{"product_id":"from-gum-wrappers-to-richie-rich-the-materiality-of-cheap-comics-9781496851611","title":"From Gum Wrappers to Richie Rich: The Materiality of Cheap Comics","description":"Between 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. \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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Neale Barnholden\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e University Press of Mississippi\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 06\/20\/2024\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 172\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.97lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.56d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781496851611","brand":"University Press of Mississippi","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43446847275145,"sku":"9781496851611","price":99.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0636\/9240\/6921\/files\/img_b3450ac3-d54f-45da-bd03-4a639a527ce5.jpg?v=1741683271","url":"https:\/\/sonsanddaughtersbooks.com\/products\/from-gum-wrappers-to-richie-rich-the-materiality-of-cheap-comics-9781496851611","provider":"Sons and Daughters Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}