Synopses & Reviews
For over seventy-five years,and#160;Archieand#160;and the gang at Riverdale High have been Americaandrsquo;s most iconic teenagers, delighting generations of readers with their never-ending exploits. But despite their ubiquity,and#160;
Archieand#160;comics have been relatively ignored by scholarsandmdash;until now.and#160;
Twelve-Cent Archieand#160;is not only the first scholarly study of theand#160;Archieand#160;comic, it is an innovative creative work in its own right. Inspired byand#160;Archieandrsquo;sand#160;own concise storytelling format, renowned comics scholar Bart Beaty divides the book into a hundred short chapters, each devoted to a different aspect of theand#160;Archieand#160;comics. Fans of the comics will be thrilled to read in-depth examinations of their favorite characters and motifs, including individual chapters devoted to Jugheadandrsquo;s hat and Archieandrsquo;s sweater-vest. But the book also has plenty to interest newcomers to Riverdale, as it recounts the behind-the-scenes history of the comics and analyzes howand#160;Archieand#160;helped shape our images of the American teenager.and#160;
As he employs a wide range of theoretical and methodological approaches, Beaty reveals that theand#160;Archieand#160;comics themselves were far more eclectic, creative, and self-aware than most critics recognize. Equally comfortable considering everything from the representation of racial diversity to the semiotics of Veronicaandrsquo;s haircut,and#160;Twelve-Cent Archieand#160;gives a fresh appreciation for Americaandrsquo;s most endearing group of teenagers.and#160;
Review
andquot;In his erudite and fascinating study, Hoberek reveals how Watchmen, that singularity at the heart of the comic canon, rewrote our literary categories and why its disturbing visions of Apocalyptic American Superpowers continue to haunt readers decades after it first appeared.andquot;
Review
andquot;This is a smart, authoritative, and nuanced book, operating at a highly sophisticated level while still remaining accessible to a wide range of readersandmdash;a true knockout punch.andquot;
Review
andquot;Considering Watchmen is every conversation youandrsquo;ve ever had about the legendary comic, straightened out and smartened up to the point that you rediscover its original force.andquot;
Review
andquot;Whether youandrsquo;re interested in the differences between Harry Luceyandrsquo;s Archie and Bob Montanaandrsquo;s, or simply haunted by the signifying structure that is Betty Cooperandrsquo;s ponytail, thereandrsquo;s something here for everyone whoandrsquo;s ever read an Archie comic.andquot;
Review
andquot;Hoberek examines [Watchmen] from a variety of angles, crafting a well-written and well-argued series of interlocking theses. The focus on one work and dedication to formal discourse will appeal greatly to students of literature and philosophy as well as fans of serious deconstructions of popular culture.andquot;
Review
andquot;Hoberek offers a scholarly approach toand#160;Alanand#160;Moore and David Gibsonand#39;sand#160;
Watchmen as a graphic novel, looking at elements most are aware of on an almost subconscious level. The author focuses onand#160;how
Watchmen reached iconic status and on how itand#160;can be used as a touchstone for applying techniques from cultural studies, art studies, and literary studies to the emergent genre of the graphic novel. Overall, Hoberek does an outstanding job of injecting these fields, in addition to economics and history, into this slim overview ofand#160;
Watchmen. Detailed endnotes and a useful bibliography are the icing on the cake. Recommended.andquot;
Review
andquot;Assiduously researched and carefully written...
Considering Watchmen should be regarded as essential reading for any critic interested in the evolution of late twentieth-century print fiction.andquot;
Review
andquot;Funny, insightful, and perfectly paced, this is a highly enjoyable volume of criticism, one that would be equally at home in the ivory tower or by the porcelain throne.andquot;
Review
andquot;For readers interested in the history and form of comics as art, Beaty offers analyses of visual humour, borderless panels and the central authors and illustrators of this era. Twelve-Cent Archie will satisfy cultural critics, Archie fans and comics fans more broadly ... This book is as fun and satisfying as reading an Archie digest.andquot;
Synopsis
For over seventy-five years, Archie and the gang at Riverdale High have been Americaandrsquo;s most iconic teenagers. Yet they have been relatively ignored by scholarsandmdash;until now. Twelve-Cent Archie is both the first academic study of these comics and an innovative creative work in its own right. In a hundred short chapters, renowned comics scholar Bart Beaty takes us on a witty, eclectic tour of the Archie universe, addressing everything from the history of the American teenager to the mystery of Jugheadandrsquo;s hat.and#160;
Synopsis
For over seventy-five years, Archie and the gang at Riverdale High have been America's most iconic teenagers, delighting generations of readers with their never-ending exploits. But despite their ubiquity, Archie comics have been relatively ignored by scholars--until now.
Twelve-Cent Archie is not only the first scholarly study of the Archie comic, it is an innovative creative work in its own right. Inspired by Archie's own concise storytelling format, renowned comics scholar Bart Beaty divides the book into a hundred short chapters, each devoted to a different aspect of the Archie comics. Fans of the comics will be thrilled to read in-depth examinations of their favorite characters and motifs, including individual chapters devoted to Jughead's hat and Archie's sweater-vest. But the book also has plenty to interest newcomers to Riverdale, as it recounts the behind-the-scenes history of the comics and analyzes how Archie helped shape our images of the American teenager.
As he employs a wide range of theoretical and methodological approaches, Beaty reveals that the Archie comics themselves were far more eclectic, creative, and self-aware than most critics recognize. Equally comfortable considering everything from the representation of racial diversity to the semiotics of Veronica's haircut, Twelve-Cent Archie gives a fresh appreciation for America's most endearing group of teenagers.
