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Alex Toth: Genius #1
Genius, Isolated: The Life and Art of Alex Toth
This lavishly illustrated biography documents the life and art of one of the most significant comics and animation artists of all time.
In comic books, Alex Toth was the foremost proponent of modern design and composition. Starting in 1950, his work influenced almost every one of his contemporaries and has continued to work its magic on the generations that followed. In animation, his 1960s model sheets for Hanna-Barbera are still passed around as swipe sources from animator to young animator in the 21st Century.
Now in paperback, this biography was compiled with complete access to the family archives and with the full cooperation of Toth's children, this biography features many rare comics pages, photographs, and drawings. It also reproduces 20 complete stories, including a previously unknown and unfinished story from 1950, most printed from the original artwork.
Updates include clarification on Toth's early married life in the 1950s and the first appearance of the recently disovered final page that completes the special section collecting Jon Fury , the comic strip Toth created in the army, a prize long sought by even the most ardent Toth collectors.
Winner of the Harvey Award for Best Biographical Book.
In comic books, Alex Toth was the foremost proponent of modern design and composition. Starting in 1950, his work influenced almost every one of his contemporaries and has continued to work its magic on the generations that followed. In animation, his 1960s model sheets for Hanna-Barbera are still passed around as swipe sources from animator to young animator in the 21st Century.
Now in paperback, this biography was compiled with complete access to the family archives and with the full cooperation of Toth's children, this biography features many rare comics pages, photographs, and drawings. It also reproduces 20 complete stories, including a previously unknown and unfinished story from 1950, most printed from the original artwork.
Updates include clarification on Toth's early married life in the 1950s and the first appearance of the recently disovered final page that completes the special section collecting Jon Fury , the comic strip Toth created in the army, a prize long sought by even the most ardent Toth collectors.
Winner of the Harvey Award for Best Biographical Book.
328 pages, Paperback
First published November 9, 2010
3 people are currently reading
139 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
April 6, 2018
A beautiful, triumph of a book - a must for Alex Toth fans and well worth it for any fan of great comic book art.
In addition to tremendous research (two years, according to the introduction) into Toth's life, Canwell & Mullaney interviewed his children, ex-wives, and colleagues for a very well rounded portrait. An artistic genius, and a man who could be alternately kind and giving, or tempermental and petulant. They track Toth's career, providing anecdotes, family tales, cross-country moves and other personal details as necessary.
The book is lavishly illustrated, with many photos of Toth and his family, as well as hundreds of pages of artwork. From his Golden Age DC/National days, only one full story is reprinted, though dozens of drawings and individual pages appear. Toth's only EC story and close to a dozen Standard stories are reprinted, along with one of his Zorro stories. One of the book's selling points is the first reprinting of the adventure strip "Jon Fury," which Toth wrote and drew for the base newsletter while in Japan during his Army stint. Alas, the photocopies used to recreate the pages weren't very good, so the art doesn't look very crisp, and the stories aren't very engaging either. "Fury" is nice for Toth completists or as an oddity, but it's not essential reading.
The rest of the book, however, is superb and another triumph for Mullaney and the Library of American Comics.
In addition to tremendous research (two years, according to the introduction) into Toth's life, Canwell & Mullaney interviewed his children, ex-wives, and colleagues for a very well rounded portrait. An artistic genius, and a man who could be alternately kind and giving, or tempermental and petulant. They track Toth's career, providing anecdotes, family tales, cross-country moves and other personal details as necessary.
The book is lavishly illustrated, with many photos of Toth and his family, as well as hundreds of pages of artwork. From his Golden Age DC/National days, only one full story is reprinted, though dozens of drawings and individual pages appear. Toth's only EC story and close to a dozen Standard stories are reprinted, along with one of his Zorro stories. One of the book's selling points is the first reprinting of the adventure strip "Jon Fury," which Toth wrote and drew for the base newsletter while in Japan during his Army stint. Alas, the photocopies used to recreate the pages weren't very good, so the art doesn't look very crisp, and the stories aren't very engaging either. "Fury" is nice for Toth completists or as an oddity, but it's not essential reading.
The rest of the book, however, is superb and another triumph for Mullaney and the Library of American Comics.
June 29, 2013
Over the years, I have always heard Toth's name mentioned amongst the greats. I never really found anything that I felt lived up to that claim, but this volume shows what some of the fuss is all about. Stylistically, I'm not really into Toth, but I do appreciate his minimalist work - in particular his use of black ink. The book itself is gorgeous, and the reproductions of the original artwork are amazing. I'd love to see this level of production on the works of other artists. Fans of Toth will be amazed at the artwork and the biographical information contained within!
November 17, 2023
Art books are sometimes hard to review. And this is mostly an art book. It does have some biographical content by Bruce Canwell and that is interesting. I wouldn't say that that content is cursory...but it's certainly not in-depth. Toth was an interesting individual and an important artist and I do think that a greater focus on his life and the nuts and bolts and history of his work would have been welcome. It certainly would have been welcome by me.
