Charleston videographer Gavin Shelton presents Poddy Rules the World, the first-ever retrospective exhibition this weekend at Hed Hi Studios on the illustrious life and career of underground comic legend, Gilbert Shelton, Gavin’s uncle.
Gilbert Shelton first achieved success in the early 1960s with his “Wonder Warthog” comics, a satire of the superhero comics of the era. In 1968, he created the “Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers” whose drug-fueled misadventures sold millions of copies around the world.
The “Freak Brothers” are enjoying renewed attention after being adapted into an animated series featuring the voices of Woody Harrelson, John Goodman, Pete Davidson, Tiffany Haddish, Adam Devine, Blake Anderson and others.
Gavin Shelton told the City Paper in an interview that he hopes to connect with a couple of different audiences through his new project: first, the older fans, of which there are many — 45 million copies of the Freak Brothers have sold in 16 different languages — as well as new fans who are becoming introduced to the material through the new series.
“A whole new generation of people is going to be introduced to the Freak Brothers (through the television show),” he said. “I’m excited to introduce them to the source material — it’s a meaningful thing for me to be the steward of this stuff.”
But there’s another group the exhibition will impact: people who may not yet know about these comics, but can appreciate subversive humor, satire and critique through comedy.
Many of the issues and taboos that Gilbert Shelton made comics about, such as police brutality, drug use and distrust of the government, remain culturally relevant. Poddy Rules the World, Gavin Shelton said, will offer a look at the countercultural movements of the 1960s and 1970s and how some of the same issues pervade culture today.
Counterculture and cannabis
The comics, beyond their value in satire, commentary and just plain comedy, are also some of the oldest and most authentic material for cannabis culture in the United States. (Check out this tribute video on Instagram from Tommy Chong, of the stoner comedy duo Cheech and Chong, who said The Freak Brothers were a primary inspiration.)
“One of Gilbert’s most popular phrases in the Freak Brothers, which just reverberated through cultures: ‘Dope will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no dope,’” Gavin said recently. “That has left an indelible mark on generations of Americans who first were living through Vietnam and are now living through all the successive shit shows we’ve been experiencing as a country.”
One of Gavin Shelton’s most cherished works in the show is the original artwork from the first issue of the “Freak Brothers,” where Freewheelin’ Franklin says his ‘dope/money’ tagline for the first time — And that’s just one of the many incredible items on display in Poddy Rules the World.
Collecting stories
The exhibition is three years in the making. It started out as Gavin Shelton’s pandemic research project, as highlighted in the Charleston City Paper in 2022 by cartoonist Steve Stegelin.
During his research, Shelton has found artwork, memorabilia and so many stories from friends, family and fans of his uncle — the younger Shelton has visions of eventually making what he’s found into a documentary. (That is after taking this traveling exhibition from Charleston, to New York, Texas and more locations to be determined).
“I’ve always wanted to know more about him, after growing up hearing stories like, oh, Gilbert and Janis Joplin used to be roommates. Or, in college, Gilbert had a comic book factory that exploded because there was an illegal Chinese fireworks factory under it. And I’m like, is this real?
“So when Covid hit, in those early days of like, what do we do with all this time? I started digging — searching the internet, archival and newspaper websites, and I just started to find incredible material and so many stories.”
Since his 2020 start on the project, a handful of Gavin Shelton’s interviewees have passed away. Shelton wants to collect those memories in this project so future generations can appreciate the hippie movements that came before them. “To be the caretaker of all those stories, it’s a huge privilege,” he said.
“During Covid, I came to realize there’s this whole generation of Americans and their stories and their memories that we’re losing. As I’m researching this, and seeing what’s going on around us, it’s just a cycle — history repeats itself. We’re having a lot of the same kind of issues or conversations or fights as we did 10, 20, 30 years ago…
“Super left-leaning folks read The Freak Brothers and they’re like, this totally speaks to us. And then super right leaning folks read The Freak Brothers and like, dude, that’s 100% me, like anti-authoritarianism, distrust of the government.
Shelton said the humor in the comics was a productive way of resistance.
“If you can make somebody laugh, you immediately disarm them. You can get them to be more open to discussing the issues…. Dealing with it with humor injects some levity and some positivity into an otherwise shitty situation,” Gavin Shelton said.
“Hopefully, this show will inspire the next generation of humorists or satirists to use whatever their unique skills are to speak out against injustice.”
Check out Poddy Rules the World at Hed Hi Studios this weekend: opening reception 6 p.m. until 10 p.m., May 17; 12 p.m. until 6 p.m. May 18; and 12 p.m. until 3 p.m. May 19. Learn more on Instagram at @poddyrulestheworld.
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