When you are browsing the racks at your local comic book store and happen upon silver age comic books for sale, you may wonder just what it is that makes them silver. Aug 08, 2018 the history of comic books may seem like a series of articles on comic books, but it shows the infectious nature of heroes. A thick but approachable book, this book tells the history of comics, starting from political cartoons and funnies, through their evolution into collections of funnies, and finally comic books. Youll follow the development of comics from the first appearance of the comic book format in the platinum age of the 1930s to the creation of the superhero genre in the golden age, to the current period, where comics flourish as graphic novels and blockbuster movies. Most comic characters from the 20s were created for newspaper strips rather than for standalone books. Tracing the evolution of comic books by looking at the pictures, panels, and text that brought them to. If anyone has any suggestions for good books on this subject to read, please post them in this thread. The term silver age refers to a general time period in. Sometimes referred to as the golden age of comic books, the years from the late 1930s through the early 1950s marked a period of creativity and innovation in the medium. Books about the history, culture, and business of comic books score a book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. The history and political ideologies of their times affected the stories and characters of comic books, in which superheroes fought for ideals like truth, justice, and the american way supermans catchphrase. Comics historians divide the history of american comic books into ages.
Crosby enlisted in the army during world war i, where he was wounded. A market for such comic books soon followed, and by 1938 publishers were printing original material in the format. The colorful history of comic books and newspaper cartoon strips. Although comic books would later embrace a variety of genres, including war, western, romance, crime, horror. A history by gambit1024 april 25, 2012 23 comments the most recognizable comics characters in the world. The history of cosmic rays in comic books by alex grand eccomics. Up until as recent as a years ago it was generally believed that the first comic book was a reprint collection of the first comic strip, best known as the yellow kid. The untold story was a reminder of the many wonderful prose books dedicated to the history of the comic book industry out there, telling the. It is based on zinns classic book a peoples history of the united states. The amazing stylistic history of comic books 99designs. At first the books reprinted humorous newspaper strips, but later they began to feature unique content. May 31, 2018 in the 1980s, with the advent of the home video game console, comic books became valuable marketing. The comic book history of comics by fred van lente and ryan dunlavey presents the long and storied history of the comic book and graphic novel art form and the industry that spawned it in the only format befitting the true history of comics, a comic book.
This timeline presents milestones, trends, and pivotal events that defined the comics medium during each of these eras. Golden 19381950, silver 19561970, bronze 19701985 and modern 1985the present. Let me know if its a general history or of a specific era, genre or company. While there might not be any mutants or doomsday weapons in the actual history of comics, its panels are every bit as unpredictable. These eras include the golden age 19381950, the silver age 19561970, the bronze age 19701985, and the modern age 1985present. In february 1935, dc comics precursor, national allied publications. My name is jamie coville and this is my comic book history website. Another development in the 1920s was the emergence of pulp fiction, and extension of the penny dreadfuls several decades earlier in england, and the dime novels in the united states. Truth, justice, and the birth of the superhero comic book. Little nemo in slumberland, by winsor mccay, begins running in the new york herald.
Comic book collectors are often lifelong enthusiasts of the comic book stories, and they usually focus on particular heroes and attempt to assemble the entire run of a title. The era itself, though, left an indelible mark on comic books with many of the characters remaining popular almost 70 years later. Nov 04, 2016 the history of comic book styles is one as dynamic as the stories they contain, shaped not only by the hands of countless writers and artists but by millions of readers across nearly a century. While the funnies was the first collection and definitely became a guide for later comics, it bares about as much resemblance to the modern comic book as the first steam powered vehicles from the 18th century do to modern day cars. Each of the book s 40 pages contained several picture panels with accompanying text underneath.
While the mediums success first attracted controversy for violence and mature themes. For, no matter where heroism comes from, it inspires people young and old, past and present. Fred van lente and ryan dunlavey, the team behind the hilarious series action philosophers, decided that the proper way to tell the history of. Supermen, batman, captain america, wonder woman were comic books superheroes. According to the comic book legal defense fund, werthams public attacks on comic books started in a 1948 interview with colliers magazine called horror in. Comic book history of comics comic read comic book. The first comic with a continuing story, it is still noted as one of the most richly illustrated comic strips of all time.
The insane history of how american paranoia ruined and. Some of them originally sold for ten cents, but now go for millions. The term silver age refers to a general time period in which the comic books were originally available. The history of comic books see you in the funny pages the early known comic has recently become an exciting, brand new field of research in the comic industry. Superheroes entered the world of comic books in 1938 with the release of action comics no. In this section we have a two books by percy crosby, which predate his most notable creation the popular and critically acclaimed skippy comic strip. The graphic novel was illustrated by mike konopacki. The 100 most influential pages in comic book history. It would probably be unfair of us to even include comic book history of comics by fred van lente and ryan dunlavey seen at our right. The great comic book heroes in 1965, jules feiffer wrote what is arguably the first critical history of the comic book superheroes of the late. The awardwinning action philosophers team of fred van lente and ryan dunlavey turn their irreverentbutaccurate eye. Provides a history of comic books in america during the twentieth century, showing how it has influenced and been influenced by american culture.
