Of Comics and Men

Of Comics and Men PDF Author: Jean-Paul Gabilliet
Publisher: Univ. Press of Mississippi
ISBN: 1628469994
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 595

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Book Description
Originally published in France and long sought in English translation, Jean-Paul Gabilliet's Of Comics and Men: A Cultural History of American Comic Books documents the rise and development of the American comic book industry from the 1930s to the present. The book intertwines aesthetic issues and critical biographies with the concerns of production, distribution, and audience reception, making it one of the few interdisciplinary studies of the art form. A thorough introduction by translators and comics scholars Bart Beaty and Nick Nguyen brings the book up to date with explorations of the latest innovations, particularly the graphic novel. The book is organized into three sections: a concise history of the evolution of the comic book form in America; an overview of the distribution and consumption of American comic books, detailing specific controversies such as the creation of the Comics Code in the mid-1950s; and the problematic legitimization of the form that has occurred recently within the academy and in popular discourse. Viewing comic books from a variety of theoretical lenses, Gabilliet shows how seemingly disparate issues—creation, production, and reception—are in fact connected in ways that are not necessarily true of other art forms. Analyzing examples from a variety of genres, this book provides a thorough landmark overview of American comic books that sheds new light on this versatile art form.

Of Comics and Men

Of Comics and Men PDF Author: Jean-Paul Gabilliet
Publisher: Univ. Press of Mississippi
ISBN: 1628469994
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 595

Get Book

Book Description
Originally published in France and long sought in English translation, Jean-Paul Gabilliet's Of Comics and Men: A Cultural History of American Comic Books documents the rise and development of the American comic book industry from the 1930s to the present. The book intertwines aesthetic issues and critical biographies with the concerns of production, distribution, and audience reception, making it one of the few interdisciplinary studies of the art form. A thorough introduction by translators and comics scholars Bart Beaty and Nick Nguyen brings the book up to date with explorations of the latest innovations, particularly the graphic novel. The book is organized into three sections: a concise history of the evolution of the comic book form in America; an overview of the distribution and consumption of American comic books, detailing specific controversies such as the creation of the Comics Code in the mid-1950s; and the problematic legitimization of the form that has occurred recently within the academy and in popular discourse. Viewing comic books from a variety of theoretical lenses, Gabilliet shows how seemingly disparate issues—creation, production, and reception—are in fact connected in ways that are not necessarily true of other art forms. Analyzing examples from a variety of genres, this book provides a thorough landmark overview of American comic books that sheds new light on this versatile art form.

Men of Tomorrow

Men of Tomorrow PDF Author: Gerald Jones
Publisher: Basic Books
ISBN: 9780465036578
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 416

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Book Description
Animated by the stories of some of the last century's most charismatic and conniving artists, writers, and businessmen, Men of Tomorrow brilliantly demonstrates how the creators of the superheroes gained their cultural power and established a crucial place in the modern imagination. "This history of the birth of superhero comics highlights three pivotal figures. The story begins early in the last century, on the Lower East Side, where Harry Donenfeld rises from the streets to become the king of the 'smooshes'-soft-core magazines with titles like French Humor and Hot Tales. Later, two high school friends in Cleveland, Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel, become avid fans of 'scientifiction,' the new kind of literature promoted by their favorite pulp magazines. The disparate worlds of the wise guy and the geeks collide in 1938, and the result is Action Comics #1, the debut of Superman. For Donenfeld, the comics were a way to sidestep the censors. For Shuster and Siegel, they were both a calling and an eventual source of misery: the pair waged a lifelong campaign for credit and appropriate compensation." -The New Yorker

Comics Ad Men

Comics Ad Men PDF Author: Steven Brower
Publisher: Fantagraphics Books
ISBN: 1683963075
Category : Comics & Graphic Novels
Languages : en
Pages : 144

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Book Description
Comics and modern American advertising exploded into the public conscious at much the same time in the early 20th century. Collected now for the first time, the comics, cartoons, and illustrations from the OTHER career of comics creators Jack Davis, Al Capp, John Romita, Mort Meskin, Ross Andru, Sheldon Moldoff, Neal Adams, Noel Sickles, Stan Drake, Joe Simon, Basil Wolverton, Dik Browne, Clifford McBride, Hank Ketcham, Lou Fine, Daniel Clowes, and many more.

Invisible Men: The Trailblazing Black Artists of Comic Books

Invisible Men: The Trailblazing Black Artists of Comic Books PDF Author: Ken Quattro
Publisher: National Geographic Books
ISBN: 1684055865
Category : Comics & Graphic Novels
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Hear the riveting stories of Black artists who drew--mostly covertly behind the scenes--superhero, horror, and romance comics in the early years of the industry. The life stories of each man's personal struggles and triumphs are represented as they broke through into a world formerly occupied only by whites. Using primary source material from World War II-era Black newspapers and magazines, this compelling book profiles pioneers like E.C. Stoner, a descendant of one of George Washington's slaves, who became a renowned fine artist of the Harlem Renaissance and the first Black artist to draw comic books. Perhaps more fascinating is Owen Middleton who was sentenced to life in Sing Sing. Middleton's imprisonment became a cause célèbre championed by Will Durant, which led to Middleton's release and subsequent comics career. Then there is Matt Baker, the most revered of the Black artists, whose exquisite art spotlights stunning women and men, and who drew the first groundbreaking Black comic book hero, Vooda! The book is gorgeously illustrated with rare examples of each artist's work, including full stories from mainstream comic books from rare titles like All-Negro Comics and Negro Heroes, plus unpublished artist's photos. Invisible Men features Ken Quattro's impeccable research and lean writing detailing the social and cultural environments that formed these extraordinary, yet invisible, men!

