R. CRUMB SKETCHBOOK Volume 1 1964-1968

When Taschen released the first limited edition of Crumb Sketchbooks 1982–2011, fans drooled over the gorgeous packaging of this six-volume boxed set, the artist’s thoughtful editing, the hand-written introduction, and signed art print. But not everyone could afford the $1000 price. Demand increased when the second boxed set, 1964–1982, was released.This combines the two earliest volumes from the first limited edition, direct from the original artwork, into one fat 440-page Crumb feast, for an irresistible price. This book contains hundreds of sketches, including early color drawings from the master of underground comic art, cover roughs for the legendary Zap and Head comics, the original Keep On Truckin’ sketches, the first appearance of Mr. Natural, plus his evolution and refinement, Fritz The Cat, The Old Pooperoo, and many, many voluptuous Crumb girls. You'll be surprised at all the ideas for comic book covers that were never used, and others that were eventually morphed into famous works. This is not the highly erotic Crumb, although there are hints of that, moderate amounts of nudity. But not the in-your-face unbridled work from later on. Here he's a young, experimenting artist, who obviously just loves drawing. From sketches of people and places, to the zaniest of ideas that would morph in Zap Comics, here's the roots of the R. Crumb we know today. All this is wrapped up in a quality hard cover featuring an illustration newly hand-colored by Crumb himself.