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Archive of Charles Plymell’s The Last Times

Reports from the Bibliographic Bunker

Jed Birmingham on William S. Burroughs Collecting

The Last Times was an underground newspaper published in San Francisco in 1967 by poet and printer Charles Plymell. It contained works by William S. Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg, Charles Bukowski, Robert Crumb, Carl Weissner, Claude Pélieu, Mary Beach, Antonin Artaud, and others. Issue one has become collectible for the contribution by Crumb, printed just a few months before Zap Comix #1. At least two variants of the second issue were published.

Charles Plymell holding first issue of The Last Times, Venice, CA, 26 May 2011. Photograph by Guy B.

Charles Plymell Holding The Last Times
Photograph by Guy B. Taken at Beyond Baroque in Venice, CA on 26 May 2011.


The Last Times I

Charles Plymell, Ed., The Last Times I

The Last Times I
Collage by Charles Plymell


Charles Plymell, Ed., The Last Times I

The Last Times I
“Day the Records Went Up” by William S. Burroughs, photograph of Herbert Huncke


Charles Plymell, Ed., The Last Times I

The Last Times I
“Do It Yourself & Dig It” by Claude Pélieu, interview with Buckminster Fuller, photo and text by Charles Plymell


Charles Plymell, Ed., The Last Times I

The Last Times I
“The Orion Dream Stuff” by Carl Weissner, “Introduction” by D.A. Levy, texts by Carl Solomon and Bob Kaufman


Charles Plymell, Ed., The Last Times I

The Last Times I
Text by Dennis Williams, drawing by Jeff Nuttall, poem by Roxie Powell, “Notes of a Dirty Old Man” by Charles Bukowski


Charles Plymell, Ed., The Last Times I

The Last Times I
“Television Baby Crawling toward that Death Chamber” by Allen Ginsberg


Charles Plymell, Ed., The Last Times I

The Last Times I
Conclusion of poem by Allen Ginsberg, text by Dave Harris


Charles Plymell, Ed., The Last Times I

The Last Times I
“Head Comix” by R. Crumb, collage by Jean-Jacques Lebel


Charles Plymell, Ed., The Last Times I

The Last Times I
Found photo


The Last Times II (variant a)

Charles Plymell, Ed., The Last Times II

The Last Times II


Charles Plymell, Ed., The Last Times II

The Last Times II


Charles Plymell, Ed., The Last Times II

The Last Times II
“National Prestige” by Jeff Nuttall


Charles Plymell, Ed., The Last Times II

The Last Times II
Poems by Charles Plymell and Philip Whalen


Charles Plymell, Ed., The Last Times II

The Last Times II


Charles Plymell, Ed., The Last Times II

The Last Times II
Poems by Yvonne Bond and Alan Russo


Charles Plymell, Ed., The Last Times II

The Last Times II
Drawing by Erin Matson (friend of Herbert Huncke)


Charles Plymell, Ed., The Last Times II

The Last Times II


Charles Plymell, Ed., The Last Times II

The Last Times II


Charles Plymell, Ed., The Last Times II

The Last Times II
Mini-poster


The Last Times II (variant b)

Charles Plymell, Ed., The Last Times II

The Last Times II


Charles Plymell, Ed., The Last Times II

The Last Times II
Drawing by Erin Matson (friend of Herbert Huncke)


Charles Plymell, Ed., The Last Times II

The Last Times II
“National Prestige” by Jeff Nuttall, “Dominion” by Alan Russo


Charles Plymell, Ed., The Last Times II

The Last Times II
Poem by Philip Whalen


Charles Plymell, Ed., The Last Times II

The Last Times II
Centerfold by Bob Branaman


Charles Plymell, Ed., The Last Times II

The Last Times II
Poem by Yvonne Bond


Charles Plymell, Ed., The Last Times II

The Last Times II
Poem by Charles Plymell


Charles Plymell, Ed., The Last Times II

The Last Times II


Charles Plymell, Ed., The Last Times II

The Last Times II


Images provided by Guy B. Published by RealityStudio on 3 February 2011. Also see Charles Plymell and NOW.
Alan Russo Allen Ginsberg Antonin Artaud Bob Branaman Bob Kaufman Buckminster Fuller Carl Solomon Carl Weissner Charles Bukowski Charles Plymell Claude Pelieu Dennis Williams Herbert Huncke Jean-Jacques Lebel Jeff Nuttall Mary Beach Philip Whalen Robert Crumb Roxie Powell William Burroughs Yvonne Bond

