Not as great as people reviewed
I had this book for a class a little while ago and I have to agree with my professor that this book skips over a lot of important stuff in the "history of Comic Art". There is not nearly enough info about main stream publishers (Marvel and DC) and yet there are pages upon pages of independent works from the 70's. Don't get me wrong it's valuable information, BUT it's not balanced. It's like this book was written in the early 80's and written based on personal experiences and comic book tastes rather than hard research.
5/5
An art form that is often dismissed as mere entertainment gets its due in this huge, entertaining and enlightening book. Comics, Comix & Graphic Novels is undoubtedly the most comprehensive study of the graphic qualities and cultural impact of comic art, tracing the history of the genre from early woodcuts to modern times. In addition to documenting the origins of established comics such as Tintin and Batman, the contributions and influence of recent artists, including Katsuhiro Otomo of Akira fame and Art Spiegelman (Maus) are also discussed in depth. In addition to the treasure trove of illustrations in the book, Sabin's text deftly balances the history of comic art as entertainment with the placement of these comics in a cultural context. However, despite his scholarly tone the book never comes across as high-handed or pretentious. Beautifully produced and consummately authoritative, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in popular culture.
Essential reading
This is a wonderful book. It's beautifully written, with quality reproductions. If you are looking for one book to sum up this genre, then this must surely be it. Little known (and completely useless) fact . . . This book 'stars' in the film Notting Hill! It is clearly visible in a scene with Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant towards the end of the film. The book shop where the two leading characters meet is meant to be a travel book shop, so goodness knows how this particular title made it on to the shelves!
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