An Educational, Endearing Perspective
I admit, I’m a newbie to the world of comic books, but I thoroughly enjoyed this exploration of the comic book “Silver Age,” as I learned a lot about comics, their history, and their value. Tosh does an excellent job showcasing the development of some of our favorite (and perhaps some of our forgotten) superheroes, contextualizing them within a pop culture and national timeline. It’s fascinating to see how each comic book character was created with some purpose, and then to witness that purpose in its original time.
I thought the little vignettes about where Tosh was at that time in history were endearing, if a little at odds with the rest of the book. It’s clear that this collection is a labor of love for the author, as he’s recounting his own experiences with the artform. However, these tidbits conflicted with the objective, historical writing of the rest of the book. So, if I were trying to catalog/categorize this book for a library or bookstore, I would actually have to think about whether to shelve it in History or Memoir.
Visually, this collection is a masterpiece. I love the inclusion of so many comic covers and excerpts. I feel that this is the perfect, nerdy “coffee table book.” It would be a great conversation starter and an easy one to flip through to desired heroes, sections, or topics.
I thought the little vignettes about where Tosh was at that time in history were endearing, if a little at odds with the rest of the book. It’s clear that this collection is a labor of love for the author, as he’s recounting his own experiences with the artform. However, these tidbits conflicted with the objective, historical writing of the rest of the book. So, if I were trying to catalog/categorize this book for a library or bookstore, I would actually have to think about whether to shelve it in History or Memoir.
Visually, this collection is a masterpiece. I love the inclusion of so many comic covers and excerpts. I feel that this is the perfect, nerdy “coffee table book.” It would be a great conversation starter and an easy one to flip through to desired heroes, sections, or topics.