The Complete Crumb Comics, Vol. 2: Some More Early Years of Bitter Struggle

The Complete Crumb Comics #2

by R. Crumb, R. Crumb

These early volumes of our multiple Harvey and Eisner Award-winning Complete Crumb Comics series have been amongst our most demanded reprints the last few years. Following last season’s reprint of the expanded Vol. 1, the first three volumes of this best-selling series will all be in print for the first time in a decade! “Some More Early Years of Bitter Struggle” features several key stories from Crumb’s pre-underground, homemade comics of the early 1960s (such as Farb and Arcade), with stories featuring early Crumb characters Fritz the Cat, Jim, Mabel, and Little Billy Bean.

Genres: Comics, Humor, Graphic Novels, Collections, Art, Fiction, Fantasy

129 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

Reviews

[Stewart Tame · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still mostly sketches and comics done mainly for the amusement of himself and close friends and family. Not that that's a bad thing. Fritz the Cat really comes into his own with this volume. We also get to meet Roberta Smith, Office Girl, a comic strip that Crumb wrote and drew for the employee news bulletin at the American Greeting Card company where he worked. There's also a slightly darker tone that begins creeping into the artwork, a sign of Crumb's growing into his mature style. This volume is more sketches than strips, and still ferocious amounts of early talent on display. Highly recommended, not just for this book, but for Crumb's work in general.

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've got most of the Complete Crumb Comics now, and I've only managed to read 1 & 3 (and now 2) so far. They're one of the most comprehensive records of a major artist's development out there. I'd say the first two volumes are the least essential, with things not really picking up till Vol. 3. But even the early work shows signs of brilliance. I can't wait to read the rest of them.

[Alex Firer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Giving this a number grade is ridiculous. These books are an act of archiving and shall be judged as such! Anyway, R. Crumb starts to slowly figure out his voice and we get the weirdest Charles Crumb comics yet. Beautiful.

[Dan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Late 50s very early sixties drawings and doodling. Still searching for style and subjects, although some Fritz the Cat panels.

[Jesse · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this more than the first volume. Again, I think I should reiterate that these comics are not up to today's standards of misogamy and even racism. This is a peak at a somewhat obscure sub culture of the 60's...and more importantly, one man's view of world.

The art and plots of the comics have improved since the last book. Almost half the book is just artwork, not part of a storyline.

As far as the comics themselves go, we see Fritz the cat fall in love and all the shenanigan's that follow that. And there are several strips about the "Average Office Girl". Mostly silly stuff...though I feel like we are getting a uncomfortable peak at Crumbs sexual frustrations during this era.

[mimi · Rating 3 out of 5]

dull

[dude · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5