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The Comics: Since 1945
It is hard to imagine a world without Little Orphan Annie, Popeye, Snoopy, and Garfield. Newspaper comics arrive in millions of homes each day and make families laugh out loud. They're not only funny - they also reflect their times.
American newspaper comics evolved during the latter half of the nineteenth century when powerful forces of social and technological change combined to revolutionize mass entertainment. The comics industry has changed dramatically since that time. Radio, television, and the internet have challenged newspapers for dominance. Throughout its history, the art form has, time and again, proved its popular appeal and commercial adaptability. From the newspaper wars at the end of the nineteenth century to the cutting edge competition on the information superhighway at the beginning of the twenty-first century, comics have continued to thrive.
In this color packed compendium, cartoonist and historian Brian Walker has amassed more than 700 illustrations, including scores of rare examples provided by the artists themselves. Organized by decade, with biographical profiles and descriptions of different genres and themes, The Comics is both comprehensive and graphically stunning. This humorous collection is a classic survey of American culture since 1945.
American newspaper comics evolved during the latter half of the nineteenth century when powerful forces of social and technological change combined to revolutionize mass entertainment. The comics industry has changed dramatically since that time. Radio, television, and the internet have challenged newspapers for dominance. Throughout its history, the art form has, time and again, proved its popular appeal and commercial adaptability. From the newspaper wars at the end of the nineteenth century to the cutting edge competition on the information superhighway at the beginning of the twenty-first century, comics have continued to thrive.
In this color packed compendium, cartoonist and historian Brian Walker has amassed more than 700 illustrations, including scores of rare examples provided by the artists themselves. Organized by decade, with biographical profiles and descriptions of different genres and themes, The Comics is both comprehensive and graphically stunning. This humorous collection is a classic survey of American culture since 1945.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2002
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 11, 2012
For a novice, such as myself, it was a nice overview of post WWII comics. Someone more knowledgeable might have found it lacking. With a 2002 copyright, it's already out-of-date by a decade.
Hightlights/Notes:
1940s:
The inaugral meeting of the Cartoonists Society was held March 1, 1946.
Story strips, particularly adventure strips were very popular.
Milton Caniff (Steve Canyon), Will Eisner (The Spirit), Chester Gould (Dick Tracy), Hal Foster (PRince Valiant), Roy Crane (Buz Sawyer), Harold Gray (Little Orphan Annie), Alex Raymond (Rip Kirby), Al Capp (Lil' Abner), Frank King (Gasoline Alley), Ernie Bushmiller (Nancy), George McManus (Bringin Up Father), Fred Lasswell (Barney Google and Snuffy Smith), Bill Holman (Smokey Stover), Walt Kelly (Pogo)
1950s:
Soap operas were still big; sports, westerns and science fiction became popular
Sims & Zaboly (continued Popeye when Elzie Segar died), John Cullen Murphy (Big BenBolt), Stan Drake (The Heart of Juliet Jones), Leonard Starr (On Stage), John Prentice (continued Rip Kirby after Alex Raymond's death), Leslie Turner (Captain Easy), V.T. hamlin (Alley Oop), Gus
Edson & IrwinHasen (Dondi, Gus Arriola (Gordo), Mort Walker (Beetle Bailey), Mort Walker & Dik Browne (Hi & Lois), Charles Schulz (Peanuts), Hank Ketcham (Dennis the Menace)
1960s:
Television had a major impact on comcis with shows such as The Flinstones becoming strips and comics such as Dennis the Menace being turned into tv shows.
In 1967, American comics gained a level of respectability when the Louvre had an exhibit entitled "The Comic Strip and Narrative Figurative Art".
In 1968, the Newspaper Comics Council held a symposium on "Violence in the Comics" attended by members of the American Psychiatric Association.
Romance and adventure strips were struggling to survive while family strips and gag strips gained in popularity. Some comics, not editorial cartoons but rather a combinations of the two, also offered social and political commentary. Also, African-Americans were making inroads within the business.
