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Bible of Filth
One of America’s most celebrated cartoonists, R. Crumb helped define cartoon and punk subcultures of the 1960s and '70s with comic strips like Fritz the Cat, Mr. Natural and Keep on Truckin’. The open sexuality of his work, paired with frequent self-deprecation and a free, almost stream-of-consciousness style, has made Crumb into a global voice and a renowned contemporary artist.
Originally published in France in 1986 by Futuropolis, the first edition of Bible of Filth was never distributed in the United States because of its graphic sexual content, which included some of Crumb’s most explicit comics from underground magazines such as Snatch, Jiz, Zap, XYZ, Big Ass and Uneeda. This revised and expanded English edition, contains all the original pieces from the 1986 volume, with over 100 pages of additional material. Organized chronologically, there are comics from 1968 to 1986 that were omitted from the first edition and an entirely new selection of work from after 1986.
Printed on bible paper and bound in leather, with gold debossing and edging, this volume looks and feels like a traditional bible, with no outward suggestion of what it contains. This revised and expanded Bible of Filth is the perfect introduction for newcomers, while retaining its status as an important collector’s item for Crumb enthusiasts around the world.
Originally published in France in 1986 by Futuropolis, the first edition of Bible of Filth was never distributed in the United States because of its graphic sexual content, which included some of Crumb’s most explicit comics from underground magazines such as Snatch, Jiz, Zap, XYZ, Big Ass and Uneeda. This revised and expanded English edition, contains all the original pieces from the 1986 volume, with over 100 pages of additional material. Organized chronologically, there are comics from 1968 to 1986 that were omitted from the first edition and an entirely new selection of work from after 1986.
Printed on bible paper and bound in leather, with gold debossing and edging, this volume looks and feels like a traditional bible, with no outward suggestion of what it contains. This revised and expanded Bible of Filth is the perfect introduction for newcomers, while retaining its status as an important collector’s item for Crumb enthusiasts around the world.
- GenresComicsGraphic Novels
336 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1986
3 people are currently reading
133 people want to read
About the author
Robert Crumb
565 books525 followersRobert Dennis Crumb (born August 30, 1943)— is an American artist, illustrator, and musician recognized for the distinctive style of his drawings and his critical, satirical, subversive view of the American mainstream.
Crumb was a founder of the underground comix movement and is regarded as its most prominent figure. Though one of the most celebrated of comic book artists, Crumb's entire career has unfolded outside the mainstream comic book publishing industry. One of his most recognized works is the "Keep on Truckin'" comic, which became a widely distributed fixture of pop culture in the 1970s. Others are the characters "Devil Girl", "Fritz the Cat", and "Mr. Natural".
He was inducted into the comic book industry's Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1991.
Crumb was a founder of the underground comix movement and is regarded as its most prominent figure. Though one of the most celebrated of comic book artists, Crumb's entire career has unfolded outside the mainstream comic book publishing industry. One of his most recognized works is the "Keep on Truckin'" comic, which became a widely distributed fixture of pop culture in the 1970s. Others are the characters "Devil Girl", "Fritz the Cat", and "Mr. Natural".
He was inducted into the comic book industry's Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1991.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
September 22, 2022
This is an anthology that specifically selects the most filthy Crumb stories. It's kind of a silly premise, since any collection of Crumb will have enough filthy stories to get you through the day. Worth grabbing if you have access to it, but there's much better Crumb books out there.
October 31, 2020
This is technically a reprint - or reedition - of a 1990s French collection of Robert Crumb’s work. A “worst of” collection, showing his most shocking, sexual, or brutal material. This reedition adds about a hundred pages of further Crumb material. I was amazed that they managed to weed it down to only 325 pages, as there was so much to choose from. The presentation of the book is a work of art in itself. Leather bound, printed in gold-edged onion-skinned Bible paper, and attached red bookmark. Takes me back to the type of Bible my grandmother would tote around everywhere, except it’s filled with material I actually want to read.
To me it was such a breath of fresh air and reminded me why I became a fan of Crumb in the first place. It is unadulterated pornographic material created without restraint or consideration of outraging the puritan mob. Of course, when much of this material was first created the puritans tended to be conservative Christian republicans, now the pendulum has swung and all the censorious wailing is stemming from the Left. Many of the activist types would have heart attacks at the material here, crying every kind of “ism”, or they might let it go since he’s ostensibly “one of them”, but they often don’t shy away from eating their own. Let that stand as the trigger warning - If you read this book and become offended, then it’s your own fault.