14 thoughts on “Archive of Charles Plymell’s The Last Times”

  1. charles plymell says:
    February 4, 2011 at 9:14 am

    Many thanks for this piece of previously lost history done in fast times & printer’s frenzy!
    Charley Plymell

  2. George Laughead says:
    February 4, 2011 at 11:27 am

    Damn Jed, you’ve got such a great collection now of Plymell printed materials — the printers (Plymell, Haselwood, Todd, et al.) were the internet/web of the day, I say. It is a wonderful resource for history.

    Thank you — and friend Charley, of course.

  3. RealityStudio says:
    February 4, 2011 at 3:49 pm

    To be clear, the images were provided not by Jed but by Guy B (to whom many thanks).

  4. bigcrux says:
    February 4, 2011 at 9:17 pm

    Bob B’s centerfold is worth the price of admission…

  5. Patricia marvin says:
    February 8, 2011 at 5:18 am

    I am thrilled to be reading and seeing this history and am almost overcome. Realitystudio, Jeb but mostly Charley Plymell are deserving of thanks. Charles was generous in generation and now with this preservation. As a reader (not really a writer) I am lifted from a depression caused by current politics and the mortality of life. I am lifted again and stirred again by reading and seeing Plymell’s work.

  6. karl gallagher says:
    February 8, 2011 at 9:57 am

    Wow! yeah that’s a real solid piece of history alright. Some big guns in there and, some soon to be. Obvious that Charles Plymell was a major player on the scene. A real shot of cosmic joy that this material is coming out for a stroll along the boulevard of high technology. In its day was THE cutting-edge of creativity and social maverick stance. Wonderful publication(s)from Plymell.

  7. s.a. says:
    February 11, 2011 at 4:01 pm

    Fantastic!!!! The only way that most all of us would be able to see or experience any of these materials.

  8. Patricia marvin says:
    March 11, 2011 at 11:51 pm

    I realized I used the word was about Charles Plymell and should use is. The more I get to know his work the more I love it. It is such a mix of charm, edge, creation. He always surprises me, and he also somehow makes me see things that I already knew but didn’t know I knew. He is a friendly, warm, grumpy genius.

  9. dave ellison says:
    April 3, 2011 at 7:00 pm

    Such wonderful stuff makes me reach for 3 hats. Wearing ’em as 1:writer, 2:collector (in another area) and 3:librarian who catalogues for an Aussie university. I dips me lid(s) to all those involved in this valuable post.

  10. Dave Boles says:
    April 28, 2011 at 2:43 pm

    fantastic collection of some incredible publishing. yowza what a find!!!!!

  11. Guy B says:
    May 28, 2011 at 1:09 pm

    Just realized, on the 3rd pages of The Last Times, I believe it’s D.A. Levy, not O.A. Levy.

    Here’s a pic. of Charlie holding “The Last Times” #1 at Beyond Baroque in Venice, CA on 26 May 2011.
    http://s172.photobucket.com/albums/w35/IITravel/?action=view&current=DSCF1716.jpg

  12. Pat O'Connor says:
    September 12, 2013 at 7:47 pm

    The Plymell page is helpful for research into the real history of the underground

  13. Miriam L says:
    September 12, 2013 at 7:53 pm

    Thanks- great stuff- CP fans rave on!

  14. Demi says:
    April 30, 2021 at 5:20 pm

    Ah, these are such marvels, and I’m so pleased to see them. Works of art, the lot.

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