Includes bibliographical references (p. 373-390) and index.

Pt. 1. Theory and history. What comics are, and what they aren't -- Auteurs, the history of art comics, and how to look at ugly drawings -- What's good about bad comics, and what's bad about good comics -- Superheroes and superreaders -- Pictures, words and the space between them -- Pt. 2. Reviews and commentary. David B.: The battle against the real world -- Chester Brown: The outsider -- Steve Ditko: A is A -- Will Eisner and Frank Miller: The raconteurs -- Gilbert Hernandez: Spiraling into the system -- Jaime Hernandez: Mad love -- Craig Thompson and James Kochalka: Craft vs. cuteness -- Hope Larson: The cartography of joy -- Carla Speed McNeil: Shape-changing demons, birth-yurts and robot secretaries -- Alan Moore: The house of the magus -- Grant Morrison: The invisible king -- Dave Sim: Aardvark politick -- The dark mirrors of Jim Starlin's Warlock -- Tomb of Dracula: the cheap, strong stuff -- Kevin Huizenga: Visions from the enchanted gas station -- Charles Burns and Art Spiegelman: Draw yourself raw -- Why does Chris Ware hate fun? -- Alison Bechdel: Reframing memory -- Afterword: The rough wave and the smooth wave.

The volume contains two sections: "Theory and History," an explanation of comics as a medium and an overview of its evolution, and "Reviews and Commentary," a diverse examination of creators and works. The second section spans Will Eisner's pioneering efforts as well as the groundbreaking modern comics by the Hernandez brothers, Chris Ware and Alison Bechdel.