The comic book makers

Joe Simon

Vanguard Publications, 2003 - Biography & Autobiography - 190 pages

Filled with real-life anecdotes and insights, this is a history of the talented creators who brought us Superman, Captain America, Archie, Captain Marvel, Spider-Man, and dozens of other comic book favourites, as well as the stories of the other people who helped shape comic book history. Meet the crime comics editor who would himself be accused of a gruesome murder; the horror artist who was periodically released from a mental hospital in order to meet his publishing deadlines; the famous Senator Estes Kefauver, whose subcommittee investigated comic books as a cause of juvenile delinquency; and dozens of other fascinating personalities.

In this book, original Captain America creator, Joe Simon tells the compelling, definitive history of the creators who gave us Superman, Captain America, Archie, Captain Marvel, Spider-Man and more. Meet the crime comics editor who would himself be accused of a gruesome murder; the horror artist who was periodically released from a mental hospital in order to meet his publishing dead-lines; the famous Senator Estes Kefauver, whose sub-committee investigated comic books as a cause of juvenile delinquency; and dozens of other fascinating personalities.

"The Comic Book Makers is like a school reunion, lavish with anecdotes that fill in the gap of threadbare memory. The Comic Book Makers is avery valuable work by amember of one of the most important teams in comic book history. Joe Simon deserves applause." -- Will Eisner.

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Review: The Comic Book Makers

User Review - Goodreads

Interesting history of early comics and the career of Joe Simon (as penned by him and his son). Learned a number of anecdotes I'd not heard before re: the early creators.

About the author

Simon started his art and writing career in the newspaper field and in the late 1930s moved to comics. After creating Captain America, Joe was appointed the first editor-in-chief of Timely, the company now known as Marvel Comics.

Bibliographic information

• Title: The comic book makers
• Author: Joe Simon
• Contributor: Jim Simon
• Edition: revised
• Publisher: Vanguard Publications, 2003
• ISBN: 1887591354, 9781887591355
• Length: 190 pages
• Subjects: Art / American / General; Art / Techniques / Cartooning; Art / Techniques / Drawing; Biography & Autobiography / Artists, Architects, Photographers