Kurtzman, Harvey

The Grasshopper and the Ant

Northampton, MA: Denis Kitchen Publishing, 2001 (1960). First Edition Thus. Hardcover. “A lost gem that has not seen print for forty years, ‘The Grasshopper and The Ant’ was created in 1960 at what was arguably the peak of Harvey Kurtzman’s creativity. It stands as one of the finest examples of his solo oeuvre that includes ‘Hey Look!’ and ‘Harvey Kurtzman’s Jungle Book.’ It is also one of the relatively few graphic stories Kurtzman, the great collaborator, himself created in color. Kurtzman’s schizophrenic beatnik take on the ancient Aesop fable has appeared in print only once before, in Esquire, where the panels were considerably reduced and difficult to read. Reproduced here directly from the original art at approximately its actual size, this remarkable work is truly being seen for the first time.” (from Back Cover). As the back cover blurb suggests, this is a rescued-from-the-archives classic from the mind behind Mad magazine, Harvey Kurtzman. Heralded as a lost classic, it features “…the irresponsible but philosophical bong-playing Grasshopper from Kurtzman’s beatnik update of the ancient Aesop fable.” In addition to being stupendously brilliant, Kurtzman was magnanimous by nature and creed. He assisted and befriended such up-&-coming cartoonists as Monty Python’s Terry Gilliam, as well as two remorseless degenerates from America’s west coast, Robert Crumb and Gilbert Shelton—all three of whom idolized Kurtzman. The latter two (especially) would soon be stirring up their own landscape-altering creations-&-controversies—eventually lab-leaking into the world the rabid, gluttonous, libidinal universe of underground comix—stacking up contributions for which they remain beloved (& despised) still, today. Book completely sealed, as new—an apropos acquisition for the Kurtzman-curious & Seasoned Comix Collector, alike. As New. [Item #4832]

Price: $50.00