BOOK OF MR NATURAL GRAPHIC NOVEL
Profane Tales of the Old Mystic Madcap
Described by art critic Robert Hughes as "the Brueghel of the 20th century," Robert Crumb has become the only sixties counter culture artist to break through into the fine art world with great acclaim. Laura Hoptman, curator of the Carnegie International said, "Crumb is one of the most subversive and important voices to come out of America in the 20th century." He's one of the greatest draftsmen of our time.
Collector's Item.
BY THE LEGENDARY ROBERT CRUMB. Product details
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Mr. Natural (first name Fred) wears only a smock and a pair of humongous shoes. His weight varies widely from one appearance to another. He looks a little bit like O.G. Wotasnozzle, and Crumb has acknowledged some debt in designing him to the protagonist of Gene Ahern's The Squirrel Cage. His background is obscure — sometimes he's said to be a former taxi driver from Afghanistan, sometimes an escaped convict, but usually, the issue isn't raised. He makes his living as a rather worldly guru, sponging off of any disciple who will give him a meal or, better yet, pay cash for his wisdom.
An EXTREMELY RARE item!!
Excellent Condition
This collection features over 120 pages of vintage Crumb comics starring the white-bearded, diminutive sage-cum-charlatan, ranging from charming, free-wheeling early ’70s stories to the disturbing, controversial ’90s stories (as seen in the Crumb movie), including the entire 40-page “Mr. Natural and Devil Girl” epic. Crumb’s Mr. Natural is probably the most famous underground character of all (topping even Fritz the Cat and the Freak Brothers), recognizable even to “civilians.” Don’t miss this opportunity to snatch up this jam-packed collection of comics from one of the all-time masters! 112 pages of black-and-white comics
"I never get bored seeing more work from a master who is so obsessively in love with the act of drawing; every image, even and otherwise prosaic still life from a 'pizzeria in St. Hyppolyte du Fort, ' captures the eye and imagination." -- Steven Heller "The New York Times Book Review"
Amazon.com Review
Mr. Natural is a 1960s guru, "th' only knower of th' cosmic mysteries alive at this time." Calling him a "mystic madcap" gives the crass, less-than-compassionate charlatan the benefit of the doubt. He is not particularly wise or helpful; in fact, he's a lecherous, grumbling old geezer who gives advice such as "When you arise in the morning, you should do last night's dirty dishes . . . then you should sing a simple melody (of your own choice) . . . then you should call somebody up (not me) . . . then go to the store . . . buy some asparagus." True to the collection's name and R. Crumb's reputation, the stories are sometimes sexually graphic (especially in the scenes with Devil Girl) and a bit on the violent side. Still, there's an innocent, upbeat quality to this comic reflection of America's most notoriously freewheeling decade. -
"I never get bored seeing more work from a master who is so obsessively in love with the act of drawing; every image, even and otherwise prosaic still life from a 'pizzeria in St. Hyppolyte du Fort, ' captures the eye and imagination." -- Steven Heller "The New York Times Book Review"
Amazon.com Review
Mr. Natural is a 1960s guru, "th' only knower of th' cosmic mysteries alive at this time." Calling him a "mystic madcap" gives the crass, less-than-compassionate charlatan the benefit of the doubt. He is not particularly wise or helpful; in fact, he's a lecherous, grumbling old geezer who gives advice such as "When you arise in the morning, you should do last night's dirty dishes . . . then you should sing a simple melody (of your own choice) . . . then you should call somebody up (not me) . . . then go to the store . . . buy some asparagus." True to the collection's name and R. Crumb's reputation, the stories are sometimes sexually graphic (especially in the scenes with Devil Girl) and a bit on the violent side. Still, there's an innocent, upbeat quality to this comic reflection of America's most notoriously freewheeling decade. -
From Booklist
Seminal underground comics artist Crumb has lately gained wider recognition, thanks to an acclaimed documentary about him. Libraries wanting some representative Crumb in the wake of the movie may be better served by this single volume featuring one of his most famous creations than by the multivolume reprinting of all of his work that Fantagraphics has about half-completed. The bearded, robed, curmudgeonly guru Mr. Natural hasn't changed much since his 1967 debut. An ever-serene-but-horny philosopher-for-hire, dispensing enlightenment to an undeserving world--is he a wise, grizzled mystic or a cynical charlatan? A teller of timeless truths or a sixties anachronism? Wherever he appears, so do his most loyal acolyte, Flakey Foont, and his obsession, the lusty Devil Girl. The collection constitutes a sheer delight for those who have followed the Natch's exploits over the years, yet it is completely accessible to nonaficionados--at least those undaunted by the raunchiness that is another thing that hasn't changed since the sage's early days.
Seminal underground comics artist Crumb has lately gained wider recognition, thanks to an acclaimed documentary about him. Libraries wanting some representative Crumb in the wake of the movie may be better served by this single volume featuring one of his most famous creations than by the multivolume reprinting of all of his work that Fantagraphics has about half-completed. The bearded, robed, curmudgeonly guru Mr. Natural hasn't changed much since his 1967 debut. An ever-serene-but-horny philosopher-for-hire, dispensing enlightenment to an undeserving world--is he a wise, grizzled mystic or a cynical charlatan? A teller of timeless truths or a sixties anachronism? Wherever he appears, so do his most loyal acolyte, Flakey Foont, and his obsession, the lusty Devil Girl. The collection constitutes a sheer delight for those who have followed the Natch's exploits over the years, yet it is completely accessible to nonaficionados--at least those undaunted by the raunchiness that is another thing that hasn't changed since the sage's early days.
Review
“This is one of the better Christmas-gift books Fantagraphics ever made... A kind of Crumb-primer, or Crumb for people who might want to get at him from a more standard comics stories standpoint.” (Tom Spurgeon - The Comics Reporter )
“This is one of the better Christmas-gift books Fantagraphics ever made... A kind of Crumb-primer, or Crumb for people who might want to get at him from a more standard comics stories standpoint.” (Tom Spurgeon - The Comics Reporter )
About the Author
Born in Philadelphia, R. Crumb is the author of numerous comic works and one of the pioneers of underground comics. His books include Kafka, The Complete Crumb Comics (17 volumes), The R. Crumb Sketchbook (10 volumes), R. Crumb Draws the Blues, The Book of Mr. Natural, the #1 New York Times bestseller The Book of Genesis Illustrated by R. Crumb, R. Crumb: The Complete Record Cover Collection, and many more. He lives in the south of France with his wife, the artist Aline Kominsky-Crumb.
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