Mell Lazarus (Miss Peach), Johnny Hart (B.C., The Wizard of Id), Mort Walker & Jerry Dumas (Sam's Strip), Art Sansom (The Born Loser), T.K. Ryan (Tumbleweeds), Redeye (Gordon Bess), Morrie Brickman (The Small Society), Reg Smythe (Andy Capp), Bill Hoest (The Lockhornes), Lee Holley (Ponytail), Bill Yates (Professor Phumble), Virgil Partch (Big George), Bud Blake (Tiger), BilKeane (Family Circle/Family Circus), Morrie Turner (Wee Pals), Brumsic Brandon Jr. (Luther)Ted Shearer (Quincy)
1970s:
Babyboomers and women started making inroads into the comics. New humor strips reflected contemporary lifestyles. Some established cartoonists launched second features. Politically satiric strips became bolder. Al Capp's Lil' Abner and Walt Kelly's Pogo ended upon their respective retirement and death. Story strips continued to fail. The blockbuster movie, Star wars, revived an interest in sci-fi strips. Cosutmed superheroes made a comeback in the late 70s. On August 11, 1974 the Museum of Cartoon Art opened. Eventually, it outgrew its location and was relocated to Rye Brook, NY and reopened on November 12, 1977.
Garry Trudeau (Doonesbury), Cathy Guiswite (Cathy), Jeff MacNelly (Shoe), LynJohnston (For Better or For Worse), Dik Browne (Hagar the Horrible), Jim Davis (Garfield), Russell Myers (Broom-Hilda), Tom Wilson (Ziggy), Mort Walker (Hank Ketham), Mel Lazarus (Momma), Jim Unger (Herman), George Gately (Heathcliff), Mort Walek & Jerry Dumas (Sam & Silo), Bob Thaves (Frank & Ernest), Tom Batiuk (Funky Winkerbean), Mel Casson & Bill Brown (Mixed Singles), Frank Baginski & Reynolds Dodson (Splitsville), Kevin Fagan (Drabble), Don Wilder & Bill Rechin (Crock), Rog Bollen (Catfish), Ben templeton & Tom Forman (Motley's Crew), Jeff Millar & Bill Hinds (tank McNamara), Phil Frank (Travels with Farley), Dick Moores (took over Gasoline Alley from FrankKing), Stan Lee & John Romita (The Amazing Spder-Man), Al Williamson (took over Secret Agent X-9/Secret Agent Corrigan from Dashiell Hammett and Alex Raymond), Leonard Starr (ended On Stage and took over Annie from Harold gray), John Cullen Murphy (took over Prince Valient when Hal Foster retired)
1980s:
The success of Gary Larson's The Far Side, Berke Breathed's Bloom County, and Bill Watterson's Calvin & Hobbes paved the way for unconventional, bizarre and whimsical strips. New family-oriented strips slowly gained in popularity over the course of the decade. Most story strips were gone but a few popular ones like Rex Morgan MD and Apartment 3-G had die-hard fans. Several legendary cartoonists died during the 80s: ERnie Bushmiller, Hal Foster, Chester Gould, Dick Moores, Milton Caniff, Bill Hoest, and Dik Browne. A number of artists fought for and won the copyrights to their strips. On Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28, 1985, 175 cartoonists dedicated the theme of their strips to world hunger. OnSeptember 7, 1970, Blondie celebrated its 50th anniversary.
Gary Larson (The Far Side), Dan Piraro (Bizarro), Jerry Van Amerongen (The Neighborhood), John Caldwell (Caldwell), Oliver Christianson (The New Breed), Buddy Hickerson (The Quigmans), Joe Martin (Mr. Boffo), Berke Breathed (Bloom County, Outland), Greg Howard (Sally Forth), Greg Evans (Luann), Mike Peters (Mother Goose and Grimm), Doug Mariette (Kudzo), Brian Basset (Adam), Bill Schorr (The Grizzwells), Bil Holbrook (On the Fastrack), Rick Detorie (One Big Happy), Pat Brady (Rose is Rose), Walker Brothers (Betty Boop andFelix), Guy andBrad Gilchrist (The Muppetes), Jerry Dumas & Mel Crawford (McCall of the Wild), Jerry Dumas & Mort Drucker (Benchley), Gilchrists & Greg Walker (Rock Cahnnel),Bill Watterson (Calvin & Hobbes), Bill Griffith (Zippy the Pinhead), Bud Greace (Ernie/The Piranha Club), Jim Meddick (Robotman/Robotman and Monty/Monty, Bill Amend (Fox Trot), Jerry Scott (took over Nancy upon Ernie Bushmiller's death), Ray Billingsly (Curtis), Tom Armstrong (Marvin), Tom Armstrong & Tom Batiuk (John Darling)
1990s
Cartoonists lamented political correctness. 1995 marked the centennial anniversary of the funnies. Although some debate over it exists, most recognize the first color appearance of Richard Occault's The Yellow Kid in the New York World on May 5, 1895 as the birth of the art form. New cartoonists were angry at how difficult it was to break into the business dominated by strips whose creators had died years ago. Some classic strips ended upopn the retirement of Gary Larson, Berke Breathed and Bill Watterson and the death of icon, Charles Shultz. There were a lot of Far Side copycats, family strips, and strips featuring seniors.
Marcus Hamilton (took over Dennis the Menace upon Hank Ketcham's retirement and subsequent death), Jim Scancarelli (took over Gasoline Alley upon Dick Morres death), Guy and Brad Gilchrist (succeeded Herry Scott on Nancy), Chris Browne & Bud Jones & Dick Hodgins Jr (took over Hagar the Horrible upon Dik Browne's death), Robb Armstrong (Jump Start), Scott Adams (Dilbert), Rick Kirkman & HJerry Scott (Baby Blues), Wiley Miller (Non Sequitur), Jim Borgman (Wonk City), Barbara Brandon (Where I'm Coming From), Bruce Tinsley (Mallord Fillmore), Michael Jantze (The Norm), Hillary Price (Rhymes with Orange), Brian Crane (Pickles), Jim Tommey (Sherman's LAgoon), Patrick McDonnell (Mutts), Steve Morre (In the Bleachers), Jerry Van
Amerongen (Ballard Street), Jeff MacNelly (pluggers), Dave Coverly (Speed Bump), Tom Batiuk (Crankshaft), Frank Cho (Liberty Meadows), Jerry Scott & Jim Borgman (Zits), Aaron McGruder (The Boondocks), Darby Conley (Get Fuzzy), Lincoln Peirce (Big Nate), Glenn McCoy (The Duplex), Gary Delainey & Gerry Rasmussen (Betty), Steve Dickinson & Todd Clark (Lola), Brooke McEldowney (9 Chickweed Lane), Micahel Fry & T. Lewis (Overthe Hedge), Jan Eliot (Stone Soup), Tony Cochran (Agnes), Brian Bassett (Red and Rover)
Hightlights/Notes:
1940s:
The inaugral meeting of the Cartoonists Society was held March 1, 1946.
Story strips, particularly adventure strips were very popular.
Milton Caniff (Steve Canyon), Will Eisner (The Spirit), Chester Gould (Dick Tracy), Hal Foster (PRince Valiant), Roy Crane (Buz Sawyer), Harold Gray (Little Orphan Annie), Alex Raymond (Rip Kirby), Al Capp (Lil' Abner), Frank King (Gasoline Alley), Ernie Bushmiller (Nancy), George McManus (Bringin Up Father), Fred Lasswell (Barney Google and Snuffy Smith), Bill Holman (Smokey Stover), Walt Kelly (Pogo)
1950s:
Soap operas were still big; sports, westerns and science fiction became popular
Sims & Zaboly (continued Popeye when Elzie Segar died), John Cullen Murphy (Big BenBolt), Stan Drake (The Heart of Juliet Jones), Leonard Starr (On Stage), John Prentice (continued Rip Kirby after Alex Raymond's death), Leslie Turner (Captain Easy), V.T. hamlin (Alley Oop), Gus
Edson & IrwinHasen (Dondi, Gus Arriola (Gordo), Mort Walker (Beetle Bailey), Mort Walker & Dik Browne (Hi & Lois), Charles Schulz (Peanuts), Hank Ketcham (Dennis the Menace)
1960s:
Television had a major impact on comcis with shows such as The Flinstones becoming strips and comics such as Dennis the Menace being turned into tv shows.
In 1967, American comics gained a level of respectability when the Louvre had an exhibit entitled "The Comic Strip and Narrative Figurative Art".
