What's the Name of That Book??? discussion

Sometime in the late 2000s/early 2010s, I visited my local library in the metro-Atlanta area and stumbled upon a hardback coffee table book with a vibrant color scheme (yellow, I think) and a cover featuring a comic book style illustration of a prohibition-era gangster or two. The comic book art style was reminiscent of the original Superman and Batman comics in the 1930s with somewhat faded primary colors and angular looking people. I was intrigued and so opened it to find that the book was a compendium about how the mob and gangsters, both real and imagined, were depicted in comics in the early 20th century, often emphasizing how the comics glamorized and sensationalized the gangster lifestyle. I can't recall the year, but the glossy finish on the dust cover suggests that that printing of the book at least was fairly recent. The text was mostly straightforward and factual, reporting what happened in the realm of gangster comics over the years with some commentary from the author examining related trends and how real life events affected the creation and reception of gangster comics (apparently the Valentine's Day Massacre hurt the popularity of these types of comics at the time).

Each page had a few images depicting comic panels, covers, or occasionally photos of real people that were interspersed amidst the text; the text generally took up most of the page. Fedoras, trench coats, Tommy guns, etc. were ubiquitous in these images. The image layout seemed to vary with each page (so images did not always occupy the same spot from page to page).

Some things I remember being discussed in the book include comics depicting the careers of real life gangsters like Al "Scarface" Capone, Lucky Luciano, Babyface Nelson, etc. There was also talk about how the Comics Code Authority (and maybe the Hayes code?) altered the gangster genre in comics. Crass language (including terms like "broads") was removed, and even the gangster vernacular was toned down (there was an image showing two of the same comic panel side by side, one with the original slang-ridden vernacular dialogue and the other in a more standard English with cleaner language). Mention and use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs as well as gambling, graphic violence, and sensuality were all limited or omitted to comply with the Code.

The glamorization of the violent lifestyle and the sometimes shocking imagery used to draw in readers was also discussed; the book seemed intended for adult readers, and as a kid I was a bit disturbed or just confused by some of this. One image in particular that sticks out in my memory as pretty frightening at the time was a comic book cover showing a stern, condescending looking blonde woman's face in the foreground giving a lengthy testimony in a word bubble, saying something like "Ya wanna know? Fine, I'll tell ya everything...I'll tell ya about the Isle of the Dead!" and beneath her in the background was a fedora wearing gangster being attacked by a zombie of some sort amidst a moonlit tropical setting (I think the text mentioned that this strange connection of gangster comics to supernatural horror was related to fears of drug use or "reefer madness" somehow).

I was more interested in looking at the comic-book images of gangsters at the time and so didn't think much of the analysis, but now I'd like to go back and re-read it if I can. Unfortunately the library where I found it has since changed locations, and I haven't been able to locate the book at its successor or any of the other connected libraries.

The Classic Era of American Comics?

It has the illustration and quote you mentioned.

Rainbowheart wrote: "The Classic Era of American Comics?

It has the illustration and quote you mentioned."

No, the book you mentioned has a similar style but I remember mine was specifically focused on crime/gangster comics.

In the Days of the Mob by Jack Kirby?

Worldcat.org advanced search:
https://www.worldcat.org/#advancedsearch
Keywords: crime prohibition gangsters | Subject: comics | 1970-2017 | Book | English

Kris wrote: " In the Days of the Mob by Jack Kirby?

Worldcat.org advanced search:
https://www.worldcat.org/#advancedsearch
Keywords: cr..."

I'm not able to readily read that book, but based on the description it seems like that book is a more straightforward collection of comics rather than a book about the comics and the events around them. The comic panels and covers shown in the book that I remember were used more as visual aids for the text. Still, I appreciate you going through the effort of using an advanced search!

I did some further research and found the book at a university library. The name of the book is The Illustrated History of Crime Comics by Mike Benton. It has the same images, layout and analysis that I remember. The moment I knew for sure was when I started to remember quotes and images I had all but forgotten while reading through it and looking at selected comic panels.

Oh, awesome, glad you found it!

Crime Comics: The Illustrated History for the link.

Great! Glad you found your book, Eli. Thanks for the update.

Crime Comics: The Illustrated History (book 5) of the Taylor History of Comics series by Mike Benton