Editing Print Mint (section)

=== Berkeley underground comics wholesaler ===
Beginning in 1968, but really getting going in 1969, publishing and distribution of underground comics became The Print Mint's major endeavor. With their partners the Ritas (employees that the Schenkers had offered a partnership to in 1967), Don did the organizing, editing, and layout of the books, working with the artists. Bob and Peggy Rita and Alice handled the distribution and the day-to-day operations of the business. Bob Rita had previously run '''Third World Distribution''' out of a Haight Street location.{{sfn| Rosenkranz |2002|p=75}} Alice also oversaw the Berkeley store. The company's main office was located at 830 Folger Avenue in Berkeley.

The first comix Print Mint published was the (initially) weekly tabloid ''[[Yellow Dog (comics)|Yellow Dog]]'', edited by Don Schencker.{{sfn|Estren|1993|p=54}} They also re-issued [[Gilbert Shelton]]'s ''[[Feds 'n' Heads]]'', which he had initially self-published.{{sfn|Estren|1993|p=54}} Eventually, the Print Mint published such [[underground comix]] notables as [[Robert Crumb]], [[Trina Robbins]], [[Rick Griffin]], [[S. Clay Wilson]], [[Victor Moscoso]], [[Gilbert Shelton]], [[Spain Rodriguez]], and [[Robert Williams (artist)|Robert Williams]]. Titles they published included ''[[Zap Comix]]'', ''[[Vaughn Bodē|Junkwaffel]]'', ''[[Bijou Funnies]]'', and ''[[Moondog (comics)|Moondog]]''. In addition, they published one of the first ecologically themed comics, ''The Dying Dolphin'', a solo effort by rock poster artist [[Jim Evans (artist)|Jim Evans]] with contributions by [[Ron Cobb]] and [[Rick Griffin]].

As the first publisher to invest heavily in the underground comix movement (and its distribution), the Print Mint was instrumental in the form's popularity and widespread reach in the late 1960s and early 1970s. As they were growing the market and putting money in the hands of the cartoonists, however, their business practices were called into question by a number of the more popular artists. A few of those, including Gilbert Shelton and [[Frank Stack]], broke off in early 1969 to form their own publisher, [[Rip Off Press]], taking some of the more established cartoonists (like Crumb) with them. The 1973–1974 venture [[Cartoonists Co-Op Press]] was formed out of a similar motivation. From that point on, the Print Mint focused more on bringing new talent into the burgeoning underground industry.{{sfn|Estren|1993|page=250}}

The Print Mint's bold experiment with ''[[Arcade (comics magazine)|Arcade: The Comix Revue]]'', started in 1975 and edited by [[Art Spiegelman]] and [[Bill Griffith]], with most issues sporting a cover by R. Crumb, paved the way for ''[[Raw (comics magazine)|RAW!]]'' just a few years later.{{citation needed|date=June 2018}}