The R. Crumb Handbook by R. Crumb and Peter Poplaski

The R. Crumb Handbook is a 440-page hardcover book that covers the entirety of Crumb's life and work. It's packed with hundreds of Crumb comics, illustrations and rare never before published photos and comes with a full-length CD of Crumb's musical performances with his group, the Cheap Suit Serenaders and others. And woven throughout all this amazing work is a new, lengthy reminiscence by Crumb of his entire life, from start to... well, it's not over yet, so we can't say finish, but up to 2005 -- all 62 years of it. While Crumb has covered much of this territory in previous accounts, there are plenty of fresh details and new insights revealed here that will provide readers with a greater understanding of Crumb's psyche, his artistic development and its roots in his childhood experiences, the larger historical and cultural context in which these developments occurred, and how and why he grew to become one of the most significant artistic voices of his generation. This book presents the most fully fleshed out and well-rounded portrait of R. Crumb ever produced.

This book was published in Britain by MQP, printed in France and is quite reasonably priced. We think that it's safe to say that this is a must-have item for all Crumb fans worldwide. And for those who have long been curious about Crumb, but were looking for a good place to start: look no further -- you've found it. However, anyone not familiar with R. Crumb's work should PLEASE NOTE: The essence of his work is to unflinchingly probe his own obsessions, many of which are sexual and/or scatological in nature; as a result, this book contains images that some may find unpalatable, offensive and/or disturbing. That said, if you're going to own only one R. Crumb book, this is it.

To get a foretaste, check out this great lengthy audio-interview with Crumb on NPR (Real Player or Windows Media Player required).

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ROBERT CRUMB the creator of the world’s first X-rated cartoon Fritz the Cat has embarked on his latest, daring venture!

The R.Crumb Handbook tells the story of how a loser-schmuck became a cultural icon, and is more than just another celebrity tell-all sexploitation. This brand new hardback collection of original cartoons with never before published work, takes the reader on a unique journey through the life and times of one of the 20th century’s most notorious – and influential counter culture artists.

‘Crumb's material comes out of a deep sense of the absurdity of human life’.
– Robert Hughes (Art Critic)

The only underground cartoonist to be accepted by the fine art world, the R.Crumb Handbook is divided into the four enemies of man:

FEAR,
CLARITY
POWER
OLD AGE

Working with his old drinking buddy and also co-author Pete Poplaski, the four chapters are easily digested. With over 400 pages of cartoons and photographs, Crumb’s often controversially-regarded views towards Disney land, growing up in America, hippie love, art galleries and turning 60 are revealed.

By tracing his development as a cartoonist from his tormented childhood in the 1940s through to his coming of age as an artist in the psychedelic revolution of the 1960s, Robert Crumb visually treats us to the pressures and influences that the modern mass media has on human consciousness, and includes over 80 personal photographs, and 300 images taken from personal sketchbooks, comic books as well as fine art from museums.

For the serious student of late capitalist culture and the thousands of Crumb enthusiasts everywhere this book is indispensable.

‘Crumb probes, delves, he peels back the layers’
- Harvey Kurtzman, creator of Mad Mag

‘Crumb’s material comes out of a deep sense of the absurdity of human life. At a certain kind of psychological level there aren’t any heroes, there aren’t any villains, there aren’t any heroines, and even the victims are comic’.
- Robert Hughes