R. Crumb Sketchbook HC (2016 Taschen) comic books

Volume 1 - 1st printing. "June 1964 - Sep. 1968!"

From the very beginning, even before the sexual revolution made Robert Crumb the world's most celebrated underground cartoonist, he felt compelled to commit his sexual fantasies to paper. Once upon a time, he'd destroy them, fearful of others discovering his quirky tastes. Then he found that baring his soul provided a sort of therapy, leading him to immortalize every desire in pen and ink. This compact new edition, sourced from the same Robert Crumb Sketchbooks 1964-1982, offers the same high-quality obsession at a bargain price. Through satire, psychedelia, and outlandish sexually obsessed characters, 448 pages bring the best of Crumb's prolific mid-1960's period of June 1964 to September 1968.

Hardcover, 7-in. x 9-in., 448 pages, full color. Cover price $39.99.

Volume 2 - 1st printing. "Sept. 1968 - Jan. 1975!"

Called the Bruegel of underground art, Robert Crumb is an American icon of comic introspection, cultural satire, and sexual obsession. This new collection presents an affordable 444-page trip through the hippie years, 1968-1975, personally sourced by the artist from his original sketchbooks. R. Crumb Sketchbook, Volume 2: Sept. 1968 - Jan. 1975 combines the two middle volumes from the second boxed set, produced directly from the original artworks. This book contains hundreds of sketches from the master of underground comic art, including cover roughs for Zap, Motor City and Despair comics, the introduction of Aline, and much more, all wrapped up in front and back illustrations newly hand-colored by Crumb himself.

Hardcover, 7-in. x 9-in., 444 pages, full color. Cover price $39.99.

Volume 3 - 1st printing. "Jan. 1975 - Dec. 1982!"

Combining volumes 5 and 6 from the second R. Crumb Sketchbook boxed set, and produced directly from the original artworks, this is one big 444-page Crumb feast for way less than his rare originals. Among the hundreds of subjects included are Crumb's move to rural California, his marriage to Aline Kominsky, the birth of daughter Sophie, as well as further adventures of Mr. Natural, mischievous Snoids, Arcade comics strips, political discontent, existential angst, huge powerful women, geeky little guys, Mao Tse Tung, Mick Jagger and moral outrage, all wrapped up in a quality hard cover featuring front and back illustrations newly hand-colored by Crumb himself.

Hardcover, 7-in. x 9-in., 444 pages, full color. Cover price $40.00.

Volume 4 - 1st printing. "Dec. 1982 - Dec. 1989!"

Combining volumes 7 and 8 from the first boxed set (confusing, we know), it spans the years 1982 to 1989, a period when the artist was comfortably ensconced in rural California, raising his young daughter Sophie, who appears throughout this volume. But Crumb was still Crumb, declaring in one drawing, above a lovingly rendered tree, "As I get older I get more twisted, convoluted, depraved, cynical, embittered, self-centered, jaded, debauched, ruthless, greedy, conceited, set-in-my-ways, long-winded, absent-minded, prejudiced, closed-minded, misanthropic, nervous... To prove this self-flagellating analysis he fills the pages with his signature perversions (in country settings), scathing social commentary, cruel self-portraits, experimental cubism... and some lovely sylvan landscape. His mastery of the Rapidograph pen is at its zenith here in his 40s; we only wish he'd chosen to include his prescient comic of Donald Trump from 1989..

Hardcover, 7-in. x 9-in., 444 pages, full color. Cover price $40.00.