The Harvey Comics Companion

Book Synopsis: As a child, you never wondered about the bionics of the comics featuring Little Audrey, Casper the Friendly Ghost, Baby Huey, Sad Sack, Herman and Katnip, Mutt and Jeff, Richie Rich, Little Dot, The Black Cat, Stumbo the Giant, and Little Lotta. Now, the story behind their glory reverberates with renewed discoveries by author Mark Arnold. Alfred Harvey, along with brothers Leon and Robert, established memorable comic books themed with war, romance, Westerns, science-fiction, 3-D, superheroes, and, most of all, humor. Through their artists’ pens and inks, Joe Palooka, Blondie, and Dick Tracy became more famous than some American Presidents. Harvey Comics profusely illustrated history, as told by the people that worked there, includes Alfred Harvey, Jack Kirby, Joe Simon, Lee Elias, George Baker, Ham Fisher, Ernie Colon, Wally Wood, Jim Steranko, Sid Jacobson, Warren Kremer, Jeff Montgomery, and New Kids on the Block. Family battles, lawsuits, turmoil, scandals, triumphs, and transitions behind the scenes reveal the histrionics behind the comics. Illustrated with more than 800 photos. Comic Book Index, General Index, and a Harvey Who's Who. Foreword by Dan Parent.

About author Mark Arnold: a well-known historian of pop culture, is also author of The Best of the Harveyville Fun Times!; Created and Produced by Total TeleVision productions; Mark Arnold Picks on The Beatles; Frozen in Ice: The Story of Walt Disney Productions; Think Pink: The Story of DePatie-Freleng; Pocket Full of Dennis the Menace “He covers the heyday of Harvey, and the eventual demise, through interviews and discussions with the people who were actually there. No stone goes unturned . . . .” –Dan Parent

“The Harvey Comics Companion fills a huge gap in comics history. Comprehensive in its approach, it addresses the characters, writers, artists, techniques, and advertisers that characterized Harvey Comics, along with the media that the comics influenced . . . this book is a godsend, enabling us to understand the Harvey legacy and recall the delightful stories and characters.” -Kathy Merlock Jackson

“A Harvey companion, yes, but much more—a richly detailed, exhaustively researched history of a company that entertained millions with its vast array of characters and media. Mark Arnold chronicles the decades-long journey from one century to the next, as key people who helped make it happen provide generous ‘narration’ for the fascinating story.” -Greg Ehrbar, author and film and music historian

“Harvey Comics, brimming with the effervescent work of Sid Couchey, Ernie Colón, and (especially) Warren Kremer, along with so many other wonderful creators, were the ambrosia of my childhood. Mark Arnold is the one true scholar of that cherished publisher's history. We're all that much better for having them both, notably in a single volume. Hot stuff, indeed!” -Jon B. Cooke, editor of Comic Book Creator and ACE magazines