A Guide to the Bob Gorman GWAR and Richmond flyer collection M 574
A collection in Special Collections and Archives, James Branch Cabell Library, M 574
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VCU James Branch Cabell Library
Special Collections and Archives 901 Park AvenueRichmond, Virginia 23284
Business Number: (804) 828-1108
libsca@vcu.edu
URL: https://www.library.vcu.edu/research-teaching/special-collections-and-archives/locations/#cabell
Keahi Adolpho
Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
Bob Gorman GWAR and Richmond flyer collection, 1992-2016, Collection # M 574, Special Collections and Archives, James Branch Cabell Library, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Robert "Bob" Gorman, 2018.
Biographical / Historical Information
Robert "Bob" Gorman has been working with GWAR, a heavy metal band with science fiction and mythological themes and a rotating line-up of musicians formed in Richmond, VA, since 1988. At first, his work consisted of prop fabrication and live character roles. Later, his contributions expanded to include stage management, and since 1997 he has served as the shop foreman for the fabrication department.
Since 1988, Gorman has also been heavily involved in an artist collective, production company, and independent record label named "Slave Pit" that was founded in 1984 and originally housed in the Richmond Dairy building in Jackson Ward. Gorman has been a contributing writer, penciler, inker, and colorist for Slave Pit's self-published "Slave Pit Funnies." Besides GWAR, the collective also worked with Death Piggy, Dave Brockie Experience, X-Cops, Locus Factor, and Mensrea.
Content Description
Collection includs original art by Bob Gorman; promotional flyers from Metal Blade Records on GWAR shows and album releases, as well as other acts signed to Metal Blade Records; promotional flyers for events at Hardywood Brewery, and two Richmond newspapers discussing GWAR.
The majority of the collection materials were created in the early 2000s, with some materials created as far back as 1992 and as late as 2016.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
- Artists -- Virginia -- Richmond
- GWAR (Musical group)
- Gorman, Robert
- Heavy metal (Music) -- Virginia -- Richmond
Container List
- Mixed Materials [A11424376141] Oversize: Shared print box 1 folder: 1 item: 1
The "Art" of GWAR2003Scope and Contents
Poster consists of a decapitated head wearing a beret with various pens, pencils, and paint brushes stabbed through it. The words "The 'art' of" are written on a banner at the top of the print, with the word "GWAR" appearing illustrated in blood at the bottom.
- Mixed Materials [A11424376141] Oversize: Shared print box 1 folder: 1 item: 2
Bob Gorman shows disappointingly mediocre work @ SweetwaterJanuary 12-February 9, year unknownScope and Contents
Poster features a coat of arms with a welding helmet, bicycle crankset on a wrench, crossed paintbrush and hammer, and fish on it.
- Mixed Materials [A11424376141] Oversize: Shared print box 1 folder: 1 item: 3
Gormania! Art & shit by Bob GormanMay 6-June 2, year unknownScope and Contents
Poster shows a zombie standing outside and wearing a striped shirt while holding a beer can in one hand and a hammer in the other.
- Mixed Materials [A11424376141] Oversize: Shared print box 1 folder: 1 item: 4
GWAR skullundatedScope and Contents
Poster shows a skull with braces and an exposed brain stuck full of nails.
- Mixed Materials [A11424376141] Oversize: Shared print box 1 folder: 1 item: 5
Nitro burnin' funny bongundatedScope and Contents
Poster shows an alien/monster in armor, driving a two-wheeled vehicle made out of a bong.
- Mixed Materials [A11424376141] Oversize: Shared print box 1 folder: 1 item: 6
Richmond's first underground art festNovember 15, 2003Scope and Contents
Poster shows a zombie crawling out of a grave.
- Mixed Materials [A11424376141] Oversize: Shared print box 1 folder: 1 item: 7
GWAR flyer, blank location and date1992Scope and Contents
Black and white poster with orange accents depicting GWAR members in a swirling vortex.
- Mixed Materials [A11424376141] Oversize: Shared print box 1 folder: 1 item: 8
Vote Sleazy P. Martini for President or You're Wacked1992Scope and Contents
Poster has an American flag-themed background with a figure in a purple suit with gold chains smoking a cigarette and pointing a gun.
- Mixed Materials [A11424376141] Oversize: Shared print box 1 folder: 1 item: 9
Slave Pit Inc. Presents X-COPS To Protect and Entertain1995Scope and Contents
Poster is printed with a blue and white background and red text reading "X-COPS" in the crosshairs, evoking imagery from the show Cops.
