The Book of Genesis

R. Crumb, biblical scholar? Indeed, this is a scholarly and respectable work that preserves the spirit of Genesis. Other comicbookifications of the bible cut and simplify and modify, but Crumb preserves the actual text of Genesis in all its despicable wretchedness: the nastiness, the inconsistencies, the sheer absurdities. It's all there, beautifully illustrated and even annotated (be sure to refer to the end notes).

Crumb's illustrations add richness to the text and also help by slowing down the reader's pace, improving comprehension. I even made it through the genealogy parts. Ultimately, I was both disappointed and exhilarated by this book. I was expecting satire and humor, but Crumb rose above that to deliver something better: by remaining true to the biblical text, he created something that satirizes itself.