Genesis: Illustrated for Better or Worse?

When I think of Genesis, the first thing that comes to mind is not naked people having sex, and God yelling that He wants to smite everyone.The story of Genesis has been read by preachers and students alike for hundreds of years now, but only until somewhat recently has it been illustrated. One such version of Genesis is Robert Crumb's interpretation. Best know for his controversial work on Fritz the Cat, Crumb stated that his version of Genesis was "profoundly honest". His portrayal of people like Abraham or Rebecca is not something the average child should see.

In my opinion, the pictures themselves can either be hit or miss. Some of them actually add a lot to the understanding of the story, for example, the story of Jacob is greatly enhanced by the pictures, while others are something I would rather not understand, like the story of Lot. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then Crumb definitely has a lot to say, not all of it something I want to hear.

Crumb's pictures don't necessarily change the stories of Genesis, rather, they change my understanding of them. I never even knew the story of Lot's daughters raping him until I read it in Crumb's version. The stories themselves remain the same. I like the idea of a comic Bible, I just wish that some more prudence had been practiced in the art.

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Crumb seems to remain somewhat true to the story in his art. I find it difficult to find too many liberties taken by Crumb, even if all of the people look like they are all compacted a little too much. His drawings seem to stay close to what is said in the text, with one exception: God frequently looks angry. If God is a God of love, then why is he always angry at humans? Maybe it is the way Crumb interpreted God's harsh treatments of people. For example, many find it overly cruel that God wiped out the earth with the flood. But those humans were not repentant and even when told that a flood was on its way, they scorned Noah and went on with their lives.

Of the many drawings in this text, many show acts of promiscuity. Not too long ago, these pictures would have been deemed heretic, and most likely would not have even been printed. However, it seems that what was once taboo is now only disapproving. In its own way, our culture has shifted its view on such matters, laying such erotic scenes from bad to slightly inappropriate. What does this mean? Have we become more calloused against such things, or do we just shake our heads and turn away apathetically?

Finally there is a bigger question. Is Crumb sincere when he says that this book was made in a genuine attempt to portray the stories of Genesis, or is it simply a joke made at the Bible? The cover itself looks innocent enough, but upon closer inspection I noticed a disclaimer on it stating "adult supervision recommended for minors". I think that Crumb is sincere about his claims. The pictures are just the way that he expresses himself. They are the way he is comfortable drawing, and the Bible does not claim to be a sweet story about rainbows and happiness. In fact, it is one of the most action packed books ever written. Wars, betrayals, disasters, whole civilizations destroyed, and a never ending battle between good and evil, the Bible has all of the best plots for a movie and then some. Given all of this, it is not surprising that Crumb decided to give a new twist on Genesis.