John Carlin (1) (1955–)

This companion catalogue to the Comic Art Show at the Whitney Museum of American Art covers the gamut of American comic strips, chronologically and stylistically. And that is its flaw; there is just too much wide-ranging material here to do justice to in a slim reference. Articles about the various genres and artists are included. The quality of the reproductions is just adequate. Still, it does make one wish for the opportunity to have seen the show itself; it must have been something.

Masters of American comics has excellent reproductions of original art by great comic artists. the essays are good and informative. Ultimately the book fails in its scope and premise by promoting a dozen or so artists into a "cannon" that really is an art of the masses. egalitarian, and without such arbitrary elite boundaries.