The fourth issue of Comic Book Comics delivers five tales of comic book publishing history, gossip and scandal. The first is about Crime Does Not Pay, one of the leaders of graphic (and I mean graphic) crime fiction comics of the 1940’s. Next up is the story of Marvel Comics and Stan Lee’s rise to prominence which often came at the expense of guys like Steve Ditko and Jack Kirby. From there we head into the world of underground comix and a brief biography of Robert Crumb. Finally, they move into the wonderful world of European comics and the differing ways the artform is perceived overseas (and the reasons why).
Much like Action Philosophers, this title finds a way to blend humor and history to great effect. Those looking to learn more about comic book history will find it to be very informative and those who already have some knowledge will likely find something new and undoubtedly find a lot to chuckle about. The art is fun and it’s printed on newsprint, which I always find to be a bonus as well as incredibly appropriate given the subject matter.
Also – duh! History can be boring, even if it’s comic book history. But when you put it in sequential art form, it’s always easier to digest. Also, the book is a whopping 40 pages, so you can’t really complain about that.
I guess the only bad I can really come up with is that they obviously have to glaze over a fair amount of stuff. If I had my way, these guys would be putting out an issue every month and it would be the most finely detailed comic book history book ever written. But that’s pretty ridiculous and incredibly unrealistic.
Cover art to COMIC BOOK COMICS #4 by Ryan Dunlavey
This issue of Comic Book Comics presents a fantastic overview of several key moments in comic book history and was an absolute pleasure to read. If you’re a lover of the medium and are interested in its rich (and sometimes sordid) history, you will definitely want to pick this issue up and seek out the back issues!
Not only does it provide a lot of insight into the goings-on of the day, it also provides a great example of how differently comic books are perceived in different cultures. So you’re not just getting a bunch of facts, you’re seeing how cultural taboos and politics influenced the maturation of the art form in America and abroad. It’s fascinating stuff.
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