But, at its heart, this is an art book. And as an art book it shines. Toth was an artist's artist when it comes to comic books. Seeing him cite to Noel Sickles as an influence is interesting, because he's almost the anti-Sickles. But, really, what he did was take Sickles' (and Caniff's) work and tear it down to its essence using incredibly bold blacks and whites to tell the entire story. Nobody was as good at conveying emotion, movement and pure story-telling through a silhouette as Toth. This book is jam packed with Toth's art, both as published, and in original pre-published pages. The reproduction is excellent and, if the size of the book can make it a bit unwieldy, it's necessary to do justice to the master's artwork.
This is an outstanding book about an incredible artist, who has certainly been overlooked by the mass of fandom because his work wasn't front and center in Silver and Bronze Age superhero funnybooks. But his work was always there, both in comics and in animation and its influence permeates our culture. I'm very glad the book is back in print and available. I just wish that it was a shade less art-book and a shade more biography.
But, at its heart, this is an art book. And as an art book it shines. Toth was an artist's artist when it comes to comic books. Seeing him cite to Noel Sickles as an influence is interesting, because he's almost the anti-Sickles. But, really, what he did was take Sickles' (and Caniff's) work and tear it down to its essence using incredibly bold blacks and whites to tell the entire story. Nobody was as good at conveying emotion, movement and pure story-telling through a silhouette as Toth. This book is jam packed with Toth's art, both as published, and in original pre-published pages. The reproduction is excellent and, if the size of the book can make it a bit unwieldy, it's necessary to do justice to the master's artwork.
This is an outstanding book about an incredible artist, who has certainly been overlooked by the mass of fandom because his work wasn't front and center in Silver and Bronze Age superhero funnybooks. But his work was always there, both in comics and in animation and its influence permeates our culture. I'm very glad the book is back in print and available. I just wish that it was a shade less art-book and a shade more biography.
May 29, 2023
This book is just beautiful. Never mind the intense scholarship that goes into the writing, or the amazing amount of interviews the authors did to dive into the life and time of Alex Toth, it's the reproduction of his art that took my breath away. Seeing his pencils, the actual art boards he turned into the printers, hand written letters with throw away sketch's - it's mind blowing.
If you like Toth at all this is a must have. I will definitely be buying the next two volumes.
If you like Toth at all this is a must have. I will definitely be buying the next two volumes.
March 1, 2021
You’d be hard pressed to find a book that attempts a more thorough and even-handed discussion of an artist’s life in totality than this. Those of us who don’t know Alex Roth’s work know a world deeply influenced by it, and this book sheds an awful lot of light on his life, his work, his persona, and how it all intersected to create some of the most influential sequential storytelling the 20th Century ever saw.
December 29, 2025
A fascinating account of the life and art of a gifted but difficult man, Alex Toth. The life seems complete through Toth moving to animation - a second volume is hinted at, and with the caveat that Toth's working life is more in the spotlight than is private life. That is OK with me, for Toth had some famous feuds and four wives. I don't need to wallow in his slop.
The book is enlightening on the art: Toth's development as an artist, which may be understood as a drive for simplicity. Privileging visual storytelling over making pretty pictures makes him a kind of anti-Alex Raymond. Both artists are great but for different reasons.
The art program for this book is prodigious. Few pages do not have some kind of art. Reproduction is from the original art, when possible, scans of published pages when not, and as often as not entire stories are reprinted.
The main problem with this book is that Toth seldom worked with varsity writers. He had juniors when he was lucky but often sophomores. In other words, the published stories are visually very well told, the plots, narrative, and dialog are usually second rate. Toth agreed that he was not a very good writer and his Jon Fury weekly page for an army publication proves his point. These are reprinted in full.
It is a privilege to look at all of these stories. It is not always a privilege to read them.
The book is enlightening on the art: Toth's development as an artist, which may be understood as a drive for simplicity. Privileging visual storytelling over making pretty pictures makes him a kind of anti-Alex Raymond. Both artists are great but for different reasons.
The art program for this book is prodigious. Few pages do not have some kind of art. Reproduction is from the original art, when possible, scans of published pages when not, and as often as not entire stories are reprinted.
The main problem with this book is that Toth seldom worked with varsity writers. He had juniors when he was lucky but often sophomores. In other words, the published stories are visually very well told, the plots, narrative, and dialog are usually second rate. Toth agreed that he was not a very good writer and his Jon Fury weekly page for an army publication proves his point. These are reprinted in full.
It is a privilege to look at all of these stories. It is not always a privilege to read them.
September 9, 2024
Superb first volume in this epic biography of the legendary Alex Toth, covering his early career as a comic book artist. Featuring an in depth biography along with gorgeous reprints of his early strips and art, the is a must own for any comic book fan.
February 16, 2023
Alex Toth was a real Comics genius. Since his beginning on the road he had the punch, and this Life & Art explains exactly this: how an art genius was born.