The only recurring characters are Mr. Natural, Flakey Foont, and Devil Girl - who have about three stories together. In them Crumb diagnosis the standard dilemma many men find themselves in today. That of the alpha, beta orbiter (or incell), and female passive antagonist. Well before terms like red pill and cuck were common, we see Crumb basically using those ideas in his art. Mr Natural has the Devil Girl in his pocket, but Foont lusts after her. Upset that this nasty woman openly despises him, Font pretends to be disgusted by all of the horrible sexual things Natural does to her, but is really just upset that he isn’t in the driving chair. A perpetual weakling, who wants to be taken care of, but lusts after women who aren’t willing to do that.
To me it was such a breath of fresh air and reminded me why I became a fan of Crumb in the first place. It is unadulterated pornographic material created without restraint or consideration of outraging the puritan mob. Of course, when much of this material was first created the puritans tended to be conservative Christian republicans, now the pendulum has swung and all the censorious wailing is stemming from the Left. Many of the activist types would have heart attacks at the material here, crying every kind of “ism”, or they might let it go since he’s ostensibly “one of them”, but they often don’t shy away from eating their own. Let that stand as the trigger warning - If you read this book and become offended, then it’s your own fault.
The only recurring characters are Mr. Natural, Flakey Foont, and Devil Girl - who have about three stories together. In them Crumb diagnosis the standard dilemma many men find themselves in today. That of the alpha, beta orbiter (or incell), and female passive antagonist. Well before terms like red pill and cuck were common, we see Crumb basically using those ideas in his art. Mr Natural has the Devil Girl in his pocket, but Foont lusts after her. Upset that this nasty woman openly despises him, Font pretends to be disgusted by all of the horrible sexual things Natural does to her, but is really just upset that he isn’t in the driving chair. A perpetual weakling, who wants to be taken care of, but lusts after women who aren’t willing to do that.
March 14, 2018
If you know Crumb, you know what to expect: giddily illustrated sexual obsessions. Sort of a hetero version of Tom of Finland, but with characters who actually have something to talk about. And as with ToF, if you're easily offended by (a) explicit, (b) non-stop sex that often includes (c) degrading (if consensual) positions, you will want to avoid this title. But if you like well-illustrated, often very funny stories, and realize that Crumb often uses deliberately offensive stereotypes (male and female, but mostly female; black and white, but mostly white) *as* offensive stereotypes, you won't regret a minute of this book. Note: Very little here is new material—it's just an anthology of his more offensive works.
August 6, 2018
The title is art because there is not one page of this book that is not dripping either with Robert Crumb's sweat or other more repulsive bodily fluids, and I couldn't put this book down. I've returned to it over and over again for the last few months and I've just disappeared into the warped and shocking creative ethos of Crumb, to the point that it almost has become a sort of bible, though obviously this book is far more readable.
Robert Crumb explores every facet of his sexual psyche in an unapologetic manner that is sure to leave some readers either disgusted by his portrayal of sex, or else by his fragrant use of racist cartoons. Each reader has to come to some sort of reconciliation with themselves about such content, but for myself I'm aware always that Crumb is trying to explore or satirize the images he's drawing because they possess a connection to the larger cultural consciousness.
This book is a compilation of the "worst" of Crumb's work, which by a sheer coincidence, tends to be some of his best. Crumb is an artist that was always honest, to the point of being repulsive to many readers. But that honesty simply revealed a larger capacity for the medium of comics. Robert Crumb isn't always likable, but his willingness to open his heart and mind to his reader and see plainly what he thought allowed the next generation of comics artists to see that comics were a way of exploring the grotesque, the controversial, and the more sexually depraved aspects of the culture they were living in, or the mind their occupied.
Crumb is a gift to comics. A sleazy, sweat stained gift with an excessive fondness for big butts and strong thighs, but a gift nonetheless.
Robert Crumb explores every facet of his sexual psyche in an unapologetic manner that is sure to leave some readers either disgusted by his portrayal of sex, or else by his fragrant use of racist cartoons. Each reader has to come to some sort of reconciliation with themselves about such content, but for myself I'm aware always that Crumb is trying to explore or satirize the images he's drawing because they possess a connection to the larger cultural consciousness.
This book is a compilation of the "worst" of Crumb's work, which by a sheer coincidence, tends to be some of his best. Crumb is an artist that was always honest, to the point of being repulsive to many readers. But that honesty simply revealed a larger capacity for the medium of comics. Robert Crumb isn't always likable, but his willingness to open his heart and mind to his reader and see plainly what he thought allowed the next generation of comics artists to see that comics were a way of exploring the grotesque, the controversial, and the more sexually depraved aspects of the culture they were living in, or the mind their occupied.
