Originally added to Arcata1.com: May 11, 2022
“A Short History of America” by Robert Crumb was first published in the CoEvolution Quarterly #23, in 1979. The cartoon shows the development from farmland to a city street corner, all from the same vantage point.
The final panel asks “What Next?!!”
In 1992, Crumb added color to the original, as well as three new panels to the original 12. The three new panels predicted three possible future scenarios: Ecological disaster; Techno Fix and the Ecotopian Solution.
For the 1994 documentary “Crumb” director Terry Zwigoff made a video that sequenced the 12 line-drawing images. That concept has been duplicated from the color version, as seen here.
As a kid growing up in the 1950s I became acutely aware of the changes taking place in American culture and I must say I didn’t much like it.
I witnessed the debasement of architecture, and I didn’t much like it.
— Robert Crumb
The original 12 frames of “A Short History of America”
Note that Frame 9 shows a streetscape that is more run-down and with less activity than the previous frame. This is counter to the regular grown of wealth and activity of the other frames.
Frame 9 is meant to depict the Great Depression, in the early 1930s. The factory is closed, the streets are almost empty, and the stores are shabbier.
“A Short History of America” by Robert Crumb. 2 min 50 sec.
Can be viewed in full screen to see more of the detail.
Hover over the lower right corner, and click on the square icon there to enlarge the screen.
Other YouTube versions, if the one above is not working: