Anatomy of Comics

This international history of the art of comics includes classics from Richard F. Outcault in 1896 all the way to the turn of our century, with masters such as Chris Ware. Populated by meta-humans, hybrids, and superheroes, these works of art present parallel worlds that continue to fascinate generations.

A critical reference, this book spans all styles and is a celebration of the motley crew of characters who have accompanied fans from their first forays into reading, through adolescence, and on into adulthood - spandex-wrapped heroes with impossible muscles, hard-boiled detectives in fedoras, emancipated vamps, space-opera acrobats in chain-mail underpants, postmodern zombies, cute puppies, and underground freaks. Featuring significant American and European artists, this wide-ranging retrospective decodes the symbolism and artistry of a richly creative form of storytelling.

Auteur

Damien MacDonald is a comic book illustrator and curator who published graphic novel adaptation of Victor Hugo's Hunchback of Notre Dame. His work has been shown in museums and galleries in France, Norway, Belgium, China, and Monaco. He curated the Marginalia exhibition for the Nouveau Musée National de Monaco.

Texte du rabat

This fully-illustrated history of the world's best comic strip art, including Hy Eisman's The Katzenjammer Kids, which debuted in 1897, Charles Schultz's Peanuts (1950), Peyo's Smurfs (1958), Steve Ditko's Spiderman (1962), Jack Kirby's Black Panther (1966) or Bill Watterson's Calvin and Hobbes (1985), or Chris Ware and his ACME Novelty Library (1993). The comics presented here have imagined fantastical worlds that have attracted generation after generation of devoted fans. A critical reference, this book is also a nostalgic celebration of the characters that have accompanied readers from their first forays into reading, through adolescence and throughout adulthood-from Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck to Tintin and Little Nemo, from the superhero franchises to postmodern works such as Art Speigelman's Maus or the underground comics of Robert Crumb. Featuring 125 American and European artists, this is a gorgeous retrospective on one of the most richly creative forms of reading pleasure.