Of Comics and Men

Abstract

This book documents the rise and development of the American comic book industry from the 1930s to the present. It intertwines aesthetic issues and critical biographies with the concerns of production, distribution, and audience reception. The introduction brings the book up to date with explorations of the latest innovations, particularly the graphic novel. The book is organized into three sections: a concise history of the evolution of the comic book form in America; an overview of the distribution and consumption of American comic books, detailing specific controversies such as the creation of the Comics Code in the mid-1950s; and the problematic legitimization of the form that has occurred recently within the academy and in popular discourse. Viewing comic books from a variety of theoretical lenses, the book shows how seemingly disparate issues—creation, production, and reception—are in fact connected in ways that are not necessarily true of other art forms.

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