Comic Book Nation

Comic Book Nation PDF Author: Bradford W. Wright
Publisher: JHU Press
ISBN: 9780801874505
Category : Art
Languages : en
Pages : 364

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Book Description
A history of comic books from the 1930s to 9/11.

X-Men and the Mutant Metaphor

X-Men and the Mutant Metaphor PDF Author: Joseph J. Darowski
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 1442232080
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 242

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Book Description
Among both fans and the academic community, there is a general assumption that the X-Men franchise is one of the most progressive and inclusive superhero comic books that has been published. However, this study challenges such assumptions, revealing that there is an unfortunate trend throughout the majority of the title’s history: Minority characters are most likely to be villains, female characters are most likely to be supporting cast members, and white males are most likely to be members of the X-Men.

The New Mutants

The New Mutants PDF Author: Ramzi Fawaz
Publisher: NYU Press
ISBN: 147982349X
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 368

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Book Description
How fantasy meets reality as popular culture evolves and ignites postwar gender, sexual, and race revolutions. 2017 The Association for the Studies of the Present Book Prize Finalist Mention, 2017 Lora Romero First Book Award Presented by the American Studies Association Winner of the 2012 CLAGS Fellowship Award for Best First Book Project in LGBT Studies In 1964, noted literary critic Leslie Fiedler described American youth as “new mutants,” social rebels severing their attachments to American culture to remake themselves in their own image. 1960s comic book creators, anticipating Fiedler, began to morph American superheroes from icons of nationalism and white masculinity into actual mutant outcasts, defined by their genetic difference from ordinary humanity. These powerful misfits and “freaks” soon came to embody the social and political aspirations of America’s most marginalized groups, including women, racial and sexual minorities, and the working classes. In The New Mutants, Ramzi Fawaz draws upon queer theory to tell the story of these monstrous fantasy figures and how they grapple with radical politics from Civil Rights and The New Left to Women’s and Gay Liberation Movements. Through a series of comic book case studies – including The Justice League of America, The Fantastic Four, The X-Men, and The New Mutants –alongside late 20th century fan writing, cultural criticism, and political documents, Fawaz reveals how the American superhero modeled new forms of social belonging that counterculture youth would embrace in the 1960s and after. The New Mutants provides the first full-length study to consider the relationship between comic book fantasy and radical politics in the modern United States.

American Comic Book Chronicles: The 1990s

American Comic Book Chronicles: The 1990s PDF Author: Keith Dallas
Publisher: Two Morrows Publishing
ISBN: 9781605490847
Category : Antiques & Collectibles
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
The 1990s was the decade when Marvel Comics sold 8.1 million copies of an issue of the X-Men, saw its superstar creators form their own company, cloned Spider-Man, and went bankrupt. It was when Superman died, Batman had his back broken, and the runaway success of Neil Gaiman's Sandman led to DC Comics' Vertigo line of adult comic books. It was the decade of gimmicky covers, skimpy costumes, and mega-crossovers. But most of all, the 1990s was the decade when companies like Image, Valiant and Malibu published million-selling comic books before the industry experienced a shocking and rapid collapse! These are just a few of the events chronicled in this exhaustive, full-color hardcover.

The Future of Comics, the Future of Men

The Future of Comics, the Future of Men PDF Author: Geoff Klock
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781940589084
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 136

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Book Description
Matt Fraction, Gabriel Ba, and Fabio Moon's Casanova is a stylish adventure about a sexy, amoral, universe-hopping, time-traveling, science-fiction spy caught in a war between militaristic E.M.P.I.R.E. and the decadent and villainous W.A.S.T.E., led by a be-suited and bandaged cackling madman in sunglasses. But beneath its pop surface, Casanova is doing more. It challenges the corporate-driven comic book production model, in which Disney and Time Warner own all the major superheroes. And it critiques the vision of masculinity, limited and damaging, that informs so much of modern superhero comics and movies. From Sequart Organization. More info at http: //sequart.org

Comics Creators on Spider-Man

Comics Creators on Spider-Man PDF Author: Tom DeFalco
Publisher: National Geographic Books
ISBN: 1840234229
Category : Comics & Graphic Novels
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
The greatest creators in comics discuss the impact and importance of Spider-Man, and talk about how they have brought the web-slinger to life on the page over four decades. Illustrated with original script pages and all stages of artwork from sketchbook to finished page, this is pure heaven for every Spidey fan! This groundbreaking book features revealing interviews with Spider-Man's writers and artists throughout the strip's history, from original creator Stan Lee to current writer Brian Michael Bendis, from key artist John Romita to fan-favourite Todd McFarlane, and many other lively personalities behind the wall-crawling wonder. Instructional, fascinating and humorous, this book has something for comics fans, wannabe artists and hardened professionals alike.