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Four-color comics have come of age, and Superman--every boy's hero circa 1938--is now a middle-aged, American cultural icon. To celebrate Superman's halcyon days, the Superman Masterpiece Edition, with its balance of whimsy and class, is the perfect toy for grownup boys. The box is super-size (one and a half feet square) and seals shut with a velcro flap. Outside it's decorated with classic Superman pop art, and inside are three separate tributes to the The Man of Steel. First is a full-color reproduction of the Superman #1, complete with ads for crystal radios, 9-in-1 opera glasses, and the magic nose flute. Next comes Les Daniels's lavishly illustrated volume, Superman: The Golden Age, tracing our hero through the years 1938-1955. The book features rare and never-before-seen images of pre-Superman artwork and story drafts by Siegel and Shuster. It also includes stills from cartoons and early movies. But the real treasure here is the polyresin figure--exclusive to this set. The statue is, frankly, one of the best pieces of Superman art you'll ever find: a tribute to Shuster's original Superman artwork rendered by comics master Alex Ross (of Kingdom Come fame) and painted by Chris Ware (creator of the cult classic Acme Novelty Library). The statue is a tasteful piece of Americana that will likely find a home atop your local version of the Daily Planet (e.g., a CD tower or bookcase). --Patrick O'Kelley ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A bit better than the Batman release
Very similar to the Batman Masterpiece Edition, this is a beautiful, but oversized and pricey, package. It consists of a large reinforced cardboard box containing a softcover reprint of Superman #1 and an abbreviated hardcover version of Les Daniels' Superman: The Complete History. Where the Batman Masterpiece contains a 9" Mego-style Batman figure, the Superman Masterpiece contains a superb 7" sculpture of Superman, designed by Alex Ross, reflecting his first appearance in Action Comics. Actually, the statue could be a maquette for the Fleischer Superman cartoons. It's really impressive! The box lid opens like a book, and the arrangement of the items within is very nice, giving them maximum visibility. This display, however, causes the box to be about twice the size of what it needs to be. Because of its large size and abundance of empty space, I guess Chronicle thought they could get away with it being priced so high. The Superman statue is so well-done, however, that I'll give it an extra star over the Batman Masterpiece. I even bought a second one so that I could display the statue.

Good packaging, but box needs more truth up front.
I like the way it is packaged but it would be better if they mentioned that the book by Les Daniels is a condensed version of his Superman: The Complete History. From whay I can see in side by side comparisons, the Golden Age history is word for word from the first book (they did include a complete comic story that wasn't in the first one, however). Also, they state that the Superman #1 reprint is accurate size. I have my doubts. I own Superman #24 from a few years later, obviously, and it is about 1/2 inch larger in dimensions on the top and side. The statue is nice, though. I feel the package is worth it at Amazon's discount price but not full retail.

Superbox
This beautifully assembled Masterpiece Edition includes three classic pieces: 1)A handsome, well documented book written by comicbook historian Les Daniels. 2)A faithfully reproduced full-color edition of the FIRST EVER Superman comic which first appeared in 1939. (And last but certainly NOT least...)3)A finely crafted, richly colored 8 inch tall statue of Superman as he was originally drawn in the 1939 comicbook.

All three come encased in a sturdy fold away box perfect for both storage and display.

A MUST for any serious collector of "The Last Son of Krypton" or of classic comics.

Must Read for Superman fans!
If you already have "Superman:The Complete History", by Les Daniels, then you've already read "Superman:The Golden Age" since it's written by the same author & covers the same ground(CH covers 1933-today, while GA covers 1933-55)but, the statue by Ross, DeVito, & Ware makes this worth the purchase, whether you have the book or not. ... Read more

Book Description

They fought the Mouse and the Mouse (eventually) won—but it was a battle that left everyone bloodied...During a time of unprecedented political, social, and cultural upheaval in U.S. history, one of the fiercest battles was ignited by a comic book. In 1963, the San Francisco Chronicle made 21-year-old Dan O'Neill the youngest syndicated cartoonist in American newspaper history. As O'Neill delved deeper into the emerging counterculture, his strip, Odd Bodkins, became stranger and stranger and more and more provocative, until the papers in the syndicate dropped it and the Chronicle let him go. The lesson that O'Neill drew from this was that what America most needed was the destruction of Walt Disney.O'Neill assembled a band of rogue cartoonists called the Air Pirates (after a group of villains who had bedeviled Mickey Mouse in comic books and cartoons). They lived communally in a San Francisco warehouse owned by Francis Ford Coppola and put out a comic book, Air Pirates Funnies, that featured Disney characters participating in very un-Disneylike behavior, provoking a mammoth lawsuit for copyright and trademark infringements and hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages. Disney was represented by one of San Francisco's top corporate law firms and the Pirates by the cream of the counterculture bar. The lawsuit raged for 10 years, from the trial court to theUS Supreme Court and back again.

The novelist and essayist Bob Levin recounts this rollicking saga with humor, wit, intelligence, and skill, bringing alive the times, the issues, the absurdities, the personalities, the changes wrought within them and us all. Includes never-before seen art from the Air Pirates archives! Two excerpted chapters of this book in The Comics Journal in 2001 proved to be one of the magazine's most popular features in recent memory. Black-and-white illustrations throughout. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

An Important Episode in American Popular Cultural History
According to Bob Levin, copyright law has become a way by which big corporations screw the public trust. Back in 1971, a group of artists calling themselves the Air Pirates put out an unauthorized Mickey Mouse comic book that was heavily pornographic in nature. The ensuing battle lasted for about a decade until Disney finally won.

This book rates 3 stars out of 5 due to the fact that it is mostly bogged down in all sorts of highly legalistic language and is hard to read by someone who, like this writer, does not have a law school education.

For all who are fed up with corporate media
An hilarious blow-by-blow account of Disney's war on independent culture. A look back at the late 60s and early 70s that's all too disturbingly relevant today.

