Oat Willie

Oat Willie is an underground comics character from Gilbert Shelton's countercultural world, appearing alongside the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers cast in Rip Off Press titles. A product of 1969's underground comix scene, he embodies the era's irreverent, freewheeling spirit.

Born in the countercultural ferment of 1969, Oat Willie made his debut in Feds 'N' Heads Comics — a Silver Age underground classic from Rip Off Press, co-created by the legendary Gilbert Shelton alongside Lieuen Adkins. Running across a remarkable 55-year span through 2024, this character has kept wonderfully irreverent company with the likes of Fat Freddy Freekowtski, Freewheelin' Franklin Freek, and the rest of the gloriously disreputable underground comics crowd. With appearances across Rip Off Comix and The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers Follies, and at least one collector-recognized key issue to their name, Oat Willie is a genuine artifact of the underground comix movement — a small but spirited piece of a scene that changed what comics could be.