The
most important book that all comic book enthusiasts will
want to acquire is the Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide.
It is published on a yearly basis and has been consistently
published since 1970. It is the most complete book
providing listings on almost every comic ever published up
to the printing date. It is an integral part in comic book
collecting with prices and notations of key issues from 1st
appearances to origin issues, anniversary issues to
important storylines, key artists’ issues to historical
events. The book has a variety of feature articles on
various aspects of comic books providing sales data, market
reports, character profiles, artist profiles and a whole lot
more.
A tremendous collector’s item came out last year called
75 Years of DC Comics: The Art of
Modern Mythmaking.
The author is long-time fan and former DC editor/publisher
Paul Levitz detailing DC Comics' monumental history in a
larger than life-size book. It contains thousands of images
featuring DC Comic covers, pages,
original illustrations, photographs, film stills and
collectibles. There is a year by year timeline foldout with
biographies of the legends who built DC. It is a little
pricey, but there won't be another first diamond jubilee for
DC ever again and this book is quite a tribute to the
largest comic book publisher in the world. Any comic book
fan is going to want to add this to their collection.
One company has produced a few impressive
slipcase books on various comic book related subject
matters. The DC Vault: A Museum-in-a-book with Rare
Collectibles from the DC Universe offers collectors some
intricate and nostalgic artifacts that has never been made
available to the public such as early sketches, covers, memos, press materials. There
are more than 25 plastic-encased archival pieces to pull out
and examine. Collectors will learn about the artists,
writers, and superhero characters. The same company
has produced a book on Batman called -
The Batman Vault: A Museum-in-a-Book with
Rare Collectibles from the Batcave
using the same
style packaging with memorabilia items for one to examine
and cherish.
If you want to an encyclopedic version on DC characters,
the DC Comics Encyclopedia, Updated and Expanded Edition
is an incredible book. It has full color pictures on DC
characters with biographical information.
Here’s an
opportunity to get the lowdown on the DC Universe’s
personalities at your fingertips. It won’t contain every
single character that has ever graced the pages of DC comics
which would be impossible, but will have characters that
have generally appeared enough times in comics over the
years. It’s a great way to know who's who which is not
always fleshed out fully in the comics themselves and in
some cases takes several issues to figure out what the
characters are all about.
A handy
reference book on DC characters called DC Comics Ultimate
Character Guide is a nice tool to have around when you
need a quick check on your favorite superheroes or
super-villains’ profile. You’ll see images of each
character with a very detailed write-up on each containing
information on their powers, their weaknesses, their enemies
and more. If you don’t need a bible of information to
review, this is a nice companion book to have.
The DC Comics Year by Year: A Visual Chronicle provides a chronological timeline of key events in DC
Comics’ history. There are photos of key issues for every
year that DC has been around with detailed descriptions on
those issues. For history buffs this is a fantastic way to
see all of the important comics that DC has released for the
last 75 years in its rich history. You’ll see the
start of their empire in 1935 with New Fun #1, the biggest
comic book event in history from 1938 with the debut of Action Comics #1 containing
the first appearance and origin of Superman all the way up
to current day. Every issue that the author recorded as
having significance for DC is documented in this book. I
know thumbing through this book will give every collector
and historian fond memories
and nostalgia.
If you love female comic book characters, DC Comics CoverGirls is a dedicated book to DCs female
super-personalities. It has a wonderful pictorial selection
of memorable and key comic book covers featuring the likes
of Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Catwoman, Batgirl, Power Girl
and many, many others. It is accompanied with historical
notes and descriptions on the covers and issues displayed.
A great collector’s item and a great conversation piece.
The Rough Justice: The DC
Comics Sketches of Alex Ross contain some of the
spectacular sketches from the most prolific comic artist
today. Alex Ross is easily the most in demand cover artist
and poster artist in comics. This book displays incredible
images of characters from the DC Universe that Alex has
drawn over the years with so many images never seen before
in print. It’s a visual guide with notations next to each
sketch and I know that a lot of collectors will want to have
this book as part of their collection.
There are millions of fans and collectors of Batman and the
Essential Batman Encyclopedia is a book devoted to his
world containing detailed information on every character
associated with the Batman mythology. This is not
primarily a pictorial book, but there are full color and
black and white images contained
nevertheless. It’s a book that is primarily in text format
with in-depth write-ups on Batman’s cast of hundreds and
other parts of his legend.
You will be hard pressed to find another book that lists so
many characters from his universe and be as complete as this
book is.
The
Marvel Encyclopedia is an in-depth book with information
on over 1000 different Marvel characters with full artwork,
stats and history on each character tying into the
characters' stories from some of Marvel's recent cross-over
storylines found in Civil War, Annihilation and Secret
Invasion. It's a great reference book for those collectors
who want to have biographical information on the Marvel
Universe's pantheon of characters.
The Marvel Chronicle
provides 70 years worth of
chronology on Marvel Comics history. You’re going to see a
visual guide of key issues for each and every year that
Marvel has been around since they debuted in 1939 with
Marvel Comics #1 under the founding company - Timely
Comics. History buffs are going to eat this book up seeing
what has transpired during Marvel’s comic run. Every issue
that the authors recorded as having great significance for
Marvel is documented in this book.