For anyone concerned with such issues as artistic freedom
Ably researched and written by Bob Levin (an experienced essayist for "The Comics Journal"), The Pirates And The Mouse: Disney's War Against The Counterculture is the intrinsically fascinating and little-known story of a group of rogue cartoonists led by Dan O'Neill (the youngest syndicated cartoonist in American newspaper history), who waged a countercultural war of pictures against the Disney Corporation by portraying Disney characters engaging in un-Disney like behavior. In response, Disney executives brought forth a massive lawsuit against these unapproved cartoonists for copyright infringement. The Pirates And The Mouse traces a complex and tangled personal, legal, and cultural saga ranging from O'Neill's bitterness against the censorship that cost him a job, to contemporary corporate politics, issues of intellectual property rights and social commentary, and more. The Pirates And The Mouse is a "must-read" for anyone concerned with such issues as artistic freedom, copyright law, as well as readers seeking to learn more about the oft-unspoken and somewhat darker side of the corporate Disney.

For comix fans and IP lawyers
First, the bad stuff: too partisan in places, including the all-too-common Sixties survivors' "weren't we just so wonderful?" meanderings, some barely-relvant personal stuff about the author's own life, some over-lawyerly writing in a few places, and an occasional assumption that you know about certain artists or individuals already. That aside, this is a very good book.
Disney took on the collective work of Dan O'Neill and the Air Pirates after they issued parodies of Mickey Mouse and other Disney characters. Or, as intellectual property (IP) lawyers say, "properties." Levin's work emphasizes the case, how it came about, how it moved through the courts, and what the disposition was. As a result, the reader gets a good idea of how IP cases work, and what was at stake. He discusses the notion of parody, infringement, and so on, pointing the oddities and contradictions in the statutory and case law. (But, hey, a case citation once in a while, counselor?) The publishers reproduce some of the offending material, letting the reader see what Disney saw. Levin also does not glorify O'Neill or the other Air Pirates, though he clearly supports their side, and says that getting the real story from O'Neill and his crew was not always easy. Finally, if this book causes a few more folks to seek out O'Neill's "Odds Bodkins", it will have done a great service. Like UG comics? Don't miss this. IP lawyer? A must read. ... Read more

Book Description

Comix & Graphic Novels is the first fully documented study to explore the graphic qualities of the comic book, and the development of the genre into a sophisticated and culturally revealing popular art form. The book traces the history of the comic from early cartoon-like woodcuts through to the graphic strips of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Organized thematically it explores the various genres of the comic book, including humour, adventure, girls' comics, underground and alternative. The careers of the creators of the best-known characters – from Superman and Tintin to Tank Girl – are revealed, as are the stories behind the much-loved comics such as The Beano and The Incredible Hulk. The most recent artists are also illustrated and discussed, including Harvey Kurtzman (Mad), Chris Donald (Viz), Art Spiegelman (Maus) and Katsuhiro Otomo (Akira). ... Read more

Reviews (3)

5/5
An art form that is often dismissed as mere entertainment gets its due in this huge, entertaining and enlightening book. Comics, Comix & Graphic Novels is undoubtedly the most comprehensive study of the graphic qualities and cultural impact of comic art, tracing the history of the genre from early woodcuts to modern times. In addition to documenting the origins of established comics such as Tintin and Batman, the contributions and influence of recent artists, including Katsuhiro Otomo of Akira fame and Art Spiegelman (Maus) are also discussed in depth. In addition to the treasure trove of illustrations in the book, Sabin's text deftly balances the history of comic art as entertainment with the placement of these comics in a cultural context. However, despite his scholarly tone the book never comes across as high-handed or pretentious. Beautifully produced and consummately authoritative, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in popular culture.

Essential reading
This is a wonderful book. It's beautifully written, with quality reproductions. If you are looking for one book to sum up this genre, then this must surely be it. Little known (and completely useless) fact . . . This book 'stars' in the film Notting Hill! It is clearly visible in a scene with Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant towards the end of the film. The book shop where the two leading characters meet is meant to be a travel book shop, so goodness knows how this particular title made it on to the shelves!

Awesome
Truly one of the greatest "reference" books on the subject of the history of comix. I checked it out from a library to use as a reference for a term paper, and liked it so much that I bought it. The text is rich, and the pictures and illustrations are amazing. A magnificent and beautifully-put-together book. ... Read more

Book Description

This colorful sequel to the 1998 "Pop Culture Book of the Year," Comic Book Culture, is a visual journey through the most incredible graphic covers of the golden age of comic books. Lavishly illustrated, this volume features the most popular and collectible comic-book covers ever published, including famous figures like Superman, Batman, and Captain America. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The Golden Age in 100Magenta+100 Yellow
As the author says in his the Introduction 'Comic Book Culture' is basically a picture book and as such I'm pleased to have a copy. Goulart's history of comics Golden Age, roughly mid Thirties to the late Forties, is adequate though you can read more in his previous book 'Over 50 Years of American Comic Books' but it is the four hundred covers reproduced that I think will interest readers more. Page after page of superheroes battling crime and or evil in dazzling 100 Magenta plus 100 Yellow, that's the printers term for the vibrant red that the comics biz could not do without. All these covers had to compete on the newsstand and the more 100Y+100M the better it seems, page 130 has the cover of The Human Torch (1943) leaping off the page, it couldn't get any brighter.

I have always been rather critical of Collector Press books, they always seem a bit over designed but this one is great, each of the sixteen chapters starts on a spread one page of which is a huge color blow-up of part of a picture, many of the spreads just have covers and captions on them and the designers have resisted the temptation to angle or overlap the covers. The typography, layouts and printing are excellent. There are two chapters devoted to some of the great comic artists of the period, Everett, Fine, Patenaude, Kirby, Schomburg, Ricca and Cole. The last chapter has a (very) brief look at what is called "Good girl art", presenting heroines in as provocative a way as possible and you can't get more provocative than Matt Baker's April 1948 cover of Phantom Lady, sales must have soared!

If you want to see more covers have a look at the two volume 'The Photo-Journal Guide to Comic Books' by Ernst and Mary Gerber, more than 21,000 beautifully printed on gloss paper (another two volumes covers 7,000 Marvel comics).

