The Encyclopedia of American Comics

A history of comic books and strips, from the creation of Katzenjammer Kids in 1897 to today's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, offers insight into the characters, artists, and syndicates

YA-- This extensive guide focuses on comic heroes and villains; the creators, artists, and writers of comic strips and comic books; and the publishers and syndicates of the comics industry. The more than 1,000 entries are arranged in dictionary form, are superbly illustrated, and are cross-referenced. An intriguing, reliable look into this form of popular American culture.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Reference works on comic art are not rare (the most recent being Denis Gifford's American Comic Strip Collections, 1884-1939: The Evolutionary Era, LJ 9/15/90), but ones of this scope are. Unfortunately, this work promises far more than it could possibly deliver; though it covers the most visible aspects of American comic book and strip development, it is not close to complete. The annotations, by various experts in the field, are generally well written--though the entries on comics giants Jack Kirby and Harvey Kurtzman are very disappointing. Inconsistencies intrude: there are separate, but virtually identical, entries for the strip Cathy and its creator Cathy Guisewite; more disparate entries for Garry Trudeau and Doonesbury ; an entry for The Family Circus but only a cross-reference for creator Bil Keane; and no entry whatsoever for American Splendor , though there is one for its creator Harvey Pekar. There are also, as one would expect, various minor factual errors. Most disappointing is the paucity of illustrations in general and the lack of recent ones in particular. Still, there are some fine entries (especially the ones for The Avengers , Pogo creator Walt Kelly, Krazy Kat , and Plastic Man ). Given the complexity of the project and the sheer volume of source material, the flaws can be overlooked. Recommended for graphic arts collections and medium to large public libraries.
- Keith R.A. De Candido, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.