"I'd begun reading Crumb shortly before that, and other underground stuff, so that was an influence to some degree. Of course the Marvel and DC comics, they had been my main interests in my teenage years"

Chester Brown’s reflection reveals a journey through evolving artistic influences, highlighting the impact of both mainstream and underground comics on his development as a cartoonist. By admitting that he started "reading Crumb shortly before that", Brown acknowledges a turning point when he discovered Robert Crumb, a pivotal figure in the underground comix movement. Crumb's work is known for its raw honesty, satirical edge, and willingness to break taboos, characteristics which differ markedly from the conventions of mainstream superhero comics produced by Marvel and DC. Engaging with Crumb’s comics, along with "other underground stuff", exposed Brown to the broader possibilities of the medium: comics could be personal, subversive, and experimental. This exposure served as a catalyst, nudging Brown away from the conventional superhero narratives of his youth toward more introspective and avant-garde storytelling.

At the same time, Brown admits that Marvel and DC had been his "main interests" during his teenage years. The appeal of these comics for young readers is understandable: larger-than-life heroes, epic battles, and the moral clarity (or at least, the clear lines between good and evil) that these stories provided offered escape, excitement, and inspiration. Heroes like Spider-Man, Batman, and the X-Men dominated the imaginations of countless young fans, and Brown was no exception. These comics also honed Brown’s appreciation for the mechanics of sequential art, pacing, dynamic layouts, and visual storytelling, skills central to his later work.

Brown’s admission demonstrates the fluidity of artistic influence. The mainstream and the underground are not mutually exclusive realms; rather, they form part of a spectrum that artists move along as they grow and change. Brown absorbed the excitement and skillful craftsmanship of Marvel and DC, but the raw innovation and authenticity of Crumb’s underground scene ultimately beckoned him to explore deeper and more unconventional artistic paths. This blend of influences became the foundation for Brown’s own groundbreaking work in alternative comics.