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FELDSTEIN: The Mad Life and Fantastic Art of Al Feldstein!
FELDSTEIN: The Mad Life and Fantastic Art of Al Feldstein! takes a long-overdue look at the entire remarkable career of this legendary artist, writer, and editor. Both a full biography and a coffee-table art book, we begin with the earliest surviving Feldstein artwork from the High School of Music and Art, present his very earliest comic book work, and follow his development from the 1940s Victor Fox shop (including the titillating "headlight" comics Junior, Sunny, and Meet Corliss Archer). And we examine his highly visceral work for the classic E.C. comic book line.
Along with rare and previously unpublished photographs, the book pictures every E.C. Feldstein comic book cover (many placed alongside the original artwork), presents several complete E.C. stories, plus nearly every splash page and house ad Feldstein did for E.C. We trace his thirty-year career as the editor of MAD, and present his post-retirement work as a "fine" artist, including his prize-winning Western canvases and his many commissioned paintings "revisiting" his classic cover images from the 1950s. We examine every aspect of Feldstein's long career and fascinating personal life, not all of it sweetness and light.
Along with rare and previously unpublished photographs, the book pictures every E.C. Feldstein comic book cover (many placed alongside the original artwork), presents several complete E.C. stories, plus nearly every splash page and house ad Feldstein did for E.C. We trace his thirty-year career as the editor of MAD, and present his post-retirement work as a "fine" artist, including his prize-winning Western canvases and his many commissioned paintings "revisiting" his classic cover images from the 1950s. We examine every aspect of Feldstein's long career and fascinating personal life, not all of it sweetness and light.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published August 13, 2013
2 people are currently reading
42 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 10, 2021
About as comprehensive a biography and career documentary as you could require on the prolific artist/writer/editor of the EC line and Mad Magazine, and even images of his stunning fine art creations.
Relentless in its image presentations, most welcome for me are from his youth and formative years in teen comics, including some full stories (even in penciled form.) Many covers are shown side-by-side with their original art. His space covers shine here.
Recap of the early history of Max Gaines, Bill Gaines and EC Comics, arriving at Feldstein's fateful appearance at the the latter's offices.
Unfamiliar info on his contributions to the inception of Mad magazine.
Extensive coverage of Gaines' testimony at the comic-book hearings.
Heady days at skyrocketing Mad. Photos of group trips to exotic locales (on Gaines.)
Declining sales, Gaines' lack of adventurousness, family health problems lead to retirement.
Geissman's portrayal of his later years out west, providing wildlife refuge, accessible to comics fandom and pursuing his goal in Fine Art is admirably sensitive.
Relentless in its image presentations, most welcome for me are from his youth and formative years in teen comics, including some full stories (even in penciled form.) Many covers are shown side-by-side with their original art. His space covers shine here.
Recap of the early history of Max Gaines, Bill Gaines and EC Comics, arriving at Feldstein's fateful appearance at the the latter's offices.
Unfamiliar info on his contributions to the inception of Mad magazine.
Extensive coverage of Gaines' testimony at the comic-book hearings.
Heady days at skyrocketing Mad. Photos of group trips to exotic locales (on Gaines.)
Declining sales, Gaines' lack of adventurousness, family health problems lead to retirement.
Geissman's portrayal of his later years out west, providing wildlife refuge, accessible to comics fandom and pursuing his goal in Fine Art is admirably sensitive.
October 20, 2013
Rating: 5/5 – An Amazing Story of a Prolific Artist/Writer/Editor
This is really two stories about comic book history for the price of one. There’s the history of EC comics and then there’s also the history MAD magazine. Author Grant Gussman has delivered a thorough and interesting history of artist/writer/editor Al Feldstein. The two stories are intertwined by two men Al Feldstein and Bill Gaines. Al Feldstein’s art is the focus of this book obviously, but there’s a great deal of fascinating history to go along with it. EC Comics (Entertaining Comics) started as an educational comics venture in 1944. When Bill Gaines’ father Max died in 1947, Bill took over the company. It’s the horror, crime and sci-fi comics created by EC in the 1950′s that everyone talks about.
Read more... http://comicspectrumtpb.wordpress.com...
This is really two stories about comic book history for the price of one. There’s the history of EC comics and then there’s also the history MAD magazine. Author Grant Gussman has delivered a thorough and interesting history of artist/writer/editor Al Feldstein. The two stories are intertwined by two men Al Feldstein and Bill Gaines. Al Feldstein’s art is the focus of this book obviously, but there’s a great deal of fascinating history to go along with it. EC Comics (Entertaining Comics) started as an educational comics venture in 1944. When Bill Gaines’ father Max died in 1947, Bill took over the company. It’s the horror, crime and sci-fi comics created by EC in the 1950′s that everyone talks about.
Read more... http://comicspectrumtpb.wordpress.com...
Want to read
October 6, 2013I'm sure this will be an excellent addition to my humor collection. I read MAD from 1966 until the mid-90s - yes and kept all the copies too. and collected the paperback books which included the MAD of the 50s which contain some of my favorite parodies.
March 31, 2017
reading this book, i got the impression Al Feldstein was the least interesting of all the artists working for E.C. at the time. some of his horror and sci-fi covers are true classics, but that wasn't enough to hold my interest over a 400+ page book
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews