Recommendations for books on comic book history? 1 1

[Phish&Comics]

Anyone have recommendations for books that cover the history of comics? Something comprehensive that covers the golden age all the way to the modern age?

Edited February 8, 2019 by Phish&Comics

[serling1978]

Just now, Phish&Comics said:

Anyone have recommendations for books that covers the history of comics? Something comprehensive that covers the golden age all the way to the modern age?

I've got one at home, specific to Marvel though, that covers from the golden age up to whenever it was made (early 2000s maybe).  Found it at Goodwill one day. It's a large hardcover book. Pretty good read with plenty of pics. I can post a pic tonight with the title.

[Dick Pontoon]

Start with these:

https://www.cgccomics.com/boards/topic/398339-comic-book-history/

https://www.cgccomics.com/boards/topic/240146-books-about-comics/

https://www.cgccomics.com/boards/topic/147313-college-paper-on-comic-books/

https://www.cgccomics.com/boards/topic/127014-best-book-on-comic-book-history/

https://www.cgccomics.com/boards/topic/386348-which-book-to-chose-about-the-history-of-marvel/

https://www.cgccomics.com/boards/topic/437125-required-reading-%E2%80%A2-got-recommendations/

 

[James J Johnson]

2 hours ago, Phish&Comics said:

Anyone have recommendations for books that covers the history of comics? Something comprehensive that covers the golden age all the way to the modern age?

Comic book history 101 required reading

 

Steranko's History of comics Vol 1 and 2:

(not endorsing this listing or selling, just using this listing to show the books)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Steranko-History-of-Comics-1-2-Treasury-Size-Edition-Overall-Good-Condition/372573366632?hash=item56bf1a6968:g:T7gAAOSwSn1cQ92U 

 

[serling1978]

Forgot I have two of these types of books. The first (1st 3 pics) is called Marvel Chronicle A Year by Year History. It's from2008. The cover isn't much to look at but the info inside is amazing. It covers Golden Age Timely Comics through modern Marvel.

The other book (last 3 pics) is only Marvel Comics from 1961-1978 and isn't quite as good of a read, but still pretty good. It's called the Marvel Age of Comics

 

Can't really go wrong with either one.

[Cat]

Marvel: The Untold Story by Sean Howe

DC Comics The Golden Age by Paul Levitz - I haven't actually read this one yet, but it looks good. 

[Ken Aldred]

[shadroch]

Just remember reading a "history" put out by a company is most likely a puff piece, not an accurate telling of their story.  In Origin of Marvel Comics, Stan talks about building on the runaway success of Spider-Man to branch out and introduce Thor. Problem is they appeared the same week, not months apart as he indicated.

[marvelmaniac]

OR...

 

[GeeksAreMyPeeps]

The Comic Book History of Comics:

https://www.amazon.com/Comic-Book-History-Comics-Lente/dp/1613771975

[Dr Zen]

[comicdonna]

All in color for a dime.

[BitterOldMan]

I really like TwoMorrows Publishing's American Comic Book Chronicles.

I have six volumes available, 1950s, 1960-64, 1965-69, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.  The book covering 1940-44 should be out soon.

Currently on sale on their website.  I have met the owner John Morrow at various comic book conventions.

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

[Turnando]

Hey Phish,

The 10 Cent Plague (David Hajdu)

and

Men of Tomorrow (Gerard Jones)

are must reads.

Also don't miss The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay (Michael Chabon). It won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2001, for good reason. Fiction but there's real Golden Age history behind it.

Other stuff I've read recently that enlightened me w.r.t. comic history: Best of Witzend (Bill Pearson), Stan Lee and the Rise and Fall of the American Comic Book (Jordan Raphael), Fire and Water Bill Everett the Submariner and the birth of Marvel Comics (Blake Bell), The Silver Age of Comic Book Art (Arlen Schumer... Watch his lecture on YouTube too), Breakdowns (Art Spiegleman), YouTube episodes of Cartoonist Kayfabe (Ed Piskor and Jim Rugg) 

Oh... and Alter Ego: The Best of the Legendary Comics Fanzine (Roy Thomas)

--------------

Ture Hoefner

Edited February 9, 2019 by Turnando

[Phish&Comics]

Excellent recommendations all around. Lots to look up!

@Turnando I did read The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay - a great read and one of my favorites! I've been meaning to read The Escapist comics based off the book. 

[Turnando]

I just finished "The Secret History of Wonder Woman" by Jill Lepore.

This book probably moved me more than any other comic history book I've read.  William Moulton Marston was a deluded but charming scammer and his life was a fantasy.  He never succeeded or gained acceptance or popularity where he wanted it most, in academia, but he found it in comics.  His family lived his fantasy with him. The secret family history and the history of feminism, especially as related to Margaret Sanger and her sister Ethel Byrne is fascinating and ultimately sad.

I'll be seeking out reprints of the comics that Marston wrote and a few of the early Robert Kanigher stories. Kanigher is another story altogether.  A chauvinist who seems to have delighted in destroying Wonder Woman. 

I'm looking forward to reading or rereading early Wonder Woman comics in this new-for-me context that Jill Lepore constructed.  Some of the history she documents was intentionally buried by the Marston family and she has made or exposed connections to Wonder Woman that nobody did before her.

I'm putting this book on the shelf next to my favorite comic history books.  The ones that I consider to be very well written and essential for a comic history enthusiast.

[Darth Floppy]

The Origin of Marvel Comics by Stan Lee.  It was published in the 70s and spawned a couple of follow up books, Son of Origins and Bring on the Bad Guys.  I still have my first print copy I bought when it was published.  First hardcover book that I bought.  Not a comprehensive history, but very interesting from Stan Lee recounting of his early days at Marvel.

[ComicConnoisseur]

On 2/8/2019 at 12:45 PM, Phish&Comics said:

Anyone have recommendations for books that cover the history of comics? Something comprehensive that covers the golden age all the way to the modern age?

ask 

@Comicopolis

I remember he had a list  of over 20 he recommended me. Unfortunately I lost it during this boards upgrade a few years ago.

Edited September 11, 2019 by ComicConnoisseur

[ComicConnoisseur]

15 hours ago, Darth Floppy said:

The Origin of Marvel Comics by Stan Lee.  It was published in the 70s and spawned a couple of follow up books, Son of Origins and Bring on the Bad Guys.  I still have my first print copy I bought when it was published.  First hardcover book that I bought.  Not a comprehensive history, but very interesting from Stan Lee recounting of his early days at Marvel.

Great stuff. I binged read all three books in one day. I couldn't put them down.

Wish Stan Lee wrote more of them.

[Logan510]

38 minutes ago, ComicConnoisseur said:

Great stuff. I binged read all three books in one day. I couldn't put them down.

Wish Stan Lee wrote more of them.

He did.