Book Description

Following the success of the Superman Masterpiece Edition comes another nostalgic celebration of the equally popular Batman. Since 1939, this nocturnal super hero has been the tragically orphaned Bruce Wayne by day, and the moody but fearless guardian of Gotham City by night. Our classic boxed set captures the golden age of the Caped Crusader with an exclusive action figure of the early Batman (complete with utility belt, wire-framed cape, and a Batarang); the first-ever facsimile reprint of the first Batman comic book; and a lavishly illustrated, full-color hardcover book by best-selling author Les Daniels detailing Batman's early years. This deluxe boxed set is thoroughly collectible, and a must-have for Batman fans across the world. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Batman and Robin join forces to fight the Joker and more.
This truly is a masterpiece of a masterpiece of a kind. That didn't make since what so ever but I don't get paid to make since... well acutely I don't get paid at all, I'm just some poor guy who has to much free time. If you excuse me while I mope... why God why? I'm so useless! And alone! Oh sob!!! OK I'm done. Hello I'm Joshua Dave Mathewsband and I'm here to recommend "THE MASTERPIECE EDITION OF THE GOLDEN AGE OF BATMAN"! It's kind of pricey but I got it on sale last year for 20$, but if you do find it, it is well worth the money. It comes with the first Batman comic book (it's a reprint) and three other exciting stories of the worlds most famous detective. Although I should worn you that it is not the first Batman comic you see it's the first Batman comic book. Now it's my turn to boar you some history, you see Detective Comics wanted a man named Bob Kane to make a super hero as big as "SUPERMAN" and he did. His name was "THE BAT-MAN" now "BATMAN"! And he appeared in Detective Comics magazine #27. It was only a little six-paged comic that showed the world a strange man who dresses as a giant bat and fights crime. They put one short comic of The Bat-Man in their magazine once a month. They had made a lot of comics of The Bat-Man until Batmans first comic book ever came out. To read the reprint and more of The Bat-Man as in Detective Comics magazines I sagest you buy "BATMAN ARCHIVES VOLUME 1" it has the first Batman comic and 23 other ones, including the introduction of Robin the boy wonder see my recommendation for that product to learn more. Otherwise get "THE MASTERPEIECE EDITION OF THE GOLDEN AGE OF BATMAN"! or get them both.

Honoring the Golden Age of Batman (1939-1954)
In the wake of the success of Frank Miller's "The Dark Knight Returns," which revived popularity in the character of Batman and resulted in four blockbuster movies, it is difficult to remember that the original comic book characters. For many, before there was Miller's Dark Knight there was Adam West's campy television Batman. However, the "Batman Masterpiece Edition" celebrates the Golden Age of the Master Detective (1939-1954). The "Batman Masterpiece Edition" consists of an illustrated hardcover book, "The Caped Crusader's Golden Age" by Les Daniels, an accurately sized reprint of the very first "Batman" comic book (not to be confused with the character's debut in "Detective Comics" #27), and a 9-inch action figure of the 1939 Batman that is the least impressive part of this boxed collection (which is now available at a greatly reduced price from its original cost).

"Batman" #1 has a concise 2-page origin story and four Batman stories including two dealing with the Joker, all of which were drawn by creator Bob Kane, who is featured on a "Meet the Artist!" page. There are also a couple of two-page cartoon strips, "Major Bigsbe an' Botts" by Paul Gustavson and "Ginger Snap" by Ted Raye, and a "Fantastic Facts" page that is a second rate version of "Ripley's Believe It or Not." Still, it is fascinating not just to read these Batman stories but also to see what else were put in comic books then.

The book "Batman: The Golden Age" has a very interesting look because it takes panels of old comics and blows them up, as well as having reproductions that are based on lesser condition old comics rather than original art (does Billy Rice know what happened to his old "Batman" comic?). Even if you have read about how Bob Kane came up with the idea for Batman you will appreciate the depth and detail that Les Daniels provides at the beginning of this volume. Every source of inspiration ever mentioned is documented with photographs of pulp covers, movie stills, and such. There are a few complete stories, as well as dozens of other pages and panels, including various advertisements, examples unpublished cover art and the daily strip that ran for a while. Batman at the movies is also part of this informative historical survey, which also provides some nice analysis of the evolution of the Joker's character. The only complaint is that it stops with the Golden Age. The "Batman Masterpiece Edition" is for those who have been fans of the Caped Crusader for decades because of the actual comic books as opposed to being turned on by what they saw on television or at the movies.

A look into theDark Knight's history
This boxed set is great reading for comic collectors and caual readers alike. The book gives a lot of information on The Dark Knight's early years and shows us what the creators were thiking when they originally developed the character. In additon. the collector's action figure is a great display or play peice and depicts the golden age version of the character. Unlike the Superman or Wonder Woman MEs, the 9 inch Batman figure is articulated and nicely detaled.he even has a golden age batarang to fling at his "foes"... You won't regret picking this masterpiece up!

Would be worth 5 stars if it retailed for less
This is a beautiful, if unnecessarily oversized and pricey, package. It consists of a large reinforced cardboard box containing a softcover reprint of Batman #1, an abbreviated hardcover version of Les Daniels' Batman: The Complete History, and a great 9" Mego-style Batman figure, with cloth outfit and the best head sculpt I've ever seen, recalling his first appearance in Detective Comics. The box lid opens like a book, and the arrangement of the items within is very nice, giving them maximum visibility. This great display, however, causes the box to be about twice the size of what it needs to be. And because of its large size, is it really necessary for it to be priced so high? While it looks impressive, this material is honestly not worth the retail price

A must for any Bat-fan
This is truly and exceptional collection for fans of the Dark Knight. The replica original comic is wonderful to read and is beautifully nostalgic. The hardbound Daniels'"Golden Age" is the perfect companion but the standout of the group is the 8" mego-like figure based on the original Bob Kane Batman of detective comics. This is absolutely the best Batman figure ever produced and is incredibly accurate in detail right down to the purple gloves. This certainly is a must have for any true disciple of the Dark Knight ... Read more

Book Description

As a unique, one-volume encyclopedia of more than 1,000 characters created by DC Comics, this is the book that all comic book fans have been waiting for! Featuring some of DC's most creative artists and heroes and villains from the world famous to lesser known one-offs, this thrilling, one-of-a-kind guide has comic book history exploding off every page. ... Read more

Book Description

The second volume in the most eagerly-anticipated publishing project in the history of the American comic strip: the complete reprinting of Charles M. Schulz's 50-year American classic, Peanuts.

