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Comic Book Encyclopedia: The Ultimate Guide to Characters, Graphic Novels, Writers, and Artists in the Comic Book Universe
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Manufacturer: HarperEntertainment
Author: Ron Goulart
Publisher: HarperEntertainment
Average Customer Rating:
Our Price: $32.97
You Save: $ 16.98 ( 34% )
Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: HarperEntertainment
Author: Ron Goulart
Publisher: HarperEntertainment
Average Customer Rating:
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Comic Book Encyclopedia: The Ultimate Guide to Characters, Graphic Novels, Writers, and Artists in the Comic Book Universe Description
Binding: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 741.503
EAN: 9780060538163
ISBN: 0060538163
Label: HarperEntertainment
Manufacturer: HarperEntertainment
Number Of Items: 1
Book Pages: 384
Publication Date: 2004-11-01
Publisher: HarperEntertainment
Product Release Date: 2004-10-26
Studio: HarperEntertainment
Dewey Decimal Number: 741.503
EAN: 9780060538163
ISBN: 0060538163
Label: HarperEntertainment
Manufacturer: HarperEntertainment
Number Of Items: 1
Book Pages: 384
Publication Date: 2004-11-01
Publisher: HarperEntertainment
Product Release Date: 2004-10-26
Studio: HarperEntertainment
Editorial Review of Comic Book Encyclopedia: The Ultimate Guide to Characters, Graphic Novels, Writers, and Artists in the Comic Book Universe
A 4–colour, illustrated best–of–the–best of the comic book world – with writers/creators who launched an industry (Jack Kirby, Stan Lee), amazing graphic novels (Preacher, The Watcher), legendary artists (Jim Lee) and characters as wide–ranging as Archie, The Gay Ghost, Batman, Blue Devil and the Fantastic Four.
Never before has there been a single volume of superheroes, graphic novels, strange comic icons, legendary writers and artists of the comic world. Comic Book Encyclopedia is the multiverse of comic legend and lore for every comic–book fan, and for everyone who wants to understand the characters, history, and universal appeal of this world.
Collected into a single volume, this is the best–of–the–best of comics. From the 1930s to today, it includes everything a young, budding comic reader – or an experienced pro – needs to know and/or read.
Customer Reviews of Comic Book Encyclopedia: The Ultimate Guide to Characters, Graphic Novels, Writers, and Artists in the Comic Book Universe
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: The History of Comics
Review: I bought this book because I wanted a guide of comics but all the comics, marvel, dc, image, dark horse, press, etc, and this book has that.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: A decent comic encyclopedia that gears mostly towards the golden age.
Review: As with most of these comic book/fantasy "guides" or "encyclopedias", such a huge task is bound to end up with a few factual errors and typos. There are certainly a few of those here in this book. For instance, Ron Goulart mentions that Jim Lee helped launch X-Men, Vol. 2 in 2001 (a full ten years after it originally happened). Such a mistake would probably fall in the "typo" category, but still pretty silly nonetheless.
The author admits that he grew up reading comics during it's "golden age", and it shows as this book *mostly* focuses on the industry throughout the late 20s-50s, and seems to completely forget all but the truly major top-selling characters of the 60s onward. But this indeed the "Comic Book Encyclopedia" because all years are represented, up to about 2001, it's just that the golden age seems to be the primary focus. Reading many entries in this book, I often wondered if Goulart was simply inserting his own favorites from his childhood into the book, because many of these characters and titles I had never heard of, even though I am a fan of that era. He seems to showcase the most obscure of companies, creators, and books even for the 30s & 40s.
Also at times Goulart seems to have a bit of a chip on his shoulder and may make remarks in regards to how underrated or overrated an artist or writer was, going as far to call out certain artists by speaking of how poor their style is.
But don't get me wrong, this encyclopedia is a joy to read. There's a great use of artwork here in relations to characters, comic book covers, and a creator's work. Having been born in 1981, I still have great interest in all those comic book years before me and I really enjoy reading about and seeing the artwork of the books of the 30s and 40s and 50s. So as long as you're not expecting an overview covering the New Avengers, X-Men, JLA, and Batman universes exclusively and don't mind catching up on the golden age, this is a very good book to pick up for fans of comics in general.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: found a few mistakes...
Review: I skimmed through this book, which I fortunately bought from SFBC instead of a book store or Amazon, and found at least three errors.
Basically, don't count on this book to be 100% factual.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: An Enjoyable Light Study of Comic Books
Review: The Comic Book Encyclopedia is a good light reference book to have. Is it an in depth comprehensive reference manual, for the professional researcher? No. But one of this book's best features is the ability to give some direction to more focused comprehensive research. Specific targeted areas and ample availability of keywords and keyword phrases, will help immensely with an Internet search.
