Here come the heels and hoodlums! It's an entertaining rogues' review, starring Batman's Joker, Dick Tracy's Flattop and Pruneface, Flash Gordon's Ming the Merciless, Spider-Man's Green Goblin, and hundreds more villains connoisseurs of comics have always loved to hate. Written especially for comic book collectors and nostalgia buffs, 500 Comic Book Villains is a chronicle of fictional wickedness that also touches on Arthurian legend and old-time radio and movies, in addition to the comics. It's an encyclopedia of evildoers that lists and profiles the major recurring villains who for generations have lurked in countless comic book illustrations, flaunting the iniquity that is always vanquished at story's end by heroes who represent truth, justice, law, order, and the American way. This terrific collection, compiled by comic book historian Mike Conroy, serves as a fine companion volume to his recently published 500 Great Comic Book Action Heroes, also available from Barron's. More than 300 color illustrations include reproductions of comic book covers and pages. Readers will also find a handy index and a bibliography.
| ||||||||||||
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From the Back Cover
[back cover]
Did you know? . . .
. . . that Lex Luthor waged war on Superman because Luthor was afflicted with premature baldness?
. . . that Batman was stalked by a mischievous imp from another dimension?
. . . that the Red Skull was trained by Hitler, who later came to fear his evil prot©g©?
You’ll find these facts plus many, many more in the pages of this superb companion volume to 500 Comic Book Action Heroes. From The Joker, Ming the Merciless, and the Mekon to more obscure but still fascinating evildoers like Professor Skinn and the Beauty Butcher, author Mike Conroy probes deep into hundreds of legends to give you the story behind the story of the greatest archenemies who tried—but always failed—to foil our favorite comic heroes. Open this book and enjoy brief biographical sketches of all your favorite villains. Then, savor the feature pages that catch evildoers in the act of living up to their wicked reputations. Filled with more than 300 color illustrations and succinct, entertaining text, 500 Comic Book Villains is a panorama of memorably malicious malfeasants who have prowled the pages of comic books from 1934 to the present day.
[front flap]
500 Comic Book
Villains
by Mike Conroy
Foreword by Roy Thomas
Here come the heels and hoodlums! The stars of this entertaining rogues’ review include Batman’s Joker, Dick Tracy’s Flattop and Pruneface, Flash Gordon’s Ming the Merciless, Spider-Man’s Green Goblin, and hundreds more villains that comics connoisseurs have always loved to hate. Written especially for comic book collectors and nostalgia buffs, 500 Comic Book Villains chronicles the fictional wickedness concocted by the world’s best comic book artists and serves as an encyclopedia of evildoers who lurk in countless comic book illustrations. Mike Conroy’s terrific collection of criminals also makes a great companion volume to his acclaimed 500 Great Comic Book Action Heroes. More than 300 color illustrations accompany a text that will please readers of all ages.
[back flap]
Mike Conroy is a veteran comics journalist and historian. He is the news editor of the U.K.-based trade paper Comics International, and the founder of the Eagle Awards, one of the comics industry’s major international prizes. His previous book, 500 Great Comic Book Action Heroes, is also published by Barron’s.
Roy Thomas has been a writer and editor in the comic book field since 1965. The memorable villains he has created over the years include Ultron, Tiger Shark, and The Squadron Sinister, to name just a few. He currently edits the second incarnation of the comic fanzine Alter Ego, and still finds time to write an occasional comic book.
Did you know? . . .
. . . that Lex Luthor waged war on Superman because Luthor was afflicted with premature baldness?
. . . that Batman was stalked by a mischievous imp from another dimension?
. . . that the Red Skull was trained by Hitler, who later came to fear his evil prot©g©?
You’ll find these facts plus many, many more in the pages of this superb companion volume to 500 Comic Book Action Heroes. From The Joker, Ming the Merciless, and the Mekon to more obscure but still fascinating evildoers like Professor Skinn and the Beauty Butcher, author Mike Conroy probes deep into hundreds of legends to give you the story behind the story of the greatest archenemies who tried—but always failed—to foil our favorite comic heroes. Open this book and enjoy brief biographical sketches of all your favorite villains. Then, savor the feature pages that catch evildoers in the act of living up to their wicked reputations. Filled with more than 300 color illustrations and succinct, entertaining text, 500 Comic Book Villains is a panorama of memorably malicious malfeasants who have prowled the pages of comic books from 1934 to the present day.
[front flap]
500 Comic Book
Villains
by Mike Conroy
Foreword by Roy Thomas
Here come the heels and hoodlums! The stars of this entertaining rogues’ review include Batman’s Joker, Dick Tracy’s Flattop and Pruneface, Flash Gordon’s Ming the Merciless, Spider-Man’s Green Goblin, and hundreds more villains that comics connoisseurs have always loved to hate. Written especially for comic book collectors and nostalgia buffs, 500 Comic Book Villains chronicles the fictional wickedness concocted by the world’s best comic book artists and serves as an encyclopedia of evildoers who lurk in countless comic book illustrations. Mike Conroy’s terrific collection of criminals also makes a great companion volume to his acclaimed 500 Great Comic Book Action Heroes. More than 300 color illustrations accompany a text that will please readers of all ages.
[back flap]
Mike Conroy is a veteran comics journalist and historian. He is the news editor of the U.K.-based trade paper Comics International, and the founder of the Eagle Awards, one of the comics industry’s major international prizes. His previous book, 500 Great Comic Book Action Heroes, is also published by Barron’s.
Roy Thomas has been a writer and editor in the comic book field since 1965. The memorable villains he has created over the years include Ultron, Tiger Shark, and The Squadron Sinister, to name just a few. He currently edits the second incarnation of the comic fanzine Alter Ego, and still finds time to write an occasional comic book.
About the Author
Mike Conroy is a veteran comics journalist and historian, the news editor of the U.K.-based trade paper Comics International, and the founder of the Eagle Awards, one of the comics industry's major international prizes.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A guide that is useful for anyone who buys comics regularly,
By Mr Fatty Cakes "Russ" (Oakland, CA USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: 500 Comic Book Villains (Paperback)
Mystified by the multitude of arcane characters who have come out of the DC Universe woodwork during its latest "Crisis," I was pleased to find this book in Cody's, a bay area bookstore. So many villains have become heroes over the years that I have so far been able to identify 32 characters I had never noticed before. Expanded essays have been written about major characters, such as Marvel's Galactus and DC's Sinestro. Highly recommended.
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perfect introduction to villainy,
By
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: 500 Comic Book Villains (Paperback)
I know a bit and a dabble about comic book villains. But not as much as I liked. So I figured 500 villains would be a goodly amount of knowledge. No you're not going to get power charts and really rather silly comparisons as to which pajama clad evildoer has a slightly stronger superstrength or laser vision. This gives you a run down of a HUGE number of villains, some I've never heard of, and probably never will again. Few complaints to be had, except that its rather silly to have a picture of Fin Fang Foom on the back and not have him featured anywhere. It has an index so you can trace out anyone you do know, and has an excellent article on Hitler, or as the book describes it, The Real World Supervillain.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Comic Book,
By
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: 500 Comic Book Villains (Paperback)
I was very satisfied with the book, it was just what I was looking for and arrived in great shape and on time.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
So You'd Like to...
|
|
