Paul Gravett

This book, the accompanying publication to the exhibition by the British Library of the same name, is an ambitious and sprawling overview of comics and graphic arts in the UK. THe focus is cllearly on the historical content (much of which is likely to be unknown or vaguely known by young readers) with the majority of the remainder speaking to the comics "revolution" of the 60s/70s. Little is said of the modern era, but I don't think that this weakens the presentation at all. Most readers are well-versed in the modern graphic novel sea already, and the subject has kind of been overdone in recent years with Hollywood's appropriation of the genre. This book serves well as one of few to address in depth the early ages of mail-circulated comics, imported American and French publications (both of the superhero and erotic genres), and the legal battles that were fought over censorship in the UK. It relies heavily on illustrations to keep the reader occupied (though the text isn't too dry, for all its academic slant), which is well-played considering the subject. I only wish that I had been able to see the exhibition at the British Library! I guess the book shall have to do!… (more)