Price: 0.00 FREE
Pages: 60
On-sale Date: 1985-05
Editing: Lucy Shelton Caswell (credited) (exhibition coordinator, catalog editor)
Cover Thumbnail for The American Comic Book (Ohio State University Press, 1985 series) Edit Cover
Cover Gallery 

Issue Data

Series Data

  • Color: color cover; black and white interior
  • Dimensions: standard Golden Age U.S. (7 7/16" x 9 15/16")
  • Paper Stock: glossy thin card stock cover; bond paper interior
  • Binding: saddle-stitched
  • Publishing Format: one-shot
  • Publication Type: magazine

Indexer Notes

This catalog was for an exhibition on American comic books that was held at Ohio State University from May 19 to August 2, 1985.

Inside back cover is blank.

[no title indexed]
(Table of Contents: 1)

comic story / 1 page

Pencils:
Inks:
Colors:
?
Letters:
typeset
  • Genre:anthropomorphic-funny animals; superhero

Indexer Notes

Front cover.

[Acknowledgements, Title Page, Foreword, Contents]
(Table of Contents: 2)

about comics / 4 pages

Script:
Pencils:
? (logo art)
Inks:
? (logo art)
Letters:
typeset
  • Genre:non-fiction
  • Pages:1 - 3
Abstract:
Lucy Shelton Caswell covers the opening of the catalog with an acknowledgments page, title page, a foreword, and a table of contents page. Contents actually begin on the inside front cover which was not paginated and continues onto the first three pages of the catalog for an actual total of four pages.

Indexer Notes

Starting on the inside front cover and continuing over pages 1 to 3. Inside cover is the acknowlegements, cover credits, and DC trademark permissions. This is followed by the title page and Lucy Shelton Caswell's forewoard to the catalog. It finishes with a listing of contents.

[Famous Funnies #1]
(Table of Contents: 3)

comic story / 1 page

Pencils:
Jon Mayes (signed as Jon Mayes)
Inks:
Jon Mayes (signed as Jon Mayes)
Letters:
?
typeset
  • Genre:humor
Characters:
Augustus Mutt; Othello Jeff; Relentless Rudolph Ruddigore Rassendale; Nipper Tucker; unnamed parrot
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

On page 4.

Preface
(Table of Contents: 4)

about comics / 1.8 pages

Script:
M. Thomas Inge (credited)
Letters:
typeset
  • Genre:history
  • Pages:5 - 6
Abstract:
Guest Curator, Blackwell Professor of Humanities from the Randolph-Macon College, writes the preface for the exhibition catalog. M. Thomas Inge talks about why Americans have come so late in appreciating comics as an art form.

[no title indexed]
(Table of Contents: 5)

Beetle Bailey / comic story / 0.2 page

Script:
Mort Walker (credited) (signed as Mort Walker)
Pencils:
Mort Walker (credited) (signed as Mort Walker)
Inks:
Mort Walker (credited) (signed as Mort Walker)
Letters:
  • Genre:humor; military
  • First Line of Dialogue or Text:I wish I had Plato's brains...
Characters:
Private Zero; Private Carl James "Beetle" Bailey; Private Plato; Private "Killer" Diller
Reprints (0)
  • from Beetle Bailey daily (King Features Syndicate) 1982-04-08

Indexer Notes

On page 6.

The American Comic Book
(Table of Contents: 6)

about comics / 6 pages

Script:
Pencils:
George Frese (credited) (vignette, see notes)
John Romita (credited as Jack Kirby) (vignette, see notes)
Inks:
George Frese (credited) (vignette, see notes)
John Romita (credited as Jack Kirby) (vignette, see notes)
Letters:
typeset
?
  • Genre:history
Characters:
Archie Andrews; Veronica Lodge; Captain America [Steve Rogers]
  • Pages:7 - 14
Abstract:
Assistant Professor and Curator of the exhibition at The Ohio State University Library for Communication and Graphic Arts, Lucy Shelton Caswell gives an overview on the history of American comic books from the 1930s to the 1970s.

Indexer Notes

Article contains vignettes from George Frese's Archie (appears to be from the Archie comic strip) and John Romita's Captain America (the cover vignette that appeared on Captain America covers in the early to mid-1970s), though the artwork is misidentified as being done by Jack Kirby.

[Action Comics #1]
(Table of Contents: 7)

Superman / comic story / 1 page

Pencils:
Inks:
Letters:
typeset
  • Genre:superhero
Characters:
Superman [Clark Kent]
Reprints (1)

[no title indexed]
(Table of Contents: 8)

Batman and Robin / cartoon / 1 page

Pencils:
Inks:
  • Genre:superhero
Characters:
Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]
Reprints (0)
  • from ?

Indexer Notes

On page 10 in the midst of The American Comic Book article.

A 1982 Batman and Robin promotional artwork used as an illustration.

EC Comic Books and Science Fiction
(Table of Contents: 9)

about comics / 6 pages

Script:
Bill Gaines (co-plot, see notes)
Al Feldstein (co-plot, script, see notes)
Pencils:
Wally Wood (credited as Wallace Wood) (see notes)
Inks:
Wally Wood (credited as Wallace Wood) (see notes)
Letters:
Jim Wroten (see notes)
  • Genre:history
Characters:
Wally Wood
  • Pages:15 - 20
Abstract:
Lucy Shelton Caswell covers EC Comics and its horror and science fiction comics. Caswell covers several notable EC stories.

Indexer Notes

The article reprints the last panel of the Wally Wood drawn stories, "My World" from Weird Science (EC, 1951 series) #22 (November-December 1953) and the last four panels of page 4 of "He Walked Among Us" from Weird Science (EC, 1951 series) #13 (May-June 1952).

The Reformers
(Table of Contents: 10)

comic story / 6 pages

Script:
Bill Gaines (co-plot)
Al Feldstein (co-plot, script)
Pencils:
Inks:
Letters:
  • Genre:science fiction
  • First Line of Dialogue or Text:The ship came down from the space-vacuum belching flame and smoke...
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

On pages 21 to 26.

Script credit from "Tales of Terror! - The EC Companion" by Fred von Bernewitz and Grant Geissman.

From the Publisher's Perspective: Comments by Stan Lee and Jenette Kahn
(Table of Contents: 11)

about comics / 4 pages

Script:
Lucy Shelton Caswell (interviewer)
Jenette Kahn (interviewee)
Stan Lee (interviewee)
Pencils:
Dick Giordano (vignette, see notes)
John Romita (vignette, see notes)
Inks:
Dick Giordano (vignette, see notes)
John Romita (vignette, see notes)
Letters:
typeset
  • Genre:non-fiction; history
  • Pages:27 - 30
Abstract:
Lucy Shelton Caswell interviews DC publisher Jenette Kahn and Marvel publisher Stan Lee about the history and development of comic books, their potential as an educational tool and an art form, and the industry's future.

Indexer Notes

Article contains vignettes of Wonder Woman by Dick Giordano and Spider-Man and John Romita.

Let's Hear It for the Super Heroes
(Table of Contents: 12)

about comics / 4.5 pages

Script:
Letters:
typeset
  • Genre:non-fiction
Reprints (0)
  • from ? (1979)
  • Pages:31 - 36
Abstract:
An essay by Stan Lee extolling the importance of superheroes.

Indexer Notes

Article written by Stan Lee in 1979 and published with his permission.

Marvel Super Heroes
(Table of Contents: 13)

cartoon / 1 page

Pencils:
Inks:
Letters:
typeset
  • Genre:superhero
Characters:
Hulk {Bruce Banner]; Spider-Man [Peter Parker]; Thor [Don Blake]; Captain America [Steve Rogers]; The Thing [Ben Grimm]; Mister Fantastic [Reed Richards]; Nick Fury; Daredevil [Matt Murdock]; Doctor Strange [Stephen Strange]; Human Torch [Johnny Storm]; Captain Marvel [Mar-Vell]; Namor the Sub-Mariner; Iron Man [Tony Stark]
Reprints (0)
  • from Newsdealer (Newsdealer Magazine, Inc., 1945 series) #? (1968) [See notes.]

Indexer Notes

The Marvel Super Heroes human pyramid illustration reprinted here was artwork created by Severin used originally for a Marvel print advertisement. The artwork, without the rest of the advertisement trade dress and text, was later used in other promotional materials like posters and convention program covers.

Appears on page 33 within the Stan Lee essay.

[no title indexed]
(Table of Contents: 14)

Fantastic Four / comic story / 0.5 page

Pencils:
Inks:
Letters:
  • Genre:superhero
Characters:
Fantastic Four [Mister Fantastic [Reed Richards]; Invisible Girl [Sue Storm Richards]; Human Torch [Johnny Storm]; The Thing [Ben Grimm]]
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Appears on bottom half of page 35 of the Stan Lee article.

A Salute to Superman
(Table of Contents: 15)

Superman / about comics / 2 pages

Script:
Ray Bradbury (credited)
Pencils:
Dick Giordano ? (see notes)
Inks:
Dick Giordano ? (see notes)
Letters:
typeset
  • Genre:non-fiction; superhero
Synopsis:
Ray Bradbury on what Superman meant to the kids of his generation.
Reprints (1)
  • Pages:37 - 38
Abstract:
An essay that was written by Science Fiction author Ray Bradbury reflects on the importance of Superman and his alter ego Clark Kent was to a generation of youthful readers.

Indexer Notes

The essay includes an promotional Superman image illustrating the top half of page 37, copyright 1982 by DC Comics, Inc.

Essay on Comic Art
(Table of Contents: 16)

about comics / 6 pages

Script:
Will Eisner (credited) (signed as Eisner) (see notes)
Pencils:
Will Eisner (credited) (signed as Eisner) (see notes)
Inks:
Will Eisner (credited) (signed as Eisner) (see notes)
Letters:
Will Eisner (credited) (signed as Eisner) (see notes)
typeset
  • Genre:non-fiction
  • First Line of Dialogue or Text:Sequential art - the creation and selection of images to be arranged in succession...
Synopsis:
Eisner's essay on sequential art and the basic processes of how it is formed.
Reprints (1)
  • Pages:39 - 44
Abstract:
In an essay by Will Eisner, originally appearing in Comics & Sequential Art (Poorhouse Press, 1985 series), Eisner writes about the processes of how sequential art develops. He also covers the best practices of combining writing and the "visual" to create good sequential art.

Indexer Notes

Eisner signature appears on a three panel strip appearing on the bottom on page 39. Eisner illustrations reprinted from his book Comics & Sequential Art (Poorhouse Press, 1985 Series) used to illustrate his examples of sequential art development.

A Chronology of the Development of the American Comic Book
(Table of Contents: 17)

about comics / 5 pages

Script:
M. Thomas Inge (credited)
Pencils:
Dick Giordano ? (Hawkman figure)
Jack Evans (Katy Keene vignette)
Inks:
Dick Giordano ? (Hawkman figure)
Jack Evans (Katy Keene vignette)
  • Genre:history
Characters:
Katy Keene; Hawkman [Katar Hol]
Reprints (0)
  • from Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide (Harmony Books / Overstreet Publications, 1970 series) (1984) [The chronology.]
  • from Katy Keene Magazine (Craig Leavitt, 1980 series) #4? (Fall 1981) [Katy Keene vignette. A paper doll fanzine.]
  • from ? [The Hawkman figure.]
  • Pages:45 - 50
Abstract:
Originally appearing in the Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide (Harmony Books / Overstreet Publications, 1970 series) (1984), M. Thomas Inge writes a chronology of the high points of the development and the history of the American comic book from 1933 to 1983.

Indexer Notes

The article includes illustrations of Katy Keene, on page 47, and Hawkman, on page 50.

The Katy Keene vignette credits the reprinted artwork as copyrighted by Jack Evans, a Keene fan in the 1950s who helped with some story plots and fashion design for the character. His work was probably reprinted in the Keene fanzine and reprinted for this program.

1982 Hawkman promotional artwork used as an illustration.

Hulk Inhumans
(Table of Contents: 18)

Hulk / cartoon / 1 page

Pencils:
Jim Steranko (credited) (signed as Steranko/..)
Inks:
Jim Steranko (credited) (signed as Steranko/..)
Letters:
Jim Steranko (credited) (signed as Steranko/..)
  • Genre:superhero
Characters:
Hulk [Bruce Banner]
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

On page 48 within Inge's A Chronology of the Development of the American Comic Book.

Bibliography
(Table of Contents: 19)

about comics / 1 page

Script:
M. Thomas Inge (credited as MTI)
Letters:
typeset
  • Genre:non-fiction
  • Pages:51 - 51
Abstract:
M. Thomas Inge's bibliography of recommended reading for further research on the history and the cultural importance of the American comic book.

[Marvel Comics #1]
(Table of Contents: 20)

Human Torch / comic story / 1 page

Pencils:
Frank Paul (signed as F. Paul)
Inks:
Frank Paul (signed as F. Paul)
Letters:
?
typeset
  • Genre:superhero
Characters:
The Human Torch
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

On page 52.

Checklist of the Exhibition
(Table of Contents: 21)

about comics / 3 pages

Script:
  • Pages:53 - 56
Abstract:
A checklist of the highlights of important items that appeared in the exhibition and from where or who loaned the material.

Indexer Notes

A checklist of items that were shown during the exhibition. Some licensed products, posters, fan publications, graphic novels, comic book reprints, and other material appeared in the exhibition but not listed on this checklist.

Vandal Savage: Wanted Dead and Alive!
(Table of Contents: 22)

The Flash / comic story / 1 page

Pencils:
Inks:
Letters:
  • Genre:superhero
  • Job Number:S-2030
Characters:
Flash [Barry Allen]; Flash [Jay Garrick]; Green Lantern [Hal Jordan]; Vandal Savage
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

On page 55 within the Checklist of the Exhibition.

[no title indexed]
(Table of Contents: 23)

The Spirit / cartoon / 1 page

Script:
Pencils:
Inks:
Colors:
? (red border only)
Letters:
? (The Ohio State University logo)
  • Genre:superhero
  • First Line of Dialogue or Text:Try to look a little more respectable Dolan...
Characters:
The Spirit [Denny Colt]; Eustace Dolan
Synopsis:
The Spirit advises Commissioner Dolan to look respectable for the more serious students of comic art.

Indexer Notes

Back cover.

New black and white artwork from Eisner for the exhibition catalog. The logo for The Ohio State University is located at the bottom on the page.

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Table of Contents ToC
    Table of Contents
  1. [no title indexed]
  2. [Acknowledgements, Title Page, Foreword, Contents]
  3. [Famous Funnies #1]
  4. Preface
  5. ["I wish I had Plato's brains..."]
    Beetle Bailey
  6. The American Comic Book
  7. [Action Comics #1]
    Superman
  8. [no title indexed]
    Batman and Robin
  9. EC Comic Books and Science Fiction
  10. The Reformers
  11. From the Publisher's Perspective: Comments by Stan Lee and Jenette Kahn
  12. Let's Hear It for the Super Heroes
  13. Marvel Super Heroes
  14. [no title indexed]
    Fantastic Four
  15. A Salute to Superman
    Superman
  16. Essay on Comic Art
  17. A Chronology of the Development of the American Comic Book
  18. Hulk Inhumans
    Hulk
  19. Bibliography
  20. [Marvel Comics #1]
    Human Torch
  21. Checklist of the Exhibition
  22. Vandal Savage: Wanted Dead and Alive!
    The Flash
  23. ["Try to look a little more respectable Dolan..."]
    The Spirit
Related Links
Issue was modified by
  • Ray Bottorff Jr
  • mike clark
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