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Summary: Fair balanced account of Kirby and Lee but is lacking
Review: "Tales to Astonish" by Ro provides an account of the creation of the modern comic book. Jack Kirby, Joe Simon, Stan Lee, John Romita, Steve Ditko and other great comicbook writers/artists all contributed to this unique American artform. Ro's book provides a pretty comprehensive look at the forces that drove the industry and drove the men that changed the industry to shape the comicbook world we have today. Ro's book, though, lacks an important part of the story--illustrations of the art form itself and pictures of those who played key roles in this ongoing story. Kirby's cover art gives a sense of his work but it doesn't provide context; we don't really know (except by Ro's description)what the early comicbooks looked like prior to Kirby's arrival. Some examples to contrast the change in storytelling over time might have been helpful as well. There are enough of these "classic" comic books that must be in the public domain by now so that he could have included them as examples for readers not as familiar with the changes these giants of the industry created. Ro's book comes across as pretty accurate although there are a few minor errors and omissions that crop up. Still, with as large a canvas as he's working with, he's done a very good job of summing up what made the comic book world tick from the 30's through today. Comic books were America's attempt at creating a cultural context, in a sense its own mythology and legends that so many older cultures have. Their enduring popularity has as much to do with the snapshot they provide of life or what they reflect from the real world as their value as escapist entertainment. This book on Kirby, Lee, Ditko and others really is much broader than a cultural history; it focuses on many of the movers and shakers that changed the industry. While it's Kirby's story, it's also, in a sense, about the rise of the American culture that has come to dominate much of the world. Although it might not be called definitive, it does give a sense of Kirby's (and others as well)contribution to an emerging American art form that was once derided for corrupting the morals of society.
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Summary: Just a Note to Clarify...
Review: Since I can't edit my review, I just wanted to clarify a poorly-worded section that willzep noticed: it was not my intention to accuse Jack Kirby of being "embarrassed" by the "kids' stuff" of working in the comic book field - Kirby's attitude was exactly the opposite. However, that was the way the industry treated all comic book creators, Kirby included. What limited Kirby's choices and forced him to play along was the fact that there were only two comic book companies he could reasonably expect to work for - DC and Marvel - and in the end, it wasn't really a choice at all. (BTW, guess I can edit my reviews! But that would be wrong...)
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Summary: 2004's Very Best Nonfiction Book
Review: Tales to Astonish was a welcome surprise after decades of books that purported to tell the story of Marvel but simply reassembled overwrought anecdotes into a different configuration. While I'm unfamiliar with this author's previous work, his literary style, encyclopedic knowledge of comic books, epic sweep, and in-depth interviews have inspired me to investigate his earlier work. Furthermore, his depiction of the personal and professional relationship between artist Jack Kirby and writer and editor Stan Lee, and heartfelt ode to the days when super heroes were, as one person says in the book, super and heroic is haunting, hilarious, and definitely Pulitzer-worthy. Fans of riveting narrative nonfiction, gripping World War II adventure, American history, and an old fashioned, street-tough love story, will enjoy this true modern classic.
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