I wrote about as much regarding a new Crumb comic as I did about a Golden Age superhero only I like.
[SPOILERS AHEAD]
It’s been a couple of decades since we’ve had just a plain ol’ comic book from one of the last few still-standing underground comix legends, Robert Crumb. And on a purely artistic level, I am happy to report that he hasn’t lost a step with his illustrative mastery.
The big theme for the main stories of the book is, as you may gather from the title, paranoia, particularly in relation to conspiracy theories. A large part of these stories are caricatures of Crumb himself speaking directly to the reader, outlining his beliefs and opinions on various conspiracies, particularly those around the anti-vaccination movement (with which he sympathizes). He does point out occasionally that he knows he’s ranting, and that yes, maybe he’s the crazy one, but by and large it’s clear the sympathetic point of view is the conspiracy-minded one he’s espousing.
At one point Crumb complains that someone has lumped “alien visitation” in with some other, wildly racist, conspiracy, and he wonders why the former, something he feels that people have general interest in, should be associated with something as specifically awful as the latter. Which misses the point that most populist discussion around alien visitation is essentially defined by conspiracy, and in some cases can be inherently racist itself (see any “ancient alien” type show where primitive (cough)non-white(cough) cultures’ achievements can “only” be explained by alien intervention).
It’s…a lot of text-heavy pages, and I’m not doing much more here than picking out one particular example. I realize this sounds like a chore to get through, but like Crumb’s best work, it’s a peek directly into his head and what he’s worried about and what he’s obsessing over and no one does this sort of thing quite like him. It still functions as a good demonstration of misdirected thinking, and Crumb’s a smart guy…he knows what this all sounds like, and admits as much in the comic. I do hope he’s joking about not getting the COVID shot, though.
Other stories of note is a particular experience Crumb had on LSD decades ago, the memory loss of the evening that followed, and his sometimes nightmarish quest to figure out what happened. Keeping with the secondary theme of “problems with drugs,” I suppose, but he recalls so much of the event in great detail, that when he reveals there’s a bit he can’t remember, we feel that weird loss.
And there’s the final “Dirty Laundry” story, featuring Crumb and his late cartoonist wife, Aline. It’s a tale of what appears to be too many publishers of their work going out of business…a sad sign of our times. But it’s told with humor and Crumb’s hilariously bad bedside manner (where he tells Aline she’s just driving all these companies out of business with her work). At one point Aline’s probably facetious wish for her work to be forgotten takes on an extra depressing level knowing that she’s passed on as we read this. It’s a story that’s equal parts depressing and hilarious, which is like Crumb’s sweet spot.
Other stories round out the book (several single-pagers, and the longer “Deep State Woman,” which you can tell by the title is another conspiracy-minded entry), and it’s good to know Crumb, even in his 80s, can still put out work like this. Well, yes, I know I have problems with some of this comic, but I can’t deny the technique at work here. Hopefully this isn’t his last hurrah…I’d love to see more.
I have a very minor quibble with a character detail revealed in this issue, in a series that I’ve been enjoying once the first couple of issues shook out the rough spots and it found its footing. And I liked this new issue, too, as it covers the World War II-era beginnings of the team.
But the one thing that kinda mildly sticks in my craw, and I fully understand if this is just a retcon and I’ve got to learn to deal with it, and it involves Johnny Thunder. Yes, it’s me, the Johnny Thunder purist, the last Johnny Thunder fan standing in this brave new post-Crisis/post-Zero Hour/post-New 52/post-Rebirth/post-whatever else world.
Anyway, he tries to introduce himself to Jay Garrick, explaining that he has a magic Thunderbolt he can summon, that’s currently in the form of a pink pen.
…Which is a thing I don’t remember from his early stories, or his Silver Age appearances (though I could have missed something, admittedly). Johnny would say his magic word, “cei-u” (often in some variation of “say, you” in dialogue) and the Thunderbolt would show up and do his bidding.
