THE COMPLETE CRUMB COMICS

Growing up, Robert and his brother Charles often created their own comic books. These home-made editions were usually produced in editions of one. As such, many have been lost to time or private collections. Their creation continued throughout the 1950s and into the early 60s and eventually the content of Crumbs work gradually matured from the light-hearted, funny animal antics of earlier years to stories that flashed signals of what we now recognize as true Crumb. This Arcade issue, from May, 1962, shows many flashes of where Crumb was heading. The 17-page strip Jim is the most emotionally-charged work of Crumbs young life to that point, a gentle and psychologically astute look at a boy who needs a mother, and also brimming with signs of his increasing frustration with Catholicism. It also features the first quintessential Crumb girl, Mabel. This volume also includes several early Fritz the Cat stories, and the classic Treasure Island Days and is rounded out with other strips, diary entries and sketches.