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Man of Rock: A Biography of Joe Kubert
Joe Kubert's extraordinary career spans the history of the comic book in America: he began drawing comics in 1938, just as Superman made his debut in Action Comics #1 , and continues to be one of the most vital cartoonists working today, writing and drawing both mainstream comic book characters as well as, more recently, graphic novels of his own conception. Kubert made his name working for DC Comics on acclaimed series starring Sgt. Rock of Easy Co., Hawkman, Tarzan, and has worked on many of DC's most commercially successful properties (Superman, Batman, Flash, et al.). Kubert has created comics for virtually every major publisher over an incredible 70 years in the business, including Marvel and EC. He started the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art in the 1980s. In the 1990s, he wrote and drew his own graphic novels, including Fax from Sarajevo , which won the Will Eisner Comics Industry Award for Best Graphic Novel. He was subsequently inducted into both the Harvey Awards' Jack Kirby Hall of Fame and the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame.
320 pages, Paperback
First published September 8, 2008
About the author
Bill Schelly
35 books19 followersBILL SCHELLY is the Eisner Award-winning author of HARVEY KURTZMAN, THE MAN WHO CREATED MAD AND REVOLUTIONIZED HUMOR IN AMERICA, voted Best Comics-Related Book of 2015. He began researching the history of comic fandom in 1991, resulting in the book The Golden Age of Comic Fandom (1995), then became associate editor of Alter Ego magazine, a post he holds to the present day. Schelly has written several biographies of film and comics artists, including movie comedian Harry Langdon and comic book scribe Otto Binder, co-creator of Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes. In 2008, he authored Man of Rock, a biography of celebrated comics writer-artist Joe Kubert. Schelly's American Comic Book Chronicles: The 1950’S (2013) was nominated for a Harvey Award. He has received acclaim as the premier historian of comic fandom, and perhaps the top biographer of comic book creators.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 24, 2023
Joe Kubert is one of the rocks of the early comic industry. His work was some of the art that got me into comic books at an early age. No one did Sgt Rock, Hawkman & The Viking Prince and so many others were classic I poured over as a kid. His legacy through his sons and the art school he founded will be felt in the industry for decades to come. This book is a great Bio of the artist. Very recommended
August 23, 2017
Joe Kubert has always been on of my favourite artists and seemed an admirable individual. This book provides a good overview of his work and progression as an artist and a man. Nice to hear about other early comic artists as well. Very interesting if you have any interest in the comics field.
June 1, 2022
A thorough account of the (incredible) life of one of the giants of comicbook form and an inspiring tribute to a real maestro. #joekubert
March 4, 2014
Schelly's biography of one of the most influential and accomplished cartoonists is definitive - I can't imagine another will be needed.
Kubert lived a life necessarily made somewhat unexciting due to the prodigious hours required at the drawing board to create a lifetime's worth of professional cartooning. From a cartoonist and comic reader's point of view, however, Kubert's life was indeed adventurous. From his early dealings, at the age of 11 and 12, with the first comic book companies in existence, to his founding of the Joe Kubert School, late period graphic novels and amazing work accomplished in between, Kubert lived a fulfilling and visionary life.
Man of Rock is a little too fawning and redundant in places, especially towards the end; small criticisms which can't hurt the integrity of this well-researched book. Kubert's work on characters like Tarzan, Tor, Sgt. Rock and Hawkman have brought joy to hundreds of thousands of readers and Man of Rock is a great resource for those wanting to know more about the person who drew them so masterfully.
Kubert lived a life necessarily made somewhat unexciting due to the prodigious hours required at the drawing board to create a lifetime's worth of professional cartooning. From a cartoonist and comic reader's point of view, however, Kubert's life was indeed adventurous. From his early dealings, at the age of 11 and 12, with the first comic book companies in existence, to his founding of the Joe Kubert School, late period graphic novels and amazing work accomplished in between, Kubert lived a fulfilling and visionary life.
Man of Rock is a little too fawning and redundant in places, especially towards the end; small criticisms which can't hurt the integrity of this well-researched book. Kubert's work on characters like Tarzan, Tor, Sgt. Rock and Hawkman have brought joy to hundreds of thousands of readers and Man of Rock is a great resource for those wanting to know more about the person who drew them so masterfully.
December 8, 2015
My friend, Joe Manfredini, convinced me to get this book. I'm glad I did and I'm very pleased to get Bill Schelly's autograph when I did so. My taste in comic has always been more for the indie stuff than DC or Marvel. But my brother Randy and friends in college were big mainstream comic fans. I saw a lot of Kubert's work, but did not follow his career closely. Perhaps if I'd gone into comics instead of advertising illustration I would have sought out his school. As it was, my interest in Kubert was only a passing one until I picked up "Fax from Sarajevo." That heated my interest and Joe's nudging had me reading the book. I'm glad I did. Not only did I learn a bit more about comic book history, I also learned that I knew a lot more about Kubert than I thought. I just needed reminding. If you're a fan of comic books, then this book will be a true pleasure.
February 4, 2013
I've always appreciated Joe Kubert's comic book artistry even though I never really followed his work all that much. Schelly's excellent biography made me a fan of both the man and the artist. What a story! From Joe's humble beginnings to his start as a comics artist in the early 40's through to the upheavals of the 1950's on through the comics renaissance of the 60's and 70's. Then he goes and starts what may arguably be the finest art school devoted to comic and cartoon art. And on top of it he continues to do great work like Fax from Sarajevo. So kudos to Bill Schelly for writing a truly enjoyable biography.
May 21, 2010
Good informative biography of one of the great comic art stylists. Not as hard-hitting or as critical as one might want when it comes to an artist of Kubert's longevity and importance, this is still a quality overview of the man's life and his work.
Want to read
April 14, 2017God bless and keep Joe Kubert.
March 24, 2016
A nice, though a little too rosy look of comic artist Joe Kubert. There was some klunky writing and a lot of effusive praise, but a still enjoyable look of an important person in the comic field.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews