Over the past year, I’ve been keeping a running tally of some fine, fine reading that will make for great gifts under the tree or for any upcoming Hanukkah parties you might be attending. The common theme is that each title covers the works of enduring comic artists who made significant impacts in their respective fields. While R. Crumb, Charles M. Schulz, and Jack Kirby couldn’t be more different, all of them were masters of their craft.
Crumb: A Cartoonist’s Life
Dan Nadel
The log line: Robert Crumb is often credited with single-handedly transforming the comics medium into a place for adult expression, in the process pioneering the underground comic book industry, and transforming the vernacular language of 20th-century America into an instantly recognizable and popular aesthetic. Now, for the first time, Dan Nadel, delivers a “gripping and essential account” (The Boston Globe) of how this complicated artist survived childhood abuse, fame in his twenties, more fame, and came out the other side intact.
Braiding biography with “cultural history and criticism…that honors the complexity of [its] subject, even, perhaps particularly, when it gets ugly” (Los Angeles Times), Crumb is the story of a richly complex life at the forefront of both the underground and popular cultures of post-war America. Including forty-five stunning black-and-white images throughout and a sixteen-page color insert featuring images both iconic and obscure, Crumb spans the pressures of 1950s suburban America and Crumb’s highly dysfunctional early family life; the history of comics and graphic satire; 20th-century popular music; the world of the counterculture; the birth of underground comic books in 1960s San Francisco with Crumb’s Zap Comix; the economic challenges and dissolution of the hippie dream; and the path Robert Crumb blazed through it all.
Written with Crumb’s cooperation, this fascinating, rollicking book takes in seven decades of Crumb’s iconic works, including Fritz the Cat, Weirdo, and his adaptation of The Book of Genesis and “floats Crumb on the rapids of his times” (Harper’s Magazine), capturing, in the process, the essence of an extraordinary artist.
R. Crumb: Existential Comics: Selected Stories 1979–2004
R. Crumb
The log line: One of the most influential and iconic cartoonists of our time, R. Crumb is celebrated for pushing the boundaries of representation, mass consumerism, and polite society. The comics in this volume exemplify Crumb’s creative output over twenty-five years following his early experimentation in the 1960s and 1970s.
The comics collected here depict characters searching for an understanding of the world around and within themselves. Through adaptation, autobiography, biography, and short fiction, Crumb—much like his subjects—demands we pay attention to our darkest desires, compulsions, fears, and obsessions. Existential Comics also features a new, introductory comic strip by Crumb, reflecting on his practice in the context of this volume.
Editor Dan Nadel’s essay further weaves together Crumb’s life, career, and influences, delving into the creative environment that informed some of the artist’s most outstanding comics.
Who they’re for: Anyone remotely fascinated with the iconic work of legendary cartoonist Robert Crumb or non-superhero graphic storytelling:
You can order Crumb: A Cartoonist’s Life here.
You can order R. Crumb: Existential Comics: Selected Stories 1979–2004 here.
Only What’s Necessary: Charles M. Schulz and the Art of Peanuts
Chip Kidd
The log line: Reproducing the best of the Peanuts newspaper strip, all shot from the original art by award-winning photographer Geoff Spear, Only What’s Necessary also features exclusive, rare, and unpublished original art and developmental work—much of which has never been seen before.
Charles M. Schulz (1922–2000) believed that the key to cartooning was to take out the extraneous details and leave in only what’s necessary. For 50 years, from October 2, 1950, to February 13, 2000, Schulz wrote and illustrated Peanuts, the single most popular and influential comic strip in the world.
In all, 17,897 strips were published, making it “arguably the longest story ever told by one human being,” according to Robert Thompson, professor of popular culture at Syracuse University.
For Only What’s Necessary: Charles M. Schulz and the Art of Peanuts, renowned designer Chip Kidd was granted unprecedented access to the extraordinary archives of the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center in Santa Rosa, California.
The Essential Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz: The Greatest Comic Strip of All Time
Mark Evanier
The log line: This spectacular deluxe edition celebrates the 75th anniversary of Peanuts and the life, art, and legacy of Charles M. Schulz, and comes packaged with unique bonus materials.
