# - Viz magazine.

The Bumper Monster Christmas Special [Viz issue 1], December 1979, one of 150 (the "second print" stamp and limitation no. 1857 on p.12 are spurious), lino-printed "Free! Viz Ice Cream" in green stapled to p.11--Viz Comic The Second - Producublished foth vith comicth, April 1980, one of 500 copies (limitation no. 89 is spurious), orange balloon stapled to p.11, balloon decayed sticking fifth and sixth leaves together--Viz Comic Thirdest - Embiblished poss villy comthaps, July 1980, one of 1000 copies, (limitation no. 89 is spurious), two-page lino-printed "Viz pocket Diary" stapled to p.11--Viz Comic, issue 6, July 1981



[with:] a series of 37 typed letters and 2 postcards signed by Chris Donald, founder of Viz magazine, to Tim Harrison, discussing the foundation and early issues of the magazine ("...So to my magazine. As you can see, I've adopted the epithet VIZ (COMICS). Again, I concede, it's a little bit 'Whizzo pranks', but I assure you that VIZ has no hidden relevance, and cares more for nuclear power stations than it does for whales. To summarise, VIZ and students are poles apart..."), as well as other subjects, chiefly of an abusive nature, including football and North ("...In fact I was born down a mine, and I befriended an amiable pit poney [sic] who brought me up and cared for me...") vs.  South ("...When you travel on the tubes you see nothing but filthy dilapidated sewers with rusty pipes clinging to the walls, and when you get to your destination the fluorescent tube stations are full of snivelling whinos asking you for a light and gangs of punks sitting on ticket gates scaring the transport police..."), 48 pages, plus some photocopies, most with original envelopes, various sizes, 1 June 1979 to 7 January 1981



[together with:] photocopied poster advertising Issue 1 as used for fly-posting around Newcastle, autograph draft by Harrison of 'My Suspicions about the King-to-be' (published in Viz 1), one letter enclosing a second lino-printed "Free! Viz Ice Cream" in red ink, and other related material

C. Donald, Rude Kids (2004), pp.29-43

"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

"...The layout will ideally be a cross between P.I. and my favourite mag of all time, the Beano. Both me and Gym B. dabble in cartoons, and have several strips ready..."

a series of letters filled with the foul-mouthed absurdist humour that won viz a million readers, tracing the beginning of a magazine that went on to be one of the greatest publishing phenomena of the 1980s.  The correspondence began in June 1979 when Harrison answered an ad in Private Eye inviting "bogus correspondants [sic]", which, Donald explained "was intended to bring me into contact with other correspondants, preferably raving lunatics, whom I feel have a lot in common with myself". Viz is a principal subject of the letters from November 1979 onwards (thirty letters). Harrison wrote pieces in the first two issues and agreed to distribute Viz in the South East, and in these letters Donald discusses his plans for the magazine, the logistics of publication, sale and distribution, and troubles along the way ("...Yesterday, reliable source informed me that a copy of Viz comics has made it's way to Market Street police station for examination by the Porn Squad..." [20 April 1980])