Comic Book History Recommendations

[tilleycs]

Here's one book that I *just* saw on Amazon:

 

"Super Boys: The Amazing Adventures of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster---the Creators of Superman" by Brad Ricca (published just last month)

 

Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Super-Boys-Adventures-Shuster-Creators/dp/0312643802/ref=pd_sim_mov_24

[zuulioso]

I really enjoyed this one but it is Marvel centric and focused on the Silver Age. What is neat is that it picks out and summarizes all key issues that started and continued to define the age.

 

There used to be a free preview somewhere online but I think it has since been taken down. I remember someone else talking about it in another thread years ago before I was a member here.

 

It highlights the influential artists and writers and breaks the silver age down into eras such as the formative years, etc.

 

You can read the first 20 or so pages here. I bought the book and love it.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Marvel-Comics-1960s-Issue-By-Issue-Phenomenon/dp/1605490164/

[Tony S]

Here's a couple books I have...but haven't read yet. (They may well have surfaced in that previous link but don't know for sure.):

 

"Seal of Approval: The History of the Comics Code" by Amy Kiste Nyberg (1998)

 

"Fredric Wertham and the Critique of Mass Culture" by Bart Beaty (2005)

 

Both books were published by the University Press of Mississippi in Jackson. ( Let's hear it for the South...surely some progress since that haunting song, "Mississippi ")

 

Just the last 2 sentences of the back cover blurb for the Wertham book sound inviting:

 

"Frederic Wertham and the Critique of Mass Culture is a fresh perspective that reinterprets his intellectual legacy, and challenges notions about his assumed cultural conservatism. Drawing upon Wertham's published works as well as his heretofore unresearched and unpublished private papers, correspondence, and notes, Beaty reveals a critic who was significantly more progressive and multifaceted than his reputation would suggest."

 

Wertham wanted a rating system for comic books - not to ban them.

But anyway, Seduction of the Innocent is a book that should be read after you have read some more general "history of comic books" books.

[rapid08]

I really enjoyed this one but it is Marvel centric and focused on the Silver Age. What is neat is that it picks out and summarizes all key issues that started and continued to define the age...

 

Good recomendation. Looking forward to reading this sometime this week.

[Speedy-D]

The novel The Amazing Adventures Of Kavalier and Clay is an excellent source for the flavor and spirit of the dawn of comics. It's a fantastic book that won the Pulitzer Prize, and deserved it.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Amazing-Adventures-Kavalier-Clay-ebook/dp/B0070O5F4U/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1374468359&sr=1-1

 

[BitterOldMan]

TwoMorrows Publishing, especially the American Comic Book Chronicles.

 

1960-1964 available

1980s available

1950s available at SDCC

1965-1969 should be out soon

1940s in the near future

 

http://twomorrows.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=95_94

[MatterEaterLad]

Tales To Astonish : Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, and the American Comic Book Revolution

 

Very Kirby-centric. Good stuff.

 

 

[mysterio]

The novel The Amazing Adventures Of Kavalier and Clay is an excellent source for the flavor and spirit of the dawn of comics. It's a fantastic book that won the Pulitzer Prize, and deserved it.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Amazing-Adventures-Kavalier-Clay-ebook/dp/B0070O5F4U/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1374468359&sr=1-1

 

 

Just my having recently read this, I owned it for 10 years and started it 4-5 times before I finally pushed on through the first couple of chapters and really got into it. It starts a bit slow, but stick with it.

[LanceTX]

The Comic Book History of Comics is one of my favorites. Great content and you get to read a comic. Jack Kirby as the main character of the story early on. Great, great stuff.

[Dr. Balls]

Tales To Astonish : Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, and the American Comic Book Revolution

 

Very Kirby-centric. Good stuff.

 

 

+1

 

Bleu loaned me this book and I'm about halfway through. Interesting read so far.

[BarryAllen]

All great recommendations, thanks!