A superb historical survey of comic book heroes & writers.
Comic book collectors, researchers, and fans will appreciate this reflection on the rogues, heroes and creators of comics in Comic Book Culture, a visual celebration of the Golden Age of comic books from the 1930s to the 1940s. Goulart explains and traces the changes of the comic art form, using his extensive collection as a foundation for examples which are colorful and which celebrate the history of comics. The full-page comic book reproductions are striking and the history and commentary involving.

Nice illustrated history
A beautifully presented coffee table book showcasing the earliest days of a true american art form - the comic book! The grouping of comic covers by theme and by artist work well and highlight some truly great pieces! Popular culture at it's finest! ... Read more

Book Description

In the 10 years since the release of Magic: The Gathering, collectible card games have boomed. More than 120 new games are attracting collectors and players of all ages. Now in its second edition, this guide is a one of a kind source for checklists of every collectible card game printed in English, with more than 450 releases. Card lists are separated into nines to help collectors using card storage pages. Plus, this edition contains an expanded price guide to the growing world of collectible miniatures games, with sections on Mage Knight, Mechwarrior, and HeroClix. ... Read more

Book Description

This all-in-one fold and mail stationery set features your favorite Mutts and is sure to warm the cockles of even the most die-hard feline fan's heart. ... Read more

Book Description

'How to Read Superhero Comics and Why' brings literary critic Harold Bloom’s thesis that the meaning of a poem is to be found in its relationship with an earlier poem to the study of the modern superhero comic book.

Superhero comic books are traditionally thought to have at least two distinct periods, two major waves of creativity: the golden age and the silver age. Reductively stated, the golden age was the birth of the superhero proper out of the pulp novel characters of the early 1930s, and was primarily associated with DC Comics. Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, and Wonder Woman are the most famous creations of this period. In the early 1960s, Marvel Comics launched a completely new line of heroes, the primary figures of the silver age: the Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, the Incredible Hulk, the X-Men, the Avengers, Iron Man, and Daredevil.

An analysis of superhero comic books beginning with Frank Miller’s 'Batman: The Dark Knight Returns' and Alan Moore’s 'Watchmen' drawing on the literary and psychoanalytic theory of Harold Bloom and Slavoj Žižek, 'How to Read Superhero Comics and Why' argues for the recognition of a new age of superhero comic books. Klock builds through a discussion of 'Marvels', 'Astro City', 'Kingdom Come', Alan Moore’s America’s Best Comics and Grant Morrison’s 'Justice League of America' to argue that 'Planetary', 'The Authority' and 'Wildcats' usher in the future of the superhero narrative: a future that will be what Spiderman and the Fantastic Four were in the early 1960s, and what Superman and Batman were in the late 1930s. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Superheroes fighting their own past
This is a terrific book, but the title is somewhat misleading. It's not a general overview of superhero comics or how to read them. Instead, it's a specific (and fascinating) look at how recent comics writers have dealt with the issue of continuity in the face of decades of tangled comics history. Klock analyzes this using Harold Bloom's tools for discussing how poets interact with the history of poetry -- and the result is pretty mindblowing. He offers insights that I guarantee will have you going back to your comics and finding stuff you never knew was there. My favorite moments were his analyses of Joker's dialogue in "The Killing Joke," and of fascist politics in "Tom Strong." Other comics analyzed include "Batman: The Dark Knight Returns," "Watchmen," "Marvels," "Astro City," Alan Moore's whole ABC line, Grant Morrison's "JLA," "The Authority" and "Planetary." There are no illustrations, and Klock uses some dense academic language, but he defines his more obscure terms and the book is clear and well-written. A serious look at a strange phenomenon: how superhero narratives became self-conscious of their past and started to behave a lot like literature.

Superhero's and Bloom
This book puts together superhero comics and Harold Bloom's theory of poetry. Its called Anxiety of Influence - poetry is in a love/hate relationship with earlier poetry that it is influenced by and also has to outdo. Most of academic criticism nowadays is deconstruction and postmodernism and its cool that this does something else - Klock comes up with a strange idea to put these subjects together. Harold Bloom HATES all forms of pop culture and all his writing is on poetry and Shakespeare, and its bizarre to see how well comics and Bloom go together. (Maybe he should get another job!). You cannot believe all the stuff in your superhero comics that you never knew about. Its really really bizarre but after you read the book its hard to say it doesn't work. Klock makes his points well and its very very smart intellectual writing that uses some big words, but isn't insane academic writing that makes no sense. Some writers don't make any sense to cover up the fact that they have no idea what they are saying. Klock isn't one of them.

Good, but too one-sided
This book is an interesting study of superhero comic books, particularly the examination of the Dark Knight Returns, but it is one-sided, as Klock solidifies his argument (applying Bloom's anxiety of influence to superheroes) through a consideration of Crisis on Infinite Earths, an event that took place in the DC Universe.

This causes a problem because Klock overlooks Marvel almost entirely, which is truly ironic in terms of his intentions: he states over and over his dissatisfaction with the "archetype" idea about superheroes, and yet, DC's characters lend themselves to the "arcehtype" idea incredibly well, whereas Marvel has its own conditions under which to consider Klock's theories.

I for one, feel his dismissal of the archetype argument to be ill-founded and not entirely well-thought out, not to mention poorly supported in the text itself. Perhaps his youth contributes, but I think that Klock makes a fundamental mistake in his analysis of superheroes: he is in love with Bloom's theories, to the exclusion of many others. He complains about Joseph Campbell and Jung, but like Campbell himself, gets so caught up in the poetry of his own ideas that he becomes his own demiurge, trapping himself when he could consider the stories from multiple angles, thereby creating a truly revolutionary piece of criticism.

Definitely enjoyable, not exactly the most challenging read, or the most insightful, but worth a read-through. Interestingly, Grant Morrison's seminal Flex Mentallo, relegated to the "further reading" section already surpasses any theories Klock may posit, and the work does so by isolating itself from any one school of thought. Also dissapointing is his rash and entirely too flat reading of Alan Moore's Promethea, perhaps that writers best and most experimental work.

