Review of "The Great Comic Book Heroes," by Jules Feiffer

Review of

The Great Comic Book Heroes, by Jules Feiffer


Five out of five stars

 Jules Feiffer is considered the most widely read satirist in the United States. His list of publications and other achievements is incredible, from a Pulitzer Prize to an Oscar for an animated short film that he wrote. He is the author of many books, from novels to graphic novels, plays, screenplays and other works too numerous to mention.

 In this book he writes about the role of comic book heroes in his life and that of other boys of limited physical means like him. He also swings a few haymakers at Dr. Frederic Wertham, a nutcase of the highest order that unfortunately managed to be taken far too seriously by a gullible public.

 In between these opening and closing sections, there are original cartoons of Superman, Batman, the original Human Torch, the original Flash, the Green Lantern, Spectre, Hawkman, Wonder Woman, the Sub-Mariner, Captain America, Plastic Man and the Spirit. They take the reader back to a time when comics were drawn in a far different manner than the modern style. Not better or worse, just different. Readers familiar will recognize the early years when people and other creatures died in comic strips.