Who Is Robert Crumb? Age, Biography and Wiki
Robert Crumb, born on August 30, 1943, is a celebrated American illustrator and cartoonist known for his distinctive and often provocative style. At the age of 81, Crumb has established himself as a pioneering figure in the underground comic movement. A significant contributor to the cultural landscape since the 1960s, Crumb’s works reflect his personal anxieties and societal critiques, making him a revered and controversial figure in the art world.
| Occupation | Illustrator |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | August 30, 1943 |
| Age | 81 Years |
| Birth Place | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Virgo |
| Country | U.S |
Popularity
Robert Crumb's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
While specific measurements of Robert Crumb may not be widely disclosed, he is known to maintain a relatively average height for a male at around 5 feet 8 inches (173 cm). As for his weight, it is believed he maintains a steady physique, estimated to be around 150 pounds (68 kg). These measurements may vary, but they encapsulate an artist devoted to his craft rather than physical presentation.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Robert Crumb has often captured his personal life in his art, providing insights into his relationships. As of 2025, he is married to Aline Kominsky-Crumb, a fellow cartoonist. The couple has been together for decades, having tied the knot in 1978. Despite the speculation surrounding their relationship, Robert and Aline have supported each other through their artistic journeys, proving to be a powerhouse couple within the comic community.
His mother, Beatrice Loretta Crumb ( Hall), was a housewife who reportedly abused diet pills and amphetamines. Crumb's parents' marriage was unhappy and the children were frequent witnesses to their parents' arguments. The couple had four other children: sons Charles Vincent Crumb Jr.
and Maxon Crumb, both of whom suffered from mental illness, and daughters Carol and Sandra. The family often moved between Philadelphia and Charles's hometown, Albert Lea, Minnesota. In August 1950, the Crumbs moved to Ames, Iowa. For two years, Charles, a Marine Corps sergeant, was an instructor in the Naval R.O.T.C. program at Iowa State College.
The family moved to Milford, Delaware, when Crumb was twelve and where he was an average student whose teachers discouraged him from cartooning.
Net Worth and Salary
In 2025, Robert Crumb's net worth is estimated to be around $2 million. His wealth largely comes from his extensive body of work, including comic books, illustrations, and various commercial projects. Crumb’s unique art style has led to collectible pieces and numerous exhibitions, contributing significantly to his financial status. His career longevity and continued relevance in the art world ensure a steady stream of income from both sales and royalties.
Career, Business and Investments
Crumb's career spans several decades, during which he has produced iconic works such as Fritz the Cat, Zap Comix, and Mr. Natural. His innovative approach to comic storytelling—coupled with a sharp critique of American culture—has earned him a dedicated fan base and critical acclaim. In addition to his comic work, Crumb has dabbled in music, illustrating album covers and even participating in music projects. His investments primarily involve art and collectible markets, where he continues to thrive.
Crumb contributed to many of the seminal works of the underground comix movement in the 1960s, including being a founder of the first successful underground comix publication, Zap Comix, contributing to all 16 issues.
He was additionally contributing to the East Village Other and many other publications, including a variety of one-off and anthology comics. During this time, inspired by psychedelics and cartoons from the 1920s and 1930s, he introduced a wide variety of characters that became extremely popular, including countercultural icons Fritz the Cat and Mr.
Natural, and the images from his Keep On Truckin' strip. Sexual themes abounded in all these projects, often shading into scatological and pornographic comics.
In the mid-1970s, he contributed to the Arcade anthology; following the decline of the underground, he moved towards biographical and autobiographical subjects while refining his drawing style, a heavily crosshatched pen-and-ink style inspired by late 19th- and early 20th-century cartooning.
Much of his work appeared in a magazine he founded, Weirdo (1981–1993), which was one of the most prominent publications of the alternative comics era. As his career progressed, his comic work became more autobiographical.
Social Network
As of 2025, Robert Crumb maintains a relatively low social media presence compared to contemporary artists. He prefers to engage with fans through exhibits and personal interactions. However, his influence spans multiple social networks, particularly on platforms like Instagram and Twitter, where snippets of his work and ongoing projects occasionally surface.
In the 1980s and 1990s, Crumb illustrated a number of writer Charles Bukowski's stories, including the collection The Captain Is Out to Lunch and the Sailors Have Taken Over the Ship and the story "Bring Me Your Love".
Education
Robert Crumb's formal education includes a brief stint at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, but much of his artistic development is attributed to self-teaching and a keen observation of the world around him. His knowledge gained from the counterculture movements of the 1960s also heavily influenced his artistry and ideologies.
Crumb met cartoonist S. Clay Wilson, an art school graduate who saw himself as a rebel against middle-class American values and whose comics were violent and grotesque.
Wilson's attitude inspired Crumb to give up the idea of the cartoonist-as-entertainer and to focus on comics as open, uncensored self-expression; in particular, his work soon became sexually explicit, as in the pornographic Snatch he and Wilson produced late in 1968.