Finally, however, is Klock's demonstration of his ignorance of the language of comic books. He considers the writer, or at least the words to be running the show. He hardly examines the nature of the language, the interplay between word and picture. While a good read, this book also makes one aware of the immense lack of comics criticism. In the back of my mind however, it seems that the comic form is more suited to comment on itself than is the medium of prose.

Fresh insight, but poor taste: way too much Moore
4 stars, not 3 stars -- because Klock's use of Bloom's anxiety of influence is a great, novel way of reading comic books. I enjoyed reading (in about 2 days) although there were places where I don't think Klock really made his point well (and I consider myself somewhat informed by Bloom's criticism).

My recommendation is: if you are interested in an intellectual view of comics (90s, and 00s comics) then this book is for you. Moreover, if you like Alan Moore's comics and you want to read an interesting take on them, this is definitely the book for you.

The problem is: I don't like Moore as much as Klock does. I admit that his perspective on Killing Joke, ABC Comics, Miracleman, etc., -- this stuff is good -- but I don't think Moore is nearly as influential as Klock thinks. Yes, Watchmen is an important comic. Yes, it did change the industry back in the 90s. But to take Bloom's theory and say that Moore is the Shakespeare of the comics field, well, that's saying a bit too much. Moore's not all that.

One amazon reviewer above hit the nail on the head: Klock totally avoids dealing with Marvel comics (except to remind everyone how the Fantastic Four are getting grilled by Ellis in _Planetary_). For someone like me who favors Marvel comics over DC (while admitting that DC has been the arena of many original comics in the past decades), this book gets a bit tedious.

Other problems with the book (which the author acknowledges) is his way of focalizing the _writer_ over the artist. I feel that this project was only half-realized. It seems to me that if you going to talk about the future of comics, you have to take into account the blossoming of writer/artists -- and maybe that's why he avoids Marvel and deals more with the DC writer + artist teams. Only at various times does he talk about the layout of the comic page, but overall, the stylistics of the comic book get overlooked by the author which is a shame. It is difficult to talk about sequential art (Scott McCloud gets a lot of credit for boiling it down like he has) -- but this should be the main aim of anyone discussing comics. Yes, Alan Moore is incredible, but so are his artists Bissette, Sprouse, Gibbons, etc.

Bringing up Jack Kirby only to say that he was co-opted by Wildstorm as a character in one of their books isn't going to cut it. If you want to trace influence in comics, it comes from there (or maybe Siegel and Shuster, or Kane, etc.). Klock stresses the importance of the "writer" over characters, but he treats the Fantastic Four as characters with whom the third age (Moore, etc.) struggle to overcome -- why isn't it Lee and Kirby that they're struggliing to overcome? Inconsistencies like this don't help the book -- I also wish the author was more consistent applying Bloom's theory and terminology throughout the chapters (some may appreciate this) -- and at other times he's far too abstruse (where was his editor?).

Overall, this is a good book. Not great. Certainly controversial. I mean, come on: WildC.A.T.S/Aliens crossover is a starting point for the new age of comics? Gimme a break!

Misprision
No doubt about it; the superhero comic book genre is in a period of fundamental transition. The safe, juvenile realm of the 1940's Superman, the 1960's Spider-Man, or even the angtsy teen drama of Chris Claremont's mid-1980's X-Men have given way to something deeper and far more relevant. No longer is the genre simply about escapism into fanciful tales of Spandex-clad mortals with extraordinary powers who choose to fight for all that is good and just; this new generation of stories lay bare the most primal of Jungian archetypes and allow their readers to examine themselves and their place in the real world.

That was a pretty dramatic-sounding paragraph; allow me to clarify. Geoff Klock is in many ways picking up where Richard Reynolds left off in 1992's Super Heroes: A Modern Mythology, digging to the very roots of the genre (which, he contends, go back considerably further into the past than 1936's Action Comics #1). Klock expands his overview of the superhero genre to the point where he only makes a few passing references to the big-name comic book houses like Marvel, DC, and Dark Horse, and instead devotes most of his time to smaller-name publishers and less well-known independent titles. About the only exceptions to this are his dissections of Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns and the standalone superhero series The Watchmen (already covered at length in this reviewer's annotation of the aforementioned Richard Reynolds book). Like Reynolds, Klock cites these titles as pivotal transformations in the history of the genre, but he focuses more on their psychological impact than the stories or characters themselves. He also devotes entire chapters to exploring Kurt Busiek's Astro City, Alex Ross's Marvels, and especially Mark Waid's post-apocalyptic alternate future series Kingdom Come, none of which were previously familiar to this reviewer, and which have proven to be very difficult titles to locate.

It is Klock's contention that superheroes and the study of psychology frequently come into contact with one another; I am put in mind of the palpable sense of outrage among some superhero fan circles in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. Some people honestly asked themselves: Where were Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four to protect their beloved New York City in its time of crisis? Why didn't Superman save those people who jumped off the World Trade Center, and why didn't Green Lantern put out the flames with his power ring? More than a few behavioral psychologists now find themselves in the difficult position of having to sort this out for their distraught patients. No question about it: superheroes are very real to many -sometimes so real that a few devoted readers have difficulty sorting out fact from fantasy.

The superhero-psychology overlap recurs partly because so many of the superhero characters represent more than mere wish-fulfillment in their readers; they represent a personification of one or another heroic archetype that is not fundamentally different from the roles once filled by the "superhero teams" of the Greek, Egyptian, or Nordic gods and their respective supporting casts of mortals and semi-mortals.

Unfortunately some of these elements tend to get lost in Klock's account; by skipping over so many of the fundamentals (and curiously ignoring outright the role of any of the characters from the Marvel Comics' "universe"), he periodically seems to lose sight of the overlying message. Ironically he never does seem to get to the "Why" portion of the book's title. The book is actually a bit of a paradox: while the psychology text gets bogged down in several places and, unlike Reynolds, Klock totally avoids the suggestion that modern-day comic book authors borrow liberally from ancient fables, myths, and legends for their story ideas. Yet at the same time he insists throughout that a new form of literature is evolving, one that is allowing us to explore ourselves and our collective consciousness through its reinforcement of larger-than-life heroic archetypes.

