Comics and the Bible | R. Crumb's "Book of Genesis Illustrated"

The Bible Illuminated: R. Crumb’s ‘New’ Twist On An Old Story 

R. Crumb has been a part of the comics scene since the late 1960s. He is the creator of Fritz the Cat and was the one of the illustrators of Harvey Pekar’s American Splendor comic book. His “signature bawdy style” includes depictions of large-breasted women, as one reviewer describes, as “Rubenesque figures with thighs like telephone poles.” This is one of ‘twists’ Crumb brings to the book of Genesis—frank depictions of sex and nudity. Adam steps out from behind the shrub that usually covers his שׇׁפְכָה  Eve’s hair is not quite long enough to cover her breasts. The man clings to his wife and they become—on panel—one flesh. Though the front of the book carries a warning label, unlike previous endeavors, Crumb’s artwork does not seem gratuitous or intended to titillate. 

While I was in seminary, coincidentally taking a class on the book of Genesis, I was able to see an exhibit of the original artwork from Crumb’s "The Book of Genesis Illustrated" comic book. The original artwork is slightly larger than the pages in the comic book, but not as large as a standard 11 x 17" comic book art board.  In addition to original artwork, the exhibit includes movie stills and photos from friends Pete Poplaski and Roger Katan that Crumb used as visual reference for clothing, architecture, portraiture, and the like. (In the Introduction to "Genesis," Crumb recounts how Katan laughed at an early version of the project because the clothing “looked like modern bathrobes” and the tents “looked like they came from a sporting goods store.”) The exhibit also included several interactive elements—a display about ways God is depicted in art, for example.

While others have depicted the stories of Genesis in comic book form, and some have been graphically explicit, I am not aware of any other comic book adaptations as complete as Crumb’s. Using Robert Alter’s translation as his primary text, Crumb’s Genesis includes “all 50 chapters, including The Creation, Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, The ‘Begots,’” and more.  Crumb has given attention to the begots—one-mention wonders—visually designing facial features and costumes for even the most obscure characters like the sons of Beriah--Heber and Malchiel (Genesis 46). Both the original artwork in the exhibition and the final comic book product (with the exception of the images on the dust jacket) are in black and white. Crumb does an admirable job of adding mid-tones with cross-hatching, natural textures like tree bark and grass, and careful placement of body hair, but the absence of color seems disappointing at times—a black and white rainbow, for example, lacks visual ‘pow.’ 

A Closer look at Joseph's Story

One of the most lengthy stories in the book of Genesis is that of Joseph, son of Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham.  Joseph’s story opens with four of his half-brothers laying in the fields drinking while he tends the flock in the background. This seems to provide the substance of the “ill report” Joseph brings to his father. In the third panel,

Jacob gives Joseph a sleeveless “ornamental tunic,” which earns Joseph scowls from his brothers. Crumb highlights Joseph’s youthfulness (age 17 at the beginning of the story) by depicting him clean shaven, while his brothers and father have beards. Joseph’s dreams are not depicted visually (in contrast to the dreams of Pharaoh’s servants and the Pharaoh himself later in the book). Instead, Joseph narrates them with a word balloon. Joseph’s brothers plot against him. He is stripped of his tunic and throne into a pit, wearing only a headband, loin cloth type-garment, bracelets, and sandals. When he is sold to the Ishmaelites, his bracelets are removed on panel. Chapter 38, indicated by an ornately lettered word box, interrupts the Joseph novella for about six pages. When Joseph’s story resumes, he appears to still be about 17 years old. He is now a slave; of his costume, only his loin cloth and headband remain. Joseph ages rapidly in the next four or five panels, attaining a greater maturity in time for his encounter with Potiphar’s wife. As he gains authority, he acquires bracelets on his wrists and biceps, and his garment begins to look more Egyptian. Joseph preserves his integrity by resisting the seductions of Potiphar’s wife.  He preserves his modesty on panel as well. When he flees, leaving his clothes in her hands, the reader sees only his bare leg. As the story progresses, Joseph is promoted and Pharaoh gives him his own ring, fine linen clothes, and a golden collar around his neck. The linen clothes are similar in shape to the tunic given him by his father. By dressing him, Pharaoh shows honor just as Jacob did. Joseph is also given an Egyptian name and an Egyptian wife. At this point in the story, Joseph is 30 years old.

As grain is stored during the seven years of plenty, Joseph is depicted as being happy—reclining on a couch with a drink in hand, being fanned by a servant. His wife breastfeeds their son Ephraim, while their older son Manasseh chases birds and plays with a toy chariot. 

During the years of famine, Joseph’s brothers come to Egypt to buy provisions. Joseph “speaks harshly” to them. In one of Crumb’s more interesting twists, Joseph speaks in hieroglyphs, and his translator translates for the reader and for the brothers. 

After Joseph reveals his identity to his brothers, he gives them “changes of garments.” Again, these garments are somewhat similar to Joseph’s ornate tunic. 

Joseph is depicted in his old age, in the final panels of Chapter 50. At 110 years old, he died, and was embalmed and was put in a coffin in Egypt. Here Crumb’s artwork makes explicit what the reader may not take notice of when reading or hearing the story: Joseph was, in many regards, for most of his life, Egyptian. 

Crumb’s notes at the end of the book give additional insight into his characterization of Joseph: "Joseph is often seen weeping. He is a sensitive man who is moved to tears many times in his life story… Joseph becomes the Pharaoh’s chief minister of finance, and exercises his position with brilliant ruthlessness, ultimately subjugating the entire population of Egypt (except for the priests) for the Pharaoh. But toward the end Joseph shows signs that he is weary of worldly power. In the very last chapter, when his obstreperous brothers fling themselves at his feet and proclaim, ‘Here we are, your slaves,’ he says to them, ‘I am not God, am I?!’ And, ‘fear not.” Joseph has learned a much finer humility than the fear-driven kind shown by his barbaric brothers."