Sparring with Gil Kane: Debating the History and Aesthetics of Comics

Gil Kane drew every major comic book character in his 50-year career -- from Spider-Man and the Hulk to Superman and Batman -- and conceived and drew independent "graphic novels" long before the term had any meaning to the larger public. He was also a fascinating raconteur and a formidable analyst, critic, and theorist of comics, a medium he loved. Included in this collection are interviews Kane conducted with a wide array of cartoonists: newspaper strip artists such as Hal Foster (Prince Valiant) and Walt Kelly (Pogo); fellow comic book creators such as Harvey Kurtzman; underground cartoonists Robert Crumb and Jack Jackson; and the literary critic Donald Phelps.