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Greg Sadowski
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Brain Bats of Venus: The Life and Comics of Basil Wolverton Vol. 2 (1942-1952) Hardcover – Illustrated, October 22, 2019

by Greg Sadowski (Author), Basil Wolverton (Author)
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 97 ratings
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This is Vol. 2 of the biography of the legendary midcentury cartoonist, who created the comically grotesque "Lena the Hyena."

This volume continues Sadowski’s biography of the famed Mad cartoonist. It includes scores of letters between Wolverton and his editors and publishers and excerpts from his personal diaries, providing documentary insight not only into Wolverton’s day-to-day life and career, but also the inner workings of the early comic book industry. It is also chock full of Wolverton’s comics stories from this period, including 17 science-fiction and horror tales fully restored and never before collected in a single volume. Full-color illustrations throughout.
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  1. Part of Series
    Creeping Death from Neptune
  2. Print length
    432 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Fantagraphics
  5. Publication date
    October 22, 2019
  6. Dimensions
    8.4 x 1.5 x 10.7 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    1683962141
  8. ISBN-13
    978-1683962144
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

""Basil [Wolverton] was one of the most original, unpredictable talents in the field. His style was unique and virtually inimitable, and I’ve never known anyone who didn’t get a real kick out of Basil’s far-out artwork.""
― Stan Lee

""It’s remarkable to see art so twisted applied to such vivid pulp tales, almost as though Wolverton was trying his hardest to be Alex Raymond, but couldn’t help turning out images to rival Salvador Dalí.""
― The A.V. Club

About the Author

Greg Sadowski is a writer, editor, and designer (Creeping Death from Neptune, Brain Bats of Venus,B. Krigstein, Supermen!, Four Color Fear) living on the Jersey shore.

Basil Wolverton was born near Medford, Oregon in 1909 and died in 1978. His Fantagraphics-published books include Basil Wolverton's Culture Corner and The Wolverton Bible, and his work is featured in Supermen!: The First Wave of Comic Book Heroes 1936-1941.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Fantagraphics; Illustrated edition (October 22, 2019)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 432 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1683962141
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1683962144
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 4.6 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.4 x 1.5 x 10.7 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 97 ratings

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Greg Sadowski

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Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
97 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book informative and eye-opening. They appreciate the meticulously detailed, well-researched, and edited content. Readers also mention that the restored art is reproduced clearly. Additionally, they say the book is worth the long wait.

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Information qualityRealismValue for money
3 customers mention "Information quality"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the information in the book amazing, illuminating, and eye-opening. They appreciate the wealth of photographs and documentation. Readers also mention the biography of Basil Wolverton adds incredibly interesting context to some of the best art.

"...but rarely are tomes to creative talent as meticulously detailed, well researched and edited as Greg Sadowski's biographical retrospectives of the..." Read more

"...His insightful biography of Basil Wolverton adds incredibly interesting context to the some of the best art and stories of the 1950s...." Read more

"Amazing! So much info and art I’ve never seen before and I’ve been obsessed with Wolverton since I was a teenager in the eighties when some decent..." Read more

3 customers mention "Realism"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book amazing in detail. They appreciate the restored art that's reproduced clearly. Readers also mention the book is chock-full of history, sketches, comic strips, stories, and more.

"...A thick, beautifully printed tome chock-full of history, sketches, comic strips, stories and oh so much more...." Read more

"...The restored art is reproduced clearly and the information about his life in the world of comics is in-depth, providing a wealth of photographs and..." Read more

"...humor comic.This book is amazing in detail and relaying an inside view of the life of this unique comic artist...." Read more

3 customers mention "Value for money"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book well worth the money and the long wait.

"...1 - and I finally got my mitts on this, the second volume. Worth every moment, every disgruntled huff, and every penny - this is a true masterwork..." Read more

"...I wish other comic creators would receive such detailed treatment, well worth it...." Read more

"...It was worth the long wait. Such a beautiful book! Thanks to Sadowski and FB!" Read more

Brain Bats of Venus -- Spookiest Comics Ever!!
5 out of 5 stars
Brain Bats of Venus -- Spookiest Comics Ever!!
What can I say? If you're a fan of Basil Wolverton or pre-Code horror comics, you HAVE to get this book! Brain Bats of Venus includes every "straight" horror and sci-fi story Basil drew (and usually wrote) for Morse Publishing and Marvel in the 1950s, beautifully scanned from the original comic books. These are stunningly weird tales, drawn in a style somewhat reminiscent of Bob Crumb...only creepier! But that's not all! The book also includes a number of Basil's humorous strips, an unpublished sci-fi newspaper tryout strip series, as well as various book illustrations, drawn in his inimitable style.Equally fascinating, author Greg Sadowski also included rare correspondence between Basil and his publishers. We get to see them "improve" his work by forcing editorial changes, and often stiffing him for his payment. Meanwhile, the electric company threatens to shut off his lights, and Wolverton is forced to take loans to pay for groceries!But in spite of all this, Basil never stinted on his work, never cut corners and somehow produced some of the spookiest sci-fi and horror comics of any era. Comic fans who love weird comics have to get this. My highest recommendation! - Michael T. Gilbert
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Top reviews from the United States

