 "Photo: Photo courtesy of Art Spiegelman")
A recent study by marketing analyst Simba Information revealed that one in 10 book-buying adults also purchases comics. This means at least 10 percent of book-buying adults owe a giant “thank you” to both Robert Crumb and Art Spiegelman.
These two artists established their fame by creating raw, groundbreaking and, above all, honest comics for an adult audience, forever changing the way we interpret the medium. Tonight, the pair will speak on campus at Bass Concert Hall.
Spiegelman is best known for his critically acclaimed work “Maus: A Survivor’s Tale,” a personal, intergenerational account of the repercussions of the Holocaust on survivors and their families and the first graphic novel to win a Pulitzer Prize.
Spiegelman also advocates comics whenever possible, teaching courses on the subject at various universities and serving on the advisory board of the Center for Cartoon Studies in White River Junction, Vt.
Crumb’s notoriety centers on his role in practically fathering the underground comics movement of the ‘60s. “Fritz the Cat” and “Mr. Natural” are two of his most renowned works, but he is also known for a variety of assorted comics and album covers.
With Terry Zwigoff’s acclaimed documentary, “Crumb,” centering around his life, Crumb’s works have stirred controversy among fans and critics alike. His comics, which have been called brutally honest, racist and sexist, have in many ways polarized his audience.
“Genesis,” Crumb’s most recent project, is a graphic novel adaptation of the Biblical story of the creation of the world.
By avoiding caped heroes and continuing to tell the sort of everyday, personal stories which strike close to home and make even the most animalistic of their characters seem perfectly human, Crumb and Spiegelman have generated interest and respect for the comics medium. The pair gives new comics readers a chance to see the diversity and depth of this artistic literary form.
In addition to Crumb and Spiegelman, Sam Hurt, the creator of “Eyebeam” and a UT alumnus and former cartoonist for The Daily Texan, will speak at the event and deliver a preperformance lecture.
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