THE LIFE AND TIMES OF R. CRUMB (1998).

Edited and designed by Monte Beauchamp. Introduction by Matt Groening of Simpsons fame. This snappy and insightful collection provides a unique look at underground cartoonist Robert Crumb through the eyes of his peers and other observers. Contributing essays by fellow cartoonists including Jay Lynch, Will Eisner, Spain Rodriguez, Jaxon (Jack Jackson), Robert Armstrong, Trina Robbins, Jim Woodring, John Thompson, Drew Friedman, Dan Clowes, Joel Beck, Kim Deitch, Bill Griffith, Mark Landman, Frank Stack, Raph Steadman, S. Clay Wilson, Justin Green, Richard Sala, John Pound, Jay Kinney, Mary Fleener, Dame Darcy, Doug Allen and Peter Kuper. Other overviews and impressions come from filmmakers Jim Jarmusch and Terry Gilliam, film critic Roger Ebert, writers Josh Alan Friedman, Paul Krassner, Alan Moore, and Charles Alverson, Sub-Genius guru Ivan Stang, record producer George Paulus, NY Times art director Steven Heller, pornographer Al Goldstein, ex-wife Dana Crumb, art critic Robert Storr and still others. Also included is a 16-page Crumb art gallery, of which eight pages are in full color.

The cover portrait of R. Crumb is by Drew Friedman and features a spot UV-coating (shiny varnish) on the image, contrasting with an otherwise matte (dull surface) cover stock. Edited and designed by Monte Beauchamp, who brought the world Blab!

NOTE: There are two editions of this book. It was simultaneously published by St. Martin's Press in much larger quantities, exclusively for the general book trade, and by Kitchen Sink Press, exclusively for the smaller comics market. The inner pages are nearly indentical, but there are significant cosmetic variations, aside from the imprints--- the front and back covers and book spines are completely different. St. Martin's rejected Beauchamp's own cover design, which Kitchen Sink did accept. St. Martins produced their own somewhat lurid and blurb-heavy cover which emphasized Crumb's and Groening's larger names for commercial purposes.

What we offer here is the "tasteful" ---and much scarcer--- Kitchen Sink Press edition. NM/Mint. $22.