Images © DC Comics.

The second volume by Paul on DC history (drawn from and expanding on the even more massive “75 Years of DC Comics”) covers 1956-70, and encompasses the comics of my childhood, at least those put out by DC. If you were a comics reader in this period, you’ll enjoy all the wonderful pictures of the covers, interior pages and descriptions of the series, genres, editors, writers, and of course the artists. I liked the fact that some of the comics covers were worn and well-read, rather than all the best possible pristine copies. Some of the more important creators get a spotlight of several pages, others just a paragraph, but it’s a large subject, and even with 400 pages to fill, not everything can be covered in depth. I was already familiar with most of the subject matter, so there wasn’t as much new material for me here, though I did miss plenty of the comics from the time, and it was fun to see so many of them represented.

I particularly enjoyed the photos that Paul and his team were able to find and include, especially this one of a company gathering at the 21 Club in New York in 1957. Like the 1948 staff photo in the first volume, there are many people here I can’t identify, but I do know a few. A larger version is HERE.

Here are DC editors Larry Nadle at left, someone I don’t know, then Mort Weisinger and Julie Schwartz.

At left is DC production manager Sol Harrison, an elderly man I don’t know (but I think he was also in the 1948 photo), then Jack Schiff behind another man I don’t recognize, and Murray Boltinoff at right.

The bosses are standing in the back. I don’t know the first man, but then left to right are Harry Donenfeld, Paul Sampliner, Jack Liebowitz and Irwin Donenfeld.

There are other photos I hadn’t seen, including a great one of my old boss Jack Adler at work coloring a G.I. COMBAT cover in 1961, and next to long time colorist Jerry Serpe, the only photo I’ve seen of Jerry, though unfortunately his face is obscured.

This is a very large and expensive book, but if you’re a fan of comics history it’s an excellent one to add to your collection. As with all Taschen books, the quality is top notch. Recommended.