American Comics: A History
美國漫畫史
內容介紹
★ 此書是紐約時報12月2日該週的選書Editors’ Choice in The New York Times Book Review on December 2
★ 此書被《芝加哥論壇報》選為2021年送禮好書之一Chicago Tribune’s Best Gift Books of 2021
★ 作者同意此書註釋可以不擺 (原書451頁到537頁)
漫畫、連環漫畫與圖像小說征服了美國，更塑造美國文化的一部份
漫威和DC漫畫改編的影視作品充斥電影院和電視，比方說陰屍路(The Walking Dead)是美國有線電視歷史上最受歡迎的節目，此外人潮人潮絡繹不絕的漫畫展、登上紐約時報排行榜的漫畫與圖像小說、以及以圖像小說創作獲得「麥克阿瑟天才獎」的作者們(如博達代理且是David偶像的Alison Bechdel)，都一而再再而三的證明漫畫如何用不同的形式塑造美國文化，反過來說，漫畫也成為美國歷史、美國文化的一面鏡子。
在《美國漫畫史》一書中，哥大教授傑里米·道伯帶著讀者一窺這段無比精采卻鮮為人知的歷史，書中從南北戰爭與漫畫家托馬斯·納斯特 (Thomas Nast) 開始介紹。托馬斯·納斯特創造了山姆大叔與聖誕老人的漫畫形象。接著介紹報紙連環漫畫的黃金時期以及第一波英雄漫畫的熱潮。接著美國歷經漫威漫畫革命、1960 年代和 70 年代的地下漫畫運動，最後進入了21世紀，我們看到了性格嚴肅堅韌不拔的漫畫角色黑暗騎士蝙蝠俠以及守護者。最後傑里米·道伯帶我們認識圖像小說的創作者亞特．史畢格曼(Art Spiegelman)與艾莉森·貝克德爾(Alison Bechdel)。
《美國漫畫史》不只是展示漫畫在過去數十年來的轉變，同時也討論美國政治與文化如何影響漫畫的發展。在這本書我們可以看到許多膾炙人口的漫畫的起源、被人們遺忘的漫畫作品，我們如何透過漫畫來理解美國人是如何看待自己。透過《美國漫畫史》爬梳連環漫畫、政治漫畫、超級英雄漫畫等不同類型的作品，彷彿我們也幫美國做了過去150年的編年史。
《美國漫畫史》會討論到的經典漫畫包括了《復仇者》(The Avengers)、《蝙蝠俠》(Batman)、《美國隊長》(Captain America)、美漫宗師威爾·艾斯納(Will Eisner)、尼爾·蓋曼(Neil Gaiman)漫畫傑作《睡魔》、漫威教父史丹·李(Stan Lee)、首部多角色系列漫畫史努比(Peanuts)、蜘蛛人、超人、神力女超人等經典，千萬不要錯過!
作者介紹
傑里米·道伯(Jeremy Dauber)是哥倫比亞大學猶太文學和美國研究教授。他是《猶太喜劇》(Jewish Comedy)和《肖勒姆·阿萊赫姆的世界》(The Worlds of Sholem Aleichem)的作者，這兩本書都入圍了美國國家猶太圖書獎。他住在紐約市。
書評
"An entertaining and richly detailed new history of comics…[B]oth opinionated and frequently funny…[T]he story Dauber tells is a mighty one."
― Michael Tisserand, New York Times Book Review
"Until now one could only dream of an engaging, analytic history encompassing the entire medium. That sounds like a job for Superman, but Jeremy Dauber has gotten there first…His perceptive, critical overview is enlivened by a jaunty style that bops from the political cartoons of Thomas Nast in the 1860s to the demise of an equally influential gadfly, Mad magazine, in 2018."
― Michael Saler, Wall Street Journal
"An entertaining, big…comprehensive survey of the comics industry, from its inception in early twentieth-century newspapers to the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe megamovie crossover empire."
― Scott Bradfield, New Republic
"[Dauber is] a spry, humorous storyteller….[he] suggests that the story of American comics is ‘right in the middle of its run.’ If so, this is a very readable map of where it has been."
― Teddy Jamieson, The Herald
"No detail escapes Dauber…A master storyteller, Dauber shows just how much there is to appreciate in this uniquely American history."
― Marissa Moss, New York Journal of Books
"Dauber covers the entire landscape of American comics in this outstanding… thorough―and thoroughly entertaining―work."
― Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Sweeping….[C]omprehensive….Dauber’s book sets itself apart, and comics enthusiasts will be enthralled."
― Steve Dixon, Library Journal (starred review)
"'This book,' writes Dauber…'tries to cover the whole shebang'…If anything, he understates his intent…[T]here’s plenty of delight and revelation for comics fans…Dauber clearly knows and cherishes his subject, and readers who share his passion will find plenty to love."
― Kirkus Reviews
"[Dauber] pithily and accurately describes hundreds of individual strips and books, colorfully expanding the limits of conventional definitions. This…chronicle will not soon be matched, let alone surpassed."
― Ray Olson, Booklist
"With encyclopedic knowledge, Jeremy Dauber brilliantly excavates the story of this art form―warts and all―from its origins right up to the twenty-first century, and strikes cartoon gold. For anyone curious about a medium that’s influenced and embedded itself in every part of our culture, American Comics is an essential guidebook. If you are already a connoisseur of comics, be prepared to be enlightened anew."
― Peter Kuper, award-winning cartoonist and graphic novelist