The Cartoon History of the Universe

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
The Cartoon History of the Universe : From the Big Bang to Alexander the Great
LC Class
D21.1 .G66 1990
Followed byThe Cartoon History of the Universe II 

The Cartoon History of the Universe is a

chronological order. Though originally published as a comic book series, the series is now published in trade paperback
volumes of several hundred pages each. The final two volumes, published in 2007 and 2009, bring the narrative up to 2008 and are named The Cartoon History of the Modern World, volumes one and two. The books have been translated into many languages, including Portuguese, Greek, Czech and Polish.

Publication history

San Francisco-based underground comix publisher Rip Off Press began publishing The Cartoon History of the Universe in 1978, with five volumes being published by 1980.

Rip Off Press published 9 issues from 1978 to 1992; the first collected edition was published by Doubleday in 1990.

While seeking a book publisher, Gonick received early support from Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, who worked as an editor at Doubleday and championed The Cartoon History of the Universe's publication by the company.[2]

Illustration style

The Cartoon History is illustrated in a

Astérix. Occasionally, as in the sequences on India in the second book, he mimics Gilbert Shelton's style from The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers.[citation needed
]

His tribute to Asterix is explicit. When

Vitalstatistix, appear unmistakably (Vitalstatistix is transported on a shield, Asterix pummels a Roman soldier, etc.); and as they trudge off into the sunset, the speech balloon reads "Come on, Asterix! Let's get our own comic book".[3]

Narrative framework

Each volume or

literary device
. For example, the Professor reads a book about dinosaurs to introduce Volume 1 about prehistory, and Volume 4 draws from "part of the Old Testament".

He reads from Hans Zinsser's Rats, Lice and History before Volume 19 about the Black Death. This introduction provides a bridge to the action, the main narrative of each chapter.

Narrative style and tone

Point of view

Any history book has a

humanist", but it is not written in the style of a didactic textbook. Instead, Gonick fleshes out history into a long yarn, injecting characterization into historical personages, continually reporting gory anecdotes, and focusing on quirky details—all backed up by research—to enliven his subject. He reports both the greatness of human achievement and acknowledges humanity's savagery.[citation needed
]

Excerpt from The Cartoon History of the Universe II. Note the antic characterization of Alexander the Great and Gonick's use of black ink.

In addition to being a chronological history, The Cartoon History helps readers understand historical cause and effect—how the past relates to the present. It explains the motivations behind human beings' discoveries, inventions, explorations, wars, triumphs, and mistakes. Gonick's editorial aim seeks to do justice to every point of view.[citation needed]

Humor

Gonick consistently uses elements of satire to find the most humor in every situation. For example, one

post-modern
view of his own cruelty [3].

Also noteworthy is Gonick's use of caricature. For example, he depicts the weaselly Robert Guiscard, the 11th-century Norman adventurer, as an anthropomorphic weasel, an allusion to Guiscard's name and cunning nature, and depicts Babur, the 16th-century founder of the Mughal Empire with buckteeth (an allusion to the theory that the conqueror's name means "beaver").

Unorthodox citations

Consistently enthusiastic in tone, for the first five volumes Gonick uses the last page to recommend further reading, in prehistory, archaeology and history. But rather than relying upon an ordinary,

typeset
bibliography, Gonick sustains his unorthodox style and exuberant tone as the Professor takes the reader through a cartoon tour of his sources.

Because much of The Cartoon History covers

Rig Veda
of India, and the Bible. In this way he prompts his readers also to read the primary sources.


The series

Beginning with its original comic book Volume 1 in 1977, the complete series covers world history through 2008.

  1. ISBN 0-385-26520-4
    .
  2. Gonick, Larry (1994). The Cartoon History of the Universe II – From the Springtime of China to the
    ISBN 0-385-42093-5
    .
  3. Gonick, Larry (2002). The Cartoon History of the Universe III – From the Rise of Arabia to the Renaissance (Volumes 14–19).
    ISBN 0-393-32403-6
    .
  4. Gonick, Larry (2006). The Cartoon History of the Modern World – Volume 1: From Columbus to the U.S. Constitution.
    ISBN 0-06-076004-4
    .
  5. Gonick, Larry (2009). The Cartoon History of the Modern World – Volume 2: From the Bastille to Baghdad.
    ISBN 978-0-06-076008-3
    .

References

  1. ^ Paul Gravet, "1001 Comics You Must Read Before You Die", Universe, 2011, page 393.
  2. ISBN 9780312591939
    .
  3. ^ The Cartoon History of the Universe II, pages 172–3

External links

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