Rough Trade

Rough Trade is REX's earliest published work—five pulp-format magazines produced in the 1970s that capture the raw energy of New York's leather underground. Printed cheaply, distributed hand-to-hand, and sold under the counter, these magazines established REX as the defining visual voice of gay male sexuality in the pre-AIDS era.

The drawings are direct, unapologetic, and charged with the electricity of the streets, bars, and backrooms where they circulated. Working-class men in leather, denim, and boots populate scenes of desire that range from tender to brutal—always rendered with REX's distinctive precision and unflinching honesty.

The complete set of five Rough Trade magazines represents the foundation of REX's artistic legacy. Now available as a digitally remastered collection.