Meet Nancy Burton, the storm that forever marked the underground comix scene, better known by her pseudonyms – Panzika, Nancy Kalish, and yes, Hurricane Nancy herself. During a routine gaze through my contact list for my undertaking in recording the Oral History of Wimmen’s Comix, her name froze more than a few eyelashes. Though our conversations then were but seeds blown about in the wind, yet whispers of "Hurricane Nancy? What’s she like?" echoed around corners and whistled through the combs.

Creating a Tornado in the Art World

Unlike the average cartoonist, Nancy steered clear of mingling with her peers. Her circle, a curation of one – the late Trina Robbins. Robbins, at the twilight of her art career, was the driving force that led to Burton’s inclusion in the comix, It Ain’t Me, Babe. But in the monsoon of 1970, Nancy toed the sideline, done with cartooning and art in its entirety. A Rubik’s cube worth puzzling over, we delve into the ‘why’ of her decision in the book, Hurricane Nancy.

Decoding the book, I was hit by the gust of her character. Her untamed spirit dances through her work – a whirlwind of playfulness and a bemused outlook on life. Her portfolio, albeit stowed away a few years ago in the vaults of the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum, paints a picture of her – where she stands in the timeline of underground comix and who she is behind the draftsman’s table.

Storm in her Influence

In the subsequent storm of our discussion, she cites several influences that charted her creative course. They might not be the North Star for the average Joe, but in the grand scheme, it makes perfect sense. So, buckle up!

A Childhood Lull in the Eye of the Storm

Angela’s house was her haven. Being a New York Times household meant that Sunday strips were alien but Angela’s home had a mother lode of funnies and a mother with a knack for cooking. Trudging through the funnies was akin to wading through language, a sequence of comical human commentary that prickled her neurons. The baking scent of Angela’s fantastic pasta might have fuelled her, but the invigoration was all the funnies. Despite the lack of specifics, the comics were a tidal wave for her, as potent as rock and roll.

Awards from the Past

Her discussions trailed through art, from the North Coast Hall at the American Museum of Natural History, housing exotic totem poles that scared as much as they humored, to the first time she caught Chuck Berry live. Then there were her comic books, Nancy and Sluggo, a verbal mosaic that sculpted her perspective on dealing with people.

From the Present to the Past

The influence continues. From concerts and rock legends, she explores a hallowed hall housing Clyfford Still’s paintings to the Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymous Bosch, a darkly humorous map of the universe. Nancy’s maze of influence navigates the reader through potent experiences, each terminal a stroke on her canvas.

Without a doubt, her artwork is a complex cyclone – a mix of humor, defiance, satire, and beauty, just waiting to sweep you up. Hurricane Nancy, indeed. What say you now to the whispering corners and the wide-eyed comic book crowd?