Ron GoulartCOMIC BOOK ENCYCLOPEDIA
Ron Goulart
ISBN: 0-06-053816-3
Before I get started allow me to say to Harper Collins, “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” There are very few people I would have wanted to do a book like this, and Ron Goulart is one of them.
This is a massive book, and it is filled with impressive images and great articles on everyone from Adam Strange to Zorro. Each entry includes information about the character, and the creator along with comments about various writers and artists who worked on the character.
As most of my friends know I am a trivia geek, and have a reference library that fills several shelves in both my office and in the Fortress with the rest of my books. I like to think I can find just about anything, and what I can’t find I know where to look.
So, when I get a chance to look over a new book I jump at it.
What is fun is going through the book and seeing how close Goulart got to what I think about the characters and it’s history. I am sure he will be relieved to know I think he did a good job.
One thing I liked is how he showed the comparisons between characters of different generations. As an example, Susan Storm (the Invisible Girl) and Invisible Scarlet O’Neil, a character from the late 1930’s through the 1940’s.
I was most impressed with the various entries for the Golden and Silver Age titles, especially of the ones that are considered “Independents”. The entry for Herbie was excellent. I miss The Fat Fury, and I wish someone would collect them in one volume.
This book is great for new readers and for older collectors alike, with its many pictures and easy to read content. You can find out about hundreds of titles and learn the history behind them, or you can look up the entries about the ones you already love and find out about them. Happy happy, joy joy.
The book itself is impressive, printed on full color paper with a high gloss and close to 10 inches by 10 inches and over an inch thick, this thing will be great for those friendly arguments over when Tommy Tomorrow first appeared.
The book also includes a great timeline on the inside front and back cover, showing a history of Comics starting with Comic Monthly in 1922 through to 2004.
Goulart did not limit this work to only Marvel or DC, but chose instead added stuff from Mad magazine as well as most of the smaller companies. He also didn’t stop with just superheroes, but included Felix the Cat and The Katzenjammer Kids.
Sure, some were left out; Green Arrow is gone, along with Hawkman but Captain Midnight is here, and the addition of the Lone Ranger allows me to overlook the fact that The Phantom is missing.