Head Comix Info Wiki

HeadComix info/Wiki Topics [moderated] => Other Additions to HeadComix/Wiki => Titles P to T => Topic started by: dr_s on August 25, 2008, 05:07:40 PM

Title: robert crumb's sad book
Post by: dr_s on August 25, 2008, 05:07:40 PM
I know that there are at least 2 different versions of this book. I have seen several green editions and  just bought one with a blue cover. (It is in the mail) Does anyone know about the color variation. I thought I saw a purple one about 25 years ago but it could have been the blue one. After all, 25 years is 25 years for  a single sighting.
Title: Re: robert crumb's sad book
Post by: dr_s on August 26, 2008, 07:17:21 PM
I got it in the mail and now I am at a lose For those of you who have seen the Sad Book, the cover is a solid green around the frog.. This copy that I just got in  has a border and the back has graphics. I thought I have seen it all, but this is a new one on me. Please 50 or rev or anyone, what's the deal? Still says copyright 1967 American Greeting Cards
(https://headcomix.info/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm4.static.flickr.com%2F3021%2F2800574069_0d748a6bc9.jpg%3Fv%3D0&hash=0b03f2846b48333c60718f50a88903a558b09d0c)
(https://headcomix.info/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm4.static.flickr.com%2F3143%2F2801421298_6e79888cbe.jpg%3Fv%3D0&hash=63e0abae176a1a1d779b89112e318dc339f7abb4)
Title: Re: robert crumb's sad book
Post by: wpbooks on August 26, 2008, 09:47:59 PM
Why "at a low"? Sounds like you've uncovered an undiscovered variant....shouldn't you be experiencing a "high" and perhaps doing what my brother used to call "the wambly dance"?
Title: Re: robert crumb's sad book
Post by: dr_s on August 26, 2008, 09:58:33 PM
I meant lose not low. Still can't type and walk at the same time.
Title: Re: robert crumb's sad book
Post by: oldmilwaukee6er on August 26, 2008, 11:30:09 PM
same book, just without the green dust jacket?  i mean i don't know... i only saw one copy (dr benway bought one in 07) & i recall the dust jacket being green?
Title: Re: robert crumb's sad book
Post by: oldmilwaukee6er on August 26, 2008, 11:36:22 PM
there is a shot in here of Dr Ben holding his sad book from SD07...
http://www.comicspriceguide.com/forum2/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=39526
Title: Re: robert crumb's sad book
Post by: dr_s on August 26, 2008, 11:43:19 PM
He bought it from me. I don't know if it is a variant or more likely a different ed. Of course, just what is the first ed. (Again, I think there is one like Dr B's but with either a blue or purple cover.) By the way, the back cover illo on mine is similar to some of the greeting card envelopes.  This is a job for superGuy.
Title: Re: robert crumb's sad book
Post by: 50Cent #II (1st print) on August 26, 2008, 11:44:07 PM
So is this the same one Dr_S sold to Dr Benway in 07, just without the green dust jacket?
Title: Re: robert crumb's sad book
Post by: dr_s on August 27, 2008, 10:00:15 AM
yes. The question is, is it a variant or another ed? I think there are at least 3 different covers (Green the most common, the border-this is the only one I've seen, and a possible blue one). If I had to guess, I would guess the border one is a later ed but....... That's why we need you Guy. You are into this stuff.
Title: Re: robert crumb's sad book
Post by: oldmilwaukee6er on August 27, 2008, 10:25:58 AM
Quote from: 50Cent #II (1st print) on August 26, 2008, 11:44:07 PM
So is this the same one Dr_S sold to Dr Benway in 07, just without the green dust jacket?
short answer 'no' ... not the same copy (but the same book)

i thought what we are seeing is a copy of the book without a dust jacket (dr_s's pics).  i was offering the opinion that the normal green cover that we associate w/ the book is the dustjacket itself & not actually the book cover, while i believe the good doctor is ALSO pointing out that there may be a blue-purple variation in the book's cover itself. 

so i am gonna email dr benway & get him to look at this thread & his copy & perhaps he can weigh in...
Title: Re: robert crumb's sad book
Post by: Reverend on August 27, 2008, 10:31:21 AM
Sadly, I'm not too familiar with this particular book. I've never owned a copy, have only seen the odd pic of one.
Title: Re: robert crumb's sad book
Post by: dr_s on August 27, 2008, 11:06:57 AM
The book was published with out a dj. It is almost a greeting card. If you want to see the interior, sans covers, here is a link;
http://members.tripod.com/jakemw/crumb2.htm (http://members.tripod.com/jakemw/crumb2.htm)
Title: Re: robert crumb's sad book
Post by: oldmilwaukee6er on August 27, 2008, 11:14:52 AM
i emailed dr benway to help.  i am confusing it b/c i dont have a copy, have only seen a few, & basically do not know what i am talking about.   
Title: Re: robert crumb's sad book
Post by: 50Cent #II (1st print) on August 27, 2008, 04:05:08 PM
Sorry, I don't have any info. for you.  I usually give info. on items that I have or have examined or have read about, but this one I don't have any info. for you.  All I've got is a copy or two of the regular red edition hard cover.
Title: Re: robert crumb's sad book
Post by: dr_s on August 27, 2008, 04:56:48 PM
Well that's another one. Post a scan of the red one. I never ever heard of that one.
Title: Re: robert crumb's sad book
Post by: 50Cent #II (1st print) on August 27, 2008, 05:03:28 PM
Sorry, my bad.  Got that confused with the Yum Yum book, don't have any copies of the Sad Book.
Title: Re: robert crumb's sad book
Post by: oldmilwaukee6er on August 27, 2008, 11:30:04 PM
saw that abebooks has two copies for sale...
http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?an=crumb&sts=t&tn=the+sad+book&x=0&y=0
looks like 1/2 price books in austin TX unearthed a pretty nice copy.
Title: Re: robert crumb's sad book
Post by: dr_s on August 27, 2008, 11:39:45 PM
Depending upon the condition, not bad pricing.
Title: Re: robert crumb's sad book
Post by: drbenway on August 28, 2008, 06:44:19 PM
I sent an email to someone at American Greetings, media relations, to see if they could give us info on the printing dates and variants of the Sad Book. Probably won't reply but who knows?
Title: Re: robert crumb's sad book
Post by: drbenway on August 28, 2008, 08:32:52 PM
Got this reply:

