Norbert the Nark

Norbert the Nark is a minor antagonist in Gilbert Shelton's underground comix classic, serving as an informant or "narc" figure whose presence in the Freak Brothers' world represents the straight society threatening the trio's countercultural lifestyle.

Few characters embody the spirit of underground comix quite like Norbert the Nark, who slunk onto the scene in 1971 with the very first issue of The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers, courtesy of the legendary Gilbert Shelton and the irreverent Rip Off Press. A Bronze Age creation born from the counterculture's sharpest satirical instincts, Norbert has kept some gloriously disreputable company over the decades — sharing pages with Freewheelin' Franklin Freek, Fat Freddy Freekowtski, and the rest of Shelton's beloved cast across High Times Magazine and Rip Off Comix. With a publishing footprint stretching an impressive 53 years from 1971 to 2024, this wily little figure has proven surprisingly durable for a character with just a dozen catalog appearances. If you're digging into the rich, rowdy history of underground comics, Norbert the Nark is a genuine piece of that countercultural puzzle worth seeking out.