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Overview
In the five decades after the Yellow Kid first appeared in 1895, the funnies became an essential element of American life. Comic strip characters-Buster Brown, the Katzenjammer Kids, Krazy Kat, Tarzan, Dick Tracy, Popeye, Blondie, Li'l Abner-were everywhere. They starred in live-action and animated films, stage plays, and radio programs. Their phrases invaded the language; their adventures, which reflected societal changes, were retold in books and inspired hit songs.This visually stunning, comprehensive survey-copiously illustrated with rare original comics art-is the most authoritative history of prewar American newspaper comics currently in print. It documents the major trends in the funnies business, decade by decade, and presents in-depth biographies of 21 of the most influential creators of the era. The Comics Before 1945 joins Brian Walker's The Comics Since 1945 to form a classic survey of American popular culture by one of the greatest authorities in the field.
Author Bio: Brian Walker, a cartoonist and a founder of the International Museum of Cartoon Art, has written and edited more than a dozen books, including Abrams' The Comics Since 1945. Since 1984 he has been part of the creative team that produces the strips Beetle Bailey and Hi and Lois. He lives in Wilton, Connecticut.
Synopsis
In the five decades after the Yellow Kid first appeared in 1895, the funnies became an essential element of American life. Comic strip characters-Buster Brown, the Katzenjammer Kids, Krazy Kat, Tarzan, Dick Tracy, Popeye, Blondie, Li'l Abner-were everywhere. They starred in live-action and animated films, stage plays, and radio programs. Their phrases invaded the language; their adventures, which reflected societal changes, were retold in books and inspired hit songs.
This visually stunning, comprehensive survey-copiously illustrated with rare original comics art-is the most authoritative history of prewar American newspaper comics currently in print. It documents the major trends in the funnies business, decade by decade, and presents in-depth biographies of 21 of the most influential creators of the era. The Comics Before 1945 joins Brian Walker's The Comics Since 1945 to form a classic survey of American popular culture by one of the greatest authorities in the field.
Author Bio: Brian Walker, a cartoonist and a founder of the International Museum of Cartoon Art, has written and edited more than a dozen books, including Abrams' The Comics Since 1945. Since 1984 he has been part of the creative team that produces the strips Beetle Bailey and Hi and Lois. He lives in Wilton, Connecticut.
Library Journal
In this impressive oversized hardcover, a companion to his earlier The Comics Since 1945, comics historian Walker provides an excellent survey of the first five decades of American newspaper comic strips. In his extensively researched text, he discusses the origins of the comics form and chronicles the early history of the comics. The book reprints hundreds of strips, including many full-color Sunday pages, ranging from the very early Yellow Kid and Buster Brown to the World War II exploits of aviators like Roy Crane's Buz Sawyer. Walker includes early examples of still-surviving strips such as Blondie and Nancy alongside rarities and long-lost gems such as Crockett Johnson's Barnaby. He also presents short biographies of some of the era's top creators, including Winsor McCay (Little Nemo in Slumberland), George Herriman (Krazy Kat), and others, along with multiple examples of their work. With all of that plus Rube Goldberg, Little Orphan Annie, Dick Tracy, Prince Valiant, and more, this treasure trove is highly recommended for all libraries. Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.