A surprisingly difficult read, all told: too much reliance on psychology and not enough attention paid to plain old-fashioned good storytelling. The author's emphasis on titles which (for the most part) are largely unknown, seems to also suggest that the more widely-consumed titles like Superman and Spider-Man don't help to fulfill the author's intended psychological conclusions (hence my use of the word "misprision" for this review's title, a word which ironically surfaces many times throughout Klock's narrative). ... Read more

Reviews (1)

TMNT Treasury
Allthough it didn't seem to mention that the book was in black & white, it still is pretty interesting to see all the products the TMNT appeared on. It also has the covers for their comics, and speaking of wich, I didn't see the Ninja Turtle enima bags mentioned in Mirage issue #41 in this book. LOL ... Read more

Book Description

In 1935, popular culture was transformed forever when DC published its first book of all-new, all-original comic material.To the delight of millions of kids everywhere, the modern comic book was born.

With the introduction of Superman in 1938. DC Comics made history again, this time with the publication of the first super hero comic book.To this day, the Man of Steel remains the most recognized and celebrated hero in the world.Inspired by its innovative early success, DC went on to create legions of other superheores--Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Green Lantern, and dozens more of the most popular comic book characters ever created.

In the sixty years since the first super heroes were created, the artists, writers, and editors of DC Comics have been developing, refining and extending the reach of their comic book characters.The DC fictional world has branched into a worldwide profusion of entertainment formats: books, toys, movies, radio, television, video games, and an online computer network.

Here, for the very first time, is the complete story of America's favorite heroes and their talented, dedicated creators.In over 100 short and spirited essays, author Les Daniels offers remarkable new anecdotes about the company's history, traces the complex genealogies of the characters, describes behind-the-scenes politics that influence the stories, and interviews dozens of artists and writers--the real stars of his engrossing tales.The reader can open the book anywhere and become immersed immediately in the fantasy world of high adventure and magical mayhem. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

coffee table book, more like Superman, Batman, and friends
Unlike Peter Sanderson's Marvel Universe, which is also an oversized coffee table book, Les Daniels doesn't try to create an overview of the DC Universe or dwell on the growth of the major characters. Well, he does, but only for Superman and Batman for the most part. Not that other DC Comics don't rate a mention; even Bob Hope and Jerry Lewis get a bit. The problem with the book, which isn't bad by any means, is that it is broken into two-page sections, with no topic allowed to go beyond that. Therefore, there are copious two-page spreads about Superman and Batman, and other characters are likely to get one. One of those two gets a spread every five or so.

I grew up a Marvel zombie, but because of Daniels's choices, I learned more about the Marvel Universe from Sanderson than I learned from Daniels about the DC Universe, and I expected it to be the other way around. This is not to say Daniels doesn't have valuable information. His material about the founding of DC and much of the Golden Age material is going to be largely new for younger DC readers, who grew up with Action #1 as the most valuable comicbook of all time. I doubt too many people knew about the Golden Age Red Tornado, a hefty homemaker turned superhero who was something like a female predecessor to Marvel's Forbush Man, or certainly dressed that way, and played for comedy. Oddly, aside from showing a two-page spread depicting the Super Powers action figures of the eighties, the better known Silver Age Red Tornado is never mentioned. While Red Tornado is a second-stringer, he's hardly a minor figure in the DC Universe. There is comparatively little on Vertigo, despite its significance, and it perhaps goes into excess on film versions of the DC characters (the only place Congo Bill is mentioned, despite his recent Vertigo treatment). Other characters rating only a few paragraphs or even a mere sentence include Green Arrow, Mister Miracle, Shade the Changing Man, Animal Man, The Spectre, Deadman, The Demon, The Phantom Stranger, The Creeper, Firestorm, even Aquman! Very little about Brainiac; nothing on The Scarecrow or Mr. Freeze, either. Too little on The Flash and Hawkman. Oddly, even though it notes the Super Powers action figures were designed by Jack Kirby, it doesn't mention whther the Super Powers comicbook series he was deeply involved in in the 1980s was really a toy tie-in or really had to do with the Fourth World (though the two page spread on it said it was never completed, it still made no mention of Super Powers other than the action figures).

Perhaps because DC had to restructure its continuity so many times and say certain stories never happened, or were at least part of an eradicated timeline (they happened, but the world itself was revised through a crossover paradox, negating that they happend) that Daniels took this treatment. Perhaps he was trying to be more commericial. But two page spreads on Superman food products, Batman food products, ephemera for each, is a little excessive considering what was chosen to be left out, even if these two ARE more commercial.

At this time, I don't know that there is a better alternative to this book regarding the DC Universe. None of what is here is bad, but some of the choices leave a lot to be desired. Great coffee table book for the DC fan, but one is unlikely to learn much about the characters of the past 30-40 years that isn't going to be well known to them.

Aliens, Amazons and Dark Knight Detectives
"DC Comics : Sixty Years of the World's Favorite Comic Book Heroes" is a nice tribute to the company that has given us some of our most recognizable and long lasting fiction characters. Superman, Batman and Wonderwoman are as much a part of Americana as Mickey Mouse, Coca-Cola and Moby Dick. A blend of art and cheap entertainment, the comic book has evolved throughout the decades, as have the heroes within.

The history of this company is laid out from the beginnings of the comic book, to the debut of the long-running Action Comics (Superman) and Detective Comics (Batman). Each of the company's successive stages is detailed, the Golden Age, the Silver Age, the Bronze Age, and the Modern Age. Familiar rivals, such as Plastic Man, Captain Marvel and the Charleston and Quality heros are shown. Frank Miller and Alan Moore are given their just due. Superheroes in film and on television are shown.

The pages contain great photographs and reprints of classic comic culture. It is nice to see the classic covers of the years in high quality reproductions. A cavalcade of toys, badges, trinkets and other tie-ins are displayed.

All in all, this is a great book for DC comics fans.

