I Smell a Rat: the True Creator of Lowbrow Arts Iconic RAT FINK Revealed

http://www.artinfo.com/news/story/3...tor-of-lowbrow-arts-iconic-rat-fink-revealed/

"Roth took my catalog back to L.A. and showed it to his staff," recalls the 70-year-old designer. "In one fell swoop they, they took my character and stole my iden***y." Ironically, Mouse had already been profoundly influenced by Monté's decals, even adapting some of them for his own tee-shirt designs. "It cracks me up to finally realize that Monté, a guy I never knew but who was one of the major influences on my monsters, did it. Sorry, Big Daddy fans... it was the hand of Monté screaming out in the Rat Fink."

 

Wow the cotreversey contiues. Finks Rule!!!

 

Hmmm,
now.. if this were revealed while ed was still alive i might give it a bit more thought.. but 10 years after his death? idunno....

afterthought / edit

but really does it matter? doesn't really change my opinion of the man or the character. still got a rat fink tattoo over my heart. and damn proud of it.

 

who made the money off of the "rat"? that's the man

 

All I can say is.. When I think of rat Fink.. I think of Roth. Mr. Roth was kind enough to draw a Rat Fink on my right leg (sharpie). I had my tattoo guy burn it in...

 

and here I thought Barris did it

 

since both are not around to dispute it.... I claim that "I" (myself) am responsible for drawing the first Rat Fink. Although I was born in 1960, I remember drawing this creature on the inside of my good old mothers womb, clearly pre-dating either one. I am ready and waiting for my first royalty check!

Seroiusly, the fact that Ed Roth actually built show cars and took them around the country to promote them at shows while he set up selling decals and t-shirts is probably why he is considered the "father" of the Rat Fink.

Whatever happened does not change the fact that Ed Roth's zaney personality and wild cars did more to shape the culture of the early 60's than any other person I can think of. Roth rules !!!

 

if Big Daddy was around to defend himself, it would be easier to believe that may have happened. It's easier to claim something with no one to say otherwise.

 

This controversy is about as productive as,"who was the first to do (pinstriping;flames;scallops;candy paint;name your poison)on a car".Does it REALLY matter? Is ANYTHING truly,"original"? It is out there and if you like it fine;enjoy it.
It's like getting laidon't try and ****yze it;sit back and enjoy it.

 

I don't buy it - what - they didn't have copyright lawyers in the 60's?

 

Very well said Kenny.

 

that is why the design industry has "Work for Hire" contracts, essentially- "I tell you what to design, I pay for it, I own it". Photography is a *****, but can still fall under this type of contract. A couple of do***ents like this in the 60's would have solved a lot of issues as to who owns what "art" especially with a certain "King of the Kustomizers".

Ed Roth is the Rat Fink.

 

I is a confused

 

It's not who creates something ,it's what they do with it. This has been going on for years, ed roth made rat fink and will always be the king of "rat fink.......

 

So does Barris.......

 

who cares, i still think its an ugly rat.

 

I'm Glad we chose Ed's birthday to be the day we post this. I wish that I'd have realized that the old man at Knott's was "Big Daddy" himself so I could have asked him myself. My apologies, I was 21 and my new friend a Captain by the name of Morgan was occupying more of my time. I will tell you this, who ever first made it makes no difference. How many of us have painted the Fink ourselves? Ed had the Fink with him all the time, and he shared it with us. That's what matters.

 

off topic, but look at history of McDonald's burgers, it's who did what with it.

 

yea yea and Walt didn't come up with Mickey.

These guys always crawl out and its always a mouse. Even if they didn't come up with the idea like they say they still get there fifteen minutes in the sun. In the ned it isn't a matter of who drew first its a matter of who holds the trademark.

Pretty easy to accuse a dead guy; neither one of the fellas who claim to have drawn the first mouse either Mickey or ratfink had a damned thing to say while the alleged art thieves were still alive. Imagine that.

 

Big Daddy is the MAN, I dont care what any one else says. Why does this **** always come up after someone dies? RIP my man, you will always be the Finks father to me.

 

Dun't care either way.

 

Amen Von Franco said it! Now if you actually do a little research you will find that Mouse (who claims the Rat Fink is his) has never produced an original drawing of RF except for a fat guy...Ed might have sampled the fat lazy greaseball idea but he turned it into a RAT..Why would Mouse use a Rat as his character?

Was Jackson Pollock the first to drip paint on the floor? Warhol the first to color a photo? Doug Dorr the first to paint a tool? Zombie the first to use color pencils on a black background? NO... But then again its pretty easy to win a battle when your opponent is dead!

 

And you thought he was kidding, the ink bled through...

 

Long Live Big Daddy!

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0867197196/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_dp_KSGnnb1V31R0E

 

If one reads the article it states that Monte was working for Roth when he created the first complete RF. "Monté indisputably did artwork for Roth in 1963 — including the first finished Rat Fink..." sounds to me like he got paid for it. Just like a programmer for a software companygets paid to design software but dosen't collect royalties Edison & Westinghouse did it too they had shops full of inventors working for them. If the situation is as described Roth paid for the design and then put the the time money and effort into promoting it. Just as if I were to hire Joe Graphic Designer to do a logo for my company he dosen't get royalties from my business. Doubt if the person that designed the Nike swoosh got anymore than their paycheck. It also says that both parties are deceased.

 

http://www.boingboing.net/2011/01/29/monte.html

 

Plagiarism - what a great idea - wish I'd thought of it first....

 

So the guy "gave" his catalog to Roth and got no compensation for it, and no rights to the drawings or decals pics inside it? How smart would that sound, to give away all your rights with no compensation? Smells like fish to me.

 

It happens all the time thats why we now have copy right laws. Back in the day and even today the naive get taken by others who know how to market better or are just in the right place in the right time. I dare any one to start using any image from the Friday art show with out permission. Today its common sense to think its wrong but it happens. I am not taking sides in the rat fink thing just stating it does happen.