Comics, Manga, and Graphic Novels: A History of Graphic Narratives

298 Pages·2010·4.58 MB·English

by  Robert Petersen

Comics, Manga, and
Graphic Novels

Comics, Manga, and
Graphic Novels
A History of Graphic Narratives
ROBERT S. PETERSEN
Copyright 2011 byRobertS.Petersen
Allrights reserved.No partof this publication may be reproduced,
stored in aretrieval system, ortransmitted, in any form orbyany
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording,orotherwise,
except forthe inclusion of brief quotations in areview,withoutprior
permission in writingfrom the publisher.
Libraryof Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Petersen, RobertS.,1961–
Comics, manga, andgraphic novels :a history of graphic narratives /
Robert S. Petersen.
p.cm.
Includesbibliographical references and index.
ISBN978-0-313-36330-6(hardcopy:alk.paper)—ISBN978-0-313-36331-3
(ebook)
1.Comic books, strips, etc.—Historyandcriticism. 2. Graphic novels—
Historyandcriticism. I. Title.
PN6710.P415 2011
741.5009—dc22 2010037608
ISBN:978-0-313-36330-6
EISBN:978-0-313-36331-3
15 14 13 12 11 1 2 3 4 5
Thisbook is also available on the WorldWide Web as aneBook.
Visitwww.abc-clio.com fordetails.
Praeger
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ABC-CLIO, LLC
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Santa Barbara, California 93116-1911
Thisbook is printedon acid-free paper
Manufactured in the UnitedStates of America
Contents
Illustrations ix
Preface xi
Introduction xiii
1. The Language of Graphic Narratives 1
Narrative Art before Writing 2
Literacy and Narrative Art 10
Single-Frame Narrative Art 11
Multiple-Frame Narrative Art 16
2. Popular Prints and Caricature 21
Popular Prints in China 21
European Medieval and Renaissance Popular Press 24
The Invention of Caricature 30
3. Picture Stories 37
Graphic Narratives in Japan 37
Early Graphic Narratives in Britain 44
British Masters of Caricature 47
Rodolphe T€opffer’s Picture Stories 49
4. Modern Art Graphic Narratives 55
Blake’s Illuminated Printing 55
Goya’sLosCaprichos 58
Printmaking Becomes an Art 60
vi Contents
Expressionist ‘‘Wordless Books’’ 62
Surrealist Narratives 65
Charlotte Salomon’sLife?orTheatre? 68
5. Humor Magazines 73
French Caricature Magazines 75
British Caricature Magazines 79
Blood and Thunder 80
Illustrated Children’s Literature 83
British Comic Magazines 90
Comic Magazines in the United States 92
6. Comics in the Era of ‘‘Yellow Journalism’’ 95
The Color Sunday Supplement 96
Daily Comics and the Origins of Continuity Strips 104
The Impact of Animation on Comics 110
7. Graphic Narratives in Asia 113
The Hindu Heroes of Indian Comics 113
Populist Graphic Narratives of Modern China 118
The Chinese Communist Party and the Expansion of Print
Propaganda 122
Japanese Modernization and the Invention of Manga 126
8. The Superhero and the Comic Book 133
Adventure Comics in Newspapers 134
The Golden Age of Comic Books 138
American Comics and Cinema 148
9. Mainstream American Comics, Post–World War II 153
Romance and Horror Comics 155
The Anticomics Crusades 159
‘‘Silver Age’’ Comics 162
Direct Market Sales to Comic Shops 166
The Death of Superman 169
10. Post–World War II Manga 173
Osamu Tezuka, the God of Manga 174
Contents vii
The Rise of Girls’ Manga 180
Amerimanga and Scanlations 184
11. Post–World War II Art Graphic Narratives 187
Pop Art 194
Imagined Worlds 199
Art Comics 201
Comic Art Exhibitions 202
12. The Return of Graphic Narratives for Adults 205
MAD, from Comic to Magazine 205
The Underground Press 210
The Air Pirates and Disney 212
BandeDessin(cid:2)eeAlbums for Adults 214
Funny Animals and Creator’s Rights 217
Autobiographical Comics 219
RAWMagazine and the Rise of Alternative Comics 221
Nonfiction Comics 223
13. Digital Comics 227
Digital Tools 227
Digitized Comics 228
Do-It-Yourself Comics 232
Web Comics 234
Changes to Reading Cultures 236
Notes 239
Glossary 251
Index 255

Illustrations
John Furnival,SemioticFolkPoem, 1966 xiv
Exekias, Achilles killing Penthesilea, queen of the Amazons,
sixth century BCE 12
‘‘Inferno XVIII, 8th Circle of Hell: Punishment of Panderers,
Seducers,’’ ca. 1480 14
‘‘The Bubblers Medley, or a Sketch of the Times Being Europes
Memorial for the Year 1720’’ [sic] 29
Leonardo da Vinci, Five caricature heads, after 1490 31
‘‘What is this my son Tom’’ [sic], 1774 33
Suzuki Harunobu,TheElegantandHornyManeemon(Fu(cid:3)ryu(cid:3)
enshokuManeemon), ca. 1768–1770 42
William Hogarth,AHarlot’sProgress, plate 1, April 1733 46
James Gillray,PresagesoftheMillennium, 1795 47
Gustave Dor(cid:2)e,HistoirepittoresquedelaSainteRussie, 1854 53
Frans Masereel,PassionateJourney(Monlivred’heures), 1919 64
Max Ernst, ‘‘The Court of the Dragon’’ fromAWeek
ofKindness, 1934 67
Charlotte Salomon,Life?orTheatre?(Leben?oderTheater?),
ca. 1941–1943 69
Charles Philipon,TheMetamorphosisofKingLouis-Philippe
intoaPear(LaM(cid:2)etamorphoseduroiLouis-Philippeenpoire),
1831 76