A Great Tribute for a Major Contributor to Pop Culture
The modern comic book came to life with "Superman." Since the "man of steel" burst on the scene more than 60 years ago, there has been an onslaught of underwear-clad superheroes, many of the more legendary ones under the DC banner. All of the company's major titles and their respective print and filmed versions are featured here, from the "Batman" serials of the 40's to the update 90's television series "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman." For anyone with a passing interest in comics as an entertainment and art form, this is a lavishly illustrated and comprehensive work. In sequential order, we get the full history of DC from its humble beginnings to its status as one of the premier companies in its field. Marvel may have overtaken it in the 60's with its more "adult" characters, DC still reigns as the originator of the comic book and the book supremely showcases that status.

DC - Divine Comedy
What is the link between Dante and DC ? Many of you are going to laugh about that question. Although DC is responsible of creating and evolve a universe for the last 65 years. A universe of Gods Humans and Super humans. A universe full of hope, full of despair. DC creates entities that keep us company for many years and they became parts of our life. And this is not only an American thing. This is a Universal phenomenon. Here in Greece that impact is even greater since Greece is the birthplace of Tragedy (hopes and despair). And Tragedy was given by gods using Pandora's Box. That is Divine. And why Comedy? Do not forget the etymological meaning of "Comic". Its always Comedy. That is the reason for buying this book, to learn (or to remember) about that beautiful universe that make every one of us a little more humans that make us Super Humans.

Fabulous
This book is great, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I also loved the format of short 1-2 page essays, instead of one long read. Also, it makes it easier for the sequel: (DC Comics: Sixty MORE Years of the World's Favorite Super Heroes) ... Read more

Book Description

The best crime fighters in the universe -- Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman & Robin, Green Lantern, the Flash, Aquaman, and the Wonder Twins -- will help you keep in touch with all your super friends! All characters, names, and elements are trademarks of DC Comics © 2004. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A Handy Guide
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, but I began to appreciate it when I realized what a handy reference tool it was. Bascially, it shows in full color all the WW comic books covers, from No. 1 until the ones out when the book printed. It's fun to see how WW herself has changed through the decades, from mod in the 60's to muscle queen in the 90's. And for comic book collectors, it's a good guide to go by, since knowing what each and every cover looks like is a real help!

A fascinating book to browse through!
Even the most serious Wonder Woman collector will find it a daunting task to collect every single comic book Wonder Woman has appeared in. This little folio allows the average fan to see what comics she's appeared in, how her appearance has changed over the last sixty years, and the occasional silly adventures she underwent (there was a brief period where Wonder Woman was depowered and gave up the uniform, only wearing white clothing in the early 70's). It's a lot of fun to flip through the book and let your imagination take over about what could have possibly happened in each comic book since actual copies of the comic book can be difficult to find (this is true for the much older comics - see your local comic shop for current comics being released on a monthly basis). The folio makes a great, inexpensive gift for kids (especially as a stocking stuffer) and fans alike. I actually got one as a wedding present. There are so many images that you will find yourself looking through it time and time again and never tiring of it!

Fun!
Collectors will enjoy this little book. It shows the Amazing Amazon over the last 50 years. Not every cover is shown, but the collection does a good job of assembing a representative sampling. And the intorduction is warm, personal, and interesting. Since most people will never get to see the comics these covers come from, it offers an easy chance to see Diana in action. A small book, but big fun! ... Read more

Book Description

Since 1970, only one comic book price guide has been dubbed "the Bible" for casual and die-hard collectors alike. While others have come and gone, The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide has maintained its stature as the premiere reference source for the hobby, covering more than a century of comic book history. The essential tool for collectors and investors, the Guide is highly regarded for its well-researched pricing, in-depth historical information, and incomparable insights into the marketplace. If you have a comic book collection or are thinking about starting one, you simply can't do without this book!

This 30th Anniversary Edition Includes:

• The most complete record of existing comic books from the 1800s to the present
• Redesigned feature sections for greater clarity and easy reference
• Market reports by Robert M. overstreet and the Overstreet advisors network
• Exclusive feature articles on the origin and history of EC Comics, now celebrating the 50th anniversary of the "New Trend" titles, including interviews with Overstreet cover artists Al Feldstein and Al Williamson!
• Exclusive 30th anniversary feature looking back at the birth of a comic book fan, the first-ever article written for the Guide by Robert M. Overstreet himself!
• Up-to-date directory of comic book fan wbsites
• Tips about collecting, grading and caring for your comics
• All-new additions to Overstreet Hall of Fame, key sales lists, and exhaustive indices
• And much, much more!

Reviews (10)

Accepted Standard For The Comic Book Market
I've collected comic books for over fifteen years and I have found through my experience that Overstreet's Price Guide serves the purpose of grading comics best. One the opening articles of the guide is decicated to grading comics. This includes grading terminology with a succinct description of each major grade(Near Mint, Very Fine, etc.), factors that will influence the price of a comic(for example, high-grade comics will generally be sold for 50% to 100% over the listed guide price), tips on how to put a collection together as well as sell a collection ( for instance, the guide indicated which category of books would need to be listed individually when selling to a dealer), and a report of some of the top comic book sales of the previous year, plus much more. In my opinion, these opening articles embody the fundamentals of comic book collecting and are required reading for anyone seriously entering the hobby. The Overstreet Guide is also more thoroughly illustrated with black and white photos of comic covers than any other guide I've seen.

Whether I've bought or sold books (I'm not a professional dealer, by the way, I simply sell books from my collection from time to time to generate cash for a new comic I really want) I've always found that the prices and particularly the grading standards listed in the Overstreet Guide are what is almost universally excepted by collector and dealer alike.

