John Stanley: Giving Life To Little Lulu

by Bill Schelly, John Stanley

This is a biography of one of the most influential “girl power” comic book writer/artists ( Little Lulu , Nancy ) of the mid-20th century. This is a deluxe, full-color, coffee table book biography; the first of one of America’s greatest storytellers. It's filled with beautifully reproduced artwork from the comic books Little Lulu , and his creations Melvin Monster and Thirteen (Going on Eighteen) ; rare drawings and cartoons; and never-before-seen photographs. Bill Schelly tells Stanley’s life story through interviews with his family, friends, and his childhood in Harlem and the Bronx, life with his strict Irish Catholic mother, his education at Parsons, his first job as an animator at Max Fleischer Studios, and his years working as a commercial artist, before finding his true métier in comic books during World War II (while battling clinical depression and alcoholism). Prose with illustrations.

Genres: Comics, Art

160 pages, Hardcover

Published June 6, 2017

About the author

BILL SCHELLY is the Eisner Award-winning author of HARVEY KURTZMAN, THE MAN WHO CREATED MAD AND REVOLUTIONIZED HUMOR IN AMERICA, voted Best Comics-Related Book of 2015. He began researching the history of comic fandom in 1991, resulting in the book The Golden Age of Comic Fandom (1995), then became associate editor of Alter Ego magazine, a post he holds to the present day. Schelly has written several biographies of film and comics artists, including movie comedian Harry Langdon and comic book scribe Otto Binder, co-creator of Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes. In 2008, he authored Man of Rock, a biography of celebrated comics writer-artist Joe Kubert. Schelly's American Comic Book Chronicles: The 1950’S (2013) was nominated for a Harvey Award. He has received acclaim as the premier historian of comic fandom, and perhaps the top biographer of comic book creators.

Reviews

[Carrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I appreciate that the author discussed Stanley's failures as well as his brilliance, and Schelly obviously worked hard at digging out facts--some of which are lost in time. This book is beautifully designed, though some comic panels are printed quite small (I had to use drug-store reading glasses). Still, I didn't learn much I didn't already know (from material in Stanely anthologies I guess?) and found this book depressing. There's no way to make a bio of John Stanley uplifting, I realize. Unless you're a Stanley completist, skip this and just read more comic books.

[Brent · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, I'm often prone to take my time with a subject I love. Case in point: this great cartoonist I knew little about, who developed Lulu in comics stories and most likely created her pal Tubby. In a more perfect world we would have known enough to have honored his work was published; that was not the comics industry as it began. Schelly's biography sums up a fascinating career, with great highs and lows. And the art reproductions deserve this size and format, to be shelved, say, next to the Little Lulu Library.
The fine history here has sent me back to more fine recent history: I'm in the middle of Mike Barrier's history of Stanley's peers and publishers, Funnybooks: The Improbable Glories of the Best American Comic Books Funnybooks.
Highly recommended.

[ken hietala · Rating 5 out of 5]

fantastic book

This is such wonderful book, it tells story of an untold genius a man ahead of his time. Thank you John Stanley