Our second volume begins with Peanuts' third full year and a cast of eight: Charlie Brown, Shermy, Patty, Violet, Schroeder, Lucy, the recently born Linus, and Snoopy. By the end of 1954, this will have expanded to nine. Linus still doesn't speak (except, on a few occasions, to himself, à la Snoopy), but Schulz begins laying the foundation for his emergence as the most complex and arguably most endearing character in the strip: garrulous and inquisitive, yet gentle and tolerant. And he evens acquires his "security blanket" in this volume!

Meanwhile, Lucy, an infant just a year ago, has forcefully elbowed herself to the front of the cast, proudly wearing her banner as a troublemaker or, in Schulz's memorable phrase, "fuss-budget." The strong, specific relationships she sets up with each character further contributes to making her central to the strip. (She has earned her cover status on this volume.)

Charlie Brown is clearly in transition. Although his eventual, best-known persona (the lovable, perpetually humiliated round-headed loser) is in evidence in many strips, his brasher, more prankish side as seen in the previous volume (foreshadowing Bill Watterson's future Calvin) shows up, too.

This period's significant new character is Pig-Pen, who would remain one of the main cast members throughout the decade. And then there's Snoopy. To readers unfamiliar with the early days of the strip, Snoopy's appearances here will no doubt come as the biggest surprise. Although Snoopy has started talking/thinking to himself, he does no imitations (except for one brief shark impression), he doesn't sleep atop his doghouse (much less type or fly a Sopwith Camel), and has no fantasy life—in fact, he doesn't even walk upright! But as we know, he is merely biding his time, and his evolution continues its fascinating course within these pages.

This book collects 730 daily and Sunday comic strips, the vast majority of which are not currently available in any in-print Peanuts collection, and over 400 (well over half) of which have never been reprinted since their initial appearance in papers over 50 years ago. The Complete Peanuts is produced in full cooperation with United Media, Charles M. Schulz Creative Associates, and Mr. Schulz's widow, Jean Schulz. Each volume in the series presents two years of strips along with supplementary material in a three-tier page format that accommodates three dailies or one Sunday strip per page. Award-winning graphic novelist Seth is designing the series so that each individual book is sharply recognizable and yet clearly part of a consistent series. Using archival-quality syndicate proofs for virtually every strip in its history, the series boasts the best-looking, crispest reproduction for a classic comic strip ever achieved. The volume's introduction is by revered news journalist Walter Cronkite.

Peanuts is the most successful comic strip in the history of the medium as well as one of the most acclaimed strips ever published. Charles Schulz's characters have become American icons. A Charlie Brown Christmas is as much an annual holiday ritual for families as It's A Wonderful Life. A United Media poll in 2002 found Peanuts to be one of the most recognizable cartoon properties in the world, recognized by 94 percent of the total US consumer market and a close second only to Mickey Mouse (96 percent), and higher than other familiar cartoon properties like Spider-Man (75 percent) or the Simpsons (87 percent). In TV Guide's "Top 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All-Time" list, Charlie Brown and Snoopy ranked #8. ... Read more

Book Description

The Ultimate Authority Delivers The Right Grade Every Time

Grading comic books is the key to successful comic book collecting, and now the leading expert on comic books, Robert M. Overstreet, together with co-author Arnold T. Blumberg, has set the standard for grading the condition of comic books. With The Official Overstreet Comic Book Grading Guide, you will learn all the information you'll ever need to accurately grade your comic books.

Find The Right Grade

* A new 10-point grading system helps you determine the grade of all your comic books.
* Exhaustive descriptions of primary and split grades give you the right grade quickly.
* Over 200 full-color photographs of every major comic book defect to help you easily find which grade
reflects your own comic books.

Choose The Right Grade

* A new, suggested restoration scale helps you evaluate comic books that have been restored.
* An essay on "How to Grade" gives you tremendous insight about the grading process.

Use The Right Grade

* Overstreet's expert guidance in grading makes evaluating all your comic books easier than
ever before.
* Charts of allowable defects and terminology take some of the guessword out of grading.

PLUS

* A guide to grading Platinum Age comics.
* An essay on certified grading from Comics Guaranty, LLC (CGC)
* Articles on grading history and nomenclature, comic book restoration, and "odd format" grading.
* And much more! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

The Best BUT...
The problem I find with this book, as with all books on the subject of grading, is that it is getting too complex.
As a collector of coins and stamps, along with comics, I understand the importance of grading when it comes to the determining the value of your collection; however, when I look at a book, I now find myself trying to determine what this stress line or that OWL interior really does to the grade. How many points deducted? Added?
Of course, Overstreet is the definiitve book on the subject but there comes a time when a decision has to be made as far as trying to figure out what grade to give it, i.e., VF- or F+, for example, and sometimes there is not enough details on exactly what it is that makes that determination. This is particularly true when it comes to Golden Age or early Silver Age.
A Goldie is much harder to grade because, given its age, and scarcity, one must decide how much a particular defect will compromise a grade in relation to a modern book. A Goldie with spine stress lines should not be held to the same standards as a modern with the same defect. if you take away one point for that, you then should have the option of adding one point due to its rarity.
Overstreet, while mentioning this problem, does not give enough information on it to make it clear and decisive.
The bottom line is that the Overstreet Guide is the 'Bible' of comic collecting and is highly recommended as the definiitve guide to grading BUT......it is still the old axiom of 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder.'

So close to being great, but ends up merely average.
Sometimes I wonder how major glaring issues get published with something that purports to be a definitive guide. Of course i'm talking about the size of the photos, many labelled flaws are simply undectable and pressing ones face right up to the book to see flaws is well silly and unnecessary. Its sad to see a total compromise of someones product presumably to sell more copies to WaldenBooks or whomever, it shows a lack of integrity and a lack of dedication to ones customers.
Other than that major disappointment, I'd have to say the only other problem with the book are that the written articles are a bit muddled, the basics of grading seem a bit sparse while some aspects of minutae seem to be overemphasised.
All the information you need to make grading judgements in todays CGC environment is here though. Most probably wont be too happy to learn that most comics they bought as NM/VF in the 80's/early 90's are probably a 7.5 at best in today's market. But thats not Overstreets fault.
The part of the book where they take an Atom comic through the grades is very informative and probably the best visual representation of grading to date.
Theres promise here and the information is factual but presented in a flawed manner, if you need a handy reference guide for comic grading this is it. Surely they cant help but address the basic flaws with their product in later editions?

Invaluable tool for collectors and vendors!
This 2nd edition is an improvement over the 1992 edition and bolsters the viewpoint that Overstreet standards must be recognized as the primary source for grading decisions. While this guide does not provide specific CGC guidelines - which CGC refuses to publish - there is an overview of CGC by CGC Primary Grader Steve Borock and there are several examples of CGC-graded comics in various grades pictured. This, of course, merely provides examples of CGC grading and does not address the issue of CGC's well-documented inconsistencies. ***UPDATE: August, 2003 - CGC has announced that it will has adopted Overstreet grading standards as its own! This is a shrewd move by CGC and will help unify overall grading standards.***

In this guide, you will find advertising by some of the largest retailers in the nation, along with several interesting articles whose topics range from comic book history to restoration to shipping comics. Each grade has a fairly comprehensive one-page description of necessary qualities inherent to the grade, along with a full checklist of 21 grading considerations like spine roll, cover creases and staples. The pages following are filled with clear and illustrative examples of covers of books fitting the grade, with appropriate annotation of defects.

While there is still room for improvement in future editions, such as addressing the topic of grade "qualifiers" - a defect impacting the grade of a comic whose appearance would suggest a better grade if not for the defect - it is the premier guide to comic book grading and is a must-have for any serious collector or dealer.

Helpful info, difficult subject matter, don't expect miracle
Bottom line: Comic book grading is THE most difficult component of the comics collecting business side of the equation. Subjective interpretation lends disparity between any 2 people's grades, but the more experience that you have, the better equiped that you are to make qualified decisions about a book's grade. This book was much-updated from its previous version, so is an improvement. Bashing the book for not giving a "Cliff-notes" version of how to wave a magic wand, and "poof!" get a grade is a poor position to take. Yes, the book needs work in terms of pictures of defects and corresponding adjustments. One should also keep in mind that there is a functional aspect of grading that allows for a given defect to be (somewhat) offset by a strong characteristic in another are (e.g. stress marks bring book to FN, but stunning colors and/or supple white pages might boost it back to VF-, as a potential example). Given that there is NOT a lot of documented information on this subject, this book is helpful as a reference ONLY, and should be used in conjunction with other references (ComicBase, Wizard, Overstreet Guide), to make a good determination of a grade. Certainly times are better now than they were, say, 10 years ago, when only pros in the business for years could make an accurate estimate. Be thankful for that. CGC info, by design, is not going to be released - it's a Trade Secret for their business model, and if they gave it all away, they would not be in business. Does Proctor and Gamble give away its recipe for its products, or DuPont? - of course not. The discerning investigative researcher uses multiple sources. One such source (if you had bothered to read the Overstreet 33rd Edition) is that Metropolis Comics helped CGC develop the standards that they use. Also, many of the MAJOR comic dealers contribute heavily to the Advisory Board for CGC, so if you look at the sources, you could glean more information as well. Stop whining, and start learning ! This book is a valuable tool to be used with the other resources available to comics collectors, but it is not the de facto "guide" for grading. There will never be such a guide, so get over it.

Invaluable Comicbook Tool!!
If you sell on EBAY or just want to track the condition/current value of your personal collection, this is the quintisential book to have.Every major player in the world of comics bases their grading on this book.A wonderful guide with picture representation to ensure accurate grading of individual comics.From the beginners to the experts,a true comic collectors "Must Have!" ... Read more

Book Description

In terms of both words and images, the American comic book had a tremendous impact on popular culture. Comics could be funny and cute, or they could be bizarre, morbid, risque (acute accent), violent, and bursting with the subconscious desires of youth culture. The Classic Era of American Comics is a celebration of the golden era of American comics and the wonderful art and stories it produced. This volume takes a look at the pioneers of the comic book and the industry's founding connections with sleazy pulp magazines; the campaign for censorship in the fifties; the unstable and oftentimes unfair relationship between artists and publishers--how comic artists' work wasn't considered art at the time; and, of course, the exciting comics themselves.

The Classic Era of American Comics covers all of the genres--superheroes, westerns, crime, horror, war, science fiction, girl comics, animal characters, and more. It is vibrantly illustrated with more than 400 stunning color images and includes a foreword by Joe Kubert, editor of Sgt. Rock, illustrator of Hawkman, and producer of Fax from Sarajevo. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Classic Book about a Classic Era
Actually, I would like to give this 4.5 stars.

The Classic Era of American Comics begins where comic books almost ended. With Fredrick Wertham, "Seduction of the Innocent and the congressional hearings that followed the publication of that book.

When writer address the history of a specific character in Comics they briefly go over the history of comics. Mr. Wright and Mr. Kubert take their time and give a much fuller history of the events that created comic books. Also included are many colorful old pictures of comic strips, and later, comic books. Dividing the book into sections, they not only cover the very beginning of comics that we know, but comics that have been forgotten. Also included are sections of Animal comics, Jungle comics with "good girl Art" and many other forms that have come and gone. All with splendid pictures.

But the most important aspect of this book was context. Often glossed over, Mr. Wright emphasizes the role Fredrick Wertham had in ending an era of comics. In his book, "Seduction of the Innocent" published in 1955, Mr. Wertham contended that comic books were evil. He claimed Superman was a Nazi. He also claimed that Batman and Robin were gay and just reading about them caused children to become gay. Most important, he claimed that reading comics caused Juvenile Delinquency. A major target, of course, was the EC horror comics. In this very balanced book, Mr. Wright and Mr. Kubert show some of the artwork that should have been aimed for an adult audience. Soon, congressional hearings were held and congress forced the industry to censor itself. The censorship was so heavy it almost destroyed the industry. Rather than just going after ghouls and goblins, or giving a rating system that would put adult comics out of the reach of children, the new Comic Code went after ideas such as civil rights, anti war sentiments and the evils of drug use. It took 15 years before an anti drug theme could return to comics. It certainly ended an era.

I had two, small disappointments with the book. Often the author would refer to specific covers or events but not reprint them. Basil Wolverton's Mad covers and Mac Raboy's Captain Marvel Jr. covers are two examples. Also, much of the artwork did not give creative credit to the artists who drew them and sometimes the year was left out. These should be considered minor points.

If you do like this book my I suggest that you also read Jim Steranko's The History of Comics Volume I and II. ... Read more

Book Description

Baby Boomer Comics delves into the wide variety of comics from the 1960s, comics' "Silver Age." With humorous and informative essays, Craig Shutt covers key events affecting the four-color lives of Spider Man, The Hulk, The X-Men, Superman, Batman, and Green Lantern. He also revels in some of the sillier stories from the flower-power era.

Written in a delectably funny but affectionate style, this new comics reference entertains and informs while conveying the excitement enthusiasts experienced when they first read these comics. Hundreds of full-color illustrations feature both covers and individual panels showing some of the fun and exciting moments that readers remember best from this comic age. Includes current market prices for the issues described. Plus, readers can test their comics knowledge with the featured trivia quizzes.

* Humorous and informative essays cover key events affecting the lives of comics superheroes * Current market prices and hundreds of color illustrations for comics from the 1960s ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Best Book About the Silver Age -- Ever!
This book is about the most fun you can have with 1960s comic books without actually sitting down and reading them. Mr. Silver Age has a sly-but-respectful style of relating the silliness and fun of some of our favorite superheroes from that time. It's a style that works even if you aren't familiar with the origial stories themselves.

The book is lavishly produced with color reproductions of funnybook covers and appropriate comics panels on every page so you know exactly what the commentary is referring to. My only complaint with the book is that some of the reproductions are too tiny for this silver ager's eyes to see, but that just leaves more room for the copy!

Lots of trivia spread throughout, fun quizzes, and wry observations from Mr. Silver Age Craig Shutt make this the most funnest book about the beloved comics of my youth I've read.

Thanks to Krause and the Comics Buyers Guide for publishing this. When's Vol. 2 coming out?

--your pal, Hoy ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Beginnings of the world's greatest heroes
The Avengers were initially an obvious recipe for success - take a number of characters already supporting their own comics and bring them together as a group, an idea as old as the Justice Society of America. So, in the debut issue, we have Thor, Iron Man, the Hulk, Ant-man and the Wasp joining forces as an unexpected consequence of a plot by Loki against his half-brother, Thor.

However, the ideas changed quickly as the Hulk left and teamed-up with the Sub-mariner to fight his former allies and was replaced by Captain America, a World War 2 hero frozen between then and the 60s. And then again, to suddenly have all the original members depart, leaving Cap with Hawkeye, Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch, three super-villains seeking to reform, as his teammates.

The stories in this volume represent a fairly diverse bunch, showing both the best and worst aspects of Stan Lee's writing at the time. Interesting team dynamics, where the characters are not always each others' friends, villains with motives beyond the banal, references to events in other titles, secrets and subplots that aren't resolved in a single story all show the hallmarks of a writer seeking to develop a loyal following. At the same time, we have blatant sexism and racism, villains with banal motives and some very hokey dialogue.

The art is OK, the early Jack Kirby issues not his best work, and I've never been fond of Don Heck's art. It seems a little odd to be reading these stories in black and white, although this obviously keeps the price down.

If you want to see how one of the best super-hero team series started out, get this.

Earth's Mightiest Heroes---in the Mighty Marvel Manner!
As good as the early Fantastic Four issues were, the Avengers took the superteam concept to a whole new level. Here was a team formed for the noblest of goals, thrown together by the machinations of an evil immortal only to turn the tables and begin the legendary association which would have teenagers all over the world shouting "Avengers Assemble!" in their backyards.

"Essential Avengers vol. 1" captures the first 24 issues of the classic series, scripted by Stan Lee and illustrated by Jack Kirby and Don Heck. If the first appearances of Kang the Conqueror, Immortus, and the Masters of Evil aren't enough for you, pick this collection up for Avengers # 4, the return of Captain America. This alone is enough to mark a substantial return on your investment for this book.

Highly recommended to all comics fans and X-Men fanatics who need a primer in how team books used to be written.

Chaff
The hulk joins the circus to escape from the Avengers (this is issue 1), and Ant-man shows up and defeats him by having his ants quickly dig a tunnel that causes the ground under him to collapse. What?

Then captain america is discovered imprisoned in a block of ice, where he is worshipped by Eskimos. Eskimos don't worship frozen human beings. And why is he still frozen, even though they've hauled him out of the water onto solid land?

Then - get this - most of the Avengers decide to 'leave the team' and hire new heroes to replace them. Considering how loose-knit the group is (most of them don't live at the Mansion; and they already have their own adventures apart from the Avengers in their own books), what does it mean to 'resign from the Avengers'?

Then, they hire three super-villains who have reformed within the last two or three months to replace them. Why trust these jokers. This issue (16) is the worst in this book.

Forgettable junk
Ant-man defeats the Hulk by having ants tunnel under him, collapsing the ground on which he is standing. Silly.

"Immortus" has the power to bring historical figures into the present to fight the heroes. Why would these figures agree to fight, once they were brought here?

Then the original team disbands, and decides the replace themselves with another set of heroes? Why? They were obviously a pretty loose-knit team to begin with, since Thor, Iron Man, and Giant-Man frequently undertook adventures in their own books without summoning the others. It's not like they all lived at the Avengers mansion.

So to replace themselves, who do they pick? A bunch of super-villains who have just recently declared they are going to become good guys. Why believe them?

Companion piece for this great graphic novel
As great as this graphic novel was by itself, I know of one helluva great companion piece in the form of a book entitled "The Adventures of Darkeye: Cyber Hunter" whose odd manner of having log-entries over chapters seems almost like the script for a graphic novel, even though it is in the science fiction/high-tech and cyberpunk genre along with books like "Cryptonomicon", "Snow Crash", "Prey", and "Altered Carbon". Very fast-paced and visual as well as being very exciting due to its action-packed pages. ... Read more

Book Description

The mythological giants of popular culture include Captain America, Silver Surfer, Iron Man, Doctor Strange, The X-Men, Spider-Man, and the Incredible Hulk. For 60 years Marvel has not only brought these larger-than-life heroes to their fans but has also created and sustained a coherent universe where all their adventures take place. In a discussion of the evolution of these superheroes, Michael Mallory draws on informative interviews with cartoonists such as Stan Lee, Joe Simon, and Roy Thomas. Illustrated with incomparable reproductions of comic art and hundreds of photographs from film and TV, this revised edition features new, original cover art by Kaare Andrews and contains updated material on the new Spider-Man, the Incredible Hulk, and X-Men movies. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Marvel had Jack Kirby, DC never quite did.....
One reason why Marvel has so much better characters then Dc is that Marvel had the artistic genius of Jack Kirby working for them. Jack being the artist, and Stan being the writer/editor was a combination that has not been seen in comics before and most likely will not be seen again in the field. Together they created about 50% of the Marvel Universe as we know it now between 1961 and 1966. Kirby would later work at DC both on and off over the years, but the amount of work he did there was less then half of what he did for Marvel. If there is one reason why Marvel has enjoyed the success they have, is because Jack Kirby worked there as long as he did, and I think it's time they acknowledge that.

