Looks like a Toscano catalogue or an occult comic book
Don't expect this to be easy to look at.
It's a strain to overlook it when it's in the room.
Laughter, whether "alternative" or not, can be many things.
It can deceive you.

It is not hard to notice that this came to be released in
or near October. Keep the Urtext handy.

This will be short. I am not a biblical scholar (or reader, for that matter) or a Crumb collector, but I loved this book as a great illustration job of a classic book. Comparing it with his illustrations of Harvey Pekar's work is instructive: he has obviously evolved; possibly living in the country agrees with him. Here is a link to the book that Crumb mentions in his notes at the end of the book, saying that it 'cleared up some mysteries' about the stories he illustrated:Sarah The Priestess: The First Matriarch Of Genesis. I have not read this, but it looks like I will.

To those of us who have been Crumb fans from the beginning, the first reactions must be: it's not funny; it's not revolutionary; it's not "Mr Natural Meets God". So what is it? It is exactly what the title proclaims, Genesis straightforward in text and illustration, without criticism or commentary, more a scholarly work than a comic book. Perhaps, in 2009, straightforward is radical, as parodies of religion have become the norm. That is the genius of the work. Of course, it is all Crumb with his attention to detail and direct depictions of violence and sex. And most happily for me, the Crumb Women are present in abundance. I am struck by the magnitude and thoroughness of the work, including imagings of the lists of Begats with each character distinct and notable. What is radical about the work is contained within the text itself. Crumb's work is more an illumination of the Word of God than a set of illustrations. Now that is radical.

Sorry to disagree with the previous review, but I think it needs to be said...if you love Crumb's art, you will love this book. I am stunned at the sheer volume of work it took to illustrate the thing. Awestruck, really. I've always loved Crumb's art and work, at first (when I was young) because he seemed so twisted and funny, but later, because I realized what a truly fine artist he is. I say, never mind the "is it passionate" crap.

In March of '09, some online articles were calling this upcoming work "subversive"... Not so. There's no intent to be comical here...or to insult Judeo-Christian theology. It seems, in every sense, to be a legitimate illustration of the Book of Genesis. And, I found it beautiful, because Crumb's attention to visual detail is beautiful.

Crumb relies on two sources for the translation including the King James version, and more so, Robert Alter's "The Five Books Of Moses". So, sure, there may be some disagreement in translation for individuals who are version specific. I would suggest we look past that and just enjoy the book for its merits and Crumb's talent.

One should be aware that a few panels may be considered "steamy" for younger children. Some nudity appears and, for instance, when in Chapter 19 it is written that Lot's daughters gave their father wine to drink and then lay with him, Crumb illustrates it. It is my belief, however, that Crumb's intent here is simply illustration, not subversion.

At any rate, it is an amazing work of art, not to mention a book of many important stories.

Three stars for trying something radically different (and surprisingly reverential, considering his past work.) Crumb is nothing if not groundbreaking and experimental, but it's a bit of a misfire this time. Tackling Kafka was one thing, but scripture illumination doesn't seem to be his forte - despite the obvious care, attention to detail and time-consuming hard work and research that went into this massive project. The law of diminishing returns sets in about a quarter of the way through, and I found my attention drifting. The illustrations themselves run the gamut from ludicrous to genuinely inspired - although less so compared to Wolverton or (inevitably) Dore. Here Crumb is neither the passionate holy roller nor the anarchic revisionist. The book - being neither fish nor fowl - falls between two camps, both undeniably more interesting. He seems to be afraid of offending anyone, (he practically admits as much in his thoughtful introduction), which greatly hampers his usually irreverent muse. (However, Crumb is still Crumb, and I wonder how many readers spotted the tongue-in-cheek cameo appearance by the Three Stooges as Noah's sons, Shem(p), Ham & Japheth!) Although certainly impressive from a technical perspective - and you can add another star if you're a true believer - it's ultimately of interest mainly for the Crumb completist.