- Hardcover: 256 pages
- Publisher: Harry N. Abrams, Inc. (8 Jun 2009)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0810972964
- ISBN-13: 978-0810972964
- Product Dimensions: 27.6 x 29.1 x 2.7 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 103,221 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Product Description
In the "New York Times Book Review", Harvey Kurtzman was called 'One of the most important figures in postwar America'. He was the creator of "MAD Magazine" and "Playboy"'s 'Little Annie Fanny', and is considered one of the leading artists in American satirical and adult comics. Kurtzman's skills as a writer, artist and editor brought a witty and profound perspective to comics and magazine publishing. Through the various publications he created, Kurtzman had an immense impact on popular culture as well as on the artists who worked for him and all those who followed who draw comics and cartoons. "The Art of Harvey Kurtzman" is the first and only authorised celebration of this 'Master of American Comics'. The book will include pencil sketches, layouts, inked drawings, colour compositions, correspondence and hundreds of never-before-seen photos and art from the Kurtzman archives.
About the Author
Denis Kitchen is a pioneering underground cartoonist, writer, editor, and publisher (Kitchen Sink Press). His partnership, Kitchen, Lind & Assoc., represents the Harvey Kurtzman estate, providing unprecedented access for this book. Paul Buhle is a senior lecturer in the American Civilization and History departments at Brown University, and a distinguished scholar of the Organization of American History and the American Studies Association. Harry Shearer is a comic personality and multiple hyphenate: author, director, satirist, musician, radio host, playwright, multi-media artist and record label owner. He is a voice actor on The Simpsons, was a cast member on Saturday Night Live, and has appeared on screen in The Right Stuff, This is Spinal Tap, The Truman Show, A Mighty Wind and For Your Consideration.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Well worth the wait! At last a super looking book about the comics funny man. There are several books about Mad and a recently published Humbug reprint (a Trump one is touch-and-go) help to reveal how great Kurtzman was and this book is a handsome biography not only in words but with two hundred well chosen illustrations.
His story, by Kitchen and Buhle, is helped because they represent the Kurtzman estate and clearly had access to a lot of original artwork which I doubt has been seen before. You'll see art from Two-fisted Tales, Frontline Combat, Mad, Trump, Humbug, Help! and Little Annie Fanny all with decent captions, too.
The book's production is really first-class and a nice touch is the addition of four pages printed on tracing paper that overlay a page of Little Annie Fanny, the long captions explain just how much work went into each page of the Playboy feature.
Since his death in 1993 Kurtzman's stature has grown and rightly so but I thought it unfortunate that he never quite achieved the perfection he was always striving for with his publications. I bet he would have appreciated the love and care that has gone into this book tribute.
His story, by Kitchen and Buhle, is helped because they represent the Kurtzman estate and clearly had access to a lot of original artwork which I doubt has been seen before. You'll see art from Two-fisted Tales, Frontline Combat, Mad, Trump, Humbug, Help! and Little Annie Fanny all with decent captions, too.
The book's production is really first-class and a nice touch is the addition of four pages printed on tracing paper that overlay a page of Little Annie Fanny, the long captions explain just how much work went into each page of the Playboy feature.
