Comics: Between the Panels
Authors: Steve Duin, Mike Richardson
Publisher, Dark Horse Comics.
Wowza! I normally don't spend 70+ dollars Canadian on a book about comics,
but I saw this in a book store by chance, picked it up, and began flipping
through it. The longer I leafed through it, the more convinced I became that I
should foolishly spend most of my Christmas money on this book. So I did, and I
have no regrets. This book will undoubtedly end up in the reference sections
of libraries in the future.
The book is a huge reference on comic books with bits on comic strips and
their artists/writers. From A to Z this book has quite a bit, a lot of mini
biographies on creators and comic book titles. What makes this book
different, is that it focuses not on just who people were and what they did,
but on the behind the scenes stories. You learn about what creators were
fantastic guys, what companies were scumbags that ripped people off, who had
horrible drinking problems, who murdered their wife, who tried to murder
what editor, which editors treated people nicely and which ones didn't, very
bizarre sexual habits and deaths of creators, the why and how some people
got fired and hired on jobs, and much more. Although in some situations,
they don't get down to the nitty gritty. Jim Shooter's entry is a good example,
they give you quotes that tell you everyone has Jim Shooter horror stories,
but very few of those horror stories are told. Then the book goes even
farther. It talks about things that are outside the actual making of comics,
but are important in the overall development of the industry. Things like
the formation and evolution of the direct market, certain collections that
were bought up by major collectors, fanzines, early comic book stores, how
companies like Diamond Distribution and Capital started, comic conventions,
and so on. Much of these stories and bits of information can't be found in
one source until now.
The writers said right from the start, they planned on doing one major book
about all the little behind the scenes stories about people, and titles.
They were told by Paul Levitz that they couldn't do this because
there were way too many stories. Not to mention it would be very time consuming to
track down and verify these stories that are no doubt passed on by word of mouth,
and probably have different versions depending on who you're talking to. But
the writers did an excellent job getting some of this information down for
everyone to read. They say in the book they look forward to doing a
2nd book, if there is demand. I hope they do, as many of the recent big names are not
listed in the book. The authors chose to focus on the Golden/Silver Age
creators (and they should, they won't be around forever).
Even though I'm barely half way through reading the book, I've learned a
whole lot about comics, as will anyone who picks up this book. I do wonder
about mistakes though, I think I've found a couple and there could be more.
I've heard Roy Thomas did a write up in a Fanzine about the mistakes on him
in the book. Considering the sheer size of the book though, I don't expect
perfection. I must give Comics: Between the Panels an A grade. Go pick up
your copy soon, I promise you won't regret it.