For those who aspire to learn how to draw comics there are
several books available that will help aspiring artists to
learn how to draw and create your own comics. The now
classic book How To Draw Comics The Marvel Way by
Marvel artist legend John Buscema provide step by step
methods on the basics of drawing a comic book using the
Marvel Comics way. You’ll see how to sketch body
definition, body composition and action poses with
illustrated examples. This is a good foundation to help
introduce comic book artistry to those wishing to get a
solid understanding of concepts, techniques and ideas that
will be useful in training for a possible career in comic
books.
The DC Comics Guide to Penciling Comics by long-time
artist and inker Klaus Janson. Klaus takes the reader
through the fundamentals by showing you how to draw faces,
anatomy, clothing, and perspective. He also offers
storytelling, composition, shots and angles and movement.
In addition Klaus offers readers his advice on how a hopeful
artist can go about submitting their work to the editor or
art director for a potential job or career in the industry.
In the modern age of computers comic book artists have
eschewed using a pencil or pen to draw their comics and have
turned their focus to using a mouse or electronic graphical
pencil on a monitor. The DC Comics Guide to Digitally
Drawing Comics shows users how to utilize current
technology to create their own comic art with step by step
instructions from basic to advanced levels. If you’ve been
resistant to move to computers as your tools of the trade
from the traditional methods, this book may be just what you
need to get started.
Perhaps
you want to learn how to write comics. Denny O’Neil one of
the longtime Batman and DC Comics writers authored a book
called The DC Comics Guide to Writing Comics teaching
you his techniques for comic book storytelling. Denny shows
you how to apply them in all formats of comic books like
graphic novels, mini-series and maxi-series. There are
illustrated panels from past DC Comics issues with detailed
notes to help you understand his ways of writing.
There is a general book that covers a wide-variety of comic
books from different companies called Comic Book
Encyclopedia: The Ultimate Guide to Characters, Graphic
Novels, Writers, and Artists in the Comic Book Universe.
The book has many reproductions of original art. It has
entries on the most influential artists and writers like
Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and others. It has quite a bit amount
of trivia in its pages and organized by character or book
title. It covers comic books since 1900. If you want an
overall book that has details that you normally don't find
in character specific or company specific books, this one
might be an option for you.
There
have been different magazines produced that focus on comic
books in very much the same context as their book
companions. These were/are produced on a more regular basis
and can be found at your local comic book store or via the
internet.
Comic Book Marketplace was created and produced by
some of the long-time veteran comic collectors as a way to
express their appreciation for the Golden Age and Silver Age
books that captured their lives and imaginations while they
were growing up and ultimately continued in their adult
lives. They also covered the Bronze Age era. A lot of the
contributors have deep relationships with some of the
legends in the comic book industry from artists to writers
to editors to publishers and everyone in between.
The publication lasted for several years and was produced
monthly. There was a wide-variety of articles where one
reading them basically went back in time and got to know how
our favorite characters came to be and what they meant to
us. There were a lot of historical information contained in
each issue and the magazine had collecting tips in addition
to market reports and in general comic book collecting.
Unfortunately the magazine had to cease publication due to
the variables that impact any business that have to call it
quits eventually. The magazine had a great run and any who
were fortunate to pick up a copy or copies know how rich
their collections are to have them. Some of the published
issues can be found on the internet at places like Ebay for
example.
There is
a wonderful magazine called Back Issue that is
similar to Comic Book Marketplace. They provide a
wide-variety of articles on the comic book industry and
mediums that feature comic book characters. Their focus is
the 1970s, 1980s and current day. Each issue is packed full
of information and is published 8 times a year. The
magazine can be found at your comic book store and on the
publisher’s web site.
If you
are a fan of Jack Kirby who basically was one of the
greatest contributors to the comic book industry, then
The Jack Kirby Collector magazine is something you need to add to
your collection. It is an oversized publication where many
who worked and knew Kirby have come together in every issue
to discuss, reminisce and document his monumental career and
how he influenced so many artists, writers and other
industry professionals. The magazine is published by the
same publisher who print Back Issue magazine and is
available 4 times a year. The magazine can be found at your
comic book store and on the publisher’s web site.
Comic
Book Artist is a magazine devoted to artists and writers
in the industry with the likes of Neal Adams, Walt Simonson,
Dave Stevens, Wally Wood, Steve Englehart, Frank Brunner
having been featured and interviewed for feature articles in
past issues. The magazine has been discontinued by the
publisher and some back issues are available on their web
site. The magazine is published by the same publisher who
produce Back Issue and The Jack Kirby Collector magazine.
Alter Ego magazine published by the same publisher as
Back Issue, Kirby Collector and Comic Book Artist is edited
by long-time Golden Age and Silver Age historian and former
comic book writer Roy Thomas. It’s a fanzine devoted to
both comic book period's creators. The magazine is
published 8 times a year and can be found at your local
comic book store and on the publisher’s web site.
Draw
magazine is a magazine devoted to helping anyone on how to
draw comic books, comics animation and cartooning. If you
want to learn from some of the best talent in the comic book
industry or simply want to read about the how to's, then
this magazine is a great reference tool to acquire for your
library. It’s published 4 times a year by the same
publisher of Back Issue and the other magazines above.
These are some of the best magazines available on the market
about the extraordinary world of comic books. I know there
are other magazines available and ones that are out of
print. I will continue to add more listings to this page
and hopefully provide you some direct sources to acquire
them.
Happy Collecting!!!
Johnson's Collectibles