Comix: A Case History of Comic Books in America by Les Daniels (review)

374 Books Bruno Munari, Penguin Books, Harmondsworth, Middlesex , England, 1971. 223 pp., illus. Paper, f0.50. Reviewed by Rod Hackney* The first book is vary British, ever so, a flag-waving, patriotic account of British design since the early 19th century. As such, it is well documented and adequately presented as a ‘glossy’ (monochrome). If it were expanded a little, it would qualify as a doctor’s thesis at any British design school. Unfortunately, MacCarthy makes the assumption that ‘British is best’, which is clearly false for those who are aware of design in other countries. The author outlines and illustrates in chronological order products made by a few fortunate artists for wealthy patrons. This led them to be separated from ordinary people, who thus were left to consume products of inferior design. She makes no predictions for the future of British design, which would be out of place in her nostalgic presentation and simply ends with an unusually pessimistic postscript that tells us that hopes for ‘all things bright and beautiful’ have dwindled. The second book, originally published in Italian seven years ago, has been well translated into English for British readers. The author outlines a series of visual experiences that he mentally recorded during his career as a designer. His aim is to re-charge the reader’s visual instincts, so that he becomes more aware of occurrences in daily life. The text is simply written and numerous sketches are provided to illustrate his points. Unlike the glossy book of MacCarthy, Munari’s is unpretentious, a goal he advises designers to strive for. He says they must regain modesty and restore design to a craft status, which requires the destruction of the ivorytower approach adopted over the years by the majority of designers. To serve society, they must design products that many can enjoy. The best example of this approach I know of can be found in Scandinavian countries, where for a long time appreciation of good design has been a subject of general education. Designers, say in Denmark, are, therefore, confronted by consumers who are highly critical, something yet to be experienced on a similar scale in Britain. MacCarthy briefly acknowledges that recent design school graduates in Britain are seeking to provide manufactured products that have good aesthetic qualities, even though they are not ‘bright’. Comix: A Case History of Comic Books in America. Les Daniels. Wildwood House, London, 1973. 198 pp., illus. f1.85. Reviewed by Peter C. Marzio** During the last decade there has been a large increase in the number of illustrated books dealing with the history of comic art in the Western world. Most of them have little meaningful text to go with the reproductions and they are attempts by publishers to cash in on the nostalgia of the present day. Daniels’ book should not be confused with these superficial efforts, for he has made a serious try at organizing and interpreting the history of his subject. However, his work is marred by clichCs and it lacks a clear thesis. Nevertheless, he has made an important contribution that deserves the attention of artists and of others interested in the subject. First of all, Cotnix is filled with facts, names and dates that generally do not get sufficient attention. Second, one is impressed by the enormous output of comics, by the organization needed for their mass distribution and by the social consternation that some of the descendants of ‘The Yellow Kid’ have caused. Finally, one is pleased to find that instead of reproducing one or two frames of a comic book, Daniels gives selected full sequences. The 16 pages *222 Black Road, Macclesfield, Cheshire, England. **Div. of Graphic Arts, Smithsonian Institution, Nat. Museum of History and Technology, Washington, D.C. 20560, U.S.A. of color plates are superb-helping to remind one of the simple fact that color was indeed a major ingredient in the formula for the success of comics. The author makes the important observation that, since their beginnings in the 1930’s,most of the successful comic books have been the result of collaboration, committee choice and editoiial recipes. The one name on the cover of many favorites, such as...