Next month, Fantagraphics will release Tales of Paranoia, the first comic book from R. Crumb in 23 years. Right now, though, you can check out original art from the book, as well as other works from Crumb, at David Zwirner here in L.A. The gallery exhibition, which runs through December 20, is the first Crumb exhibition in the city since The Bible Illuminated: R. Crumb’s Book of Genesis ran at the Hammer in 2009/10.
Tales of Paranoia, which I caught on opening day last week, is an interesting show and one that’s a must-see if you’re a fan of indie comics. Crumb made a name for himself in the late 1960s with characters like Mr. Natural and Fritz the Cat. The latter was adapted for the big screen in the early 1970s by Ralph Bakshi and has the distinction of being the first animated movie to receive an X rating. Crumb created the Zap Comix series and later founded the anthology magazine Weirdo, which boasted contributors like Daniel Clowes, Raymond Pettibon, Ed “Big Daddy” Roth and Robert Williams. He’s really a living legend of the indie comics world, a crucial link between the 1960s counterculture, DIY and lowbrow art, and this is all pretty important to know as you head into the show.
A bit of an irony about seeing Crumb’s work in a gallery is that the artist himself considers the actual work of art to be the mass-produced comic book. “The final product isn’t a piece of finished art—it’s the printed book,” he said in an interview for The New Yorker earlier this year. “For me, the thrill was always seeing a book. It’s all there. It’s folded. It’s stapled. Yeah, that’s the art object.”
I kind of agree with Crumb on that because comics are a sequential art form. Once a page is removed from the whole, you start to lose context. Even in a situation like the Tales of Paranoia show, where the individual pages are hung sequentially, it can be an issue because you might not be looking at the art in order. This is particularly true if you visit on a day when there’s a crowd, like I did, and you bounce around from piece to piece, trying not to get in anyone’s way.
The big reason I mention this is because context is particularly important with Tales of Paranoia as it deals with a somewhat controversial issue, conspiracy theories. On the first page, Crumb offers the old saying, “just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get to you.”
I’m more likely to side-eye someone who always accepts the official narrative than someone who starts talking to me about lizard people. At least the latter can be entertaining. But, conspiracy theories wouldn’t even be a thing if we didn’t live in a world where the people in power are constantly bullshitting us. So, when I see one page on the gallery wall with “question authority” written in large, bold letters, I’m intrigued. We should be questioning authority all the time. That’s our duty as responsible, engaged members of a community.
From what I was able to read at the show, it seems like Crumb is wrestling with what’s fear, what’s paranoia and what’s healthy suspicion. That’s all stuff I find incredibly interesting, but I’m not comfortable saying more about Tales of Paranoia than that because I haven’t read the whole book yet. Context is crucial.
What’s fantastic about seeing the originals is getting to take an up close look at the the art. This is where I diverge from the idea that the finished book is the art. Now that we’re quickly moving into an era where AI slop will replace actual human art, seeing the handmade works up close is incredibly important. It’s not just proof that the work wasn’t made by AI, but it’s proof of the humanity in art that AI can’t replicate. The cover of Tales of Paranoia is an example of this. There are cultural references and humor embedded in it, like the wavy, horror comic-style lettering used for the word “Paranoia” and the pulp-y, hysterical subhead, “batshit crazy or true perception—who can tell?” Then there are the details in Crumb’s self-portrait that speak to paranoia, a furrowed brow, bloodshot eyes and cringing posture.
If you plan to see Tales of Paranoia, find a time when there won’t be a big crowd in the gallery and walk through the exhibition in order. If you plan to read your way through the show, give yourself a good amount of time to visit because, it’s a fairly wordy comic. Alternatively, you can wait until you have read Tales of Paranoia, which is out on November 5, and then see the show. David Zwirner is located at 606 N. Western Ave. (cross street is Melrose) and it’s open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Visit the David Zwirner gallery website for more information.
Liz O. is an L.A.-based writer and DJ. Read her recently published work and check out her upcoming gigs or listen to the latest Beatique Mix. Follow on Instagram or Bluesky for more updates.
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