An Excellent Overview of the "Marvel Age" Of Comics
I put off buying Marvel: The Characters and Their Universe because of the price. I finally decided to give in to the temptation, and WOW, am I glad I did! I had an absolute BLAST reading this book.

The book is beautifully designed; It looks, smells, and feels GREAT. It's so attractive that at times I actually hated to open it for fear of getting it dirty. The cover art by Kaare Andrews is just gorgeous. Content-wise, Author Michael Mallory does a nice job of covering the history of the Marvel Bullpen and it's major players (Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko), and the Marvel Universe and it's major characters (Captain America, The Hulk, Spider-Man, and The X-Men each get extensive chapters of their own, The Fantastic Four, The Avengers, Daredevil, The Silver Surfer, et al, all share smaller chapters). The chapters are lavishly illustrated, and filled with beautiful art from the Comics, Movies, TV shows, and video games that the characters have appeared in. I'm a REAL Marvel Comic afficionado, and not only did I NOT find too many mistakes in the book (A few, but nothing major...), but I actually learned a lot; My favorite tidbit- Captain America co-creator Joe Simon hails from my adopted hometown of Rochester, New York.

Marvel: The Characters and Their Universe is a luxury item, to be sure, but one I'm glad I splurged on. I guarantee any Marvel Zombie will love it.

Great Read and Coffee Table Book
This book is great. It goes into, although briefly the rise of marvel comics. The meat and potatoes of this book though is the study of the marvel characters. Captain America, Spider-man, The Incredible Hulk, and the X-Men are looked into in depth. Other characters in the marvel universe are also explored but not in the length of the others mentioned. Whats great about this book is that it looks at the characters major story lines and their origins but also their representations in other mediums. WOndering about Captain America in the movies or on t.v.? Then this is the book for you. There is also another great book titled "marvel universe." That book looks at the characters in the comics only. So if you want just a study of the comics go with "Marvel Universe." If you want a book that looks at everything invovled with the character go with this one. Or buy both, they are fantastic books. So buy both! I did.

Action packed
This book is great. Full color, large pictures and information from the past to present on most Marvel Heroes. What is great is that you can be entertained and kept interested while reading about charactors you might not have had any interest in before.

Great Book on the universe created by Stan and Jack.
This book on the Marvel Universe gives a very in depth look about the creation of Marvel Comics in the 1960's and how Stan Lee and Jack Kirby created a universe full of human heroes that an everyday reader could relate with. Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, the X-Men, Captain America...the list goes on. Here they created a universe that was beliveable and had their characters live in a real city like New York (No fictional Gothom City or Metropolis here) avoiding the convoluted storylines that DC would often do (and still does to this day). On a more personal note it makes one really hope that the various Marvel films now in production will be a success. I'm hopeing for good films to be made on the Lee/Kirby charecters alone, Of the newer Marvel heroes, created by later generations of writers and artists, the only one I ever liked was Moon Knight, created by Doug Moench. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Comprehensive for main stream comics only
Buyers beware! The Overstreet Guide is an excellent pricing guide for mainstream comics, but does not cover underground comics. Classics such as Zap comics and others are not featured. ... Read more

Book Description

The man behind Spider-Man, The X-Men, The Incredible Hulk, and a legion of other superheroes tells his own amazing story in a book packed with punch, humor, anecdotes, and a gallery of never-before-seen photographs.

Stan Lee is the most legendary name in the history of comicbooks. The leading creative force behind the rise of Marvel Comics, he brought to life some of the world's best-known heroes and most infamous villains. His stories, featuring super- heroes who struggled against personal hang-ups and bad guys who possessed previously unseen psychological complexity, added wit and subtlety to a field previously locked into flat portrayals of good vs. evil. Lee put the human in the super-human. In the process, he created a new mythology for the twentieth century.

In this treasure trove of marvelous memories, Stan tells the story of his life with the same inimitable wit, energy, and offbeat spirit that he brought to the world of comicbooks. He moves from his impoverished childhood in Manhattan to his early days writing comicbooks, followed by military training films during World War II, through the rise of the Marvel empire in the 1960s to his recent adventures in Hollywood.

The story of a man who earned respect by blazing new creative trails in a storytelling form once dismissed as just for kids, Excelsior! is an inspirational story about following one's vision, no matter the odds. Yet it's also the story of how some of the most exciting and memorable characters in the pop-culture universe came to thrill a generation. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

As Good As We'll Get?
While this isn't an autobiography as such, Stan Lee does write the vast majority of the book and leaves his collaborator (George Mair) to fill in the gaps or provide continuity. There is some discussion of his personal life and his career, with a fair amount devoted to the creation of Marvel's glory days. For those who can remember, it is written in the 'Stan's Soapbox' style.

Most of the information found here won't be new to Stan's fans, as it is available in other interviews and articles. He admits to a terrible memory (all of his life, and he's now 80) so it is difficult to know whether the stories behind his famous creations are all that complete. Plus, there is not much more than can be found in his 'Origins of Marvel Comics' books. There are also significant gaps - why, for example, does he not mention Marvel's failed attempt to reintroduce super-heroes in the 1950s?

Yet, despite the quibbles, this is the best insight you'll get into the real Stan Lee. Forget any second-hand stories or biographies filled with speculation and guesswork - go straight to the source. He may not address things as precisely as you'd like, but there are interesting nuggets of information and a lot of gentle humour. Don't throw away your other references though, as he has addressed many topics in past interviews that simply don't get a mention here.

BETTER THAN NOTHING
At last, comic book fans get the opportunity to explore the life of comicdom's greatest creator and promotor, Stan Lee. Stan, along with his writing side kick George Mair gives us an "inside" glimpse of his life and the world of Marvel Comics. His wit, spicy sarcasm and brilliant style comes through the pages except for one thing; you get to know little about Lee and a lot about the comic book industry and even at that the book falls short on providing the reader with the intrigues of the comic mongols.

For those looking for a definitive biography or autobiography of one of comic's greatests masters, Excelsior comes as a big let down. Sure Stan gives us the tidbits of his life and hard times but there is very few lines of introspection about his work and the impact it had on his life. Side kick George isn't any better in providing the reader with a historical context and interpretation of the forces which shaped Stan.

Okay is the book all that bad? No. If you know nothing about Lee, Marvel Comics or the evolution of the comic industry, Excelsior is a fair book for initiation into the realms of comicdom. Younger readers would certainly appreciate its style that will immediately captivate their attention. Collectors of comics and its assortment of memorabilia certainly need this book as part of their collection.

For those who want a detailed and historical analysis of the life of Stan and the world he created, forget it. Excelsior won't feed your need. Yet in spite of that it is better than nothing so by all means give it a reading.

He Talks with pride about the Marvel Method.
There many references in the book to the Marvel Method, the job of doing the stories that Stan came up with, and helped launched Marvel to the number one spot in the comics industry. Basically Stan would come up with a story outline and then give it to the various artists he was working with (Jack Kirby, John Romita, John Busema, and Steve Didko), they would fully draw the story, give it back to Stan, and then he would write in the dialoge and speech captions. Stan very rarely wrote a full script. Sometimes he would do a story outline and either his brother Larry Liber or Roy Thomas would commit to a script and then it would be drawn. If you think of screenwriters and how they sometimes collaberate on screenplays. One would do the story outline and then someone else would commit it to a screenplay, well the Marvel Method was very similar to that, and it worked. It was a great exchange of ideas. That was the key to Marvel's early success, and it worked.

Great Book!
Excelsior! The Amazing Life of Stan Lee
Stan Lee and George Mair
C. Cho
P. 5

This book is an autobiography of Stan Lee. Many people don't actually know who this man is. Stan Lee is the man who created and wrote comic book characters such as Spider-man, Daredevil, The Hulk, The Fantastic Four, X-Men, and many other charcters. Stan was also the author of these comic book characters and the editor. Stan tells us about what kind of hardships he went through and even about his personal life.

I enjoyed reading this book because I always wondered how comic book creaters were able to create characters that were very descriptive. Stan even wrote a whole entire chapter on my favorite charcter, Spider-Man. In this chapter it tells about how Stan lee made Spider-Man. Stan says that he got the idea of Spider-Man by looking at a fly on the wall while he was typing. After he had seen the fly, he rushed to his artist, Steve Ditko and asked him to draw a man that had the characteristics of a spider and Spider-Man turned out to be a hit. Comic books back then cost around twelve cents, here is a quote that will amaze you. "Today, incidentally, copies of Amazing Fantasy #15 sell for up to $20,000 in the collectors' market, if anyone is lucky enough to find one."

Some parts that I did not like was that it told a lot about his personal life. When I first started reading this book, I thought his personal life was interesting, but after a while, it started to get repetitive. This book also informs me about what he published and how he did it. I think Stan should've not told us about his publishers so much. After reading about so many publishers, I had to skip some parts because I didn't want to read about it.

My favorite part of the book is when Stan talks about his creation of comic book characters and how he created them. It was interesting when he told me some of his stories such as being chased by a policeman that was on a horse. Stan tells stories very descriptive so I enjoyed reading this book very much. Stan writes his comic books so great that I have been influenced to read more about this great character. This book has taught me many great things about Stan Lee's life. I think this will be an enjoyable book for young adults and even adults!

Comic Book Man
I've always been a fan of comic books. These pulp collections of modern mythology helped me through a sometimes extraordinarily mundane childhood with my sanity intact. In fact, my closet has several large boxes filled with several thousand of them. Even at 32 year of age, I refuse to give them up.

Stan Lee is Marvel Comics. From the Second World War to today, he has given us a slate of unparalled heroes to adorn with wonder. He saw Marvel grow from a little pubisher called Timely in the 40s, survive attacks from parent groups in the 50s, the rebirth of the superhero in the 60s, and the emergence of a unique artform in 80s, 90s and today.

The book is so-so. Stan Lee has led an interesting life, to be certain, but there are no sex scandals, drug addiction, alcoholism, embezzlement or any of those other things that tend to make biographies best sellers today. In some ways, he is a goody-goody and he writes the book like one of his comic stories without the juicy material it needs to make it truly thrilling.

I don't want to turn anyone off, but if you are looking for things like Joan Collins rape at age 17 or Elizabeth Taylor's multiple stormy marriages,this isn't for you. Rather this provides a unique and invaluable historical record of the a part of history that is ignored by traditional outlets. Comic books are firmly entrenched in history, but are just starting to be realized as a legitimate art and literary form. Marvel has a colorful history, staring out as a private publishing company, being sold from company to company, going public after being taken over by buyout king Ron Perelmen in 1989. Financial mismanagement nearly destroyed the company in the mid-90s and it is just starting to recover. This is where the biography's true value lies.

Stan Lee always felt that Marvel had the potential to become the next Disney. With the success of Spider-Man in the movies, which has broken $800 million worldwide, as of this writing, that prediction may yet come true. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

If you like the Sandman covers, this book is a must have!
This book might be one of the better art books I've ever laid my hands on. It has it all! The first pages contains a, as usual, weird Sandman story, never released before. Dave and Neil also sets the standard for the rest of the books comments, ironic and sarcastic. Then from there on and out, the amazing covers, but that's not all, its also got comments on each cover by Dave and Neil, and the covers are printed without any logos or titles on them! Interior art is also included. The layout by Dave McKean is also beautiful, and at the end of the book, you can see some nice art from his studio in England. This book is a must for anyone who likes art in general, maybe especialy the mystic and dark genre. Dave McKean has reallly shown us that he is maybe one of this decades most talented and creative artists!

Beautiful
If you are reading this, I will assume that you are already a fan of either Dave McKean in particular or Sandman in general.

Included are all the covers from the Sandman series minus the logo, publisher and price indicia, UPC codes, etc., thus showcasing these wonderful works of art in the format they deserve. Also included are some extra pages of art used to fill out the Sandman trade paperback collections. Even if you own the whole series, it is a worthwhile buy. But what makes the collection particularly unique is the inclusion of a brand new true story by Neil Gaiman and McKean about how the ficitonal world of the Sandman intruded upon their lives during the planning stage of the series.

