Combatting intolerance and discrimination with hyperbole and parody, exposing censorship as the highest form of perversion.

Since its launch in 1992, Bitterkomix has evolved with South Africa’s shifting socio-political landscape over the years since independence, continuing to combine various narratives and topics, from eroticism to violence. Deconstructing stereotypes surrounding gender, sexuality, race, tradition, religion and the like, Bitterkomix challenges ongoing political and institutional censorship in South Africa.

Irreverent in its approach and language, the co-founders of Bitterkomix, Anton Kannemeyer (Joe Dog) and Conrad Botes (Konradski), have spent three decades constructing a dark, almost seething criticism of the mainstream, conservative, Afrikaner cultural rubric; where both artists have strong traditional roots and ancestral links. Using hyperbole, satire, analogy, and parody as tools of defiance against both past and present power structures in South Africa, Bitterkomix references various historical and contemporary social and political issues, driving a spear through the flesh of the conservative establishment, in particular deeply entrenched Afrikaner ideologies that keep South Africa stuck in a vacuum of ignorance, ineptitude, and bigotry.

Feeding off reaction, Bitterkomix has never been in short supply of critics. Hyperbole seems to be an increasingly abstract concept to most critics to grasp, especially with the massive growth of nationalism and the powerful wave of conservatism that accompanies it. Within this volatile environment of conservatism, where almost anything is offensive – a clear indication of a society that lacks the acumen for lateral and abstract thinking – any form of parody or satire runs the risk of being severely misunderstood. Irony, idioms, appropriation; all such notions are becoming extinct within a contemporary atmosphere of amplified isolationism, fundamentalism, and extremism, making Bitterkomix such an important publication as it attempts to expose and counter this blind, empty ideological virulence.

A vicissitude of a once enlightened era, somehow still alive today, Bitterkomix has consistently pushed the envelope. Perceived by many South African’s as controversial and outrageous, internationally Bitterkomix is perceived as part of the vanguard of independent, counterculture publications. A complete set, which includes every Bitterkomix publication ever produced, forms an important part of the Colophon Collection.

From the underground into the mainstream and back again, this is subversive counterculture in motion and an important branch of contemporary expressionism.

Bitterkomix issue no.1 (front cover)

Bitterkomix no.1

Year: 1992
Pages: 60
Print run: 1000
Size: A4
Contributors: Anton Kannemeyer (Joe Dog), Conrad Botes (Konradski).
Other details: black & white silkscreened cover. No material from this issue has been reprinted to date. Very rare.

Bitterkomix issue no.2 (front cover)

Bitterkomix no.2

Year: 1992
Pages: 44
Print run: 1000
Size: A4
Contributors: Anton Kannemeyer (Joe Dog), Conrad Botes (Konradski).
Other details: two-colour cover, hand separated. Very rare.

Bitterkomix issue no.3 (front cover)

Bitterkomix no.3

Year: 1993
Pages: 60
Print run: 800
Size: A4
Contributors: Anton Kannemeyer (Joe Dog), Mark Kannemeyer (Lorcan White), Conrad Botes (Konradski).
Other details: two-colour cover, hand separated. Very rare.

Bitterkomix issue no.4 (front cover)

Bitterkomix no.4

Year: 1994
Pages: 44
Print run: 1200
Size: A4
Contributors: Anton Kannemeyer (Joe Dog), Mark Kannemeyer (Lorcan White), Conrad Botes (Konradski).
Other details: two-colour cover; hand separated. Very rare.

Bitterkomix issue no.5 (front cover)

Bitterkomix no.5

Year: 1995
Pages: 40
Print run: 2000
Size: A4
Contributors: Anton Kannemeyer (Joe Dog), Mark Kannemeyer (Lorcan White), Conrad Botes (Konradski).
Other details: Double print run, first 1000 copies in grey ink (jobbing ink). Very rare.

Bitterkomix issue no.6 (front cover)

Bitterkomix no.6

Year: 1996
Pages: 44
Print run: 1200
Size: A4
Contributors: Anton Kannemeyer (Joe Dog), Mark Kannemeyer (Lorcan White), Conrad Botes (Konradski).
Other details: final two-colour cover, hand separated. Very rare.

Bitterkomix issue no.7 (front cover)

Bitterkomix no.7

Year: 1997
Pages: 40
Print run: 1200
Size: A4
Contributors: Anton Kannemeyer (Joe Dog), Mark Kannemeyer (Lorcan White), Conrad Botes (Konradski).
Other details: first full colour cover.

