I've been feeling kinda Crumby lately

First, I have to say one thing very clearly: Aline Crumb is every bit the comic genius.

Now I can get back to my post.

Anyway, I've been on a bit of a Crumb obsession lately. It sort of began a couple of years or so ago when dear friends gave me a subscription to the New Yorker for my birthday. It was the first subscription to the New Yorker I have had since about 1985. I soon discovered that I didn't know how much I missed getting it regularly, although I have to say that there was a certain charm about the issues of New Yorker magazines past that seems to not be present nowadays.

But back to today. What the New Yorker of today has that it did NOT have in 1979, is occasional graphic stories from Aline and Robert Crumb. They are some of the funniest things I have ever read. And what makes them so darn funny is the presence of Aline, drawing and writing alongside her husband, Robert.

A recent article about them and their French digs several weeks ago in the NY Times mentioned a new book by Aline that I have since ordered: Need More Love. I love it. It is jammed full with the the kinds of wonderful reflections on life and sketches by Aline that literally make me laugh out loud. Honestly, it is her stuff in the joint comix efforts with her husband that makes me laugh the hardest. BUY THIS BOOK.

I also ordered a book by Robert, The Sweeter Side of R. Crumb. A quote on the title page:

"Being a delightful collection of adorable, heart warming and lovingly rendered drawings which, I promise, will not make you feel threatened in any way, and will put you in a state all warm and fuzzy and cuddly towards the artist and life in general."

Yup. In all the ways I expect R. Crumb to make me feel warm and fuzzy. BUY THIS BOOK, TOO. He is a master of the nicely cross-hatched sketch of ordinary things. NOTE: The best parts are when he draws Aline and puts in her running dialogue....

Edited to add: Here is a site with a link to a great podcast interview of Aline.

Plus: Check out the comments. I'm jacked up for sure!

Comments

[Aline Kominsky Crumb]

Hey,
Boy, you made my day...I'm feeling all glowing with pride and satisfaction...Meanwhile I'm working on a self portrait for some NY collector, that is totally grotesque...I've been looking in the mirror too long, and ay my age, even if I've had a "little help", this is not a pretty sight...
I always asked myself over the years, when my books sold about 200 copies each...Who and where is my audience????How come nobody gets my work???Well, now I feel appreciated and I'm gonna get to work and write more excruciatingly tortured stories about me and my personal adventure...
Appreciative Artist
Aline Kominsky Crumb

[Barbara Johansen Newman]

Oh, my gawd.....YOUR comment made MY day! Kinda hard to get back to work, now. Thanks so much for visiting the blog!

Every word was sincere and heartfelt. You rock.

I eagerly await the next book. And I can't wait for the next installment in the New Yorker. Please keep them coming at as fast a clip as humanly possible.

You are an inspiration to artists everywhere who just keep working away. --bjn

[paula]

Dang! What a treat to get a comment from Aline herself! That was a great review, Barbara! I'm looking forward to getting more familiar with Aline and her work!