Awards
2003 Silver Winner, Foreword Magazine Book of the Year Award
2003 Independent Publisher Book Awards Winner (Independent Publishers Association)
Synopses & Reviews
They were pioneers of their art and of their generation, taking comic book art to an astonishing new level and paving the way for future artists. They were the artists of the Silver Age of comics (19561970), and their work is celebrated in the new book from Collectors Press,
The Silver Age of Comic Book Art.
The first book dedicated to the Silver Age and the artists that defined it, author Arlen Schumer highlights the careers of eight acknowledged Hall of Fame artists who drew definitive versions of the industry's great characters. Silver Age concentrates on the importance of these artists, their work and their effects on the medium, while also commenting on the literary and sociological aspects of the era. Featuring biographical text and quotes and ideas from the artists themselves, Silver Age fully immerses the reader into the art form and the creative geniuses that produced it.
Designed by the author using a distinctive graphic style, actual comic book art is enlarged to full and double-page spreads, giving a comic book look and feel. In doing so, Schumer has designed the definitive art book that pays proper homage to this great era of comic books and the amazing artists responsible for it.
Featured Artists:
Carmine Infantino The Flash, Adam Strange, and Batman
Gene Colan Sub-Mariner, Iron Man, Daredevil
Jack Kirby The Fantasic Four, Captain America, Thor, and many Marvel Comics characters
Steve Ditko Spider-Man and Doctor Strange
Gil Kane The Atom and Green Lantern
Joe Kubert Sgt. Rock, Hawkman, and Enemy Ace
Jim Steranko Nick Fury and Captain America
Neal Adams Batman, The X-Men, and Deadman
Review
"From the action-packed, full-color montages he vigorously splashes across its glossy pages to his choice of typeface...Mr. Schumer constructed the book to look like the world's biggest, most lavish comic book of all." The New York Times
Review
"Schumer comes armed with a comprehensive knowledge of the material....In addition to inviting us to ogle these local delights, the larger structure of The Silver Age of Comic Book Art provides deeper pleasures." Wyatt Mason, Harper's Magazine
Review
"A lovingly crafted tribute to the superhero comic of the 1960s, The Silver Age of Comic Book Art recaptures the four-color visionary surge of the era, its jet-age psychedelic rush of imagination and the titanic, luminous figures, both real and imaginary, that glittered in its firmament. For a brief moment in the late 20th century, it seemed as if the spirit of the age wore a vivid leotard, a chest emblem, and traveled in a strobing blur of speed lines. For anyone with any interest in or affection for that moment, this beautiful volume is indispensable." Alan Moore, author of Watchmen, From Hell, and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
Review
"Through the years, I've had the pleasure of seeing many books that pay tribute to the art of comics. Almost all of them have been visually entertaining and informative. But, I must say, a new day has dawned! Arlen has created an entirely new format in presenting the art and words of the artists! It's the most comprehensive and personal way a fan or colleague can learn what lies beneath the art. Arlen has found the perfect way to inform and entertain! Well done!" Gene Colan
Review
"Arlen Schumer is perhaps the very best person on Earth to do this project. Arlen is apart and a part of the Silver Age as much as it is possible to be. Arlen absorbs the Silver Age in comics through his very pores. Without question and sight unseen, I know all people who have an interest in comic books who read this book will enjoy it totally." Neal Adams
Review
"Arlen Schumer documents an important period in comic book history, told with an explosive format and stunning design. It reflects the kinetic rhythm of the era." Will Eisner
Review
"As a comics historian, Arlen Schumer is the Robert Hughes of the Silver Age. Or, to put it in Marvel terms, he is the Watcher who does more than merely observe. He chronicles, beautifully, the oft-overlooked point that it's not just about the characters, it's about who brought them to life on the page." Chip Kidd, author of The Cheese Monkeys and designer of Jack Cole & Plastic Man and Batman Collected
Review
"This is the perfect gift for the older superhero lover in the family." The Washington Times
Synopsis
The Silver Age (19561970) was one of the most popular and influential eras in comic book history for creators and readers alike. The Silver Age of Comic Book Art highlights the careers of eight acknowledged hall of fame artists who drew definitive versions of the industry's greatest characters, while often setting trends in the look of comic book art itself. Arien Schumer's book is the first to concentrate on the importance of these artists and their work, as well as the literary and sociological aspects of the Silver Age. Designed by the author using a distinctive graphic style, actual comic book art is enlarged to dynamic full, and double-page spreads, along with biographical text by the author, and thoughts, ideas, and quotes from the artists themselves. Finally, here is an art book that pays proper homage to this great era of comic books and the amazing artists responsible for it.
Synopsis
Taking comic book art to an astonishing new level and paving the way for future artists, the artists of the Silver Age of comics (19561970) and their work are celebrated in this book.
About the Author
Arlen Schumer is one of the foremost historians of comic book art. His articles have appeared in Print Magazine, Comic Book Marketplace, and Comic Book Artist. He has given multimedia presentations for the New York Art Directors Club and universities and cultural institutions across the country. As a co-founder and partner of the Dynamic Duo Studio, Schumer is one of comic book art's most idiosyncratic practitioners, creating comic book art for advertising and editorial markets.
Table of Contents
Introduction 6
Carmine Infantino 22
Steve Ditko 42
Jack Kirby 72
Gil Kane 104
Joe Kubert 116
Gene Colan 128
Jim Steranko 136
Neal Adams 150
Bibliography 175