As other reviewers have noted, the artwork is worth viewing on its own merits and deals with universal themes from the unconscious, so even if you don't know what the heck Sandman is it is worth a look. This is surrealism at its height by a master of many artistic media including painting, collage and computer graphics.

Creepy, amazing, and with a behind the scenes peak.
When I had collected the original Sandman issues, I was always intrigued by the cover art as well as the story and illustrations inside. Sometimes, I would find myself staring at the covers for minutes before reading the actual story. This was the only time I had ever really done that. And now you can own this book full of those intricate, detailed, and amazing art pieces, along with commentary by McKean and Gaiman.

And there's a Sandman story that I have never read before! If you're a Sandman fan, buy this book.

Just Perfect
This is not a comic book. An album of sandman comics covers. Amazing photography even typography by Dave Mc Kean.

"...a dazzling collection of dark, creative & surreal art."
Dave McKean's artwork is simply brilliant in this amazing and complete anthology of all his Sandman covers. Dave uses a variety of media, including photography, pen & pencil, and computer graphics. He uses strange, unconventional color schemes and interesting juxtaposition to weave complicated collages and tapestries of some of the best contemporary gothic imagery I have ever laid eyes on...a dazzling collection of dark, creative & surreal art.

Sandman is one of the most unique and original comic series in history, and it has covers to match. Most other comic covers are nice, detailed and stylistic, but often plain, uninspired and all-together too similar. The Sandman covers are twisted, gritty and often haunting works which evoke intense feelings in the viewer's mind. Some make you want to look away, others draw you in. Regardless, all the artwork here will leave you eager to explore its nuances and most exquisite facets.

In addition to the astounding artwork, a few extra bits and pieces were included to make this more of a complementary package. A short, previously unreleased Sandman story, insightful commentary for every cover, plus some interesting anecdotes and quotes make this a true collector's item. All of the covers are in their original form, free of logos, titles, code-numbers or any other markings which might obscure the aesthetic wonder of these ingenious creations.

You're paying ... for 208 pages of extraordinary artwork, writing and design by Dave McKean and Neil Gaiman. This comes down to 8.3 cents a page--a true bargain. If you're not willing to pay 8.3 cents for a wonderful work of art, then you may want to re-evaluate your definition of thriftiness. ... Read more

Book Description

Revised, updated, and still growing--comics collectors will want this all-new 10th edition! This comprehensive price guide now covers 105,000 comics and lists over 315,000 prices in three grades of condition. The convenient comic-book size makes it easy for collectors to carry to shows, and the check boxes provide a great way for them to keep track of their valuable comic books. Includes completely updated prices and key content data on thousands of comics published since the previous edition. Plus, extensive, revised coverage on older titles, making this edition the collector's guide every comics fan needs.

* 105,000 listings and more than 315,000 prices listed in 3 grades of condition * More than 400 photos, including comic book covers * Completely updated prices and revised coverage ... Read more

Reviews (5)

The Comic Book Checklist and Price Guide for 2003
The 9th Edition of the "Comic Buyer's Guide Comic Book Checklist and Price Guide" for 2003 covers comic books from 1961 (i.e., the birth of Marvel) to the present. The basic purpose here is to includes individual listings for more than 100,000 comics broken down by Good, Fine and the proverbial Near-Mint. Most of the time you will find out both the month and year of publication for particular issues. With most of the superhero comics, especially those from DC and Marvel, there is information about specific guest appearances by other characters (so this will tell you about Spider-Man crossovers but nothing about Betty and Veronica). Abbreviations identify artists from Alfredo Alcala (AA) to Wally Wood (WW), as well as issue information on everything from O (Origin of) and W (Wedding) to 1 (first appearance of) and D (Death), as well as HOL (Hologram cover) and N (New costume). In other words, there is a lot of information available from Maggie Thompson et al. besides the basics.

Additionally the opening section of the volume answers a series of fundamental questions (e.g., What is the "Silver Age"?) and tells you want to pay attention to if you are new to collecting (cover variants, issue condition, etc.). There is also a Photo Grading Guide and Guide to Defects that will help you grade your comics, along with a system for maintaining an inventory of your collection. Each two page spread includes one small comic book cover in the upper right hand corner of the right page, which give you glimpses of both classic issues of Batman and forgotten titles like "Gold Key Spotlight" featuring Tom, Dick and Harriet. Consequently this is a solid volume that can be used to keep track of what you have and what you need to track down: already I have been using it to make a list of issues I need to pick up because stories begin in comic books I am collecting but then get continued in some title I pass on. At 800 pages this might be a bit much to tote around to Comic Book shows and conventions, but the alternative is copying all this information into some other format.

2003 Comic Book Price Guide
I want the prices to the comic books

It's all new
Disregard the review about the "2001" date on the pages -- I have their 2001 guide and all the information in this edition is new and different from that. I asked the publishers and they said their production department put the wrong headers on the top of the page. A mistake which has no effect on the book at all!

An essential, invaluable reference and price guide.
Now in a fully updated 8th edition covering 1961 to the present day, the 2002 Comic Book Checklist And Price Guide from Krause Publications is the premier annotated reference for just about every saleable and collectible comic book published in the last 40 years. 2002 Comic Book Checklist And Price Guide is an authoritative, succinct, thorough, indispensable, and very highly recommended price guide for comic collectors, hobbyists, dealers, and auctioneers seeking to determine a fair price for their product. In addition to the exhaustive price lists, and informative introduction explains the basics of comic book collecting, as well as the system by which comic books are graded in terms of their quality.

Is this really a 2002 Price Guide?
Although this book is very well set-up and useful, I question whether it actually has updated information in it. The intro section (pages 1-12) are labeled "2002 Comic Book Checklist & Price Guide", but the rest of the pages in the book (13-741) have "2001 Comic Book Checklist & Price Guide" on the top of the page. It appears to be last year's guide wrapped up in a new cover and intro section. ... Read more

Book Description

Will Eisner is a master of the comics medium, and when he got together to chat with other masters of the medium, what came of it was a collection of information vital to everyone working in the industry, and indispensable to anyone looking to get into it.Featuring interviews with Jack Kirby, Joe Simon, Gil Kane, Joe Kubert, Jack Davis, Neal Adams, C.C. Beck, Milton Caniff, Gill Fox, Harvey Kurtzman, and distribution guru Phil Seuling, Will Eisner`s Shop Talk is chock full of golden tidbits of comics knowledge.Previously serialized in the now long out-of-print Spirit Magazine and Will Eisner`s Quarterly, the interviews flow naturally into a compendium of technical secrets, light-hearted anecdotes, and informative history lessons. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Interesting Insights of Old Comics Creators! No Hype.
Since Will Eisner is a such a respected figure in the comics industry, it seems that all of the interviewed gentlemen took their interview seriously. These are interesting interviews about how each artist got started in the comics business, and how they went about their work, as well as the ups and downs of their career struggles. Most of these interviews discuss events that occurred decades earlier. These are not interviews full of fluff and hype, as would appear in contemporary trade magazines that are trying to promote some upcoming comic book product line.

