Our history of the Direct Market continues with a conversation with two publishers of underground comix, Ron Turner, founder of Last Gasp, and Denis Kitchen, founder of Kitchen Sink Press. Both Ron and Denis were distributors as well as publishers, and both started their businesses in 1970. In Part 3, they talk about the very early days of manga publishing in America and the drift toward the book channel. Part 1 of this interview focused on the early days of underground comix, the early 1970s. And in Part 2, we discussed the evolution of the underground comix market as well as Denis’s shift toward non-underground comics at Kitchen Sink.
We are also making available lightly edited transcripts of the interview, in three parts:
ICv2 Interview Transcript: Ron Turner and Denis Kitchen, Part 1
ICv2 Interview Transcript: Ron Turner and Denis Kitchen, Part 2
ICv2 Interview Transcript: Ron Turner and Denis Kitchen, Part 3
This interview and article are part of ICv2’s Comics Direct Market 50th Anniversary celebration; for more, see "Comics Direct Market 50th Anniversary."

Manga Comes to America, Undergrounds Move Toward Bookstores
Posted by Milton Griepp on November 16, 2023 @ 4:22 am CT

MORE COMICS
At Heritage's Hollywood/Entertainment Auction; Also, Rosebud, Jeannie's Bottle, and More
July 14, 2025
Heritage Auctions will put a Red Five X-Wing Starfighter filming model from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Indiana Jones' Whip from Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade up for auction at their July 16-18, 2025 Hollywood/Entertainment Auction.
Also in the Works: Seeley and Simeone's 'NO Place,' New Arc of 'The Beauty'
July 14, 2025
Ignition has also announced NO Place, by Tim Seeley and Stefano Simeone, and a new arc of Jeremy Haun and Jason Hurley’s The Beauty.
MORE NEWS
'Rivals: Superman vs. Lex Luthor'
July 14, 2025
Cryptozoic Entertainment will release Rivals: Superman vs. Lex Luthor, a new standalone game for DC Deck-Building Game.
'Bomb Busters' Takes the Top Prize
July 14, 2025
The Spiel des Jahres jury has announced the winners of their 2025 board game awards.