Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1380018 in Books
• Published on: 1997-12-31
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 250 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
Robert Crumb, world-famous illustrator and self-confessed pervert, got his start in the underground comics scene of the late sixties and early seventies. The R. Crumb Coffee Table Art Book is a collection of his best work from the last 50 years (it's got some of his juvenilia too, which is pretty fascinating stuff). The volume is a welcome reminder that, screwed up as Crumb may be, he's also a tremendously talented, utterly original artist. He artistically embodies a particular part of the sixties, and as that fades even further into history, Crumb's material becomes more important. Is The R. Crumb Coffee Table Art Book funny? Yes, certainly, in a coarse, Rabelaisian way; you'll either find it a hoot, or horribly racist and sexist. And it's not for the kiddies, obviously. But R. Crumb is so well known by now, that you probably know which group you fall into, the lovers or the haters. The lovers will find this book a wonderful treat.

Synopsis
A retrospective of the legendary underground artist's work features his characters Fritz the Cat, Devil Girl, and Mr. Natural, as well as unpublished rarities and personal reflections from the artist himself.

Customer Reviews

Not really a coffee tale art book
This book is a biography of one of the most individual and creative artists of our time. Arguably the most important comic book artist. What a fine biog. it is too. A great feature is that you don't have to treat it as a biography and it won�Et make you try to. It tell the well know as well as revealing some less well known facts of the artist's life as well as providing sumptuous artwork which will be a welcome introduction to Crumb for first time readers as well as a handy reference for aficionados.

Presented in colour (b/w where applicable) through out Crumbs genius is celebrated in large format for added impact. Probably why they decided to go for the coffee table angle. The only drawback is that some of the cover art is only presented un-enlarged and the detail is lost.

Politically of course this book as with all Crumb's best work is an absolute minefield. It's all been said before though so I won't bother to go into all that here, suffice to say that it's not the kind of book you'll be showing to your mother, unless she's a massive Robert Crumb fan.

Would make a very good present.

A definite "must" for the Crumb Collector
Having followed and collected R. Crumb's work since the sixites, I was delighted when I received this book as a Christmas gift. Much of the work included will be familiar to fans, although some of the early pieces included help illustrate the progression of his career. What I found most wonderful, though, were his essays on his own work and life, the things that influenced him. While the documentary, Crumb, gives us a rather lurid and skewed look at his family and past, it's intriguing to read what he has to say about his own evolution as an artist. And make no mistake, comic books are art. I was especially fascinated to see how his work changed with the advent of psychedelics into his life. The small commentary drawings throughout the book make reading it an adventure. There is always more to see just when you think you've found it all. The hardboiled spirituality of Mr. Natural juxtaposed with the foolishness and naivete of Flakey Foont just has to make you laugh and appreciate the fact that this odd genius of pen and ink still retains a basically sincere interior despite the crusty coveringand cynical pose. This is an excellent addition to a comic collector's library and a rare look at a protrait of the artist by himself.

Amazing
All I have to say is that art is amazing. The mood it creates and the entertaining stories are incredible. The art truely inspires me. You'll never look at the world the same after reading this.