Zap Comix No. 0

Zap Comix #0

by Robert Crumb

1988 reprint of 1967 comic book.

Genres: Comics, Humor

24 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1968

About the author

Robert 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.

Reviews

[Joshua · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm tackling the Complete Zap Comix and so I start with #0. This was a great issue, all R. Crumb's work including one of the earliest appearances of Mr. Natural. I can see the earliest signs of Robert Crumb's visual aesthetic developing, and I can definitely see how drugs, particularly LSD, influenced a lot of the style of writing and story telling.

[Drew Canole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Crumb is still all on his lonesome here. We get Mr. Natural and a bunch of funny little strips. The cover is great.

[Garry Cannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally intended to be the first issue of “Zap Comix” but had to be delayed for a while due to publisher Brian Zahn of “Yarrowstalks” notoriety took the original artwork with him to India during one of those hippie spiritual journeys you often see mocked about today, “Zap Comix #0” is a fun, short collection of much more tamer and early R. Crumb strips prior to the formation of the infamous “Zap Seven” roster of contributors. Short strips about a alternate future that involves entertainment groups conducting pranks on a unknowing general public that predates programs such as “Punk’d” or “Impractical Jokers,” a garbage man cleaning the streets of children, a free roaming junkie traveling far and wide, and fun one-pagers about mean spirited animals committing crimes. Fun stuff.

[RSC_Collecting · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh a classic. You know I love me some Crumb. Zap is brilliant. Just a guy making the comics he wants to make. Oftentimes funny, wacky, outlandish, and surreal. It's just some damn good underground comix. A couple of the stories in here are

Meatball:
About a mysterious meatball that hits people and changes their lives.

Mr. Natural in Death Valley:
Showing the classic sassy Mr. Natural get rid of an annoyance.

Ducks Yas Yas:
About a beatnik and his short adventures.

City of the Future:
Showing all the advancements humanity will make in the future.

And so much more!

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zap Comix (ZC) was a revolutionary tract - meeting a generation of disenchanted young people on the streets - and talking about the issues that really mattered to them in a very satirical way that looked for a deeper truth. It is amazing to me how books like ZC became the next generation of MAD - but with an undercurrent of political alienation that was misunderstood by so many.

[Luke Stevens · Rating 3 out of 5]

Roberto Crumbo Comix yaaaaay

[Rick Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Zap Comix #0, 1968

Crumb is ever inventive with his layouts, compositions and subversive penciling, and it's evident why this is such an influential comic on a generation of underground cartoonists. Outside of the Mr. Natural strip and the iconic cover, most of the stories here are a bit forgettable. Though most of the stories here barely make sense and lean heavily on juvenile or goofball humor, the sheer creativity is worth admiring.