"Doomsday has returned in these tales from ACTION COMICS #900-904! The monster that once Superman's life in a battle that destroyed half of Metropolis is back for another round with the Man of Steel. Writer Paul Cornell (Doctor Who, KNIGHT AND SQUIRE) pens a tale that not only puts Superman in a fight for his life -- but in a fight for the life of Superboy, Supergirl and all members of the Superman family. "--Publisher.
Focusing especially on American comic books and graphic novels from the 1930s to the present, this massive four-volume work provides a colorful yet authoritative source on the entire history of the comics medium. Comics and graphic novels have recently become big business, serving as the inspiration for blockbuster Hollywood movies such as the Iron Man series of films and the hit television drama The Walking Dead. But comics have been popular throughout the 20th century despite the significant effects of the restrictions of the Comics Code in place from the 1950s through 1970s, which prohibited the depiction of zombies and use of the word "horror," among many other rules. Comics through Time: A History of Icons, Idols, and Ideas provides students and general readers a one-stop resource for researching topics, genres, works, and artists of comic books, comic strips, and graphic novels. The comprehensive and broad coverage of this set is organized chronologically by volume. Volume 1 covers 1960 and earlier; Volume 2 covers 1960–1980; Volume 3 covers 1980–1995; and Volume 4 covers 1995 to the present. The chronological divisions give readers a sense of the evolution of comics within the larger contexts of American culture and history. The alphabetically arranged entries in each volume address topics such as comics publishing, characters, imprints, genres, themes, titles, artists, writers, and more. While special attention is paid to American comics, the entries also include coverage of British, Japanese, and European comics that have influenced illustrated storytelling of the United States or are of special interest to American readers.
Comics legends Len Wein and Joe Staton bring their unique storytelling flair to John Stewart, the Green Lantern in this special issue, along with a 1980s reprint from the same team! Also reprints a tale from the emerald warrior from GREEN LANTERN #172!
Rediscover your sense of wonder! Generations of comic book readers remember the tantalizing promises of vintage novelty advertisements that offered authentic laser-gun plans, x-ray specs, and even 7-foot-tall monsters (with glow-in-the-dark eyes!). But what would you really get if you entrusted your hard-earned $1.69 to the post office? Mail-Order Mysteries answers this question, revealing the amazing truths (and agonizing exaggerations) about the actual products marketed to kids in the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s. Pop-culture historian Kirk Demarais shares his astonishing collection, including: 100 Toy Soldiers in a Footlocker Count Dante’s World’s Deadliest Fighting Secrets GRIT Hercules Wrist Band Hypno-Coin Life-Size Monsters Mystic Smoke Sea Monkeys Soil From Dracula’s Castle U-Control Ghost Ventrilo Voice Thrower ...and many, many more! With more than 150 extraordinary, peculiar, and downright fraudulent collectibles, Mail-Order Mysteries is a must-have book comic book fans everywhere. Trust us.
Gotham City is plagued with crime and corruption in places high and low, but one man has taken a stand against evil in all its forms: the dark avenger known as Batman. The Dark Knight¿s life has been tumultous since his one-time friend Tommy Elliott was revealed to be the Batman-hating master criminal, Hush. But Elliott is dead - or is he? The Caped Crusader finds himself once more in the sights of his most fearsome foe... but this time Hush is out to destroy everything - and everyone - close to the Batman. With Catwoman¿s life on the line, can Hush finally be stopped?
Peter Parker's worst nightmare has come true: One of Spider-Man's enemies has learned his secret identity and is using that knowledge to strike at Peter's family. Now, his Aunt May has been kidnapped - and his wife, Mary Jane, may be next. Forced into a personal battle against a mysterious foe devious enough to ensnare him in a vicious game of cat-and-mouse, Spider-Man must battle more than a dozen of his deadliest enemies to rescue his aunt. With the clock rapidly ticking down, will Spider-Man earn his greatest triumph or suffer his greatest defeat? In a spellbinding story superbly illustrated by fan-favorite artists Terry Dodson and Frank Cho, best-selling writer Mark Millar presents his definitive take on Marvel's greatest hero - reinterpreting classic Spider-Man foes such as Dr. Octopus and the Vulture, and introducing an all-new Venom! Collecting MARVEL KNIGHTS SPIDER-MAN #1-12.
The Other Kind of Funnies refutes the mainstream American cultural assumption that comics have little to do with technical communication-that the former are entertaining (in a low-brow sense) and juvenile, whereas the latter is practical and serious (to the point of stuffiness). The first of its kind, this book demonstrates the exciting possibilities of using comics in technical communication. It defines comics as a medium and art form that includes cartoons, comic strips, comic books, and graphic novels; provides conceptual and historical backgrounds on comics; and discusses the appeals and challenges of using comics-style technical communication. More specifically, it examines comics-style instructions, educational materials, health/risk communication, and political/propaganda communication. The author argues that comics-style technical communication encourages reader participation, produces covert persuasion, facilitates intercultural communication, benefits underprivileged audiences such as children and readers of lower literacy, and challenges the positivist view of technical communication. An abundance of comics-style technical communication examples, carefully selected from across cultures and times, demonstrates the argument. While the book proposes that comics can create user-friendly, visually oriented, engaging, and socially responsible technical communication, it is also quick to acknowledge the limitations and challenges of comics-style technical communication and provides heuristics on how to cope with them. The Other Kind of Funnies is unique in its interdisciplinary approach. It focuses on technical communication but speaks to design, cultural and intercultural studies, historical studies, and to some extent, education, politics, and art.
Spider-Man has fought Nazi bees. Batman has fought Superman at least 16 times. David Bowie nearly played Daredevil. The creator of Wonder Woman believed women should govern the world. Thor owns two killer goats. The Justice League have teamed up with He-Man. Stan Lee devised Iron Man to show that he could make the least likeable character successful. Originally, Aquaman had to make contact with water every hour or he died. Storm was meant to be called Black Cat and had the power to turn into a feline. Robin killed three people in his debut comic. There is a pig version of Gambit called Hambit. Flash can punch a person a billion times per second. Wolverine allied with Captain America during World War II. Green Arrow has a Nuclear Bomb arrow. Silver Surfer's surfboard is alive. Shazam popularized the phrase, "Holy moly!" The CIA tried to hire The Punisher to kill Osama Bin Laden.
A concise introduction to one of today's fastest-growing, most exciting fields, Comics Studies: A Guidebook outlines core research questions and introduces comics' history, form, genres, audiences, and industries. Authored by a diverse roster of leading scholars, this Guidebook offers a perfect entryway to the world of comics scholarship.
