For comic book and illustration lovers out there, a closer look at artist Robert Crumb has become available. Crumb — also known as r.crumb — is known for his satirical and stylized comics and illustrations, the most popular of which are the “Keep on Truckin’” comic and the characters Fritz the Cat and Mr. Natural. His works were most popular in the 1960s and 1970s, though he still has a large following in the comic subculture. The artist has recently launched a new feature on his website, titled, “Crumb on Crumb,” which includes interviews and articles on Crumb, his life and his art.
His most recent interview, showcased on “Crumb on Crumb,” highlights his early work versus his later work, his latest book called “The Book of Genesis,” his artistic periods, the use of pen versus brush and his life in France. His much-anticipated book illustrates the first 50 chapters of the Bible, which Crumb drew without his usual satire. In an interview with “Wildwood Serigraph’s” Alex Wood, Crumb stated, “I fooled around in the sketchbooks with those ideas and I just, I didn’t like how it was working out so, I just decided to do a straight illustration job of it.” He explained that the text is already lurid and barbaric, so he didn’t have to alter the text or illustrations. While some fans were disappointed with his lack of “outrageous takeoff,” Crumb believes that satire was not needed in this case.
Wood also interviewed Crumb on his life in the south of France, where he has lived with his family since the mid-1990s. As an iconic American illustrator and comic book artist, Crumb has been steeped in American culture and believes that he still is so today. While asserting that he would never become French or deeply involved in French culture, he observed, “I had such a visceral reaction to being in that [American] culture. It’s so familiar and yet, there are so many things about it that I really despise and think are hateful. And yet, there is also something … you know, the love-hate relationship.” Crumb commented that he has become detached since his move to France, though he isn’t sure how or if his work has been affected. He rarely visits the U.S., only recently having done so for the promotion of “Genesis.”
“The Book of Genesis,” published by W.W. Norton and Company in 2009, is available on Crumb’s website and Amazon.com.
For more information about Robert Crumb, or to view Crumb’s interview in its entirety, visit The Official Crumb Site, the Crumb Newsletter at or Eric Spitznagel’s “Vanity Fair” article.