In 1968, the Newspaper Comics Council held a symposium on "Violence in the Comics" attended by members of the American Psychiatric Association.
Romance and adventure strips were struggling to survive while family strips and gag strips gained in popularity. Some comics, not editorial cartoons but rather a combinations of the two, also offered social and political commentary. Also, African-Americans were making inroads within the business.
Mell Lazarus (Miss Peach), Johnny Hart (B.C., The Wizard of Id), Mort Walker & Jerry Dumas (Sam's Strip), Art Sansom (The Born Loser), T.K. Ryan (Tumbleweeds), Redeye (Gordon Bess), Morrie Brickman (The Small Society), Reg Smythe (Andy Capp), Bill Hoest (The Lockhornes), Lee Holley (Ponytail), Bill Yates (Professor Phumble), Virgil Partch (Big George), Bud Blake (Tiger), BilKeane (Family Circle/Family Circus), Morrie Turner (Wee Pals), Brumsic Brandon Jr. (Luther)Ted Shearer (Quincy)
1970s:
Babyboomers and women started making inroads into the comics. New humor strips reflected contemporary lifestyles. Some established cartoonists launched second features. Politically satiric strips became bolder. Al Capp's Lil' Abner and Walt Kelly's Pogo ended upon their respective retirement and death. Story strips continued to fail. The blockbuster movie, Star wars, revived an interest in sci-fi strips. Cosutmed superheroes made a comeback in the late 70s. On August 11, 1974 the Museum of Cartoon Art opened. Eventually, it outgrew its location and was relocated to Rye Brook, NY and reopened on November 12, 1977.
Garry Trudeau (Doonesbury), Cathy Guiswite (Cathy), Jeff MacNelly (Shoe), LynJohnston (For Better or For Worse), Dik Browne (Hagar the Horrible), Jim Davis (Garfield), Russell Myers (Broom-Hilda), Tom Wilson (Ziggy), Mort Walker (Hank Ketham), Mel Lazarus (Momma), Jim Unger (Herman), George Gately (Heathcliff), Mort Walek & Jerry Dumas (Sam & Silo), Bob Thaves (Frank & Ernest), Tom Batiuk (Funky Winkerbean), Mel Casson & Bill Brown (Mixed Singles), Frank Baginski & Reynolds Dodson (Splitsville), Kevin Fagan (Drabble), Don Wilder & Bill Rechin (Crock), Rog Bollen (Catfish), Ben templeton & Tom Forman (Motley's Crew), Jeff Millar & Bill Hinds (tank McNamara), Phil Frank (Travels with Farley), Dick Moores (took over Gasoline Alley from FrankKing), Stan Lee & John Romita (The Amazing Spder-Man), Al Williamson (took over Secret Agent X-9/Secret Agent Corrigan from Dashiell Hammett and Alex Raymond), Leonard Starr (ended On Stage and took over Annie from Harold gray), John Cullen Murphy (took over Prince Valient when Hal Foster retired)
1980s:
The success of Gary Larson's The Far Side, Berke Breathed's Bloom County, and Bill Watterson's Calvin & Hobbes paved the way for unconventional, bizarre and whimsical strips. New family-oriented strips slowly gained in popularity over the course of the decade. Most story strips were gone but a few popular ones like Rex Morgan MD and Apartment 3-G had die-hard fans. Several legendary cartoonists died during the 80s: ERnie Bushmiller, Hal Foster, Chester Gould, Dick Moores, Milton Caniff, Bill Hoest, and Dik Browne. A number of artists fought for and won the copyrights to their strips. On Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28, 1985, 175 cartoonists dedicated the theme of their strips to world hunger. OnSeptember 7, 1970, Blondie celebrated its 50th anniversary.
