Natural has strange, magical powers and possesses cosmic insight, but he is also moody, cynical, self-pitying, and suffers from various strange sexual obsessions. Asked, 'What does it all mean?', he responds, 'Don't mean sheeit.' Natural sez, Use the right tool for the job' - spoken on seeing Flakey Foont unloading a truck full of bowling balls with a pitchfork. Natural's advice is seemingly at odds with his image as a sage, and his inventions are at once brilliant and crackpot.

But he may be the only Crumb creation who is genuinely likable. His straight talk, while refreshing, can get him into trouble, as when he was kicked out of heaven for telling God it is 'a little corny' in 'Mr. Despite his renunciation of the material world, he is an unrepentant sybarite. Usually depicted as slightly overweight (although his size varies), he is bald with a long white beard, and wears a gown which makes him resemble 'old man' depictions of God or a prophet.Ĭrumb's bearded guru is too unapologetic to be called a con man. He has renounced the material world and lives off anything he can get in exchange for his nuggets of wisdom. Natural is a mystic guru who spouts aphorisms on the evils of the modern world and the salvation to be found in mysticism and natural living. Natural Committed to a Mental Institution!' (Fantagraphics, 1995).Īt first appearance, Mr. Natural (Fantagraphics, 1995), as well as The Complete Crumb Comics vol. Sixties!' (Fantagraphics, 1989), The Book of Mr. Natural's various appearances were collected in The Complete Crumb Comics vol. The character hasn't made a new appearance since 2002. Natural returned in the pages of Crumb's solo series, Hup (Last Gasp), and then after another gap, in Mystic Funnies #1 (Alex Wood, 1997). Natural #3 (Kitchen Sink Press, 1977).Īfter a ten-year hiatus, Mr. Natural strips for The Village Voice from February 2-November 29, 1976, which were first collected in Mr. He was a regular in Zap for the balance of the 1960s until appearing in his own three-issue title, originally co-published by the San Francisco Comic Book Company and Apex Novelties. Natural also appeared in early underground comix titles like Bijou Funnies, and Yellow Dog. He made his first official comix appearance in Zap Comix #1 (Feb. Natural made appearances in other underground newspapers such as the East Village Other, which published the strips 'Mr. When editor Brian Zahn proposed to Crumb to fill the entire third issue with his comix, Crumb created Flakey Foont and several other characters. Natural: The Zen Master', appeared in the premiere issue of the Philadelphia-based underground newspaper Yarrowstalks on. When he settled in San Francisco in 1967, Crumb began drawing LSD-inspired comics. First appearing in Yarrowstalks (1967), the character gained a following during the emergence of underground comix in the 1960s and 1970s, and has been extensively merchandised in various products. Natural ( Fred Natural) is a comic book character created and drawn by 1960s counterculture and underground comix artist Robert Crumb. Apex Novelties, Print Mint, San Francisco Comic Book Company, Last Gasp, Kitchen Sink Pressįlakey Foont, Shuman the Human, Devil Girl

Robert crumb artwork