Jim "T.A.Z." Evans was born in San Diego amidst the surfing culture of southern California. After attending high school, he played in several local bands and then created comic strips for the LA Free Press and other Underground papers while working for Eric Matlen's Sawyer Press. Evans then began to take commissions doing work in several comic books. These included Yellow Dog, and a solo effort titled The Dying Dolphin, released by the San Francisco based Print Mint, it included collaborations with Rick Griffin and Ron Cobb. Evans also drew for Slow Death Funnies, and Tales from the Tube, which was published by Surfer Magazine, and included contributions by ZAP comix artists Robert Crumb, Spain Rodriguez, Robert Williams, and Rick Griffin.