- Mixed Materials [A11424376141] Oversize: Shared print box 1 folder: 1 item: 10
GWAR, Misfits, Murphy's Law, Speedealer on November 4, 1999, at Electric Factory in Philadelphia, by Marco Almera1999Scope and Contents
Poster is printed in orange, yellow, green, and black. It features green plastic toy soldiers lined up in a row, with two being melted with a match and stabbed by two children. The print is numbered 291 out of 510 by the artist Marco Almera.
- Mixed Materials [A11424376141] Oversize: Shared print box 1 folder: 1 item: 11
GWAR, Violence Has Arrived album flyer2001Scope and Contents
Poster features GWAR's "Violence has Arrived" album cover.
- Mixed Materials [A11424376141] Oversize: Shared print box 1 folder: 1 item: 12
GWAR Metal Blade Records catalog flyer2002Scope and Contents
Poster advertises 3 GWAR DVDs and 1 CD avaiable for purchase.
- Mixed Materials [A11424376141] Oversize: Shared print box 1 folder: 1 item: 16
GWAR, Live From Mt. Fuji album flyer2005Scope and Contents
Poster of GWAR's "Live From Mt. Fuji" album cover.
- Mixed Materials [A11424376141] Oversize: Shared print box 1 folder: 1 item: 17
GWAR, Beyond Hell album flyer2006Scope and Contents
Double-sided poster featuring GWAR's "Beyond Hell" album cover on one side and a photo of the band on the reverse.
- Mixed Materials [A11424376141] Oversize: Shared print box 1 folder: 1 item: 18
Shield, axe, and warhammer GWAR printOctober 13, 2008Scope and Contents
Print features a black shield, warhammer, and axe on white paper. Numbered 233 out of 289 with the initials "CP."
- Mixed Materials [A11424376141] Oversize: Shared print box 1 folder: 1 item: 19
GWAR at Newport Music Hall flyer by Miles TsangSeptember 19, 2009Scope and Contents
Coffee-stained poster print in red, white, and blue featuring a horned alien/monster wearing a spiked headband or diadem.
- Mixed Materials [A11424376141] Oversize: Shared print box 1 folder: 1 item: 20
GWAR, Bloody Pit of Horror album flyer2010Scope and Contents
Poster featuring artwork from the "Bloody Pit of Horror" album cover.
- Mixed Materials [A11424376141] Oversize: Shared print box 1 folder: 1 item: 22
2nd annual GWAR-B-Q2011Scope and Contents
Poster of a horned skeleton wearing an apron that reads "grill ghoul".
- Mixed Materials [A11424376141] Oversize: Shared print box 1 folder: 1 item: 23
3rd annual GWAR-B-Q2012Scope and Contents
Poster features a horned skeleton half-submerged in water wearing an apron that reads "Eat Meat."
- Mixed Materials [A11424376141] Oversize: Shared print box 1 folder: 1 item: 24
4th annual GWAR-B-Q2013Scope and Contents
Poster features a horned skeleton grilling a steak and a severed arm.
- Mixed Materials [A11424376141] Oversize: Shared print box 1 folder: 1 item: 25
5th annual GWAR-B-Q2014Scope and Contents
Poster features a horned skeleton wielding a bloody meat cleaver at a woman labeled with cuts of meat.
- Mixed Materials [A11424376141] Oversize: Shared print box 1 folder: 1 item: 26
Municipal Waste with Snacktruck and Earthling at HardywoodSeptember 26, 2014Scope and Contents
Poster features a skeleton wearing a hazmat suit and stirring a bubbling vat of liquid.
- Mixed Materials [A11424376141] Oversize: Shared print box 1 folder: 1 item: 27
Pig Destroyer with Iron Reagan, Mutilation Rites, and Burn/WardApril 17, 2015Scope and Contents
Poster features an illustration of a winged and horned skeleton standing in what appears to be a large cauldron full of heads.
- Mixed Materials [A11424376141] Oversize: Shared print box 1 folder: 1 item: 28
Screaming Females with Aye Nako, Pleasure Leftists, and The James BadfellowsMay 14, 2016Scope and Contents
Poster features an illustration of an atomic bomb going off.
- Mixed Materials [A11424376141] Oversize: Shared print box 1 folder: 1 item: 29
Streetmuse: Kenya film showing2014Scope and Contents
Poster features a greyscale image (presumably) from the film Streetmuse: Kenya with an individual holding up a skull mask over their face.
- Mixed Materials [A11424376141] Oversize: Shared print box 1 folder: 1 item: 30
Torche with Pontiak, Snack Truck, and SnakeholeOctober 16, 2015Scope and Contents
Poster features a skull/octopus creature, printed in black, grey, purple, and green.
- Mixed Materials [A11424376141] Oversize: Shared print box 1 folder: 1 item: 31
Weedeater with Inter Arma and Kings DestroyAugust 7, 2015Scope and Contents
Poster features a horned creature wearing spiked bracers and wielding a large scythe.