Sweet Gwendoline & Sir Dystic d’Arcy No. 1: The Race for the Gold Cup

Los Angeles: J. A. S. Coutts, 1958.
First Edition.

28cm x 22cm. [64] pages, black and white illustrations. Illustrated saddle-stapled wrappers.

The complete cartoon serial of Sweet Gwendoline, reworked, finished, and published by the artist. The character first appeared in Coutts iconic fetish magazine Bizarre, which ran for 26 issues between 1946 and 1959 and remains the most influential fetish periodical of its era. Publishing under the pseudonym John Willie, Coutts work profoundly shaped later artists including Eric Stanton, Gene Bilbrew, and erotica publisher Leonard Burtman. Born in Singapore to British parents, Coutts lived in Brisbane and Sydney from 1926 to 1945, where he developed his signature aesthetic centred on high heels, corsetry, and bondage. During this period he produced photographs and drawings, often featuring his wife and model Holly Anna Faram, much of which informed the imagery of Bizarre’s early issues. After a short stint in the Australian Military Forces, Coutts emigrated to North America in 1945, publishing Bizarre soon after. This standalone title was published after Coutts had sold the magazine and relocated from New York to Los Angeles. “The final 55-page narrative that Coutts published in magazine form in November 1958 was a significant reworking of the original Sir d’Arcy d’Arcy comic–almost a complete reimagining. It stands as a testament to his creative vision and remains a classic within the genre, admired for its intricate, expressive comic art, sharp humor, and iconic characters. The journey to this completed work had been long and winding, beginning in Bizarre, passing through Wink magazine, and briefly distributed by Irving Klaw as 10×8″ photographic sheets. The bound edition Coutts eventually published remains the only complete version.” (Richard Perez Seves, John Willie: The Story of John Alexander Scott Coutts). A single copy recorded in public institutions, at Yale University.

Chipping to spine tail, minor to spine head, 5cm closed tear to wrappers lower panel from tail chip. Minor foxing to wrappers verso and edges. Fair Condition.

AU$2,000.00

1 in stock