Faster Than a Speeding Bullet

Graphic novels have exploded off bookstore shelves into movies, college courses, and the New York Timesbook review, and comics historian and children's literature specialist Stephen Weiner explains the phenomenon in this groundbreaking bookthe first history of graphic novels. From the agonizing Holocaust vision of Art Spiegelman's Mausto the teenage angst of Dan Clowes's Ghost World, this study enters the heart of the graphic novel revolution. The complete history of this popular format is explained, from the first modern, urban autobiographical graphic novel, Will Eisner's A Contract with God, to the dark mysteries of Neil Gaiman's Sandman, the postmodern superheroics of Frank Miller's Batman: The Dark Knight, and breakout books such as Alison Bechdel's Fun Homeand R. Crumb's The Book of Genesis. It's all here in this newly updated edition, which contains the must-reads, the milestones, the most recent developments, and what to look for in the future of this exciting medium.

Stephen Weiner is the director of the Maynard Public Library in Maynard, Massachusetts, and a comics historian and critic who has been a pioneering advocate for graphic novels in public libraries and education and has published numerous articles and reviews about comic art. He is the author of 100 Graphic Novels for Public Libraries, The 101 Best Graphic Novels, and Bring an Author to Your Library and the coauthor of The Will Eisner Companion. He lives in Maynard, Massachusetts. Will Eisner is a legend and pioneer in comics, best known for the Spirit series, as well as numerous graphic novels—a term he coined—including A Contract with God. The Eisner Award, comics’ most coveted award, is named for him. He lives in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.