I've consistently found the listings in the guide to be thorough and complete. Overstreet makes a concerted effort to indicated which issues have artists and key events that many collectors are looking for(An example would be: N.Adams art, 1st appearance Ras Al Gul). Of course, everyone has their own opinion of which issues are most important, but Overstreet does a fine job of listing the ones that most people demand, and there are many. A previouse review indicated that the Platinum Age listings may be incomplete. However, I believe there is an article preceeding this listing that indicates that, because material from this period is so rare, the listing is more than likely incomplete. Additionally, the author invites any collectors who have issues from this period that are not included in the listing to contact the author so that the new information can be incorporated into the new edition. Another reviewer felt that the listing for Modern Age comics was also lacking. There may be two reasons for this. First, the edition you purchase takes several months to prepare, and when it is published, it represents the activity in the comic book market for the previous year. The Modern Age issues in question may have been published durning the period of time that the guide does not cover. Second, the comics produced in the last ten years, with a few exceptions, represent, in my experience, a very glutted market. Supply of these books far surpasses demand. Thus, most of these books don't experience much of a price increase. So it's possible that a book published within the last couple of years that hasn't increased above its cover price in value may not be included in the guide. What would be the point? And in either case, these issues will more than likely be included in a future edition.

As regards the claim that Mr. Overstreet "fixes" the prices in the guide to suit his personal interests, who can really say? What can be said is this: only a person who has a thorough knowledge of and an avid interest in the medium (i.e. a collector) could produce a comprehensive grading and price guide for the use of other collectors. I can't imagine a guide put together by someone who had absolutely no interest in the hobby. Where whould such a person get his information from? He'ld have to depend on other collectors and thus you'ld more than likely have the same charge of conspiracy all over again. Mr. Overstreet evidently has not only the the knowledge and interest but the experience as well as the knowledge and experience of his many adivsors. He's just as qualified, if not more so, than anyone else.

Let me provide a word of caution. The Overstreet Guide contains numerous dealer advertisements. Some are genuinely strict graders and provide excellent products and service (Four Color Comics and Metropolis Comics are two of these). However, there are many who are VERY liberal in their grading and whose claim of "unconditional money back guarantee" quickly evaporates when you try and make a return (Want List Comics comes to mind). Buy all means, take advantage of these dealer listings, but do so with carefully.

To conclude, I sincerely feel the Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide is the best available. If your serious about collecting comics, it's a valuable tool for buying, selling, and personal research. I've learned much from just going through the guide page by page and discovering books I never thought existed. Additionally, it's more than likely that at some point in your collecting you'll have to deal with someone who uses this guide a the standard.

Sadly, this IS the most complete published guide...
Overstreet is the bible for collectors of comic books; a sad fact, considering how lopsided its representation of comic book publishers is. I accept that not everything printed can be represented in a guide, but from the look of Overstreet, everything from either Marvel or DC can be- even a recent Marvel title which had poor sales and remains in low demand is represented here at its original cover price, but where are the independent titles which have enjoyed a substantial share of the same market? Where is the Gold Digger, for example, whose sales held strong even during the B&W bust, and which remains in demand today? It's not a bad guide, really... but for the $22 US cover price, I expect something more thorough.

Good but incomplete
I suppose if you collect modern comics this book is all you need. Sadly, it all but ignores the earliest comics published between 1900 and 1935. The token list in the Platinum section is better than nothing but just barely. These early comics deserve more space in the guide. My guess is that Mr. Overstreet owns none of these books so he has no incentive to list them.

Best comic resource available.
As always, The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide proves to be one of the best resources for the comic book enthusiast.

Comics Guaranty Corporation - Certified Grading System
In Overstreet's 1999 Comic Price Guide (29th edition), a new concept in comic grading is being introduced. Robert Overstreet and his senior advisors are endorsing The Comics Guaranty Corporation (CGC). CGC "is based on the model of successful certification used by the leading grading service in rare coins, and the fastest growing grading system in sports cards" according to the Overstreet Guide. The books are to be graded and evaluated by CGC using exacting standards and sealed in a special holder. If the books are removed from the holder, then re-certification would be necessary. Sounds good, Think again! Excuse the pun, but to compare certification of coins or cards to comic books is like comparing The Batman to The Wasp. Coins and cards can be seen from both sides supporting the grading system, while the pages of a book can not. How would you ever know if all the pages are intact? I guess you have to trust the "integrity" of the grader. Lest we forget, What made comic collecting the hobby it is today are the stories and adventures of our favorite characters. What about the comics who are not considered keys? Would these books fade into oblivion? Who would want to spend money to grade these books? Maybe the best of intentions are being made to honestly grade books, but what happens when there is competition with less accuracy, consistency, impartiality and integrity? The early 1990's proved to be diasterous for the industry with inflated high prices on low-grade books. This concept appears to be heading in the same direction with very few reaping the rewards with monetary gain. Com'un Guys, Back to Basics! The industry has already been monopolized by a few who are cornering the market. How will this entice new collectors? Apparently, it has been forgotten that these books, with our favorite characters,were meant to be read, treasured and enjoyed. They were not made to line the pockets of the few who monopolize the industry. I can not help but wonder how The Batman or The Wasp would feel about being evaluated, encapsulated and never to be read. ... Read more

Book Description

Relive the adventures of Krypton's favorite son inside and outside the comic book world in Superman: The Complete History. This book is filled with enough archival comic book art, photographs, and in-depth history to satisfy the most demanding fan -- and is now priced to appeal to the most casual reader. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

ALMOST the complete history
Faiz Rehman (faiz79@hotmail.com) from Wales welcome look at the history of the man of steel Heavy on the pictures, this book is an excellent look at 60 years of Superman. Don't miss the covers - the dust jacket has original art work from the past, while the cover of the book proper has modern versions of the same art by the one and only Alex Ross. It overs the origins, the merchandise, and the adaptations. Although not as detailed as you may hope for, there are still plenty of facts to discover. The book does not gush over all aspects of the legend - it is critical of some aspects of, for example, the Dean Cain series. The books is not complete - for example, it does not mention the excellent radio series produce by Dirk Maggs in the BBC which is probably the closest adaptation of the comics stories. It does look gorgeous, though, and is much better than the majority of books of this type.

Entertaining history of the rise of the Man of Steel
Need to know something about how Superman changed over the years? Need to find out how the character evolved from comic books, to radio, to television, to motion picture, to TV again? This is the book to answer all those questions. Plus it has lots of nice photos of Superman toys and merchandise over the years. (The only thing missing is Superman Spinball Pinball, an amazingly fun toy that Mattell churned out to coincide with Christopher Reeve's first Superman film.) Tells you how the characters evolved, and more importantly, why they did, as the behind the scenes activities at DC Comics changed. A nice book for superhero fans of all ages.