Bitterkomix issue no.8 (front cover)

Bitterkomix no.8

Year: 1998
Pages: 40
Print run: 1200
Size: A4
Contributors: Anton Kannemeyer (Joe Dog), Mark Kannemeyer (Lorcan White), Conrad Botes (Konradski).
Other details: full colour cover.

Bitterkomix issue no.9 (front cover)

Bitterkomix no.9

Year: 1999
Pages: 44
Print run: 1200
Size: A4
Contributors: Anton Kannemeyer (Joe Dog), Mark Kannemeyer (Lorcan White), Conrad Botes (Konradski).
Other details: full colour cover .

Bitterkomix issue no.10 (front cover)

Bitterkomix no.10

Year: 2000
Pages: 44
Print run: 1200
Size: A4
Contributors: Anton Kannemeyer (Joe Dog), Mark Kannemeyer (Lorcan White), Conrad Botes (Konradski).
Other details: saddle stitched and section bound.

Bitterkomix issue no.11 (front cover)

Bitterkomix no.11

Year: 2001
Pages: 52
Print run: 1200
Size: A4
Contributors: Anton Kannemeyer (Joe Dog), Mark Kannemeyer (Lorcan White), Conrad Botes (Konradski).
Other details: full colour cover.

Bitterkomix issue no.12 (front cover)

Bitterkomix no.12

Year: 2002
Pages: 60
Print run: 1200
Size: A4
Contributors: Anton Kannemeyer (Joe Dog), Conrad Botes (Konradski).
Other details: full colour cover .

Bitterkomix issue no.13 (front cover)

Bitterkomix no.13

Year: 2004
Pages: 48
Print run: 1200
Size: A4
Contributors: Anton Kannemeyer (Joe Dog), Conrad Botes (Konradski).
Other details: first full colour cover.

Bitterkomix issue no.14 (front cover)

Bitterkomix no.14

Year: 2005
Pages: 64
Print run: 1200
Size: A4
Contributors: Anton Kannemeyer (Joe Dog), Conrad Botes (Konradski).
Other details: full colour cover, published by Double Storey Books.

Bitterkomix issue no.15 (front cover)

Bitterkomix no.15

Year: 2008
Pages: 100
Print run: 1000
Size: A4
Contributors: Anton Kannemeyer (Joe Dog), Conrad Botes (Konradski).
Other details: full colour cover, with 32 colour pages, saddle stiched and section bound; published by Jacana Media.

Bitterkomix issue no.16 (front cover)

Bitterkomix no.16

Year: 2013
Pages: 60
Print run: 800
Size: A4
Contributors: Anton Kannemeyer (Joe Dog), Conrad Botes (Konradski).
Other details: first full colour cover, published by Jacana Media.

Bitterkomix issue no.17 (front cover)

Bitterkomix no.17

Year: 2016
Pages: 96
Print run: 1000
Size: 27,7 x 21cm
Contributors: Anton Kannemeyer (Joe Dog), Conrad Botes (Konradski).
Other details: full colour cover, published by Isotrope & XLibris.

Bitterkomix Special Edition

Year: 2002
Pages: 56
Print run: 80
Size: A4
Contributors: Anton Kannemeyer (Joe Dog), Mark Kannemeyer (Lorcan White), Conrad Botes (Konradski).
Other details: limited edition, silkscreen printed cover and end papers, numbered and signed. Very rare as most were sold in England during the “Shelf Life” exhibition.

Bitterkomix - Best of Vol.1 (Konradski cover). First print run.

Best of Bitterkomix vol.1 (1st impression)

Year: 1998
Pages: 80
Print run: 2500
Size: 17 x 24cm
Contributors: Anton Kannemeyer (Joe Dog), Conrad Botes (Konradski).
Other details: first English edition, saddle stitched and section bound. Selection from Bitterkomix 2 - 8, first print run.

Bitterkomix - Best of Vol.1 (Joe Dog cover). Second print run.

Best of Bitterkomix vol.1 (2nd impression)

Year: 2002
Pages: 80
Print run: 2500
Size: 17 x 24cm
Contributors: Anton Kannemeyer (Joe Dog), Conrad Botes (Konradski).
Other details: 2nd print run, new cover by Joe Dog, saddle stitched & section bound. Selection from Bitterkomix 2- 8

Bitterkomix - Best of Vol.2 (Konradski cover).

Best of Bitterkomix vol.2

Year: 2002
Pages: 80
Print run: 2500
Size: 17 x 24cm
Contributors: Anton Kannemeyer (Joe Dog), Mark Kannemeyer (Lorcan White), Conrad Botes (Konradski).
Other details: 2nd English edition, saddle stitched and section bound. Selection from Bitterkomix 9 – 12, including collaborations with iJusi and other publications.

