简介：nthe20thcentury,noartisticmediuminNorthAmericawithsomuchpotentialforcreativeexpressionhashadamoreturbulenthistoryplaguedwithlessrespectthancomicbooks.Throughanimatedmontages,readingsandinterviews,thisfilmguidesusthroughthehistoryofthemediumfromthelate1930sand1940swiththefirstexplosionofpopularitywiththesuperheroescreatedbygreattalentslikeJackKirbyandhittingitsfirstartisticzenithwithWillEisner's"Spirit".Itthenshiftstothepostwarcomicsworldwiththerisingpopularityofcrimeandhorrorcomics,especiallythosepublishedbyECComicsundertheeditorshiopofWilliamB.GainesuntilitcamecrashingdowntheriseofcensorshipwiththeimpositionoftheComicsCode.Initswakeofthedevastationofthemedium'screativefreedom,wealsoexploreEC'sdefiantsurvivalwiththecreationofthesingular"MadMagazine"byHarveyKurtzman.Wethenmovetotheresurgenceofthesuperheroesinthelate1950'sand1960'stypifiedwiththeriseofthedramaticallyinnovativeMarvelComicseditedbyStanLee.StillmoreimportantistheriseofthethegleefullyuninhibitedundergroundcomicscreatedbyeccentrictalentslikeRobertCrumbandDanO'Neill.TheseleadstoprofilesofcreaterslikeHarveyPekarwhotakethemediumintonewdirectionsofexpression.Inthelate1970sand'80sweseetheriseofalternativecomicswithsuchboldtalentslikeJaimeHernándezfor"LoveandRockets,SueCoeforHowtoCommitSuicideinSouthAfricaandespeciallyforArtSpiegelmanforhissearingPulitizerPrizewinningHolocaustaccount,Maus.Finally,welearnofthemedium'ssuperheromythos'revitalizingmomentwiththecreationofFrankMiller'sferociousmin-series"Batman:TheDarkKnightReturns".Takentogether,thefilmmakesitsarguementthatthemediumisfarmorethanthestereotypeofjuveniletrashbutratheritisanartformwithawildhistoryandanexcitingfuture.…