{"product_id":"from-gum-wrappers-to-richie-rich-the-materiality-of-cheap-comics-paperback","title":"From Gum Wrappers to Richie Rich: The Materiality of Cheap Comics - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eNeale Barnholden\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBetween the 1930s and the invention of the internet, American comics reached readers in a few distinct physical forms: the familiar monthly stapled pamphlet, the newspaper comics section, bubblegum wrappers, and bound books. \u003ci\u003eFrom Gum Wrappers to Richie Rich: \u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci\u003eThe Materiality of Cheap Comics\u003c\/i\u003e places the history of four representative comics--\u003ci\u003eWatchmen\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eUncle Scrooge\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eRichie Rich\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eFleer Funnies\u003c\/i\u003e--in the larger contexts of book history, children's culture, and consumerism to understand the roles that comics have played as very specific kinds of books. While comics have received increasing amounts of scholarly attention over the past several decades, their material form is a neglected aspect of how creators, corporations, and readers have constructed meaning inside and around narratives. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eNeale Barnholden traces the unusual and surprising histories of comics ranging from the most acclaimed works to literal garbage, analyzing how the physical objects containing comics change the meaning of those comics. For example, Carl Barks's \u003ci\u003eUncle Scrooge\u003c\/i\u003e comics were gradually salvaged by a fan-driven project, an evolution that is evident when considering their increasingly expensive forms. Similarly, \u003ci\u003e Watchmen\u003c\/i\u003e has been physically made into the epitome of \"prestigious graphic novel\" by the DC Comics corporation. On the other hand, Harvey Comics' \u003ci\u003eRichie Rich\u003c\/i\u003e is typically misunderstood as a result of its own branding, while \u003ci\u003eFleer Funnies\u003c\/i\u003e uses its inextricable association with bubblegum to offer unexpectedly sophisticated meanings. Examining the bibliographical histories of each title, Barnholden demonstrates how the materiality of consumer culture suggests meanings to comics texts beyond the narratives.\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eNeale Barnholden \u003c\/b\u003eis a lecturer at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. Originally from Vancouver, he studies American comics.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 184\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.42 x 9 x 6 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e June 20, 2024\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Books by splitShops","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42695745142880,"sku":"9781496851628","price":54.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0598\/1922\/9280\/files\/50c24c1f83a7cc0aea32794814594c28.webp?v=1775828234","url":"https:\/\/bijoucc.myshopify.com\/products\/from-gum-wrappers-to-richie-rich-the-materiality-of-cheap-comics-paperback","provider":"CARIBBEAN CONNECT","version":"1.0","type":"link"}