1895 - The Yellow Kid
In 1895, Richard F. Outcault created The Yellow Kid, a bald, snaggle-toothed boy who wore an oversized yellow nightshirt and hung around in a slum alley typical of certain areas of squalor that existed in late 19th-century New York City. The comic became one of the first Sunday comic strips in American newspaper, where it’s use of word balloons influenced the style in comics to come after it.
It's #nationalcomicbookday and comiXology is giving you a crash course into the history of comics! Also head over to this page and get up to 26 free comics when you use the code COMICS at checkout to help you celebrate!
A comiXologist Recommends:
Michael Crowe recommends The Kursk #1
Tired of stories about fictional characters? Then pick up our newest Comixology Submit book:
The Kursk #1 is a story about honor and duty for your nation. It’s also a story about relationships, be they international, marital, or fraternal. It is the real story behind a nearly forgotten headline and a way to immortalize all those who were lost on August 12th 2000.
Originally written as a play, Sasha Janowicz’s script recounts a real life tragedy; the sinking of the Russian submarine K-141 Kursk. The story centers on two young officers, Rashyd and Dmitry, as they prepare to depart on a three day training exercise. This first issue captures the mundanity of life, before tragedy strikes. It also introduces us to the joys, fears and passions that drive these characters. A sense of foreboding hovers over everything; we already know what fate awaits them.
Andrea Montano’s art, rendered in a soft grayscale, is haunting. It evokes the feeling of an old, blurry, well worn photography. This style lends a timelessness to the tale, although the events happened only fourteen years ago. Andrea adeptly illustrates the many kinds of ships, submersibles, and weapons featured in the narrative. Each character is handled with the same attention to detail. Every face is unique, representing a life lost or ruined by the unexpected. The cover, designed by Slawomir Nietupski, reflect the sensibilities of the interior. Immediately the atmosphere is established, inviting the reader on a journey deep into the heart of tragedy. Together, this creative team effortlessly translates this story across mediums; from the stage to the page.
[Read The Kursk #1 on comiXology]
Michael Crowe works on the digital assets/launch team by day and writes comics and prose by night. He’s an avid consumer of comics and all things sci-fi.
comiXology Summer Reading List Day 19: Normandy - A Graphic History of D-Day (A $20 Graphic Novel for FREE!)
Normandy depicts the planning and execution of Operation Overlord in graphic novel form. The initial paratrooper assault is shown, as well as the storming of the five D-Day beaches: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword. But the story does not end there. Once the Allies got ashore, they had to stay ashore. The Germans made every effort to push them back into the sea. This book depicts such key events in the Allied liberation of Europe as:
- Construction of the Mulberry Harbors, two giant artificial harbors built in England and floated across the English Channel so that troops, vehicles, and supplies could be offloaded across the invasion beaches.
- The Capture of Cherbourg, the nearest French port, against a labyrinth of German pillboxes
- The American fight through the heavy bocage (hedgerow country) to take the vital town of Saint-Lô.
- The British-Canadian struggle for the city of Caen against the “Hitler Youth Division,” made up of 23,000 seventeen- and eighteen-year-old Nazi fanatics.
- The breakout of General Patton’s Third Army and the desperate US 30th Division’s defense of Mortaine.
- The Falaise Pocket, known as the “Killing Ground, ” where the remnants of two German armies were trapped and bombed and shelled into submission. The slaughter was so great that 5,000 Germans were buried in one mass grave.
- The Liberation of Paris, led by the 2nd Free French Armored Division, which had been fighting for four long years with this goal in mind.
Get Normandy - A Graphic History of D-Day for FREE by clicking here, and make sure to follow this tumblr for more free comics to get your Summer started off right or bookmark our Summer Reading List page!
comiXology Unbound's #ComicsForYourKids
↳Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales
Join the famous American spy, Nathan Hale, as he travels through time visiting different dangerous situations in history. This award winning comic from abramsbooks is filled with jokes and facts and is a great read for kids (or anyone really) with a hunger for history!
Today (5/1/14) you can take advantage of the Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales Sales and get each of Nathan Hales adventures for only $3.99!
[Read Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales on comiXology]
#ComicsForYourKids: Every Thursday Evening comiXology Unbound suggests a great comics to read with your kid!
History Comes Alive!
ComiXology Now Offering Historical Graphic Novels from Zenith Press
February 19th, 2014 – Minneapolis, MN / New York, NY. – Zenith Press, a leading publisher of military history and aviation books, announces a partnership that will bring our nation’s history alive to millions of graphic novel and comic lovers worldwide. ComiXology, the revolutionary cloud-based digital comics platform available across the iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire, Windows 8, and www.comixology.com will begin offering Zenith Press’ graphic history books today.
Pouring one out for Henri Giffard’s first Airship voyage today.
This one’s for all you Steampunks out there.