Crumb is a gift to comics. A sleazy, sweat stained gift with an excessive fondness for big butts and strong thighs, but a gift nonetheless.
July 20, 2024
This is the bible of adult comics and chronicles what were once "underground" comics by one of the greats, from the 60s to the 80s. This newer print edition comes after it being banned in the US in the 80s and includes 100 extra pages. If you enjoy having adult comics on your bookshelf, then this is a must. Historic, written in the context of its times without political correctness, and lengthy, it is of very high production value and truly a work of art as much as it is a good read (and view). Prices on the original first editions can reach the thousands. This reprint is more affordable and will set you back several hundred dollars. However, shop around. Deals on other sites such as ebay abound. Is it worth it? Yes. Is it a good read? Absolutely. You will be amazed at the no-holds-barred, quirky stories and illustrations. Is is art? 100%! It is a trifecta that I recommend to those who want history, art, and illustration in a high production comic!
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August 1, 2024If you open this book and get offended, you shouldn’t be reading this book.
If you open this book and you don’t find any of the content offensive, you shouldn’t be interacting with other humans. Or animals probably.
It’s an interesting snapshot into the dark corners of Crumbs mind, and of Americana in general. Don’t read too much into it. Not a good coffee table book. For most people anyway, I don’t know who your friends are.
If you open this book and you don’t find any of the content offensive, you shouldn’t be interacting with other humans. Or animals probably.
It’s an interesting snapshot into the dark corners of Crumbs mind, and of Americana in general. Don’t read too much into it. Not a good coffee table book. For most people anyway, I don’t know who your friends are.
August 4, 2021
Wow, that was a lot. I mean it's crazy to read these things that get referenced so much in culture, especially the drawing style that must have been the origin of Viz and the attempted titillation of holiday lewd tat. Truly offensive content, but that is I believe the point. Steer clear if you are at all sensitive to the depravities of life.
November 1, 2019
ein synest jo ein kan kjenne att folk han har påverka, og det er rik variasjon i strek og alt sånt, men først og fremst er det framandgjerande å lese dette, og eg kan ikkje tenkje meg at små doser hjelper noko vidare.
December 14, 2020
he's horny
March 22, 2021
"Hey Joe! Are you pretending to watch TV even though it's not on?"
"Yep! It's a new game I'm playing with myself. I can think up better shows than the ones that are on!"
"Yep! It's a new game I'm playing with myself. I can think up better shows than the ones that are on!"
October 27, 2020
about as good a series of gross vignettes, in as attractive a volume, as one could imagine. crumb at his crudest was crumb at his best, and even with what's here, one senses that crumb never went as far with his public work as he dreamed. one of the early stories, in which two tiny men shove a nurse's face in on itself and then utilize the face as a sexual orifice, seems to be hinting at what lurked beyond. so too even his extremely racist song-of-the-south-ified drawings of black folks indicate he wanted to go much further than he did, yet he didn't. and yet, takedowns like the one in the NY Observer aside, it's not clear there's any "malice" or "hate" lurking within crumb, as "introverted" or "internal-looking" a creep as might be found anywhere in the world, a man who resides in his own head but, unlike his brothers, has maintained a small vacation residence in the outside world.
March 1, 2022
I love Crumb, and I love his controversial stuff.
I was a tad disappointed at how small this turned out to be. I was expecting an A4-ish type size book. But it’s more like A5-ish. But the contents are, by and large, suitably shocking.
That said, I was expecting more, and hoped for more unfamiliar stuff. But most of the more shocking sexually explicit stuff is stuff I’ve seen before. Still, if you’re a fan of Crumb, as I am, you’ll no doubt still find a lot to enjoy in this small but often ‘naughty’ or controversial ‘Bible of Filth’!
I was a tad disappointed at how small this turned out to be. I was expecting an A4-ish type size book. But it’s more like A5-ish. But the contents are, by and large, suitably shocking.
That said, I was expecting more, and hoped for more unfamiliar stuff. But most of the more shocking sexually explicit stuff is stuff I’ve seen before. Still, if you’re a fan of Crumb, as I am, you’ll no doubt still find a lot to enjoy in this small but often ‘naughty’ or controversial ‘Bible of Filth’!
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August 5, 2014Worst of crumb
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews