Art for Weird's Sake: The Art of FORBIDDEN LINES, Part 2

As FORBIDDEN LINES continued, our circle of writers and artists expanded to include people beyond the immediate Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, N.C. area. Because Charles Overbeck took a special interest in the design and illustration of the magazine, I didn't always know much more about the artists other than their name and the quality of their work. I would say the caliber of artists we attracted was generally higher than the writers who submitted stories. Of course we were getting in 20-30 stories a week, and far fewer art submissions. The main reason for this was that we tended to solicit illustrations from specific artists for particular stories. Charles handled most of our photographic needs in person--authors' photos used in interviews, for example.

In the final issue (#16, 1994), I compiled a complete index of all articles, reviews, stories, and artwork that appeared in FORBIDDEN LINES. Below is a JPG of the Artists' Listing. The numbers represent the issue in which the artists had work appear:

While I'd like to recognize and offer examples of every artist's work, that would take a lot of time and much space. So here's a kudo to everyone who contributed their time and talent to the unique publication that was FORBIDDEN LINES.

Eugene 'Gene' Gryniewicz's style was distinctive, and well suited to the darker side of FORBIDDEN LINES' fiction. More than just macabre, his work has a tragic quality. There's a lot of suffering in his characters' eyes.

From FL #7: "The Ward," by D. Douglas Graham.

Illustrated by Gene Gryniewicz.

From FL #6: "The Power of Prayer,"

by Vic Fortezza. Illustrated by

Gene Gryniewicz.

From FL #15: "Hands Across the Stars,"

by Jeff Janoda. Illustrated by

Gene Gryniewicz.

From FL #16: "Carnival," by Richard

Behrens. Illustrated by Gene 

Gryniewicz

Starting around issue 10 we found the brother writer-artist team of Matt (the writer) and Mike (the artist) Ehinger. Since we're talking art here, we'll focus on Mike.

Mike had a really fine technique. His eye for composition and style were top notch, as can be seen in this cover he did for issue 11:

UFO abductions were a hot topic in 1992. Bob Burchette and I had the opportunity to interview skeptic Philip J. Klass when he came to Chapel Hill to appear at the Morehead Planetarium. To compliment the Klass interview, I asked Mike if could render Rembrandt's famous 1632 painting "The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp" as if aliens were examining an abducted human. He succeeded brilliantly. The result is my personal choice as best FORBIDDEN LINES cover ever. Yes, I did call it "Gray's Anatomy."

"And next, the anal probe."

Mike also did the cover of issue 10, illustrating his brother Matt's story "Pilgrims to the Armageddon Flower."

FORBIDDEN LINES #10, Winter 1993

Cover art by Mike Ehinger

Mike handled his assignments with beauty and panache. I don't know if he went on to a career as an artist or illustrator, but his talent was obvious.

Full page illustration by Mike Ehinger for

Michael Burris' story, "OBE," FL #13.

Another artist who, ah, graced the pages of the later issues of FORBIDDEN LINES was Frank Forte and his colleagues at Asylum Studios. Frank's work appeared first in issue 11, but he made every issue after that to the last, #16. His style could best be described as 'Madhouse Horror.'

FORBIDDEN LINES #14, Summer 1993

Cover illustration by Frank Forte

for Rick Skinner's story, "Roach Wars."

Everything is distorted in Frank's work, distorted yet disturbingly familiar. 

Like Blair Wilson, Frank often provided random illustrations as samples of his work. There is a distinct EC Comics flavor to Frank's work. Charles Overbeck worked Frank's drawings in wherever he could. In FL #16 we published an Asylum Studios portfolio, featuring Forte's work along with Asylum mates Mike Bliss, Bob 'The Doc' Murdock, Scott DiAngelis, Al Columbia, and Matang Gonzoles.

Charles' idea of a 'Please Subscribe' Ad, FL #11

Illustration by Frank Forte.

The old mailing address has been redacted.

The most celebrated artist associated with FORBIDDEN LINES must be Diego Marcial Rios. Like Blair Wilson and Frank Forte, Diego heard about FORBIDDEN LINES and offered us black and white versions of some of his engravings and woodcuts. They are strongly influenced by his Latin background, featuring surreal, macabre renderings of themes close to the artist's heart--war, oppression, the grip of drugs and religion on the lives of the poor. We used two of Diego's works as covers: FL #12 'Pope Poppy' and FL #13, 'Kiss Me, You Fool.'

FL #12 Cover by Diego Marcial Rios:

"Pope Poppy"

FORBIDDEN LINES #13, Winter 1993

Cover art by Diego Marcial Rios, for

Del Stone's story, "Kiss Me, You Fool."

From Diego Marcial Rios' website:

A Brief History of Subversive Woodcuts

April 7, 2015

There is something dramatic about black and white. The black/white woodcut media is an excellent media to express complex political and social beliefs. Woodcut or relief images consist of powerful black and white images with limited lines and grays areas. The results are striking!

During Medieval times in Europe, monks used prints from woodblocks to express their moral and social concerns.  In later centuries, in Europe great artists such as Albrecht Durer and many others artist used   black/white woodcuts to illustrate social problems and deep religious beliefs.  During the late early 20th century, the famous Mexican graphic artist Posada used relief prints to illustrate social issues faced by common Mexicans. During the depression era of the 1930’s many artist including Orozco and Kollwitz produced the woodcut media to express social problems.

Today the woodcut /relief media is still used by many artists to illustrate books, magazines and even blogs.  Woodcuts designs are also often used as the graphic images for clothing and newspapers articles. I have continued the tradition of producing social critical art in the woodcut / relief media.  Long live the woodcut and relief media!

Last time I mentioned all the fine work our staff artist Cindy Holtslag did for FORBIDDEN LINES. In many ways her magnum opus with us was the "The Cereal Murders," a 22 page graphic story written by Donald Trull and brilliantly illustrated by Cindy. This is the kind of story I would have published every issue, had we the resources to do so:

From FL #8, January/February 1992:

"The Cereal Murders" by D. Trull.

Illustrated by Cindy Holtslag.

"Murders" is the story of a breakfast cereal mascot (Freddie the Ferret) who, facing the end of his reign with Fruity-Toots cereal, takes justice into his own hands . . . The sardonic nature of Trull's story is made all the sharper (and funnier) by Cindy's 'wholesome' art style.

FORBIDDEN LINES was a modest part of the great zine scene in the 1990s. It came and it went, but while it lasted it featured the work of a lot of talented people. Most of them were quite young; Charles Overbeck was 22 in 1992; Cindy Holtslag was a few years younger. I was 34 in 1992, the old man of an editorial board that mostly consisted of college students. Many of the contributors, writers and artists, I have not heard from since the magazine ended. I wish them all well.

I will post the full index of FORBIDDEN LINES as its own entry.

Next: "Pink Bells, Tattered Skies" The Invisible Surrealist