Superheroes from the Marvel and DC Comics universe may dominate the showtimes of most cinemas today, but it wasn’t too long ago that these stories were only found in the tiny comic strips found in niche corner stores. Thames & Hudson has published a new book chronicling the vast history of comic art from 1964 to 2024, bridging a dialogue between the unique graphic stories that manifested across Europe, Asia and the U.S.
The book catalogs a new exhibition held at Paris’ Centre Pompidou, which showcases how comics played a counter-cultural role from the ’60s till the present day. Packed over 288 pages, the six decade survey covers early titles, such as Jean-Claude Forest’s Barbarella in France, the avant-garde ’60s Japanese manga Garo to Robert Crumb’s Zap Comix and the Peanuts gang. Ranging in aesthetic style and subject matter, comics would gain a more prominent footing within society throughout the second half of the 20th century, seeping into television and the silver screen.
Comics (1964–2024) is a dense archive that can equally be enjoyed by aficionados, as well as new fans, covering a wide range of artists, including André Franquin, Gotlib, Claire Bretécher, Osamu Tezuka, Moebius, Edmond Baudoin, Alison Bechdel, Ulli Lust, Art Spiegelman, Marjane Satrapi and Chris Ware. The monograph is available to purchase for $60 USD, while the exhibition will be on view in Paris until November 4, 2024.
Centre Pompidou
Place Georges-Pompidou,
75004 Paris, France