Big Bad Bitterkomix Handbook Paperback Edition

The Big Bad Bitterkomix Handbook (softcover version)

Year: 2006
Pages: 217
Print run: 1200
Size: 23 x 28.5cm
Contributors: Anton Kannemeyer (Joe Dog), Conrad Botes (Konradski), Mark Kannemeyer (Lorcan White), Garth Walker (iJusi).
Other details: paperback edition, designed by Garth Walker, full colour, published by Jacana Media.

Big Bad Bitterkomix Handbook Hardcover Edition

The Big Bad Bitterkomix Handbook (hardcover version)

Year: 2007
Pages: 217
Print run: 800
Size: 17 x 24cm
Contributors: Anton Kannemeyer (Joe Dog), Conrad Botes (Konradski), Mark Kannemeyer (Lorcan White), Garth Walker (iJusi).
Other details: Hard cover edition (with dust jacket & embossment); designed by Garth Walker; full colour; published by Jacana Media.

GIF(Afrikaner Sekskomix)

GIF(Afrikaner Sekskomix)

Year: 1994
Pages: 32
Print run: 1500
Size: 17.1 x 24.5cm
Contributors: Anton Kannemeyer (Joe Dog), Conrad Botes (Konradski).
Other details: First full colour cover; special sex-edition; banned on December 15, 1994.

Lag-Lag 1 (Joe Dog cover)

Lag-Lag 1

Year: 1996
Pages: 32
Print run: 150
Size: 14.7 x 21cm
Contributors: Anton Kannemeyer (Joe Dog), Conrad Botes (Konradski), Mark Kannemeyer (Lorcan White).
Other details: Limited edition silkscreen printed cover, numbered and signed, very rare.

Lag-Lag 2 (front cover)

Lag-Lag 2

Year: 2019
Pages:
Print run:
Size: A4
Contributors: Anton Kannemeyer (Joe Dog), Conrad Botes (Konradski).
Other details:

Die Forster Bende by Ryk Hattingh & Conrad Botes

Die Forster Bende

Year: 2000
Pages: 61
Print run: 1200
Size: 17 x 24cm
Contributors: Ryk Hattingh, Conrad Botes (Konradski).
Other details: graphic novel written by Ryk Hattingh and illustrated by Conrad Botes.

Die Tweede Reën by Koos Kombuis

Die Tweede Reën

Year: 1998
Pages: 64
Print run: 1500
Size: 14.7 x 21cm
Contributors: Anton Kannemeyer (Joe Dog), Conrad Botes (Konradski), Mark Kannemeyer (Lorcan White).
Other details: poems, illustrated by Joe Dog, Konradski and Lorcan White.

ikomix/bitterjusi no.13

iKomix/Bitterjusi no.13

Year: 2000
Pages: 20
Print run: +/- 600
Size: A3
Contributors: Anton Kannemeyer (Joe Dog), Conrad Botes (Konradski), Garth alker (iJusi), and others.
Other details: collaboration with Garth Walker’s iJusi, full colour, very rare.

Bitterjusi/i-komix no.21

Bitterjusi/i-Komix no.21

Year: 2004
Pages: 32
Print run: +/- 300
Size: A3
Contributors: Anton Kannemeyer (Joe Dog), Conrad Botes (Konradski), Garth Walker (iJusi).
Other details: 2nd collaboration with Garth Walker’s iJusi, full colour, very rare.

Join the discussion 4 Comments

  • FP Aldrich says:
    September 18, 2020 at 9:41 am

    Good day,

    what a find this website is! I am sommer very exited.

    I would like to enquire about the available Bitterkomix et el, books you have.

    I have a few but would like the compete collection….it will be a very long mission, I know.

    Thanks,
    FP
    0609765873

    Reply
  • Alberto da Silva says:
    October 4, 2020 at 7:53 pm

    This is great stuff, I love what Conrad Botes does with illustration. I have a few of the bitterkomix but would also like to have them all, not to mention some of Konradski’s newer pieces. Please let me know if there are any books available. Thanx
    .

    Reply
    • Colophon says:
      October 5, 2020 at 11:15 am

      Hi Alberto, thanks for your comment. Have you visited our online shop, accessible in the dropdown menu? There are a number of Bitterkomix issues available, and related publications, including a rare copy of ADA #11, which has one of Conrad’s earliest works in it.

      Reply

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