Revisiting Counterculture Comics: Timothy Leary’s Neurocomics in Color
A monthly dive into the underground comix that reshaped counterculture.
Timothy Leary’s name is practically synonymous with the psychedelic revolution of the 1960s and ’70s. He was a philosopher, psychologist, author, and unrepentant provocateur, Leary spent his life urging people to “think for themselves and question authority.” Whether you agree with his methods or not, his influence on counterculture is undeniable. From scientific experiments to radical manifestos, he challenged mainstream thought and championed cognitive freedom even when it landed him in prison.
One of the more unusual artifacts of Leary’s legacy is Neurocomics, a comic adaptation of his Future History philosophy, created in the late 1970s in collaboration with Pete von Sholley and George DiCaprio. It’s not your typical comic.. Neurocomics blends psychedelic science, Jungian psychology, and esoteric symbols with a kind of irreverent, almost playful energy.
Here is a quick brief description of Future History philosophy, Timothy Leary’s futurist philosophy, summarized in the acronym S.M.I².L.E. (Space Migration, Increased Intelligence, Life Extension), envisioned humanity breaking free of its biological and cultural limits. He believed our future would be shaped by space colonization, enhanced cognitive abilities through technology and altered states, and the radical extension of human lifespan. Influenced in part by his “Starseed Transmission” experiments. He claimed these led or would lead to communications with higher intelligence. Leary saw these ideas as the next evolutionary steps for humankind.
The underground comix movement wasn’t just about crude humor or shock value (though it certainly had plenty of both). It was about freedom of expression. Comics like Zap Comix, Young Lust, and yes, Neurocomics challenged cultural norms and publishing gatekeepers. In Leary’s case, the comic format gave his ideas a new accessibility and he was able to turn dense theories of human consciousness into something visual and a comic that is an interesting read.
In many ways, Neurocomics feels like a time capsule of the psychedelic era, but also strangely modern. Leary’s fascination with expanding the human mind whether through technology, chemistry, or sheer will still resonates in today’s conversations about AI, digital consciousness, and altered states.
I posted a link to an article about Leary on Harvard but here is his wiki too if anyone is interested: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_Leary
I know Wikipedia isn’t a primary or definitive source, but I’m not a journalist and it’s still a fascinating read.
Counterculture Comics Revisited series:
This is the first entry in my Counterculture Comics Revisited series, where I’ll explore the underground and alternative comics that shaped generations. From the anarchy of Zap Comix to the anti-establishment wit of The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers, we’ll be traveling through a world of art that was as raw as it was revolutionary.
Starting in July 2025 I plan to do a brief dive into a different counter culture comic every month. If I can I will upload the pdf in these posts so people can download and read them for free. I don’t plan to go deep into the meaning or history of each comic. I want to present the artists/authors and some context behind the comic but overall I just want to provide the comics for people to read and experience them on their own.
I did not color this comic but was given permission to post it by the artist that did the coloring. Here is his social media contacts https://linktr.ee/limbicsplitter, he originally had the comic available on his site but experienced some issues. I converted the rar file they had into a pdf so it is more accessible to people.
You can download the PDF from the button below or use the viewer. The pages in the viewer might take a second or two to load on mobile but they will load.
