The Book of Genesis
Illustrated by R Crumb
Robert Crumb is a master of the comic art. His credentials are impeccable and his list of achievements as long as your arm. But can the man who’s works include ‘Robert Crumb’s Sex Obsessions’ really contribute to the canon of Biblical translations?
In fact the answer is yes, for despite his sceptical background, Crumb has done something which other comic book adaptors of the bible have not, he’s reproduced the whole of the Genesis text, and simply illustrated it.
In truth of course he didn’t need to ‘sex up’ the text, there’s plenty of scandal in there, and Crumb illustrates it all, the sex scenes, the drunkenness, the murders and the rest. It’s not a book for children, couples are pictured in the act of sex, and at least one throat is slit.
And I think if the book does have a weakness, it is Crumb’s portrayal of women. He tends to over sexualise them, arguably in order to enhance the ‘power of their femininity’ but on the other hand perhaps the man who drew ‘My Troubles With Women’ really does have trouble with women.
However, leaving to one side the issue of occasional pneumatic breasts and exaggerated bottoms, does Crumb manage to engage with the text in a way that makes it worth reading?
I would say yes, although not from a faith perspective this work does open up the text in a new way. It brings a fresh light on much of the book.
With astute use of his pencil Crumb makes the characters come to life, whether it’s the ancient, stooped, cadaverous figure of Abraham, or the bear like Esau. Crumb even engages with the ‘begots’, each of which are depicted with his trademark fine detail.
It’s an amazing work, which brings in to relief the way the people and country would have looked at the time of conception, from Adam’s cave man style animal skins to Joseph’s Egyptian finery.
Genesis is a book written for a people of a specific time, to explain their beginnings, and to introduce their God and his ways, in his illustration work Robert Crumb has begun to expose some of the cultural intrigue which is behind the text.
Although he doesn’t tamper with the text at all, he uses the panel pictures at times to add another level of cultural meaning to the words, for instance the scene where Ephron the Hittite sells a burial plot to Abraham is drawn to show the bargaining process which is not explicit in the text.
Crumb also makes some use of footnotes and a short commentary at the rear of the book to explain meanings of words and names, and, in the commentary to give his own perspective on some of the events of the book.
This is a great read and a remarkable book, and a welcome contribution to the ongoing telling of the Genesis story.
Review by Simon Cross
Published by Jonathon Cape.
Robert Crumb is a master of the comic art. His credentials are impeccable and his list of achievements as long as your arm. But can the man who’s works include ‘Robert Crumb’s Sex Obsessions’ really contribute to the canon of Biblical translations?
In fact the answer is yes, for despite his sceptical background, Crumb has done something which other comic book adaptors of the bible have not, he’s reproduced the whole of the Genesis text, and simply illustrated it.
In truth of course he didn’t need to ‘sex up’ the text, there’s plenty of scandal in there, and Crumb illustrates it all, the sex scenes, the drunkenness, the murders and the rest. It’s not a book for children, couples are pictured in the act of sex, and at least one throat is slit.
And I think if the book does have a weakness, it is Crumb’s portrayal of women. He tends to over sexualise them, arguably in order to enhance the ‘power of their femininity’ but on the other hand perhaps the man who drew ‘My Troubles With Women’ really does have trouble with women.
However, leaving to one side the issue of occasional pneumatic breasts and exaggerated bottoms, does Crumb manage to engage with the text in a way that makes it worth reading?
I would say yes, although not from a faith perspective this work does open up the text in a new way. It brings a fresh light on much of the book.
With astute use of his pencil Crumb makes the characters come to life, whether it’s the ancient, stooped, cadaverous figure of Abraham, or the bear like Esau. Crumb even engages with the ‘begots’, each of which are depicted with his trademark fine detail.
It’s an amazing work, which brings in to relief the way the people and country would have looked at the time of conception, from Adam’s cave man style animal skins to Joseph’s Egyptian finery.
Genesis is a book written for a people of a specific time, to explain their beginnings, and to introduce their God and his ways, in his illustration work Robert Crumb has begun to expose some of the cultural intrigue which is behind the text.
Although he doesn’t tamper with the text at all, he uses the panel pictures at times to add another level of cultural meaning to the words, for instance the scene where Ephron the Hittite sells a burial plot to Abraham is drawn to show the bargaining process which is not explicit in the text.
Crumb also makes some use of footnotes and a short commentary at the rear of the book to explain meanings of words and names, and, in the commentary to give his own perspective on some of the events of the book.
This is a great read and a remarkable book, and a welcome contribution to the ongoing telling of the Genesis story.
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This ought to be Robert Crumb’s crowning glory! Good stuff….