Farmer's "Oogenesis of Bird City," originally published in the September 1970 issue of Amazing, consists of material originally included in Riders of the Purple Wage but later cut and published separately. Although this material is not essential for understanding Riders of the Purple Wage, it does provide the historical background of the novella's utopia, adding another level of interest to an already extremely complex work of literature.

In addition, Farmer considers Riders of the Purple Wage to be one of his "Beverly Hills Trilogy," the other two parts being the stories "Down in the Black Gang" (1969) and "Brass and Gold" (1971). Farmer wrote all three while living unhappily in Beverly Hills, which he claims he left for good after he opened the lid of a mailbox and a hand came out and took the letter he was about to drop in. "Down in the Black Gang," a harsh...