Graveyard Dave
5.0 out of 5 stars INCREDIBLE SECOND VOLUME!
Reviewed in the United States on November 26, 2019
Verified Purchase
I had to wait what seemed to be years (and actually WAS) after consuming and savoring every page of CREEPING DEATH FROM NEPTUNE: THE LIFE AND COMICS OF BASIL WOLVERTON VOL. 1 - and I finally got my mitts on this, the second volume. Worth every moment, every disgruntled huff, and every penny - this is a true masterwork of devotion. I was both laughing and angry at the opening letters from Stan Lee and Marvel Comics telling Mr. Wolverton that his comic wasn't selling too well, so they'd be sticking with comic GREATS like "Millie the Model" and "Tillie the Typist" (REALLY!). A thick, beautifully printed tome chock-full of history, sketches, comic strips, stories and oh so much more.
I wonder when that Tillie the Typist retrospective will be released?
Get this TODAY!
4 people found this helpful
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Robert C. Conrad
5.0 out of 5 stars Every bit as informative and eye-opening as the first volume.
Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2019
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Many author's works promise a thorough vetting of their subject, but rarely are tomes to creative talent as meticulously detailed, well researched and edited as Greg Sadowski's biographical retrospectives of the artist Basil Wolverton. The restored art is reproduced clearly and the information about his life in the world of comics is in-depth, providing a wealth of photographs and illuminating documentation. Highly recommended, as is the first volume.
One person found this helpful
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Alec H. Boyd
5.0 out of 5 stars A must buy comic archive and history!
Reviewed in the United States on November 12, 2019
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Greg Sadowski's Brain Bats of Venus is a great combination of a comic archives and comic history. His insightful biography of Basil Wolverton adds incredibly interesting context to the some of the best art and stories of the 1950s. This books is clearly a labor of love, but it also features some of the best reproduction you'll see in an archive project. This book, like its predecessor Creeping Death from Neptune, is at the pinnacle of comic archives and history. A must buy!
3 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars The Book you Have Dreamed About!
Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2020
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I had been a longtime fan of Basil Wolverton, having first encountered his work in a Marvel reprint in the 1970s and the covers of DC's Plop! humor comic.

This book is amazing in detail and relaying an inside view of the life of this unique comic artist. The books is peppered with examples of Wolverton's art and includes at the end some classic reprints of full stories. I wish other comic creators would receive such detailed treatment, well worth it. And if you have not done so seek out the first volume while I wait for the third to come out.
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Sym
5.0 out of 5 stars So grateful for this book and vol 1
Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2019
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Amazing! So much info and art I’ve never seen before and I’ve been obsessed with Wolverton since I was a teenager in the eighties when some decent Wolverton reprint comic books were coming out. Vol 1 was so good and I knew we’d be seeing the sci-fi/horror stories (which look GREAT btw) but I didn’t realize how much other stuff they still had up their sleeves for this book. It was worth the long wait. Such a beautiful book! Thanks to Sadowski and FB!
7 people found this helpful
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Michael Kimota
5.0 out of 5 stars Almost-Forgotten American Artist Gets Recognition He Deserves
Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2020
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Fantagraphics did a bang-up job w their second volume of Basil Wolverton's life and art. The stories were definitely of their time (late Forties/early Fifties), but the art rendered such concerns as plot and character cohesion utterly beside the point. BW definitely deserves the level of scrutiny befitting an R Crumb, and the hope is these volumes do the job.
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Robert J. Baldwin
5.0 out of 5 stars A must-have for any comics fan
Reviewed in the United States on December 25, 2020
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The biographical section is well written, but it's the reprints of Wolverton's classic sci-fi stories from the early fifties that makes this a must-have!
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Anonymous.
5.0 out of 5 stars Everything as advertised
Reviewed in the United States on October 11, 2020
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Everything as advertised
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Top reviews from other countries

Marcin
5.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeous!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 28, 2021
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Better than vol 1, huge book full of info and pictures. Wolverton's best comics are here too, so don't wait any longer and get it!
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William Stewart
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Wolverton
Reviewed in Canada on November 8, 2019
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This book is packed full of amazing details and artwork. Basil Wolverton has been in need of a thorough retrospective and these books fill that void admirably!
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