ELECTRIC LETTUCE

I wrote three treatments for a free comic that was supposed to be given out at the Electric Lettuce weed dispensaries. The ideas were rejected for being “too dark”, i also sketched out the concepts, but I didn’t scan those. But here’s my write up!

ELECTRIC LETTUCE FUNNIES

BY SEAN AABERG

YOUNG RICK LETTUCE IS IN NEW JERSEY IN THE 60S. HE IS BEING SQUASHED BY SQUARE SOCIETY. HE IS TEMPTED OUT OF NEW JERSEY BY A SMELL. IT IS A SMOKE. SCENES OF URBAN DISCOMFORT. 50S TOTALITARIANISM. NUCLEAR WAR. VIETNAM. PRESIDENTIAL ASSASSINATIONS. CARS. ETC. NIGHTMARISH.

RICK SLIPS OUT & HITCH-HIKES OUT OF NEW JERSEY. SCENE OF RICK THUMBING IT WITH A BIG WINDING ROAD IN FRONT OF HIM.

RICK FOLLOWS HIS NOSE OUT OF THE CONGESTED EAST COAST & MEETS A FRIEND WHO IS GOING WITH HIM ALSO. IT IS SOME KIND OF CRAZY CARTOON ANIMAL. MAYBE IT IS A BOOTLEG DONALD DUCK OR MICKEY MOUSE OR GOOFY.

A SPLIT CENTERFOLD WITH A MAP OF THE USA - THE ENTIRE THING IS FILLED WITH SKULLS. RICK STANDS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE COUNTRY WITH MULTIPLE ARMS HE IS ASKING “WHAT DIRECTION SHOULD I GO?”

SAME SPLIT CENTERFOLD.

RICK MAKES IT TO CALIFORNIA. THERE IS A RISING SUN. SURF WAVES. RICK GRIFFIN FEELING WITH VAGUE WARM AMERICANA NOTES.

HOW DOES RICK DISCOVER MARIJUANA?

RICK IS HIGH AS FUCK ON A MAGIC CARPET FLYING ON HIS OWN SMOKE CLOUD.

YOUNG RICK LETTUCE IS LIVING IN NEW JERSEY - HE IS IMPRISONED BY A MAFIA PIZZA OR SPAGHETTI. I KNOW THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE EARLY 60S - SO PIZZA ISN’T A THING YET - BUT MORE PEOPLE RELATE TO IT. I THINK SOME DEGREE OF AHISTORICALITY TO THIS PROJECT WILL BENEFIT THE COMMUNICATION OF THE NARRATIVE.

RICK DECIDES TO SPLIT - HE DISGUISES HIMSELF AS A PIECE OF PIZZA OR WHATEVER FOOD ITEM.

AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE ROLLING STONES TONGUE LOGO EATS RICK - BUT RICK IS ALSO A TAB OF ACID.

CENTERFOLD SPLIT - RICK AS AN ELECTRIC ACID IN THE MIDDLE OF AMERICA MADE OUT OF INTESTINES & GUTS LIKE IT HAS EATEN HIM. TOTAL FREAK OUT.

SAME CENTERFOLD.

AMERICAN UPTIGHT MILITARISM & CONFORMITY IS GIVEN A STOMACH ACHE BY RICK & CONSTRICTS. HE IS BEING CRUSHED BY THE WEIGHT.

RICK IS THROWN UP OUT OF THE MESS OF AMERICA TO THE WEST COAST.

RICK IS GROOVIN’ ON THE WEST COAST WITH BIG NOD TO KEEP ON TRUCKIN’.

RICK LETTUCE’S FAR OUT HOUSE STANDS OUT IN ENDLESS ROWS OF SUBURBAN HOUSING - HE DOESN’T FIT IN. THERE IS SMOKE COMING OUT OF HIS WINDOW.

RICK IS IN HIS HOUSE HOT-BOXING IT - THIS CAUSES THE HOUSE TO START FLOATING ON ITS OWN ACCORD.

RICK’S HOUSE IS PICKED UP BY A MARIJUANA TWISTER ALA THE WIZARD OF OZ WITH FUNNY CARS & CARTOON CHARACTERS & NEW JERSEY CHARACTERS ALL SWIRLING AROUND.

CENTERFOLD - RICK’S HOUSE IS SPINNING OUT OF CONTROL ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN THIS MARIJUANA TWISTER. THE UNITED STATES CAN BE SEEN BELOW WITH FUNNY CARTOON REPRESENTATIONS OF THE COUNTRY IN THE 60S AS LANDMARKS.

SAME CENTERFOLD.

RICK REALIZES HE HAS TO COME BACK DOWN TO EARTH SO HE TURNS ON ALL THE FANS IN THE HOUSE TO BLOW THE SMOKE OUT.

THE HOUSE COMES CRASHING DOWN INTO THE WEST COAST.

RICK’S HOUSE FITS INTO THE CRAZY CARTOON WEST COAST LANDSCAPE. SUNSHINE. CRAZY CLOUDS. ALL THE HOUSES HAVE FACES & WEED SMOKE COMING OUT OF THEM.