audio montage called “Hot Dog, You Bet!“,
which was voted as a favorite in November 1980
by music critic Lester Bangs in the Village Voice Pazz & Jop poll.

The first issue was printed in a limited edition of only 500 (now very rare), the others in editions of 1000.

>>>>>     A rare opportunity – as of June 2015, two remaining sets of the complete edition
are available for $1000. each.
With extremely rare extras (see below). Email if interested.   <<<<<<
All four issues in pristine like-new condition
with all original inserts – including the flexi-disc, stickers, and other fun inserts.)
Also – the three calendars produced in 1980/81/82 – two of which are 11×14, with different artists on different colored paper for each month (hole punched / ring bound); the third is small booklet sized, card-stock black/white, similarly bound. The larger ones were on sale at some of the same NYC shops that carried the magazine – Spring Street Books, Manic Panic,
Bleecker Bobs, Printed Matter, St. Marks Books, etc.
“A Supple Mints” – which are black/white photocopied (11×14, folded in half, stapled) collage ‘zines that were put out as supplements to the magazine, between issues, and were made in small editions of a hundred, distributed for free at the stores that carried the magazine. The covers were hand colored and rubber stamped.  There were three, all of which are included.
Additionally – this set includes a dozen or so broadsides/flyers that were distributed around the city during the years of publication. On various colored sheets of paper they include fun promotional collages as well as the Village Voice Pazz&Jop Poll wherein Lester Bangs highly voted the flexi-disc in issue #3.
A very complete collection of very rare materials that supplement the four magazines.
Everything is in like-new condition.