The power of comics : history, form and culture / Randy Duncan and Matthew J. Smith ; with an introduction by Paul Levitz.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 321-336).

Defining comic books as a medium -- History of comic books, part 1: developing a medium -- History of comic books, part 2: the maturation of the medium -- The comic book industry -- The comic book creators -- Creating the story -- Experiencing the story -- The comic book readers -- Comic book genres: classifying comics -- Comic book genres: the superhero genre -- Comic books and ideology -- Researching comic books -- Comics culture around the world.

"The Power of Comics is the first introductory textbook for comic art studies courses. Offering a broad understanding of the medium and its potential, it provides students with a coherent and comprehensive explanation of comic books and graphic novels, including coverage of their history, their communication techniques, research into their meanings and effects, the industry practices and the fan culture."--BOOK JACKET.