Since Will Eisner is the interviewer, each interviewee seems to be taking him seriously, and respectfully as either a peer or an inspiration. Thus, these comics creators are willing to go a little deeper with their insights and experiences of their careers.

All of the interviews occurred in the early 1980's, so many of the interviewed people have since passed away. But since the subject of conversation is usually about events of the Golden and Silver Age of comics (1935-1975 ROUGHLY), these interviews read like new interviews anyway. Each interview reads like a transcript of two guys sitting around, casually talking about the good old days. So if your idea of the good old days is the Golden Age of comic books, then you will thoroughly enjoy this book.

I picked up this book to read about Gil Kane, Jack Kirby, and Joe Kubert; but I ended up being introduced to the careers of Milton Caniff, Neal Adams, Harvey Kurtzman, and others, folks who I had heard of but had never followed their works before.

So this book gave me many insights and new attitudes about the field of comics creation.

It's also nice that all of the interviews are sprinkled with many b/w photos, pictures and drawings of each interview subject, so reading this book really does become a nice introduction to artists whose work you may not be familiar with.

If you're a serious, adult comics fan, then you will probably enjoy this book! ... Read more

Book Description

Like the first two Photo-Journal volumes, these beautiful hardcovers reproduce hundreds comics of covers, with a focus on everything published by Marvel Comics! In addition to Marvel's earliest books, these volumes contain such "Marvel Age" milestones from the 1960s-'70s as the debuts of Spider-Man, the Incredible Hulk, the X-Men (including Wolverine), and other comics legends! Volume 3 contains titles starting with from A-J. HC, 10x14, 176-352pg, FC ... Read more

Reviews (8)

the action behind marvel
i got the book, opened it in my car and spent half an hour fliiping through it until i realized that i had to get to the office...finished it that evening!
i liked the whole concept and found out a lot (!) of interesting information about marvel, the people behind it, the philosophies, the characters.
the book is easy to read and easy to use.
i dropped off one star from the rating because, in the end, it is rather shallow and there were times when i wanted more information but there just wasn't any.
a good read.

THAT'S ALL ABOUT THE ART
The incredible reprinted art from a lot of old comics makes this book worthwhile. The text is very, very weak.

SERIOUS FLAWS
THis book is a very generic portrait of Marvel, with one serious flaw: the book is edited by Marvel itself. This means that the writer, altough a real expert in comic book history, could not deal with all the subjects in a neutral way all the time. So, what we have is, generally, praise after praise for this mighty (with justice) company, but no real insight into their history. Of course, there is not space for such, since the book is crowded with magnific art from various artists and various comics. I think it lacked appendices, which could have lists of Marvel's greates artists, MArvel's greatest selling books, Marvel's greates histories. The book is also clearly outdated, since it was first published in 1992. Since then, there was the "mutiny" from the artists (Silvestri, Jim Lee and McFarlane, amongst others) who left to form their own company; the writer, altough mentions it, doesn't explain why Stan Lee, whose role in the company since 1980 is to supervise adaptations to movies and animated features, permitted such lousy adaptations as THE PUNISHER, for example. It does not touch the fact of how the artists were totally underpaid until Jim Shooter was Editor-In-Chief, nor how Lee permitted one editor after another to resign due to the sheer impossibility of editing 54 books at the same time. All in all, this book is great for the art, but for text PEter Sanderson's work, MARVEK UNIVERSE, is better.

JACK! STAN! JOE! GENE! AND FANTASTIC FOUR #51, TOO!!!
MARVEL:FIVE FABULOUS DECADES is a long book with a lot of details that the average comic fan isn't interested in, but what I liked the most about it was the analysis of the work of Jack "The King" Kirby, Stan "The Man" Lee, Gene "The Dean" Colan, and INKER SUPREME Joe Sinnott!

But what made an overwhelming impression on me about this book--and forced me to give it 5 stars!!!--was the surprise appearance of FANTASTIC FOUR #51--"This Man, This Monster"-- right in the middle of the book, a comic book I had never seen before, and probably one of the top 4 FANTASTIC FOUR ISSUES EVER MADE!!!

BUY MARVEL:FIVE FABULOUS DECADES JUST TO GET A COPY OF FANTASTIC FOUR #51!!!

EXCELSIOR!!! Chari Krishnan RESEARCHKING

MARVEL;Five Fabulous Decades
I found this a must read.It explores the origins of Marvel Comics like no other book.Included is rare pictures of comics Marvel Comics no#1 to the later 1990'S material.It also shows you the P.T.Burnum Genious of Stan Lee and common sense of what is wanted by the public by founder Martin Goodman.It also shows how the likes of Roy Thomas kept Marvel afloat in latter Silver Age and how hard a job Mark Gruenward tried to survive in the post Yuppie Darth Shooter Marvel-when comic showmanship of Stan the Man had left-taking Marvels Soul with them,without saying much,but implying alot.Rare Namor,FF and Wolverine material is also added in back,along a how too comic lesson.Fun rEADING FOR ALL COMIC FANS.joseph gilbert thompson.maveric comics inc,studios,6142 torresdale avenue,phila,pa,19135. ... Read more

Book Description

Before Snoopy, before Brenda Starr, there was the Yellow Kid, created by Richard Outcault for the NEW YORK WORLD in 1895.With the YELLOW KID (a.k.a. Mickey Dugan), a new narrative medium was created, with multiple panels and speech balloons as defining elements. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The book comics fans have waited a century to read
Hard-core comics nerds might be familiar with the writing of Robert C. Harvey through his eloquent and interesting columns in The Comics Journal magazine. That style carries over well to this book. His commentary is refreshingly brief, preferring instead to let the work of a century's worth of creative genius speak for itself.

Rather than give us a straightforward, linear (hence boring) history of comics, Harvey treats them as the masterpieces of art they are--just a