Despair
Despair
Print Mint (1976)
Despair is Robert Crumb’s first existential diatribe about the perils and shittiness of modern life in America. Most of the stories are deceptively clever and provide some classic Crumb, including “It’s The Ruff Tuff Creampuff” and “Fuzzy The Bunny in The Same Old Crap.” However, the lead story, “It’s Really Too Bad,” jettisons the cleverness and just mainlines Crumb’s bitter perspective about American life.
Despair is certainly one of Robert Crumb’s most popular one-offs, evidenced by seven printings in about seven years. It’s also got one of the most enduring, effective comic covers in history. “Why bother?” indeed. Truly a mantra for the modern age.
Despair
