comix

Crumb, graphically honest in his work as a surrealistic, libidinous underground comix pioneer, expected the same from his chronicler.

Nadel draws a vivid portrait of not just Crumb but the Bay Area-based underground comix explosion of the late ’60s and early ’70s.

He drew the cover art for “Cheap Thrills,” the 1968 album by Big Brother and the Holding Company — Janis Joplin was a neighbor — created the seminal underground comix series “Zap Comix” and worked on other projects at a maniacal pace.

It works as cultural history and criticism; you won’t find a sharper analysis of the underground comix movement.

Maybe you’ve heard of him: the founding editor of Gay Comix and a mentor to Alison Bechdel.