In the 1980s, with the advent of the home video game console, comic books became valuable marketing. One part history and one part howto add up to a book that really puts the pow back into comics. The invisible art by scott mccloud, men of tomorrow. Comicbook characters like dcs batman, wonder woman, and green lantern. Nov 27, 2019 the swiss artist rodolphe topffer is credited with creating the first multipanel comic in 1827 and the first illustrated book, the adventures of obadiah oldbuck, a decade later. The first true comic books were marketed in 1933 as giveaway advertising premiums. The first monthly comic book, aptly titled comics monthly, began publication in 1922, though it also featured reprints of daily newspaper comic strips. The first issue of a longrunning comic book series is commonly the rarest and most desirable to collectors. May 18, 2017 comic book fans and collectors divide the last 80 years of the publication of superhero comic books into four ages. The comic books used in this exhibition are from the center for the humanities comics collection, transferred to the db dowd modern graphic history library in 2012. Eight great books about comic books publishers weekly. Ill start off telling you that comic books have been around in one form or another for over two hundred years. Crosby enlisted in the army during world war i, where he was wounded in battle and awarded both the purple heart and victory medal. This is a more comprehensive, indepth look at the history traced by gravett above, and an impressive reference book that is a must in every comics library.
The untold story was a reminder of the many wonderful prose books dedicated to the history. The strange history of comic book advertisements syfy wire. The first superhero, superman is still alive and well in popular. The history of silver age comic books cosmic comics. Typically, we do not tend to associate comic books with libraries, but we absolutely should. Publishers at eastern color printing were figuring out a way to efficiently use their printing equipment, which was frequently idle between jobs. Marvel comics captain america, and fawcett publications captain marvel all defined what comicbook historians and collectors term the golden age of comic books. The colorful history of comic books and newspaper cartoon.
The popularity of the character swiftly enshrined the superhero as the defining genre of american comic books. A notable event in the history of the american comic book. Comics and illustrations also played an important role in the history of the u. As game advertisements in comics continue to this day, you can actually trace the history of video games through reading comics from the mid70s into the modern era. And i read a lot of other books on a variety of subjects, including history, ive never read any books on the history of comic books. Comic book, bound collection of comic strips, usually in chronological sequence, typically telling a single story or a series of different stories. In 1754, benjamin franklin created the first editorial cartoon published in an american newspaper. Mar, 2015 according to the comic book legal defense fund, werthams public attacks on comic books started in a 1948 interview with colliers magazine called horror in the nursery.
They are the handheld, take anywhere books filled with superheroes, classic stories, or adult dramas. Comic book board a thin piece of cardboard that is slipped behind a comic book in a mylar bag to keep the comic book from bending. The comic book industry has been entertaining readers for nearly a century now, but the history of the art form, and the men and women behind. While the mediums success first attracted controversy for violence and mature themes, many of the characters introduced have stood the. The history of comic books may seem like a series of articles on comic books, but it shows the infectious nature of heroes. From education comics to pictofiction by alex grand what did siegel and shuster do in comics after superman. With the exception of the beginning of the golden age and the beginning of the silver age, little consensus exists on startingending dates. By 1935 reprints of newspaper strips and books with original stories. A brief history of comic books the pioneer 15001828, victorian 18281883 and platinum 18831938 ages please note.
With a deft hand, the illustrations and even lettering evoke the material of each period, while maintaining a coherent metastyle across the production. This book is an updated history of the american comic book by an industry insider. Suffice it to say that many characters were developed, and there are many books now about the history of comic strips. Comic book fans and collectors divide the last 80 years of the publication of superhero comic books into four ages. Trace the humble roots of comic book history, from obscure characters to vintage art to longlost stories about creators and publishers. A memoir, a history book and a howto, this is one of the the most entertaining books of the season. Ok, its a comic book on the history of comic books. Oct 18, 2012 last weeks release of sean howes marvel comics. In this article, all dates given for various ages are approximate. There is a lot of history to cover and i am doing it piece by piece. Comic book history series jon morris and hope nicholson comic books werent always a billiondollar industry, but theyve always been a unique and fascinating medium. Subscription publishers and comic book stores often offer monthly subscriptions to different comic books. Jun 05, 2012 a thick but approachable book, this book tells the history of comics, starting from political cartoons and funnies, through their evolution into collections of funnies, and finally comic books.
Apr 27, 2017 they are the handheld, take anywhere books filled with superheroes, classic stories, or adult dramas. However, as many comic books historians agreed, the phantom, published in february 17, 1936, is considered to be the first comic book costumed hero. Humor comics and books page 1 of 9 comic book plus. The golden age of comic books began in the 1930s, which. Superman, batman, spiderman, the hulk, and countless other comic book. Comic box a cardboard box designed to hold comic books. Includes an epilogue about comics in the early twentyfirst century. The first comicstrip reprint collection, the yellow kid in mcfaddens flats, is published as a 196page hardcover book.
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