> I am sorry but I do not believe we can be of assistance. My only
> suggestion would be to try to contact the actual publisher, which would
> not have been us, as they may have some of this information.
>
> Best of luck.
Title: Re: robert crumb's sad book
Post by: dr_s on August 28, 2008, 09:27:56 PM
Great, some one just emailed me with my scans and asked me if I knew about it. I guess this is a case of circular searching.
Title: Re: robert crumb's sad book
Post by: Sir Real on August 29, 2008, 12:58:53 AM
Quote from: dr_s on August 28, 2008, 09:27:56 PM
I guess this is a case of circular searching.

Nah.  Just an example of a very interconnected communications network.
Title: Re: robert crumb's sad book
Post by: drbenway on September 08, 2008, 06:09:41 PM
Quote from: oldmilwaukee6er on August 27, 2008, 11:30:04 PM
saw that abebooks has two copies for sale...
http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?an=crumb&sts=t&tn=the+sad+book&x=0&y=0
looks like 1/2 price books in austin TX unearthed a pretty nice copy.
It turns out one of the copies of the Sad Book was blue. So I bought it.  :01_bounce: If you click on the link now only one copy shows up, It's a green one.
Title: Re: robert crumb's sad book
Post by: dr_s on September 09, 2008, 12:33:22 PM
First, shoot us a scan if it is different from my blue one. If it is solid blue you have made my day (except     that it is still one my want list). At a 109 years of age I wasn't crazy or dreaming, I actually remembered something from a brief sighting 25-30 years ago.
Title: Re: robert crumb's sad book
Post by: jaylynch on September 09, 2008, 03:09:32 PM
       American Greetings had these books that they gave to salesmen. In each book, the entire line of the tall-sized humor cards was bound.  If one of those old salesman sample books ever turns up, that would be an interesting item.
The most interesting Crumb American Greetings item was a pad of note paper that had a humorous "Believe it or Not" type theme.  Each sheet of paper had a different "Believe it or Not" parody gag on it.
In l966, I actually got a letter from American Greetings inviting me to apply for a job there.  Then they sent me a list of company rules...one of which was that no attention-getting beards were allowed on the faces of employees.  Not wanting to move to Cleveland or shave, I just said the hell with it and threw out the employee rules sheet.  I did save the original letter, though.
Anyway...I was following their card lines long before underground comix started.  So from what I recall, The first American Greetings printing of the Sad Book had a green cover and came out in '67,  after Robert had already moved to San Francisco.
Tom Wilson (who later did the comic strip ZIGGY) was the art director of American Greetings back then.  He would probably be the authority on the printing history of the book.  Maybe there's a ZIGGY webpage that he can be reached through.  Is ZIGGY still being done?  I do not know.
Title: Re: robert crumb's sad book
Post by: drbenway on September 30, 2008, 10:45:16 PM
Quote from: dr_s on September 09, 2008, 12:33:22 PM
First, shoot us a scan if it is different from my blue one. If it is solid blue you have made my day (except     that it is still one my want list). At a 109 years of age I wasn't crazy or dreaming, I actually remembered something from a brief sighting 25-30 years ago.

No solid blue.

(https://headcomix.info/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi19.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fb189%2Fcomix-man%2Fcpg%2520boards%2FBlueSadBookF.jpg&hash=6343ccc360936d2101c932874f05921ee150fbd2)

(https://headcomix.info/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi19.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fb189%2Fcomix-man%2Fcpg%2520boards%2FBlueSadBookB.jpg&hash=c1e5436cf728433f48a8558004145d851c220069)
Title: Re: robert crumb's sad book
Post by: wpbooks on October 25, 2008, 01:27:45 PM
Now that I finally obtained a nice copy of The Sad Book, Green cover version (1st print), I decided to consult the BIBLE on these matters, Don Fiene's R. Crumb Checklist which states at page 76,  entry # 285 -"The Sad Book - Cleveland: American Greetings Corp., 1967 (reprinted 1971). 6 x 6 1/2". Hardcover; first edition GREEN, 2nd edition PURPLE. 20 unnumbered interior pp. with a color illo. by RC on each page." Mystery solved it would seem.

----------------------
Please add this to the wiki
not the archive.
  - CJ