Robert Crumb (Pocket Essentials)

Rating:
Summary: Not So Essential!
Review: Having liked other volumes in this series pertaining to films, I held out hope that this tome would be a useful one in defining the career of Robert Crumb...Alas, I cannot recommend this book. Basically, my main problem with this book is the lack of illustrations. Without them the reviews of the various strips Crumb has created come off as something akin to a book report on comics...What's the point? Just go out and find the comic. All of the comics reviewed are in print, and frankly the $6.95 would be better spent on the works themselves. There are many typos within the book making some sentences read awkward and hard to figure out...Dates for publications are not always correct, and the book feels as if it could have used a proofreader. On a positive note, it does include a new interview with R. Crumb conducted by mail which does shine some new light on what he's been up to, but if you've seen the Crumb Documentary and read the R. Crumb Coffee table book, then this book is pretty redundant...If you haven't done the above, put the money you'd spend on this thin volume towards those two items for a much better overview of "The Works Of Crumb". Sorry Mr. Holm, but I do look forward to your anthology of Crumb Interviews mentioned on the back cover...That will probably be more worth it.

Rating:
Summary: Not So Essential!
Review: Having liked other volumes in this series pertaining to films, I held out hope that this tome would be a useful one in defining the career of Robert Crumb...Alas, I cannot recommend this book. Basically, my main problem with this book is the lack of illustrations. Without them the reviews of the various strips Crumb has created come off as something akin to a book report on comics...What's the point? Just go out and find the comic. All of the comics reviewed are in print, and frankly the $6.95 would be better spent on the works themselves. There are many typos within the book making some sentences read awkward and hard to figure out...Dates for publications are not always correct, and the book feels as if it could have used a proofreader. On a positive note, it does include a new interview with R. Crumb conducted by mail which does shine some new light on what he's been up to, but if you've seen the Crumb Documentary and read the R. Crumb Coffee table book, then this book is pretty redundant...If you haven't done the above, put the money you'd spend on this thin volume towards those two items for a much better overview of "The Works Of Crumb". Sorry Mr. Holm, but I do look forward to your anthology of Crumb Interviews mentioned on the back cover...That will probably be more worth it.

Rating:
Summary: Whet my Appetite for More
Review: I can't imagine a better book for becoming acquainted with one of our national treasures. I'd read others of the Pocket Essentials series, and this is one of the best. For those looking for fully-illustrated narratives, they'd best look elsewhere. But bang-for-the-buck'ers (like me) are well served. Especially liked the interview.

Rating:
Summary: Essentially Crumb
Review: Reading about this notoriously "sexist" and "racist" comic book artist, I was gratified by Holm's unpacking of these controversies in terse prose, while supplying abundant facts in fleshing out Crumb's work and fascinating story. This thin paperback gets a lot covered and defends Crumb's artistic and life choices without suffering from sycophantic dribbling. Bravo!