Hot Stuf’ was an independent comic published by Sal Quartuccio in eight issues from Summer 1974-Summer 1978. Like most underground comics it has swearing, nudity and liberal politics. Not all the stories were Sword & Sorcery but a good number were. The comic allowed up-and-comers as well as seasoned pros to try more adult material. Artist like Rich Buckler, Richard Corben, Neal Adams, Mike Vosburg, Gray Morrow, Tim Kirk, Ken Barr, Alex Toth, Ernie Colon, Jan Strnad, Mike Kaluta and Terry Austin. Covers by Ken Barr and Richard Corben.
Issue 1 (Summer 1974)
“Shadow of the Sword”
Written and drawn by Rich Buckler. Rich went on to do some Conan and the Warlord. he also did S&S for Warren and Seaboard.
“Uncle Sal and Cousin John Go Planet Tripping”
Written by Robert Keenan/Art by George Perez and Bob Garrison. One of many un-funny S&S parodies.
“The Thought and the Egg”
Written by Doug Moench. Art by Ernie Colon. Ernie would co-author and design the Sword & Sorcery comic, Arak, Son of Thunder with Roy Thomas. Ernie drew S&S for Warren and Skywald as well.
Issue 2 (Winter 1975)
“Voluptas”
Written by Herb Arnold. Art by Richard Corben. these two would dominate Hot Stuf’, working together and alone.
“Orion”
“Orion” originally appeared in Witzend #2 (1967), published by Wally Wood. It would appear again in Heavy Metal Magazine #12-19 (March-November 1978). Written and illustrated by S&S grandmaster Gray Morrow.
“The Champion’s Match”
Written by Bob Keenan with art by Bob Kline.
Issue 3 (Winter 1976)
“Eirvthia”
Written by Herb Arnold. Drawn by Tim Kirk. This is the first segment in a two-part series.
“The Pawn”
Written and Drawn by Stan Dresser.
“The Dweller in the Dark”
Written and Drawn by Herb Arnold and Richard Corben. A good look ahead for Corben, who would adapt Clark Ashton Smith and draw other extreme comics.
“The Feast of Souls”
Written and Drawn by Herb Arnold. You can see how Corben’s style affected Herb Arnold, who was his assistant.
Issue 4 (Spring 1977)
“The Kenshi Blade”
Written and drawn by Bill Stillwell. Another early Manga inspired comic. Both Quartuccio and Gary Friedrich at Star*Reach introduced early manga-type fantasy. It didn’t catch on for a decade or more though.
“Orion Part 2”
Issue 5 (Fall 1977)
“Tales Out of Eirvthia”
Written by Herb Arnold. Drawn by Tim Kirk in a different style than part 1.
“The City of the Black Idol”
Written and drawn by Stan Dresser.
“Chard”
Written and drawn by Herb Arnold and Richard Corben.
“Crown of Fear”
Written and drawn by Herb Arnold. More in a Solomon Kane vein than Conan.
Issue 6 (Winter 1977)
“12 Parts”
Written and drawn by Mike Wasser.
Issue 7 (Spring 1978)
“All The King’s Man”
Written by Howard Hill. Art by Sonny Trinidad. Lenka is, of course, reminiscent of a certain red-haired Marvel character. Trinidad would later work on strips for Savage Sword of Conan. Read the whole comic here.
Issue 8 did not feature any Sword & Sorcery comics. I guess by 1978 even Sal Quartuccio was getting a little tired of the heroic fantasy that had been popular since the late 1960s in undergrounds by Wally Wood or the early Warren magazines. Sal moved into even more porny publishing, leaving the swords and sorcery behind…
