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The Book of Genesis Illustrated by R. Crumb (W.W. Norton & Co., 2009) |
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The Book of Genesis Illustrated by R. Crumb (W.W. Norton & Co., 2009) |
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I must admit I did a double take when I saw that this illustrated version of the Book of Genesis sprang from the pen of R. Crumb. For those who aren't familiar with Crumb's work, he's pretty much the father of underground comics, an artist whose provocative work has earned him great notoriety and more than a few charges of racism, sexism and misogyny from his harshest critics. The women in his artwork tend to be rather buxom, overly sexual and submissive to the men around them, while his depiction of blacks and other minorities oftentimes seem to be rooted in stereotypes. Of course, any great artist is going to have his detractors, and it must be said that Crumb's true genius lies in his satirical and sometimes subversive take on popular culture. Eschewing mainstream comic book culture and the publishing industry that drives it, he has more than earned his place as a cult hero and countercultural icon of the 20th -- and now the 21st -- century. Simply put, R. Crumb was one of the last artists I would ever have expected to take on the illustration of a significant portion of the Bible. Even more surprising is the fact that his approach to this illustrated version of the Book of Genesis is not of a satirical or hypercritical nature. This book was a serious effort that involved four years of effort, a great deal of research and surprisingly serious reflection on Crumb's part. As an agnostic, he approached the Book of Genesis as a work of literature with deep roots in the public consciousness, and he strove to provide a literal presentation of the story (including all of the "begots"). I find a great deal of irony in that last point. At a time when many self-professed Christians and Bible translators are busy molding the words of the Bible to fit their own modern-day beliefs, this man who does not consider the Bible to be the inspired word of God set out to base his work as closely as possible on the original text of the Genesis story. Will this work offend some readers, especially Christians? Obviously, it will -- and Crumb knows that. Many probably won't get past the "Adult supervision recommended for minors" label on the front cover. This is unfortunate because I -- as a Christian myself -- believe that this book holds great benefit to the faithful. What you get here is an amazingly visual, literal presentation of the first book of the Bible, free of the spin and reinterpretation of modern scholars seeking to reshape the story into something in line with their own personal thoughts and ideas. This is nothing less than an invaluable look at the story of Genesis as it was written. Those who get their panties in a bunch over the inclusion of some "graphic scenes" are obviously unaware that the Book of Genesis is a surprisingly graphic text -- teeming with sex and violence -- to begin with. I can only marvel at what R. Crumb has accomplished with this unprecedented work, and I must say that I found his several pages of commentary regarding his own thoughts on the story of Genesis quite fascinating and thought-provoking. If nothing else, I believe The Book of Genesis Illustrated truly confirms Crumb's place in the modern-day pantheon of the world's most serious artists. I highly recommend the documentary film Crumb to those interested in learning more about the life and work of this uniquely fascinating artist. by Daniel Jolley |
Whatever you think of Crumb and whatever you think of his intentions, this version of Genesis is both accurate and fantastic. From the creation of the world to the life and death of Joseph, an entire world comes to life in the blunt, cross-hatched, black-and-white art of the underground cartoonist whose satirical sketches defined an entire counterculture. His careful research yields detailed artwork that makes you feel the heat of the desert and the sweat of people toiling in the fields and building temples. God is a truly awesome, very real presence. There is such a prodigious amount of detail that it's almost mind-boggling, but way the art and the layout humanize the characters and their world is sheer genius. The stories come alive in a completely new way. The Book of Genesis may well indeed be Crumb's best creation yet. Of course the stories in Genesis are not exactly cheerful. It's about the beginnings of civilization, every aspect of which is depicted fully. The Bronze Age was a dog-eat-dog period marked by war, greed, ruthlessness and hatred. There is a great deal of nudity, sex and violence, and lots and lots of God's wrath. There is also love, honor and beauty. Overall, Crumb's interpretation is thoughtful, well-researched and fascinating. Well worth the read. by Mary Harvey |