Extras include: 8 ready-to-frame prints, 5 vinyl stickers, 8 postcards, an iron-on patch, a full-color comic book, and more!
Beautifully designed in a deluxe gift-ready slipcase, this one-of-a-kind 336-page full-color hardcover collects more than 700 images, including Schulz’s most iconic comic strips and related ephemera.
Award-winning author Mark Evanier provides insightful and entertaining Peanuts cultural and historical context. An introduction from Patrick McDonnell, a foreword by Jean Schulz, and appreciations and remembrances from key figures in the world of Peanuts make this book a unique milestone in Peanuts publishing.
Seventy-five years since the first Peanuts strip made its debut on October 2, 1950, the beloved comic and its iconic characters remain a touchstone for generations around the world.
From cultural milestones such as NASA’s Apollo 10 lunar and command modules being named after Charlie Brown and Snoopy to the classic holiday specials that continue to draw millions of viewers, Peanuts has a lasting influence that few works of art or literature can claim. The power of these iconic characters is also evident from the popularity of modern-day animated movies and iPhone shorts, and even the Gen Z phenomenon of so-called “Snoopy Girls.”
This official book celebration of the 75th anniversary of Peanuts is produced in collaboration with Peanuts Worldwide and the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center in Santa Rosa, California.
“Not many cartoons live into the next generation, and that probably is the best definition of art, isn’t it? Does it speak to succeeding generations? Real art, real music, real literature, speaks to succeeding generations.” –Charles M. Schulz
Who they’re for: Fans of Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus and the rest of the Peanuts gang; artists and fans looking to delve deep into the creative thoughts and work of Charles Schulz.
You can order Only What’s Necessary: Charles M. Schulz and the Art of Peanuts here.
You can order The Essential Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz: The Greatest Comic Strip of All Time here.
The Marvel Comics Covers of Jack Kirby Volume 1
The log line: Jack Kirby (1917–1994) remains one of the most influential and revered comic book creators of all time, and his cover work for Marvel Comics is particularly celebrated.
The Marvel Comics Covers of Jack Kirby collects Kirby’s cover art in a hardcover format. The first volume of this series contains more than 175 classic Kirby covers from 1961 to 1964, including cover art from the earliest issues of The Avengers, The Fantastic Four, The Incredible Hulk, Journey into Mystery, Strange Tales, Tales to Astonish, and The X-Men, alongside commentary by multiple contributors.
Kirby’s legacy continues to inspire current and future generations of artists, designers, and fans. Long live the KING!
The Art of Fantastic Four
Dark Horse Comics
The log line: This oversized, 10″ x 14″ hardcover edition is a stunning collection of iconic covers and original art from Jack Kirby’s groundbreaking comics run on The Fantastic Four. It features full stories from five issues, reproduced from Marvel’s archival scans, alongside essays and commentary by editor-designers Ian Chalgren and John Lind.
Since its debut in 1961, The Fantastic Four has been a cornerstone of the Marvel Age of Comics. The series, co-created by legendary artist Jack “King” Kirby and writer Stan Lee, revolutionized the comic book industry and set the standard for a new brand of superhero storytelling. Kirby, one of the most influential creators in comic book history, infused the series with his dynamic artwork and unparalleled imagination, cementing its place in comics history.
This oversized Bullpen Books edition focuses on Kirby’s lengthy run on The Fantastic Four from 1961 to 1971. It includes complete stories from issues #60, #71, #82, and #83, and the spectacular 48-page Fantastic Four Annual #6. These selections provide a glimpse into the early days of Marvel’s bullpen, showcasing Kirby’s artistic genius during one of his most creative periods.
Dark Horse’s Bullpen Books series of art books pays tribute to the characters and creators of Marvel Comics. This second volume honours Jack Kirby’s work on The Fantastic Four and follows up on the Bullpen Books series’ inaugural installment—The Art of the Amazing Spider-Man.
Who they’re for: Comic historians and Marvel newcomers interested in exploring the impact that Jack Kirby had on not just Marvel Comics, but the entire comic book industry.
You can order The Marvel Comics Covers of Jack Kirby Volume 1 here.
You can order The Art of Fantastic Four here.