Gary Larson (The Far Side), Dan Piraro (Bizarro), Jerry Van Amerongen (The Neighborhood), John Caldwell (Caldwell), Oliver Christianson (The New Breed), Buddy Hickerson (The Quigmans), Joe Martin (Mr. Boffo), Berke Breathed (Bloom County, Outland), Greg Howard (Sally Forth), Greg Evans (Luann), Mike Peters (Mother Goose and Grimm), Doug Mariette (Kudzo), Brian Basset (Adam), Bill Schorr (The Grizzwells), Bil Holbrook (On the Fastrack), Rick Detorie (One Big Happy), Pat Brady (Rose is Rose), Walker Brothers (Betty Boop andFelix), Guy andBrad Gilchrist (The Muppetes), Jerry Dumas & Mel Crawford (McCall of the Wild), Jerry Dumas & Mort Drucker (Benchley), Gilchrists & Greg Walker (Rock Cahnnel),Bill Watterson (Calvin & Hobbes), Bill Griffith (Zippy the Pinhead), Bud Greace (Ernie/The Piranha Club), Jim Meddick (Robotman/Robotman and Monty/Monty, Bill Amend (Fox Trot), Jerry Scott (took over Nancy upon Ernie Bushmiller's death), Ray Billingsly (Curtis), Tom Armstrong (Marvin), Tom Armstrong & Tom Batiuk (John Darling)
1990s
Cartoonists lamented political correctness. 1995 marked the centennial anniversary of the funnies. Although some debate over it exists, most recognize the first color appearance of Richard Occault's The Yellow Kid in the New York World on May 5, 1895 as the birth of the art form. New cartoonists were angry at how difficult it was to break into the business dominated by strips whose creators had died years ago. Some classic strips ended upopn the retirement of Gary Larson, Berke Breathed and Bill Watterson and the death of icon, Charles Shultz. There were a lot of Far Side copycats, family strips, and strips featuring seniors.
Marcus Hamilton (took over Dennis the Menace upon Hank Ketcham's retirement and subsequent death), Jim Scancarelli (took over Gasoline Alley upon Dick Morres death), Guy and Brad Gilchrist (succeeded Herry Scott on Nancy), Chris Browne & Bud Jones & Dick Hodgins Jr (took over Hagar the Horrible upon Dik Browne's death), Robb Armstrong (Jump Start), Scott Adams (Dilbert), Rick Kirkman & HJerry Scott (Baby Blues), Wiley Miller (Non Sequitur), Jim Borgman (Wonk City), Barbara Brandon (Where I'm Coming From), Bruce Tinsley (Mallord Fillmore), Michael Jantze (The Norm), Hillary Price (Rhymes with Orange), Brian Crane (Pickles), Jim Tommey (Sherman's LAgoon), Patrick McDonnell (Mutts), Steve Morre (In the Bleachers), Jerry Van
Amerongen (Ballard Street), Jeff MacNelly (pluggers), Dave Coverly (Speed Bump), Tom Batiuk (Crankshaft), Frank Cho (Liberty Meadows), Jerry Scott & Jim Borgman (Zits), Aaron McGruder (The Boondocks), Darby Conley (Get Fuzzy), Lincoln Peirce (Big Nate), Glenn McCoy (The Duplex), Gary Delainey & Gerry Rasmussen (Betty), Steve Dickinson & Todd Clark (Lola), Brooke McEldowney (9 Chickweed Lane), Micahel Fry & T. Lewis (Overthe Hedge), Jan Eliot (Stone Soup), Tony Cochran (Agnes), Brian Bassett (Red and Rover)
June 8, 2019
A great overview American newspaper comics from WW2 to just before the arrival of webcomics (so no mention of that form).
It's not a scholarly analysis of the medium nor does it delve into the impact of comic strips. It also doesn't cover the influences or situation in other countries (so no mention of "The Moomins"). It is an interesting and entertaining read that covers all the major industry trends, artists, and forms of this medium. The book is pretty exhaustive in its coverage - I checked to see if any comics I knew were not covered and they all were, only"Life in Hell" was excluded.
What I most like about this book is that it includes a wealth of high-quality samples of comics from the major artists and eras - an awesome collection for any fan of comics!
It's not a scholarly analysis of the medium nor does it delve into the impact of comic strips. It also doesn't cover the influences or situation in other countries (so no mention of "The Moomins"). It is an interesting and entertaining read that covers all the major industry trends, artists, and forms of this medium. The book is pretty exhaustive in its coverage - I checked to see if any comics I knew were not covered and they all were, only"Life in Hell" was excluded.
What I most like about this book is that it includes a wealth of high-quality samples of comics from the major artists and eras - an awesome collection for any fan of comics!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews