{"product_id":"the-power-of-comics-history-form-and-culture","title":"The Power of Comics: History  Form and Culture","description":"\u003cp\u003eA comprehensive introduction to the comic arts  From the introduction by Paul Levitz  \"If ever there was a medium characterized by its unexamined self-expression  its comics. For decades after the mediums birth  it was free of organized critical analysis  its creators generally disinclined to self-analysis or formal documentation. The average reader didnt know who created the comics  how or why . . . and except for a uniquely destructive period during Americas witch-hunting of the 1950s  didnt seem to care. As the medium has matured  however  and the creativity of comics began to touch the mainstream of popular culture in many ways  curiosity followed  leading to journalism and eventually  scholarship  and so here we are.\" The Power of Comics is the first introductory textbook for comic art studies courses. Lending a broader understanding of the medium and its communication potential  it provides students with a coherent and comprehensive explanation of comic books and graphic novels  including coverage of their history and their communication techniques  research into their meanings and effects and an overview of industry practices and fan culture. Co-authors randy Duncan and Matthew J. Smith draw on their own years of experience teaching comics studies courses and the scholarly literature across several disciplines to create a text with the following features:  Discussion questions for each chapter  Activities to engage readers  Recommended reading suggestions  Over 150 illustrations  Bibliography  Glossary The Power of Comics deals exclusively with comic books and graphic novels. One reason for this focus is that no one text can hope to do justice to both strips and books; there is simply too much to cover. Preference is given to comic books because in their longer form  the graphic novel  they have the greatest potential for depth and complexity of expression. As comic strips shrink in size and become more inane in content  comic books are becoming a serious art form.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44963999612981,"sku":"ByrdShop_082642936X","price":59.58,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9780826429360.jpg?v=1770444856","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/the-power-of-comics-history-form-and-culture","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}