Staff Picks (Dec13): The American Comic Book Chronicles 1965-1969

Publisher: Twomorrows Publishing

TwoMorrows Publishing continues their series of full-color hardcovers, The American Comic Book Chronicles, that covers the history of comics decade by decade, year by year. The newest volume written by John Wells covers the second half of the 60s which covers the evolution of Marvel Comics into a Pop Culture phenomenon to the onset and demise of Batmania and its repercussions. There was so much more than DC and Marvel as Wally Wood and company brought us Thunder Agents and Undersea Agents while Charlton put Ditko to good use illustrating the stores of the new Blue Beetle, Captain Atom, and Nightshade and the very Ditkoesque The Question.

The American Comic Book Chronicles 1965-1969 charts an era as new blood came into the industry and new formats and genre were shaking up the capes and cowl stuff that was crowding the spinner racks. I’m all ready to sit back a read about the pre-Mylar, slab, graded days of comics when Peter Parker hit the jackpot, Boston Brand’s final flight in the big top, and according to Ditko the answers to questions were always black and white.

~ Steve Leaf