The Great Comic Book Heroes

The Great Comic Book Heroes examines the golden age of comic books through Feiffer's personal experiences as both a reader and creator. The book combines memoir, criticism, and cultural history to explore the emergence of superheroes in American popular culture during the late 1930s and 1940s. The text analyzes major figures like Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, discussing their origins and impact on the medium. Feiffer incorporates historical context about the comic book industry's development, including the roles of influential creators and publishers. The narrative moves between Feiffer's childhood memories of discovering comics and his professional insights as a cartoonist. His dual perspective as fan and industry insider provides access to both the emotional appeal of these characters and the business realities behind their creation. This work stands as an early serious study of comic books as cultural artifacts, examining how these stories reflected and shaped American values during World War II and beyond. The book considers superheroes as both escapist entertainment and meaningful symbols of power, justice, and identity.

Readers appreciate Feiffer's first-hand perspective as someone who grew up during the Golden Age of comics. Many note his personal anecdotes and insights into early superhero creators and artists. The book's reproductions of classic comic book pages receive frequent mention in reviews. Readers like: - Historical context of comic book development in the 1930s/40s - Behind-the-scenes stories about Will Eisner, Jack Kirby and other pioneers - Feiffer's childhood memories of discovering comics Common criticisms: - Focus limited mostly to superhero comics - Some find the writing style meandering - Print quality of comic reproductions in newer editions Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (187 ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (31 reviews) One reader on Goodreads notes: "More memoir than history book, but fascinating for Feiffer's personal take on the medium's early days." An Amazon reviewer writes: "The reproduction quality doesn't do justice to the original artwork, but Feiffer's commentary makes up for it."

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🌟 Jules Feiffer wrote this groundbreaking 1965 book when he was already famous as a satirical cartoonist for The Village Voice, making him one of the first serious cultural critics to analyze superhero comics. 📚 The book includes rare reprints of early superhero comics from the 1930s and 1940s, including the first appearances of Superman, Batman, and Spirit stories by Will Eisner. ✍️ As a teenager, Feiffer worked as an assistant to Will Eisner on The Spirit comic strip, giving him unique insider perspective on the Golden Age of Comics that he discusses in the book. 🦸‍♂️ The book was one of the earliest works to examine superhero comics as a legitimate art form and cultural phenomenon, predating most academic studies of comic books by decades. 🎨 The original hardcover edition featured high-quality reproductions of classic comic book art that were printed using the original color separations, making it a valuable resource for comic historians and collectors.