Innocence and Seduction: The Art of Dan DeCarlo (Hardcover)

~ Bill Morrison (Author), Dan DeCarlo (Author)
Key Phrases: Stan Lee, Barney's Beat, Big Boy (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

The venerable line of comic books featuring teenager Archie Andrews and his pals is drawn in a house style intended to make it nearly impossible to distinguish any of its many illustrators. Every so often, though, someone breaks out of the pack. Dan DeCarlo, for instance, who came to be known for his sexy-yet-wholesome renditions of Archie's girlfriends Betty and Veronica, acclaimed examples of the comics cheesecake that fanboys call "good girl art." After laboring over the characters for 40 years, DeCarlo was abruptly fired when he sued the publisher for the rights to an Archie spin-off he created. This coffee-table tribute tome assembled and annotated by Morrison, an illustrator best known for his work on the Simpsons comic-book line, chronicles DeCarlo's long career, from cartoons he drew for his wife, whom he met while stationed in France during World War II, and through early non-Archie comic-book work, short-lived newspaper strips, and men's-magazine gag cartoons--risque then, quaint now--featuring showgirls, gold diggers, and secretaries. Plenty to peruse for partisans of pop-cult pulchritude. Gordon Flagg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Description

The first career retrospective of the great Archie comics artist.

Dan DeCarlo was one of the greatest artists working in humor comics in the latter half of the 20th century. He was without a doubt the most prolific, and for that reason was often referred to as "The Jack Kirby of humor comics." But he might have been likewise compared to pinup artist Gill Elvgren for his ability to render the female form in a way that was at once funny, charming, and unbelievably sexy. DeCarlo worked mostly on wholesome all-American features like Archie's Girls Betty and Veronica and My Friend Irma, but he populated these innocent stories with his irresistibly attractive women. This unique blend of hilarious homespun humor and libido-sparking art made DeCarlo's work outshine the competition.

For nearly six decades, DeCarlo entertained the world with his special talents. Though best known as the definitive Archie Comics artist and creator of Josie and the Pussycats, DeCarlo also brought his unique style to dozens of other characters including Millie The Model, Willie Lumpkin, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Big Boy, Batman and even The Simpsons.

In 2005, Fantagraphics published The Pin-Up Art of Dan DeCarlo, a beautiful two-color knock-out of a collection featuring his best pin-ups from the 1950s/'60s Humorama digest. With Innocence and Seduction: The Art of Dan DeCarlo, Fantagraphics Books presents a fitting tribute to the life and art of one of the world's all-time best cartoonists in a wider-ranging career retrospective. DeCarlo fan, friend, and fellow cartoonist Bill Morrison has written and produced the ultimate book on this remarkable artist, lavishly designed with over 300 illustrations. Included are rare World War II-era cartoons, original Humorama pinups, seldom-seen newspaper strips, examples of his justly famous commercial comics work, and of course, lots and lots of those fabulous DeCarlo girls!

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Fantagraphics Books; First Edition edition (May 31, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1560977108
• ISBN-13: 978-1560977100
• Product Dimensions: 12 x 9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #172,768 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bill Morrison Archives DAN DeCARLO'S Amazing Career With Respect and Insight!, May 7, 2008

By	ELLENOR WHITTY "EllenorWhitty" (HOUSTON, TEXAS) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

To All Dan DeCarlo Devotees:

Mega Kudos to the talented and intelligent BILL MORRISON for all of his sincere dedication in coordinating a book that archives a part of artist DAN DeCARLO'S amazing career!

So few know that DeCarlo had a most interesting life as a widely published comic artist & cartoonist before his association with the Archie Comics people.

Just look at his work..... You can sense the creative and physical energy Dan used to produce these extraordinary and accurate renderings, first with his pencils, then in ink. Where he got this ability to put so much "power" and "animation" into each story frame is what made DeCarlo so awesome, if not magical. He could "draw" human emotions into his work that viewers would later accurately "feel" and recognize. Very, very few artists have the ability to do this, but Dan DeCarlo was one of the gifted ones that could, and he seemed to do so effortlessly.

Dan's drawing style, accurate sense of visual proportion, and perspective drawing abilities were so realistic that they absolutely astounded me. DeCarlo did it ALL by himself, without relying on the many computer software programs used by publishing artists today.

I wish you all could see my HUGE collection of vintage BETTY & VERONICA, JOSIE, SABRINA and other Archie comic books I have here at home, all with front cover and inside story art by Dan DeCarlo, my favorite comic artist for all time.

I hope Morrison and others continue to honor DAN DeCARLO as the legend he was, AND STILL IS, with more publications that showcase his work!

From Dan's Big Fan,
Ellenor Whitty
Houston, Texas

0 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book for DeCarlo and Archie comics fan, November 6, 2006

By	Mark R. Mabry (Lexington, KY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Informative history of Decarlo. Lots of great artwork. Recommended!!