Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Subtitled "A History of [Female] Comics from Teens to Zines", this colorful and attractive book attempts to chronologically plot the development of "girl" comics from 1941 into the '90s. Stuffed with page and cover reproductions, this is a history in which girl's consumed more comics than boys until the 1960s, ranging from preteen fare like Archie to more advanced romance and morality tale comics. In the '60s superheroes began to dominate the market, and the mainstream female comic largely faded into the background. Thus, the late '60s gave rise to "underground" women's comics scene that blossomed in conjunction with the feminist movement. Which eventually begat the full on "grrrlz" comics of the '90s.
This makes for fairly quick and simple reading under Robbins' pen, although one that could use a great deal more perspective and analysis. She is more interested in documenting the names or artists, and the plotlines of various comics than she is in a broader discussion of what it all means. She does touch on it from time to time, but these are more interjections (often a little whiny in tone) than a coherent theme. As with most Chronicle books, the production (design, layout, color, quality of reproductions) is outstanding. It's a breezy overview of the subject, but hardly a comprehensive history. I also found myself wishing for information on women's comics from other countries, for comparison.
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