Charles Crumb

March 13, 1942 — Philadelphia, PA, USA

Charles Crumb was a mid- to late 20th century American comic writer and artist. As the older brother of legendary underground artist Robert Crumb, he pressured his year and a half younger sibling to illustrate comics based on his stories. Later, he also introduced him to more intellectual, philosophical and mystic literature. It has often been argued, even by Robert Crumb himself, that without Charles he might have never become a professional comic artist. Charles also drew comics on his own, but his mental problems kept him from ever publishing them. He lived under heavy medication at his mother's home, fighting his repressed pedophiliac neuroses. At age 49 he committed suicide. The awarded documentary 'Crumb' (1994) has brought posthumous interest to Charles' previously unpublished comics.