history
Reviews
American Comics: A History
W.W. Norton
Articles
Mister Oswald and His Hardware Store: Russ Johnson’s Long-running Comic Strip
Bob takes us back to the hardware store (which is near the woodshed) to uncover the story behind one of the longest running comic strips in the history books, and the only comic strip that can claim consistent Hardware Retailer serialization on its resume
The Art of Graphic Narrative: An Apology for the “Lascaux Hypothesis”
Sometimes you’ve got to take a step back, look at the whole picture of comics, and figure out: what kind of language are we using here? What is this art form we’re talking about, and are we doing an accurate enough job talking about it? Also: CAVES.
Another Look At Bill Mauldin
There’s never a bad time to talk about Bill Mauldin, but it’s especially a good time when you’ve got a whole bushel of Maulidin trivia, history and gossip to share thanks to Bob tracking down a copy of 2020’s Drawing Fire: The Editorial Cartoons of Bill Mauldin.
Guy On The March: Memories of being a cross-country tentmate with artist and cartoonist Guy Colwell
Today is the 35th anniversary of the conclusion of 1986’s Great Peace March of 1986. Michael Tisserand, who participated in the March, is celebrating by telling the lesser known story of the great Guy Colwell, who served as the March’s cartoonist. (A gallery of Colwell’s work is, of course, on hand).
Thomas Inge, 1936 – 2021: Pioneering Founder Of Comics Scholarship Dies
Bob looks back at the life and career of M. Thomas Inge, his friend, editor, and collaborator, and reflects on the groundbreaking work that Inge did in the world of comics scholarship.
Another Look at the East Village Eye
“There was no money. I think we were actually paid in drugs.” — Mark Michaelson, former art director The East Village Eye Lower New York has been the scene for numerous “art movements,” and the decade between the mid-70s and mid-80s sure was one of them, especially for the convergence of comics, “art,” and punk John Kelly | February 15, 2016
Rockin’ in the New Year with The Rocket’s Xmas Covers
Happy Holidays to everyone, whatever it is you celebrate–or not celebrate–this time of the year. In the spirit of the New Year, and in an effort to further explore some historical connections between comics and other forms of popular culture, today we will be focusing on some of the Christmas-time covers done by an extraordinary John Kelly | December 22, 2015
The Library of American Comics at 75 Titles (and counting)
A discussion of plans, approaches and rights with the founder and associate editor of the Library of American Comics.
Secret Loves: A Short History of Two Panels in Charles Burns’s The Hive
Mind-blowing kisses, bitter tears, manic desperation, luxurious eyebrows, and comic book history in Charles Burns’s new graphic novel.
Five Aspects of the Reprint High Renaissance
It’s as if a hive decision was arrived at among publishers to produce, once and for all, a comprehensive national comics library in print.
