23 Robert Crumb
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Nicola Glaubitz
Abstract
The article gives a survey of the American comic artist Robert Crumb’s work from the 1960s to the present. It chiefly discusses Crumb’s publishing policy in the transition from underground comix to alternative comics (ca. 1968-1980), and his position in the field of art and mainstream publishing. A detailed reading of Crumb’s most popular comic “Keep on Truckin’” (1968) and its 1972 sequel “Remember Keep on Truckin’?” in the context of the American counterculture elaborates, firstly, Crumb’s characteristic drawing style that nostalgically invokes vintage strips from the ‘golden age’ of newspaper funnies from the 1920s to the 1940s, and adds roughness and a crude sex appeal to ‘cute’, polished images of 1950s commercial comics. Secondly, it considers the commercialization of underground comix and Crumb’s skeptical attitude to both the underground scene and the institutions of art, for which he was of interest as a marginal, popular artist. Thirdly, it discusses his take on the ‘coffee table book’ as a reflection on a culturally established, middlebrow format. Crumb’s attempt to carve out a position as a craftsman in the tradition of early twentieth century entertainment is discussed critically with respect to current debates on the ‘gentrification’ of comics since the emergence of the graphic novel.
Abstract
The article gives a survey of the American comic artist Robert Crumb’s work from the 1960s to the present. It chiefly discusses Crumb’s publishing policy in the transition from underground comix to alternative comics (ca. 1968-1980), and his position in the field of art and mainstream publishing. A detailed reading of Crumb’s most popular comic “Keep on Truckin’” (1968) and its 1972 sequel “Remember Keep on Truckin’?” in the context of the American counterculture elaborates, firstly, Crumb’s characteristic drawing style that nostalgically invokes vintage strips from the ‘golden age’ of newspaper funnies from the 1920s to the 1940s, and adds roughness and a crude sex appeal to ‘cute’, polished images of 1950s commercial comics. Secondly, it considers the commercialization of underground comix and Crumb’s skeptical attitude to both the underground scene and the institutions of art, for which he was of interest as a marginal, popular artist. Thirdly, it discusses his take on the ‘coffee table book’ as a reflection on a culturally established, middlebrow format. Crumb’s attempt to carve out a position as a craftsman in the tradition of early twentieth century entertainment is discussed critically with respect to current debates on the ‘gentrification’ of comics since the emergence of the graphic novel.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter i
- Editors’ Preface v
- Contents vii
- Comics Studies: Survey of the Field 1
-
Part I: Systematic Aspects
- 1 Comics Terminology and Definitions 11
- 2 History, Formats, Genres 35
- 3 Text-Image Relations 81
- 4 Comics Narratology 99
- 5 Seriality 121
- 6 Adaptation 141
-
Part II: Contexts and Themes
- 7 Politics 167
- 8 World-Building 181
- 9 Life Writing 201
- 10 Gender 219
- 11 Queerness 231
- 12 Science Comics 247
- 13 Postcolonial Perspectives 265
- 14 DocuComics in the Classroom 289
-
15 Superheroes
- 15.1 Historical Overview 311
- The Golden Age: Batman 317
- 15.3 The Silver Age: Nick Fury 331
- 15.4 The Dark Age: Superheroes in the 1980s 343
-
Part III: Close Readings
- 16 Richard F. Outcault: The Yellow Kid 361
- 17 George Herriman: Krazy Kat 379
- 18 Winsor McCay: Little Nemo in Slumberland 387
- 19 Dave Sim: Cerebus 405
- 20 Will Eisner: A Contract with God 431
- 21 Raymond Briggs: When the Wind Blows 451
- 22 Art Spiegelman: Maus 467
- 23 Robert Crumb 481
- 24 Alan Moore: From Hell 499
- 25 Neil Gaiman: The Sandman 513
- 26 Alison Bechdel: Dykes to Watch Out For 529
- 27 Chris Ware: Jimmy Corrigan – The Smartest Kid on Earth 545
- 28 Daniel Clowes: Ghost World 561
- 29 Martin Rowson: The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman 573
- 30 Marjane Satrapi: Persepolis 589
- 31 Grant Morrison: Flex Mentallo 601
- Index of Subjects 619
- Index of Names 629
- List of Contributors 635
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter i
- Editors’ Preface v
- Contents vii
- Comics Studies: Survey of the Field 1
-
Part I: Systematic Aspects
- 1 Comics Terminology and Definitions 11
- 2 History, Formats, Genres 35
- 3 Text-Image Relations 81
- 4 Comics Narratology 99
- 5 Seriality 121
- 6 Adaptation 141
-
Part II: Contexts and Themes
- 7 Politics 167
- 8 World-Building 181
- 9 Life Writing 201
- 10 Gender 219
- 11 Queerness 231
- 12 Science Comics 247
- 13 Postcolonial Perspectives 265
- 14 DocuComics in the Classroom 289
-
15 Superheroes
- 15.1 Historical Overview 311
- The Golden Age: Batman 317
- 15.3 The Silver Age: Nick Fury 331
- 15.4 The Dark Age: Superheroes in the 1980s 343
-
Part III: Close Readings
- 16 Richard F. Outcault: The Yellow Kid 361
- 17 George Herriman: Krazy Kat 379
- 18 Winsor McCay: Little Nemo in Slumberland 387
- 19 Dave Sim: Cerebus 405
- 20 Will Eisner: A Contract with God 431
- 21 Raymond Briggs: When the Wind Blows 451
- 22 Art Spiegelman: Maus 467
- 23 Robert Crumb 481
- 24 Alan Moore: From Hell 499
- 25 Neil Gaiman: The Sandman 513
- 26 Alison Bechdel: Dykes to Watch Out For 529
- 27 Chris Ware: Jimmy Corrigan – The Smartest Kid on Earth 545
- 28 Daniel Clowes: Ghost World 561
- 29 Martin Rowson: The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman 573
- 30 Marjane Satrapi: Persepolis 589
- 31 Grant Morrison: Flex Mentallo 601
- Index of Subjects 619
- Index of Names 629
- List of Contributors 635