In the very late years of Johnny’s existence, as an old man suffering from dementia, the Thunderbolt had been disguised as that pink pen, before being passed along to his successor, Jakeem Thunder. So Johnny does appear to have created the “Thunder-pen” concept, though not revealed until…a couple or three decades ago? Something like that.
So what’s going on in this new JSA is the establishment that Johnny didn’t just start doing that under the influence of dementia, but something he’s been doing all along. We just never saw it on panel ’til the end.
I guess in talking it out like this I’ve unstuck my craw and am better with it. It was just a surprise to see this particular character quirk that I more closely associate with another era, and not part of the Golden Age. But I guess it’s fine.
Also, today is the 11th anniversary of the opening of my store, Sterling Silver Comics.
Hey, you buried the lead!! Congratulations on 11 years! That is fantastic!
Happy eleventh anniversary and many more to come!
Oneandten years is a long time in this fly-by-night business and it seems the publishers are not making it any easier for you guys these days so all the best and much success for the future!
Eleven years and I have only been there once! I need to correct that. Congratulations.
And that JSA cover makes me want to buy it.
It’s a pity Crumb can’t direct his ranting in those directions where there undoubtedly is/was a criminal conspiracy — Epstein’s carefully-cultivated network of affluence and abuse for instance, or Trump’s decades-long links to Russia. I’ll be picking this up though.
Crumb’s comix peer Gilbert Shelton did the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers 50th Anniversary issue a few years ago. I’d love to see more from him even if his aged penmanship is scratchier than Crumb’s.
Happy 11th anniversary!
And yes, your memory is quite right about Johnny. One of the early jokes, as I recall, was that he didn’t actually know the magic words, he just said “Say you!” a lot in very contrived situations.
Happy 11th anniversary! That JSA cover reminds me that your store has outlived several DC Comics logos.
Congratulations on the 11 year anniversary!
Happy elevensies!
And from what I recall, you’re right about Johnny Thunder. Part of the charm of his early appearances was that he didn’t even know he had a magic helper. (Of course, that doesn’t explain why her was hanging out with the JSA, a hurdle a modern reader might have trouble leaping over.)
Congratulations on his store!
Wait until 11 yrs, 11 months. That’s voodoo. Love seeing Rex on the cover. I always appreciated Crumb’s artwork because–I’m not making a joke, it is true–that most close-ups reminded me of neighbors or bus passengers. (The former being the worst.)
Happy Storeversay, Mike!
Happy Anniversary, Mike!
Re: The JSA, although that Johnny Thunder gimmick about Yz the genie/Thunderbolt being transmuted to a pink pen as far back as the 1940s does sound annoying, and it definitely takes away from Johnny’s feckless bumbler affability, I find the fact that they redesigned Wesley Dodds gas mask–as per the cover art–more annoying. For any stories set between 1939 and 1942, Wesley Dodds should be wearing his classic yellow and blue gas mask which he wore in DC Comics published during those years before he got the yellow and purple suit makeover along with acquiring his sidekick Sandy.
Back to Yz the Thunderbolt genie, when was the last time his genie wife Mildred and his genie son Shocko were seen in a DC Comic? And what ever became of Johnny Thunder’s private investigator Jonni Thunder?
Re: R.Crumb, I don’t know how his health is holding up (very well, I hope!) and I haven’t read any recent material by him, but, before it is too late, I would love to see him do some sort of “Dante’s Inferno” (or “Crumb’s Inferno”) project as a comic or graphic novel where he interacts with some of his greatest creations and soul searches about his life, and maybe the past, while walking around and interacting with Fritz the Cat, maybe he could be shown explaining to Fritz why he did away with him after the Bakshi films?), Mr. Natural, The Snoid, etc.; kind of bringing his comix full circle.
Also, how many of the old Zap Comix artists gang are still around? Has Crumb ever written stories about his friendships with Spain, S. Clay Wilson, Rick Griffen, and other Zappers who have shuffled off this mortal coil?
