Review by Solomon Yeoh

Robert Crumb is one of America’s most influential artists, greatly influencing the creation of the genre of underground comics. In this oversized hardcover collection, editor Dan Nadel compiles the very best of Crumb’s works, focusing mainly upon his works from the 1980s. Included are many of Crumb’s most famous strips such as ‘The Religious Experience of Philip K. Dick’, ‘My Troubles with Women’ and ‘Cave Wimp’.

Many stories address Crumb’s sexual obsessions and misogynistic tendencies, often making for uncomfortable reading. However, the earnestness of Crumb’s artistry is able to win over even the most sensitive of readers. Crumb’s versatility is on full display with ‘A Short History of America… with Epilogue’ being one of his most reflective and thoughtful pieces. Crumb’s honesty may be his trademark, unashamedly baring his deepest insecurities and sexual fantasies all while turning in some truly beautiful pages. Crumb’s scratchy linework and clever inks convey depth and movement effortlessly. Perhaps the most stunning of these is ‘Jelly Roll Morton’s Voodoo Curse’, which utilises deep, black inks in order to tell the horror story of one of Crumb’s favourite blues musicians. The oversized format of this collection alongside the thick paper stock that David Zwirner Books utilises allows Crumb’s art to pop, unveiling its details to the reader.

In this collection, Crumb is presented at his artistic peak with Nadel deciding not to include any of his earlier, more rudimentary work. A perfect entry point into the bibliography of one of the most significant artists that America has to offer, refusing to shy away from any of his coarser elements, this is a beautiful collection and definitely worth reading for both long time fans and interested newcomers alike.