Pt. 1. Theory and history. What comics are, and what they aren't
Auteurs, the history of art comics, and how to look at ugly drawings
What's good about bad comics, and what's bad about good comics
Superheroes and superreaders
Pictures, words and the space between them
Pt. 2. Reviews and commentary. David B.: The battle against the real world
Chester Brown: The outsider
Steve Ditko: A is A
Will Eisner and Frank Miller: The raconteurs
Gilbert Hernandez: Spiraling into the system
Jaime Hernandez: Mad love
Craig Thompson and James Kochalka: Craft vs. cuteness
Hope Larson: The cartography of joy
Carla Speed McNeil: Shape-changing demons, birth-yurts and robot secretaries
Alan Moore: The house of the magus
Grant Morrison: The invisible king
Dave Sim: Aardvark politick
The dark mirrors of Jim Starlin's Warlock
Tomb of Dracula: the cheap, strong stuff
Kevin Huizenga: Visions from the enchanted gas station
Charles Burns and Art Spiegelman: Draw yourself raw
Why does Chris Ware hate fun?
Alison Bechdel: Reframing memory
Afterword: The rough wave and the smooth wave.
OBNB doesn't sell books, but you may be able to find a copy at one of these websites:
Reading comics : how graphic novels work and what they mean by Douglas Wolk. ISBN 9780306815096. Published by Da Capo in 2007. Publication and catalogue information, links to buy online and reader comments.