*What ever became of Johnny Thunder’s private investigator daughter, Jonni Thunder?
I remember the very first time I read a Johnny Thunder story in Secret Origins I thought they he “Say you” but was awfully contrived. But then I figured maybe back then it was a more common phrase.
Sean: They appear to have reappeared in current DC continuity for one panel (and died) in Wonder Woman and Justice League Dark: The Witching Hour from 2018.
I reserve the right to weasel out of this once I read Crumb’s comic, but I appreciate his boldness in creating work that stands well outside of conventional points of view. Underground doesn’t just mean swearing, sex, n’drugs. His generation grew up discovering that both sides of the political elite (Eisenhower-Kennedy-LBJ-Nixon) were screwing with the public so it’s no surprise if his paranoia runs bipartisan. Even in Fall 2020, Kamala Harris was, as a campaign tactic, suggesting distrust in the COVID vaccines that were then nearing approval. That was yet another bit of messed-up health messaging from the govt that our country didn’t need, so the distrust has been soundly earned. (Don’t worry, folks, I got mine. I believe in science.) Good comics (literature, art) should raise questions and challenge our perspectives, and I’m glad Crumb is still doing that. Makes me miss Steve Ditko, and actual Cerebus comics.
Eric L.: I’m in Chicago, and in many cases, out lingo overlaps with New York City. I think it was not having JT pull it off that well. “Say you…” doesn’t even warrant a comma here, because we’ll keep this language forever.
In the ALL-STAR comics in the 40s, Cei-U! was more like Shazam! But it is just oddball slang.
One thing I find interesting is that Mr. Natural has a cameo in the Chip & Dale Rescue Rangers movie but Crumb is the only third-party property to not have a licensing credit at the end. Surely they had to ask him?
Mr Natural in a Chip & Dale movie sounds as egregiously incongruous as the Clockwork Orange ‘Droogs’* popping up in Space Jam 2.
(*The same gang that spends the entire first 15 minutes of Clockwork Orange beating, robbing and raping people — but hey kids, we can’t have Pepe le Pew appear in Space Jam 2, he’s a bad influence!)
@ Matthew Murray
Thanks for the information. Did Jonni Thunder also appear in Wonder Woman and Justice League Dark: The Witching Hour, or was it only Mildred and Shocko? And what ever became of Johnny Thunder’s ward from the 1940s, Peachy Pet?
Sean: Oops, it was Jonni Thunder who appeared in a single panel, not the other two (I think). Sorry about that!
@ Matthew Murray
So, Jonni Thunder was killed off? That’s a shame. She seemed like a cool character back in the ’80s when she had a limited series as a private eye. It seems like she should be brought back as a strong, progressive female character. Or maybe DC could have some sort of a new DC Challenge limited series that could be a mystery story written by various writers featuring Jonni Thunder, Slam Bradley, Batman, Elongated Man, Detective Chimp, Martian Manhunter, Angel & the Ape, Roy Raymond, Jason Bard, Renee Montoya, and various other DC Comics detective characters.
“has lumped “alien visitation” in with some other, wildly racist, conspiracy, and he wonders why the former, something he feels that people have general interest in, should be associated with something as specifically awful as the latter. Which misses the point that most populist discussion around alien visitation is essentially defined by conspiracy, and in some cases can be inherently racist itself ”
Yeah, some conspiracy stuff has the “Lizard People” trope, which has some anti-semitic crap embedded right in it.
“Johnny. One of the early jokes, as I recall, was that he didn’t actually know the magic words, he just said “Say you!””
Yeah- he was a superhero who didn’t know how his own “power” worked!
” Makes me miss Steve Ditko, and actual Cerebus comics.”
I’ll be Ditko could have drawn a great Cerebus!
@ Snark Shark
I wonder if Dave Sim ever met Steve Ditko, and what a Venn Diagram of their personal philosophies would look like?