UNDERSTANDING SUPERHERO COMIC BOOKS

Grand explores the history of the medium in this nonfiction work.

The author was first introduced to comic books as a kid in 1982 when he read the backstories of his favorite He-Man action figures through a series of promotional Masters of the Universe mini-comics published by Mattel. Comic books would play a central role in his life for the rest of his childhood and teenage years. Even after graduating from medical school and joining a medical practice, the supernatural lure of comic books remained ever-present. With a sound research background honed during his postgraduate studies, Grand began a multiyear study of the history of comic books that has culminated in this work. The book begins with the origins of the medium, Victorian-era visual sequential art (“proto-comics”) like Rodolphe Töpffer’s newspaper comic strip, Adventures of Obadiah Oldbuck. Dividing comic book history into eight eras, the author explores the development of the form from its early 20th century roots through the present. The “Golden Age” of the 1930s and 1940s moved away from the comedic sensibilities of earlier works toward violent stories featuring superheroes like Captain America and Batman, featuring characters with “superhuman abilities, costumes/code names, and a mission of justice.” As society and culture developed in the mid-20th century, so too did comic books—they adapted to the television culture of the 1950s and 1960s, and later to the cynicism of the 1970s with the rise of antiheroes, “good-guy type of killers who got the job done.” The 1980s and 1990s (the “Dark Age” and “Extreme Age,” respectively) saw the growing popularity of dark, brooding themes, as well as “over-the-top anatomy, weaponry, and sexuality combined with sales-driven gimmicks,” culminating in the current “Movie Age,” characterized by CGI, special effects, and blockbuster films.

While Grand acknowledges that this is not “a complete history of comics,” it is nevertheless a thorough one, covering many of the larger trends as well as artists, authors, and publishers who helped to shape the superhero genre. A thoughtful final section on diversity explores representations of women and Black people in comic books throughout the 20th century and the intersection of comic book narratives with social issues like civil rights, women’s rights, and multiculturalism. This impressively researched book boasts more than 1,000 reference endnotes and a 19-page bibliography that reflect a solid grasp of the vast library of American comic books as well as a respect for academic scholarship. Also included are the perspectives of insiders like comic artist Guy Dorian Sr. and wholesale comics distributor Bud Plant, who were interviewed by the author, as well as legendary artist Jim Steranko, who writes the book’s foreword. Grand’s narrative, which balances the enthusiasm of a lifelong fan with astute analysis, is accompanied by a wealth of images and reproductions of comic book panels and iconic covers. Combined, these elements make not only a well-written, smart study of superhero history and lore, but also a beautifully crafted, visually appealing volume. And while admittedly not comprehensive (the text largely ignores the history of underground and alternative comix and Japanese Manga), this is an admirable addition to the scholarship on superheroes and comic books.

A well-researched, engaging history of American superhero comics.