Zap Comix is the best-known of the underground comics that emerged as part of the youth counterculture of the late 1960s
Zap #1 was published in San Francisco in late 1968. It featured the work of satirical cartoonist Robert Crumb. Some 3,500 copies were printed by Beat writer Charles Plymell.[1] Zap #1 was the first title put out by publisher Don Donahue under the Apex Novelties imprint. Philadelphia publisher Brian Zahn (who had published earlier works of R. Crumb in his tabloid called Yarrowstalks [2]) had intended to publish an earlier version of the comix, but reportedly he left the country with the artwork. Shortly before Zap #3 was to be published, Crumb found photocopies of that earlier issue, drew new covers, and published it as Zap #0. Thus Zap #0 became the third in the series (even though it was drawn before #1 in 1967), and Zap #3 the fourth.[3] Many of these first issues were sold on the streets of Haight-Ashbury out of a baby stroller pushed by Crumb or his wife. In years to come, the comic's sales would be most closely linked with alternative venues such as head shops.

After the success of the first issue, Crumb opened the pages of Zap to several other artists, including S. Clay Wilson, Robert Williams, "Spain" Rodriguez, Gilbert Shelton, Stanley Mouse, and two artists with reputations as psychedelic poster designers, Victor Moscoso and Rick Griffin.

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