Good overview of Superman's history
This is a great book for anyone who is interested in reading about the history of The Man Of Steel in all of his media incarnations (it's a few years old, so misses out on any info on the tv series Smallville). Well written and illustrated, it's a must-have for any fan of Superman.

Hardly the True Story of Superman
There is no doubt the comic book industry owes a great debt to Superman, or rather, to Siegel and Shuster who created him, but in his book, Les Daniels frequently looks for ways to minimize, rather than credit, their contribution. DC Comics made millions of dollars on the movies, TV Shows, cartoons, and other merchanising over the decades, while Siegel and Shuster shared in hardly any of it. The most shocking thing now is, this book, written with the cooperation of DC - rather than apologize to the two men, or even express any kind of gratitude, it actually takes stabs at Sigel and Shuster. Rather than simply state the facts regarding to Superman's history, Daniels frequently assails the characters of the two men, claims they took most of their ideas from other places, assigns poor motives to both men, even mentions extra-marital affairs they may or may not have had. The book is supposed to be about Superman, who cares about any of that? Of course Daniels would never turn a critical eye towards DC, who seem to have hired him, it's surprising they still seem to be bitter about two men that made them so much money for the last sixty years. There is no doubt, DC has been the best comic book company when it comes to promoting their characters, but they have also been very lucky in the courts. Not only did they force Superman's creators to relinquish all rights to the character, their lawsuits also managed to force Captain Marvel, a character more popular than Superman at the time, out of business. They claimed they were too much alike, but anyone who knows comics could see their differences. Later, DC took over Captain Marvel and actually began publishing him themselves (!). This story is only touched on briefly here. I give the book two stars because the illustrations are good, but the text deserves one, if even that. Everyone is entitled their opinion, but, in a book like this, people don't want to hear about it, they expect a decent read about the character of Superman. The true history of Superman is really not told here, it actually involves greedy businessmen sitting back and counting their money, while the creators that were the ones to make these characters, end up dying peniless.

A great history of the greatest superhero.
Superman is, without a doubt, one of the most recognizable characters in the world. But how did he reach that point? Les Daniels excellent history of Superman tells that story, and is packed with great pictures and photos as well. A perfect book for comic or pop culture fans. Highly Recommended. ... Read more

Book Description

When you’re as busy as Wonder Woman, you gotta take shortcuts.Simply write, moisten, fold, and stamp.No envelopes necessary. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Awesome item!
Not only is this item cool because it pays tribute to one of the most awesome super heros ever, but it is also one of the most fun and convenient stationary sets ever. It's fantastic for writing a short note to someone, or maybe even including a photo or something. No envelopes are necessary, as the paper folds and has lickable adhesive that seals itself. I've had many compliments from friends who have recieved one of my Wonder Woman special deliveries. Great buy!

Neat!
Although few probably still mail friendly letters, it's gonna be one of those great collectors' items that WW fans dig out in 10 years and say, "Ooooooh!"

A Must Have For Wonder Woman Fans
This is a great item to have if you're a Wonder Woman fan and if you like letter writing. Each page is filled with great images of Wonder Woman and fun to write on to send personal messages to friends & family. There is about five different graphic images and a total of 40 stationery sheets. A must have item! ... Read more

Book Description

Witness the group's formation and the first time they wore catsuits! Get to know the hunky roadie Alan, their shifty manager Alex and his conniving sister, Alexandria! Travel to Tinseltown as the girls shoot their "first" movie! Help them solve intriguing mysteries and relive the antics that made them the most popular fictional band in comic and cartoon history! From Josie's very first appearnce to the day she almost quit the band, this collection of "greatest hits" will be music to your ears! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The 'b-sides' from the 1940's
Not quite as fresh as the previous volume - "Archie Americana: Best of the Forties, Book 1," but still a must read for the die-hard Archie afficionado. While Book 1 was lovingly crafted to showcase material with historic value (e.g. - the first appearance of key characters, locations, etc.), Book 2 comes across a bit more lightweight in comparison as the stories seem selected more for the zaniness of its humor and the timeframe that the stories were selected from (1946-1949) seems somewhat narrower. Still, this being Archie comics and all, it still manages to be an enjoyable read all the way through, but do make sure that you read/purchase Book 1 first. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (2)

Very desirable book
This book has a brief history of watches and then proceeds to describe most of the great watchmakers history plus some of the most gorgeous illustrations you'll ever see of great watches.

useless
same as prestigious watches...What's the purpose of this book? who can believe that concord and roberge can decently stand next to Patek... this book is 200 pages of advertising. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great.
This book forever changed the way that I read superhero comics.Reynoldsdiscusses the factors that are present in virtually every superhero comicsince Superman was created.Some are apparent (devotion to justice, secretidentitities), and some are subtle (lost parents, accountability only toone's own conscience).Virtually all factors are recapitulations of thedevelopmental struggles of the primary audience of these comics: adolescentmales.Reynolds continues by illuminating the grand, mythical nature ofthe comic-book universes, all stories blending into one vast"canonical" story, each comic becoming part of a largercontinuity.This continuity shares several features of classicalmythologies, which Reynolds explores in depth, citing the X-Men, theWatchmen, and the Dark Knight Returns series (among others) as evidence. Read this, it's great. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Tells of the birth of this popular medium
From 1941-71 Classics Illustrated comics introduced millions to abridged, comics-style version of literary masterpieces. Classics Illustrated tells of the birth of this popular medium, founded by Russian Jewish immigrant Kanter whose operations saw both the heyday and decline of the golden age of comics. The focuses on artists' creations is particularly involving.

An easily maligned subject treated with taste and dignity
The thing I appreciate most about this book is the soberness (with no lapses into pretentiousness or portentousness) the author brings to his subject. A survey of Classics Illustrated, to be sure, could have very easily elicited yet another visually engaging pretty-picture book saddled with a stridently jokey, throwaway text --ala Chronicle Books. We can be thankful that the tone h