Streetwise

Rating:
Summary: Illuminating tales by comics giants
Review: In the tradition of Will Eisner's "Dropsie Avenue" tales, this collection from TwoMorrows Publishing (home of comic-book magazines Comic Book Artist, Jack Kirby Collector, and Alter Ego) offers a mix of moving, amusing, and breathtaking autobiographical tales from a range of comics talents.

Jack Kirby's "Street Code" is the springboard -- a beautifully illustrated tale told in pencil about the King's childhood in Brooklyn during the Depression era. Alex Toth (creator of Space Ghost, but he did so much more) presents a text-and-drawing tale about getting by during the Depression. Captain Marvel creator C.C. Beck offers an illustrated story about his struggle to make it as an artist after a lifetime of his preacher father being told it was not a suitable trade for his son.

There's also humor -- Scott Shaw tells of a Halloween experience, Evan Dorkin tells about a summer of stealing sodas at camp. And on a more serious note, there's the first version of a little book called "Maus" by a man named Art Spiegelman... who later went on to win the first Pulitzer for the comics form with the full-length tale.

If you're a fan of today's black-and-white comics, or the legends of the past, check out this book. You won't regret it.

Rating:
Summary: Illuminating tales by comics giants
Review: In the tradition of Will Eisner's "Dropsie Avenue" tales, this collection from TwoMorrows Publishing (home of comic-book magazines Comic Book Artist, Jack Kirby Collector, and Alter Ego) offers a mix of moving, amusing, and breathtaking autobiographical tales from a range of comics talents.

Jack Kirby's "Street Code" is the springboard -- a beautifully illustrated tale told in pencil about the King's childhood in Brooklyn during the Depression era. Alex Toth (creator of Space Ghost, but he did so much more) presents a text-and-drawing tale about getting by during the Depression. Captain Marvel creator C.C. Beck offers an illustrated story about his struggle to make it as an artist after a lifetime of his preacher father being told it was not a suitable trade for his son.

There's also humor -- Scott Shaw tells of a Halloween experience, Evan Dorkin tells about a summer of stealing sodas at camp. And on a more serious note, there's the first version of a little book called "Maus" by a man named Art Spiegelman... who later went on to win the first Pulitzer for the comics form with the full-length tale.

If you're a fan of today's black-and-white comics, or the legends of the past, check out this book. You won't regret it.