Golden Age Comics and the Superhero

I guess the best way to decide when the Golden Age of comics began, you'd have to look at the introduction of the modern superhero. There had been a handful of masked vigilantes, but Superman lifting a car from the 1st issue of Action Comics, in 1938, brought a whole new mindset to comics. I think its interesting, because comics were not a superhero medium, or even an action genre based medium exclusively throughout its early beginnings. Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash, as well as Captain America, The Human Torch, and The Submariner brought a fresh and unique element to the industry. Nowadays when someone mentions comics, its almost impossible to not see images of Batman or The Avengers fly through your head. A sub-genre that dominates blockbuster films today, was given birth to, and nurtured by the comic book. People don't even refer to these films as Superhero movies, as much as Comic Book movies. Though it is a narrow perspective to only read Superhero stories, it is one of the most unique sub-genres out there, and its sudden gain in popularity can all be traced back to 1938 America.

Will Eisner

Will Eisner is a great writer/artist to look at, especially if you're an aspiring comics writer or artist. After viewing his interview with Stan Lee, from Comic Book Greats, it is easy to notice that for Eisner, being a writer and an artist in the industry is one in the same for him. I like how Eisner breaks down the art of sequential storytelling, and how he takes it all back to instincts. I've always loved Eisner's work, especially his art style. It is the perfect blend of realism and cartoon, yet the fact that it can be really stylized, does not interfere with the seriousness of his work. There is humor, and there is also a very mature aspect to his work. Like most comic fans, I consider Will Eisner to be one of the founding fathers of the medium, and someone who is very influential. I hope that in 100 years, people in the industry will still be looking to him for inspiration.

Understanding Comics, by Scott McCloud

Understanding Comics, by Scott McCloud is a great comic, about comics. Through its black and white pages, it demonstrates multiple techniques for story telling, as well as a brief history and understanding of the medium. McCloud is very obviously a comic book fan, and this shows through his work. Beyond its pages it starts to become clear that comics are a great way of telling stories, and that things can be done with the medium that cannot be achieved elsewhere. The simplicity of 2 dimensional imagery with captions, makes it all the more powerful when done in the right way.