Since his death in 1993 Kurtzman's stature has grown and rightly so but I thought it unfortunate that he never quite achieved the perfection he was always striving for with his publications. I bet he would have appreciated the love and care that has gone into this book tribute.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Harvey Kurtzman was undoubtedly one of the greats of comics history. An overview of his life and work is long overdue, and this volume doesn't disappoint. The book is beautifully produced, with amazing colour reproductions of old Kurtzman favourites, from Mad and EC and so forth, as well as containing some previously unpublished illustrations and pictures. One of the highlights is several pages of transparent vellum overlays, one over the other, showing how Kurtzman and his colleague Will Elder created the luxuriant pages of Little Anny Fanny for Playboy. It's a heartbreaking tale how one of the true geniuses of the comics field was underappreciated in his time, for years slogged from freelance job to freelance job, faced rejection time and again, before settling down to produce a plush, extremely well paid, but ultimately creatively retrograde strip for the rest of his working life. There is no doubt that this book is excellent value for money for the pictures alone - especially at the price Amazon is offering. I held back from giving it 5 stars because of the text. Perhaps because Kurtzman was overlooked for so long, the author feels he has some ground to make up, but all the same, the book feels a little like a hagiography. The book also barely dips its toes into Kurtzman's working relationships with other writers and artists, nor does it explore in any detail the development of his artistic or writing technique. Also, being an American book, it's kind of taken for granted here that Mad was Kurtzman's best work. I can't be alone in finding Mad a trifle sophomoric and extremely dated. The strip "Superduperman" (stop, Harvey, you're killing me) included here, only goes to prove my point. For me Kurtzman's best work was on the EC war comics and the Jungle Book (now expensive to get hold of). It's a steal and an essential addition to any comic fan's library.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
11 reviews
41 of 43 people found the following review helpful
A quick look thru the new visual biography of Harvey Kurtzman - a treasure chest of rarities!
14 Jun 2009
Format:Hardcover
Want to look through the Art of Harvey Kurtzman book before you run out and buy it? I just made a video browsing through the whole thing! Take a look at all the rare art and wonderful cartoony delights in the video below...This book has enough history, art and context to introduce new fans and reward long-time readers of the greatest cartoonist of the late twentieth century.The Art of Harvey Kurtzman: The Mad Genius of Comics
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
The Story of an Unsung Cartoon Master
27 Jun 2009
Format:Hardcover
Harvey Kurtzman, like his contemporary Wally Wood, is not as well known today, but was one of the most influential cartoonists of the mid Twentieth Century. His style helped define EC Comics, MAD Magazine and Little Annie Fannie. He helped new cartoonists get their starts, from Drew Friedman to Art Speigelman to Robert Crumb. Like Wood, his biggest fans were his fellow cartoonists.
Paul Buhle and Dennis Kitchen have done a masterful job in finally telling the story of this unsung creative genius, in words and images. This book is a MUST for anyone who is serious about becoming a cartoonist or collecting cartoons.
Paul Buhle and Dennis Kitchen have done a masterful job in finally telling the story of this unsung creative genius, in words and images. This book is a MUST for anyone who is serious about becoming a cartoonist or collecting cartoons.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Always chasing the rainbow
25 Jun 2009
Format:Hardcover
Well worth the wait! At last a super looking book about the comics funny man. There are several books about Mad and a recently published Humbug reprint (a Trump one is touch-and-go) help to reveal how great Kurtzman was and this book is a handsome biography not only in words but with two hundred well chosen illustrations.
His story, by Kitchen and Buhle, is helped because they represent the Kurtzman estate and clearly had access to a lot of original artwork which I doubt has been seen before. You'll see art from Two-fisted Tales, Frontline Combat, Mad, Trump, Humbug, Help! and Little Annie Fanny all with decent captions, too.
The book's production is really first-class and a nice touch is the addition of four pages printed on tracing paper that overlay a page of Little Annie Fanny, the long captions explain just how much work went into each page of the Playboy feature.
Since his death in 1993 Kurtzman's stature has grown and rightly so but I thought it unfortunate that he never quite achieved the perfection he was always striving for with his publications. I bet he would have appreciated the love and care that has gone into this book tribute.
***SEE SOME INSIDE PAGES by clicking 'customer images' under the cover.
His story, by Kitchen and Buhle, is helped because they represent the Kurtzman estate and clearly had access to a lot of original artwork which I doubt has been seen before. You'll see art from Two-fisted Tales, Frontline Combat, Mad, Trump, Humbug, Help! and Little Annie Fanny all with decent captions, too.
The book's production is really first-class and a nice touch is the addition of four pages printed on tracing paper that overlay a page of Little Annie Fanny, the long captions explain just how much work went into each page of the Playboy feature.
Since his death in 1993 Kurtzman's stature has grown and rightly so but I thought it unfortunate that he never quite achieved the perfection he was always striving for with his publications. I bet he would have appreciated the love and care that has gone into this book tribute.
***SEE SOME INSIDE PAGES by clicking 'customer images' under the cover.
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