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Shazam! : the golden age of the world's mightiest mortal / Chip Kidd, Geoff Spear.

By: Contributor(s): Material type: TextTextPublisher: New York, New York : Abrams Comicarts, 2019Copyright date: 2010Description: 1 volume (unpaged) : illustrations ; 26 cmContent type:
  • text
  • still image
Media type:
  • unmediated
Carrier type:
  • volume
ISBN:
  • 1419737473
  • 9781419737473
Subject(s): Summary: Shazam made his debut in Whiz Comics in 1940, and outsold his biggest competitor, Superman, by 14 million copies a month. It wasn't long before a variety of merchandise was licensed--secret decoders, figurines, buttons, paper rockets, tin toys, puzzles, costumes--and a fan club was created to keep up with the demand. These collectibles now sell for outrageous prices on eBay or in comic book stores and conventions. Seventy years later, an unprecedented assortment of these collectibles are gathered together by award-winning writer/designer Chip Kidd and photographer Geoff Spear. Join Kidd, Spear, and the World's Mightiest Mortal in this first, fully authorized celebration of ephemera, artwork, and rare, one-of-a-kind toys, and recapture the magic that was Shazam!
Holdings
Item type Current library Collection Call number Status Date due Barcode Item holds
Non-Fiction Davis (Central) Library Non-Fiction (NEST) Non-Fiction (NEST) 741.5 KID Coming Soon T00818757
Total holds: 0

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Shazam made his debut inWhiz Comicsin 1940, and outsold his biggest competitor,Superman, by 14 million copies a month. It wasn't long before a variety of merchandise was licensed-secret decoders, figurines, buttons, paper rockets, tin toys, puzzles, costumes-and a fan club was created to keep up with the demand. These collectibles now sell for outrageous prices on eBay and in comic book stores and conventions. Seventy years later, an unprecedented assortment of these artifacts are gathered together by award-winning writer/designer Chip Kidd and photographer Geo Spear. Join Kidd, Spear, and the World's Mightiest Mortal in this first, fully authorized celebration of ephemera, artwork, and rare, one-of-a-kind toys, and recapture the magic that wasShazam!

Title from cover.

Shazam made his debut in Whiz Comics in 1940, and outsold his biggest competitor, Superman, by 14 million copies a month. It wasn't long before a variety of merchandise was licensed--secret decoders, figurines, buttons, paper rockets, tin toys, puzzles, costumes--and a fan club was created to keep up with the demand. These collectibles now sell for outrageous prices on eBay or in comic book stores and conventions. Seventy years later, an unprecedented assortment of these collectibles are gathered together by award-winning writer/designer Chip Kidd and photographer Geoff Spear. Join Kidd, Spear, and the World's Mightiest Mortal in this first, fully authorized celebration of ephemera, artwork, and rare, one-of-a-kind toys, and recapture the magic that was Shazam!

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

Captain Marvel, alas, is now all but forgotten, no doubt owing to his lack of a movie franchise for modern audiences. Half a century ago, however, it was a vastly different story-Billy Batson's utterance of the acronym "Shazam," which in a flash of lightning turned him into the world's mightiest mortal, was known everywhere. Though Superman is thought of as comics' first superstar, Captain Marvel regularly outsold him by a whopping 14 million copies monthly. His image also adorned countless paraphernalia, the basis of this lovely volume. Writer-designer Kidd and photographer Spear offer brief snatches of background text, but the feast here is the remarkable array of toys, ephemera, and artwork from the likes of C.C. Beck, Mac Raboy, and Jack Kirby featuring Cap, Cap Jr., and Mary Marvel. The cash cow Marvels appeared on every imaginable product, from toys to buttons, wrist watches, compasses, clothes, paint sets, whistles, flutes, and even tie clips. VERDICT Despite the quite reasonable price, this features typical Abrams art and production quality. Fans will grab this Marvel-ous piece of Americana faster than you can say "Shazam!"-Mike Rogers, Library Journal (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Booklist Review

Although he is largely overlooked today, in the 1940s comic books starring Captain Marvel outsold even those of Superman. Book designer (and memorabilia collector) Kidd has assembled rare merchandise and promotional items issued during the character's heyday. The oversize pages sport lovingly photographed toys, figurines, clothing, secret decoders, temporary tattoos, and other rare collectibles featuring the World's Mightiest Mortal and such spin-off characters as Captain Marvel Jr. and Mary Marvel. Unfortunately, those unfamiliar with Captain Marvel will get little hint of just why his exploits were so popular: although Kidd includes a sampling of the comic's covers and panels, only one complete story is reprinted, and it's an atypical one drawn by celebrated superhero artists Jack Kirby and Joe Simon instead of premier Captain Marvel illustrator C. C. Beck. After a decade-long copyright-infringement suit by Superman's publishers, the captain's comic was discontinued in 1952. DC has since updated the character for modern readers, and his younger fans will likely be bemused by this testimony to his bygone popularity.--Flagg, Gordon Copyright 2010 Booklist

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