Synopsis
In this groundbreaking new study, Andrew Hoberek examines Alan Moore and Dave Gibbonsandrsquo;s landmark comic book series
Watchmen from a variety of angles: as an artistic achievement, as a political statement, and as a self-conscious piece of intellectual property. He not only provides a historical context for appreciating how innovative
Watchmen was in the 1980s, but also demonstrates the continued influence it has exerted on both comics and literature as a whole.and#160;
Synopsis
and#160;Alan Moore and Dave Gibbonsandrsquo;s
Watchmen has been widely hailed as a landmark in the development of the graphic novel. It was not only aesthetically groundbreaking but also anticipated future developments in politics, literature, and intellectual property.and#160;
Demonstrating a keen eye for historical detail, Considering Watchmen gives readers a new appreciation of just how radical Moore and Gibbonsandrsquo;s blend of gritty realism and formal experimentation was back in 1986. The book also considers Watchmenandrsquo;s place in the history of the comics industry, reading the graphic novelandrsquo;s playful critique of superhero marketing alongside Alan Mooreandrsquo;s public statements about the rights to the franchise. Andrew Hoberek examines how Moore and Gibbons engaged with the emerging discourses of neoconservatism and neoliberal capitalism, ideologies that have only become more prominent in subsequent years.and#160;
Watchmenandrsquo;s influences on the superhero comic and graphic novel are undeniable, but Hoberek reveals how it has also had profound effects on literature as a whole. He suggests that Watchmen not only proved that superhero comics could rise to the status of literatureandmdash;it also helped to inspire a generation of writers who are redefining the boundaries of the literary, from Jonathan Lethem to Junot Dandiacute;az. Hoberek delivers insight and analysis worthy of satisfying serious readers of the genre while shedding new light on Watchmen as both an artistic accomplishment and a book of ideas.and#160;
About the Author
BART BEATY is a professor at the University of Calgary, where he heads the department of English. He has written several books, including Fredric Wertham and Critique of Mass Culture, Unpopular Culture: Transforming the European Comic Book in the 1990s, and Comics Versus Art.and#160;
Table of Contents
The Twelve-Cent Archie
Intro
- How to Write (Archie) Comics
- Story Length
- The Archie Hierarchy
- Archie Andrews
- How Well Does Archie Speak French?
- Bowling
- Harry Luceyandrsquo;s Rhythm
- Veronica Lodge
- Riverdale, USA
- The Daily Strip
- Footnote
- andldquo;Why is it Always Between Archie and Reggie?andrdquo;
- Archieandrsquo;s Jalopy
- Itandrsquo;s as Easy as A-B-V
- United Girls Against Jughead
- Archieandrsquo;s Giant Series
- Invisible Paint
- Archie Comics Versus Art
- Betty Cooper
- Riverdaleandrsquo;s Racial Problem
- Fashion
- Bettyandrsquo;s Ponytail
- Self-Plagiarism
- Archieandrsquo;s Sweater Vest
- Jughead Jones
- Beatniks, Hippies, and Other Undesirables
- Dilton Doily
- Moose
- Reggie Mantle
- Jealousy
- andldquo;Are You Familiar With Shakespeare, My Young Ignoramus?andrdquo;
- andldquo;I Never Squeaked a Pip, Either!andrdquo;
- Jugheadandrsquo;s Hat
- Fantastic Elements
- Archieandrsquo;s Joke Book
- Often Imitated, Never Duplicated
- The Historical Archie
- Mutually Assured Destruction
- Betty = Veronica
- Head Over Heels
- Mr. Weatherbee
- Caveman Archie
- Life With Archie
- What is the Zip Code for Riverdale?
- Cover Art
- Fairy Godmothers
- Dan DeCarloandrsquo;s Foreground Portraits
- Archie as an Adventure Comic
- Text Pieces
- Previously on Archie
- Notes for the Norton Anthology
- Archie : Arch : Archiekins
- Eep! Omigosh! And Other Unusual Contributions to the Language of Comics
- Archieandrsquo;s Black Book
- Laugh and Pep: The Residual Titles
- Pureheart the Powerful
- Errors
- Midge
- You Can Take the Boy Out of Riverdale . . .
- Archie Club News
- Veronicaandrsquo;s Mother
- Mr. Lodge
- Bettyandrsquo;s Parents
- Jingles
- Liandrsquo;l Jinx
- Archieandrsquo;s Gender Politics
- Should Archie Marry Betty or Veronica?
- Big Ethel
- The Mayor of Riverdale
- Worst. Archie. Story. Ever.
- Archie the Klutz
- Celebrity Culture
- Jugheadandrsquo;s Dipsy Doodles
- Imitation is the Lowest Form of Flattery
- Surf and Ski
- Samm Schwartzandrsquo;s Art
- Self-Referential Meta-Fictions
- Riverdale High
- Who Cut Veronicaandrsquo;s Hair?
- Little Archie
- Credits
- Juvenile Delinquency
- Teenese
- The Archies
- Pop Tateandrsquo;s Choklit Shoppe
- Unusual Panels
- Smithers
- The Archie Archive
- Fads and Fashions
- Borderless Panels
- A Comic About Nothing
- Fred (and Mary) Andrews
- The Banjo in Archie Comics
- Wordless Stories, or Nearly So
- Hot Dog
- Dan DeCarloandrsquo;s Split Horizon Girl
- The (Nearly) Perfect Archie Story
- The Myth of Archie
- Archie and Me