Looking for something to read? The next best thing to reading comics, is reading books about the history of DC comics and superheroes and comics in general. This thread is for the community to help build a resource listing for quality books about the history of comics and a place to talk about them. The first two posts are wikis which allow you to edit and add information. Also, if you edit a wiki you earn a badge. Below that, add your recommendations, images, comments and any discussions.
About Wikis
Using a wiki on DCU is simple. Just click on the orange pencil in the upper left corner of the post. A screen will appear with the text of the post. Click on ‘edit wiki’ add your changes and save.
75 Years of DC Comics: The Art of Modern Myth Making, Paul Levitz. Oversized book with info and pics covering DC history
Comic Book Implosion: An Oral History of DC Comics Circa 1978, Keith Dallas and John Wells. Pulled from interviews of DC creators and exec about the cancellation of much of DC’s input in the '70s.
DC Comics Year by Year: A Visual Chronicle. An oversize book with images on info organized by year.
Secret Origins History of DC Comics in our video library DC Universe
Slugfest: Inside the Epic, 50-Year Battle Between Marvel and DC Reed Tucker
The DC Vault, Martin Pasko
Characters
General
Psychology of Superheroes, Jennifer Carzonem.
** Superheroes Best of Philosophy and Pop Culture
Batman
Batman and Bill. Documentary on creation of Batman. (Hulu)
Becoming Batman, E Paul Zehr
Batman Unauthorized, edited by Dennis O’Neil
Batman and Psychology: Dark and Stormy Knight, Travis Langley
Batman A Visual History, Matthew K. Manning
Tales of the Dark Knight Batman’s First Fifty Years: 1939-1989, Mark Cotta Vaz
Robin
Dick Grayson Boy Wonder: Scholars and Creators on 75 Years of Robin, Nightwing and Batman, edited by Kristen L. Geaman
Superman
Superman: The High-Flying History of America’s Most Enduring Hero Larry Tye
Superman and Philosphy: What Would the Man of Steel Do? Mark D. White
Wonder Woman
The Secret History of Wonder Woman, Jill Lepore. Bestseller covers the creation of Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman, Pyschology: Lassoing the Truth, Travis Langley and Mara Wood. A collection of academic essays about Wonder Woman and her psychology.
Wonder Woman and Philosophy: Amazonian Mystique, Jacob Held.
Creators
Becoming Superman: My Journey from Poverty to Hollywood, J. Michael Stracynski. A fantastic account of JMS’ troubled upbringing and wildly up and down, and important career.
Man of Two Worlds: My Life in Science Fiction and Comics, Julius Schwartz. An autobiography by one of DC’s most important editors.
Fifty Who Made DC Great. Profiles of 50 creators and companies
Comic Books and the Cold War, edited by Chris York and Rafiel York. Essays on Graphic Treatment of Communism, the Code and Social Concerns, 1946 to 1962.
Comic Book History of Comics: Birth of a Medium Fred Van Lente
History of Comics Vol 1 & 2, Jim Steranko.
Necessary Evil. Documentary on the concepts of villains, their general history and their function in comics.
The first book I want to plug is Jill Lepore’s The Secret History of Wonder Woman. This is a compelling read about the not just Wonder Woman but her creator William Moulton Marston. That is one complex contradictory dude.
And reluctantly because he is convicted of particular bad criminal offenses to children and whose comics are not allowed here
Men of Tomorrow
Geeks Gangsters and the Birth.of Comic Books
by Gerald Jones
Contains info not found elsewhere
On
Jerry Siegel, Jack Liebowitz, Joe Shuster, Harry Donenfeld, Charlie Ginsberg (M C Gaines), Bob Kahn (Kane), Stanley Lieber (Lee), Jake Kurtzberg (Jack Kirby), Mort Weisinger:
He is interviewed early in the Secret Origin video which summarizes part of his book.
Official DC History like Secret Origins cover up.how Siegel Shuster creators of Superman and Bill Finget Co Creator of Batman were treated by DC
Wanted to drop in to say thanks for making this post and to everyone who responded. Been looking for books along this line to read so this will be a great resource.
Thanks to the adds from @TurokSonOfStone1950 and @DeSade-acolyte I’ve changed the title some and have included documentaries. I’ll try to keep the wikis somewhat organized for ease of finding/reading.
On the Spectre killing people in sadistic ways: “No social work.for him.”
Also a quote from.a siimilar character to Superman in the book.Gladiator describing the Invulnerable hero as he ran toward the enemy in World War I, like Wonder Woman would do in.her movie.
“They had seen it before. A type of madness had descended on him. They continued to fire at him.”
