Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Suddenly, comics are everywhere: a newly matured art form, filling bookshelves with brilliant, innovative work and shaping the ideas and images of the rest of contemporary culture. In Reading Comics , critic Douglas Wolk shows us why this is and how it came to be. Wolk illuminates the most dazzling creators of modern comics-from Alan Moore to Alison Bechdel to Dave Sim to Chris Ware -- and introduces a critical theory that explains where each fits into the pantheon of art. Reading Comics is accessible to the hardcore fan and the curious newcomer; it is the first book for people who want to know not just what comics are worth reading, but also the ways to think and talk and argue about them.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• Acknowledgments (p. ix)
• Part 1 Theory and History (p. 1)
• 1 What Comics Are and What They Aren't (p. 3)
• 2 Auteurs, the History of Art Comics, and How to Look at Ugly Drawings (p. 29)
• 3 What's Good About Bad Comics and What's Bad About Good Comics (p. 60)
• 4 Superheroes and Superreaders (p. 89)
• 5 Pictures, Words, and the Space Between Them (p. 118)
• Part 2 Reviews and Commentary (p. 135)
• A Small Disclaimer (p. 137)
• 6 David B.: The Battle Against the Real World (p. 139)
• 7 Chester Brown: The Outsider (p. 147)
• 8 Steve Ditko: A Is A (p. 156)
• 9 Will Eisner and Frank Miller: The Raconteurs (p. 166)
• 10 Gilbert Hernandez: Spiraling into the System (p. 181)
• 11 Jaime Hernandez: Mad Love (p. 193)
• 12 Craig Thompson and James Kochalka: Craft Versus Cuteness (p. 203)
• 13 Hope Larson: The Cartography of Joy (p. 214)
• 14 Carla Speed McNeil: Shape-Changing Demons, Birth-Yurts, and Robot Secretaries (p. 220)
• 15 Alan Moore: The House of the Magus (p. 228)
• 16 Grant Morrison: The Invisible King (p. 258)
• 17 Dave Sim: Aardvark Politick (p. 289)
• 18 The Dark Mirrors of Jim Starlin's Warlock (p. 304)
• 19 Tomb of Dracula: The Cheap, Strong Stuff (p. 317)
• 20 Kevin Huizenga: Visions from the Enchanted Gas Station (p. 329)
• 21 Charles Burns and Art Spiegelman: Draw Yourself Raw (p. 336)
• 22 Why Does Chris Ware Hate Fun? (p. 347)
• 23 Alison Bechdel: Reframing Memory (p. 359)
• Afterword: The Rough Wave and the Smooth Wave (p. 365)
• Notes (p. 373)
• Index (p. 391)

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

Veteran comics fan and journalist Wolk sounds off at length about comics theory and history and about particular creators and works that intrigue him. The fine theory and history section holds plenty of weight for both fan folk and newbies to comics. In one chapter, Wolk sheds welcome light on how superhero comics work, why they appeal, and why new readers and outsiders find it so difficult to understand the interlocking multiuniverses that wrap characters, the industry, and fans all up together. By contrast, the reviews and commentary section has more value for aficionados. There are simply not enough illustrations for uninformed readers to follow Wolk's analyses, which can speak largely to those already familiar with the work of David B., Steve Ditko, Gilbert Hernandez, Hope Larson, and Alison Bechdel among numerous others he discusses. A particular plus is Wolk's assessment of how creators work both the mind and the eye in innovative and not always successful ways. Indeed, for Wolk, failures can be as interesting fodder for analysis as successes. Recommended for academic libraries and for public libraries with large graphic novel collections. The first section is very much recommended for librarians and educators new to working with graphic narrative.-M.C. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Publishers Weekly Review

As the graphic novel flourishes and gains legitimacy as an art form, serious comics criticism is an inevitable byproduct, and PW contributing editor Wolk's analytical discourse is a welcome starting point. The volume contains two sections: "Theory and History," an explanation of comics as a medium and an overview of its evolution, and "Reviews and Commentary," a diverse examination of creators and works. This section spans Will Eisner's pioneering efforts as well as the groundbreaking modern comics by the Hernandez brothers, Chris Ware and Alison Bechdel. Since there are decades worth of books already focusing on the superhero genre, the raw clay from which the comics industry was built, the relatively short shrift given to the spandex oeuvre's insular mythologies is a wise choice that allows the nonfan a glimpse into the wider range that comics commands. Wolk's insightful observations offer much to ponder, perhaps more than can be fully addressed in one volume, but the thoughtful criticism and knowledgeable historical overview give much-needed context for the emerging medium. B&w illus. (July) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

School Library Journal Review

(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

CHOICE Review

A comic book shop clerk turned art critic, Wolk probably quietly scowled at the customers who bought and read comics that he deemed subpar. But he is also a reader who can enjoy good things about bad comics. In short, he is well read and deeply versed in the comics medium, and he does not believe it is a "genre"--a combination that makes this book both enjoyable and confrontational. Wolk is opinionated, and although he describes his disdain for certain artists and writers as "gentle disparagement," his in-your-face, pull-no-punches style will leave most readers frustrated and angry with most of his arguments. The first half of the book is an excellent history of comics and theory, which contrasts with the work of Scott McCloud. In the second half of the book, Wolk offers a maelstrom of personal critical essays in which he reviews many writers and artists of modern comic books and graphic novels. This book will be a challenging read for almost everyone, both casual readers (particularly those not as versed in the world of comics and graphic novels as Wolk) and those knowledgeable about comics and graphic novels. Summing Up: Optional. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty. R. C. Adams Kansas State University

Booklist Review

"Wolk has emerged as perhaps the nation's leading comics critic not just because he has been doing it longer than just about anyone else but also by virtue of his exhaustive knowledge of and obvious love for the medium. As comics bask in their hard-won, growing legitimacy, Wolk sheds light on why they matter. He divides the field into two discrete categories: the mainstream of genre-based, usually superhero comics and art comics, which eschew genres except to satirize them and tend to be the work of single creators. Unlike most fans and although his heart is clearly with art comics, Wolk enjoys both categories with open-minded eclecticism, finding much to appreciate in the best superhero titles. Much of the volume consists of astute reviews and essays on many leading comics creators, mainstream (Will Eisner, Alan Moore, Steve Ditko) and art comics (Chris Ware, the Hernandez brothers, Art Spiegelman). Wolk's informed, readable assessment is lucid enough to serve as a primer for neophytes wondering what these graphic novels are all about, yet even the most hard-core comics fans will garner considerable insight from it."--"Flagg, Gordon" Copyright 2007 Booklist