If you understand anything about marketing at all, you know that packaging is half the battle. This book is packaged extremely well. It has great visuals on the front and back covers. Be wary though, and accept the book for its general lighthearted nature.
There is a useable informative timeline of comic book evolution, located inside the front and back covers. But there is no table of contents, which would have been extremely helpful. The index is available, but many times a table of contents is of better use to me.
If this book is purchased from Amazon, it is a lot cheaper than running down to a local bookstore. And if you would like to learn more about comic books or want a general reference resource, I would recommend this book. If more in depth comic book knowledge is wanted, this book is also a good starting point.
As a website builder of "www.comic-book-collection-made-easy.com", it has helped me with content and direction into further research. So I have not regretted my purchase. There are better reference materials and websites available though, for the more experienced comic book connoisseur.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Not enough info
Review: This book has alot of comic characters and their creators in here, but most get half a page or about one whole page per character. Basically it is filled with short overviews of the comics that just get your mouth watering for more but, then leave you in the dark. I only wish they would have added more detail and info to each of the characters, there is alot of drawings in here though.
Review Summary: The History of Comics
Review: I bought this book because I wanted a guide of comics but all the comics, marvel, dc, image, dark horse, press, etc, and this book has that.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: A decent comic encyclopedia that gears mostly towards the golden age.
Review: As with most of these comic book/fantasy "guides" or "encyclopedias", such a huge task is bound to end up with a few factual errors and typos. There are certainly a few of those here in this book. For instance, Ron Goulart mentions that Jim Lee helped launch X-Men, Vol. 2 in 2001 (a full ten years after it originally happened). Such a mistake would probably fall in the "typo" category, but still pretty silly nonetheless.
The author admits that he grew up reading comics during it's "golden age", and it shows as this book *mostly* focuses on the industry throughout the late 20s-50s, and seems to completely forget all but the truly major top-selling characters of the 60s onward. But this indeed the "Comic Book Encyclopedia" because all years are represented, up to about 2001, it's just that the golden age seems to be the primary focus. Reading many entries in this book, I often wondered if Goulart was simply inserting his own favorites from his childhood into the book, because many of these characters and titles I had never heard of, even though I am a fan of that era. He seems to showcase the most obscure of companies, creators, and books even for the 30s & 40s.
Also at times Goulart seems to have a bit of a chip on his shoulder and may make remarks in regards to how underrated or overrated an artist or writer was, going as far to call out certain artists by speaking of how poor their style is.
But don't get me wrong, this encyclopedia is a joy to read. There's a great use of artwork here in relations to characters, comic book covers, and a creator's work. Having been born in 1981, I still have great interest in all those comic book years before me and I really enjoy reading about and seeing the artwork of the books of the 30s and 40s and 50s. So as long as you're not expecting an overview covering the New Avengers, X-Men, JLA, and Batman universes exclusively and don't mind catching up on the golden age, this is a very good book to pick up for fans of comics in general.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: found a few mistakes...
Review: I skimmed through this book, which I fortunately bought from SFBC instead of a book store or Amazon, and found at least three errors.
Basically, don't count on this book to be 100% factual.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: An Enjoyable Light Study of Comic Books
Review: The Comic Book Encyclopedia is a good light reference book to have. Is it an in depth comprehensive reference manual, for the professional researcher? No. But one of this book's best features is the ability to give some direction to more focused comprehensive research. Specific targeted areas and ample availability of keywords and keyword phrases, will help immensely with an Internet search.
If you understand anything about marketing at all, you know that packaging is half the battle. This book is packaged extremely well. It has great visuals on the front and back covers. Be wary though, and accept the book for its general lighthearted nature.
There is a useable informative timeline of comic book evolution, located inside the front and back covers. But there is no table of contents, which would have been extremely helpful. The index is available, but many times a table of contents is of better use to me.
If this book is purchased from Amazon, it is a lot cheaper than running down to a local bookstore. And if you would like to learn more about comic books or want a general reference resource, I would recommend this book. If more in depth comic book knowledge is wanted, this book is also a good starting point.
As a website builder of "www.comic-book-collection-made-easy.com", it has helped me with content and direction into further research. So I have not regretted my purchase. There are better reference materials and websites available though, for the more experienced comic book connoisseur.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Not enough info
Review: This book has alot of comic characters and their creators in here, but most get half a page or about one whole page per character. Basically it is filled with short overviews of the comics that just get your mouth watering for more but, then leave you in the dark. I only wish they would have added more detail and info to each of the characters, there is alot of drawings in here though.