September 19, 2023
First of what became a three-volume set of and biographical sketch of the influential 20th-century comic book artist and animator. Filled with many samples of his early works and even several complete comic book stories, as well as the original Jon Fury series while he was in the Army. It makes fine comic book history as well, since so many other notable names are part of the ongoing story of his influence.
May 27, 2014
This book, first and foremost, is beautiful. Dean and Bruce cannot be praised enough for the work they put into it. From the generous size, to the wonderful reproductions to the excellent biography of the man himself, this is the kind of book you NEED to hold in your hands. This is the kind of book that tells you why the PRINTED medium must never go away. It is a perfect ratio (for me) of art to story. Yes, you could say the biography is a little sparse but I don’t feel that way. It told me what I needed to know about the man and left a lot of room to put the art of Toth which is the reason we love him – not his personal life. The art they picked was a great representation and it is remarkable to think there are still two more volumes ahead of me with even more amazing art. The Jon Fury art, while hard to read, was so much fun since it was a labour of love to Toth and done when he had full creative control for one time in his life. It is a true shame Toth never had the writing skills to match his art skills. He was so opinionated about the bad writing he was forced to illustrate you would have thought he could have done both. Neal Adams suffers this weakness as well. Great collaborator, not so good instigator.
Even if you are not a devoted Toth fan, if you are a comic book fan you NEED to read this book and should have it in your library. Everything you could want in a retrospective of this groundbreaking artist and mercurial man.
Even if you are not a devoted Toth fan, if you are a comic book fan you NEED to read this book and should have it in your library. Everything you could want in a retrospective of this groundbreaking artist and mercurial man.
May 17, 2011
Alex Toth is regarded as one of the finest comic book artists ever, but because he never really had a long run on a single title, he has remained just a name fans have heard of. This book gathers together some of the best stories from the first part of his career, showing how his brilliant, minimalist art represents some of the best storytelling on the comics page.
Just as important, the book also acts as a biography, telling the story of Toth's life alongside the artwork. We not only see the stories, but we learn the context: where the comics industry was at the time, and where Toth's life took him. We see how his life affects his art and career, and vice versa.
The stories--mostly not written by Toth--are definitely products of their time. However, while they won't be mistaken for contemporary tales, they're still fun and entertaining. The focus, of course, is on Toth's art, and in a book collecting stories he drew in the 1950s, the reader shouldn't be surprised to find stories that read like they were written in the 1950s.
If you have any interest in the history of comics, or in fine comic book art, this book is a must-read. Alex Toth is one of the most influential comics artists of all time, and it's great to see him showcased in this, the first of three volumes.
Just as important, the book also acts as a biography, telling the story of Toth's life alongside the artwork. We not only see the stories, but we learn the context: where the comics industry was at the time, and where Toth's life took him. We see how his life affects his art and career, and vice versa.
The stories--mostly not written by Toth--are definitely products of their time. However, while they won't be mistaken for contemporary tales, they're still fun and entertaining. The focus, of course, is on Toth's art, and in a book collecting stories he drew in the 1950s, the reader shouldn't be surprised to find stories that read like they were written in the 1950s.
If you have any interest in the history of comics, or in fine comic book art, this book is a must-read. Alex Toth is one of the most influential comics artists of all time, and it's great to see him showcased in this, the first of three volumes.
April 18, 2013
Enormous gorgeous volume examining the life and art of Alex Toth in detail.
A ton of love and research went into this project (this volume is the first of three), and it shows, although at times that enthusiasm exceeds the skills of the authors. The biographical text is a bit pedestrian, straining for effect at times, and in other places over-explaining quotes. The book's main attraction, though, is the amazing amount of art, often reproduced straight from the original boards at a very generous size. The editors include a great selection of material of Toth's work, including many complete stories. Much of this material can also be found in Setting the Standard , but I was delighted to find it again here. The 50s stories are hit or miss, but in many cases Toth's art is so good that you're drawn in anyway, especially with the subtle gestures and expressions of his characters. The editors also do truly heroic work in restoring the long-lost army newspaper strip Jon Fury, a professional level work Toth made for a Army base paper with a shockingly low 600-copy print run.
A fantastic contribution to comics history that, unlike many other archival books, is well worth the 50 dollar price tag.
A ton of love and research went into this project (this volume is the first of three), and it shows, although at times that enthusiasm exceeds the skills of the authors. The biographical text is a bit pedestrian, straining for effect at times, and in other places over-explaining quotes. The book's main attraction, though, is the amazing amount of art, often reproduced straight from the original boards at a very generous size. The editors include a great selection of material of Toth's work, including many complete stories. Much of this material can also be found in Setting the Standard , but I was delighted to find it again here. The 50s stories are hit or miss, but in many cases Toth's art is so good that you're drawn in anyway, especially with the subtle gestures and expressions of his characters. The editors also do truly heroic work in restoring the long-lost army newspaper strip Jon Fury, a professional level work Toth made for a Army base paper with a shockingly low 600-copy print run.
A fantastic contribution to comics history that, unlike many other archival books, is well worth the 50 dollar price tag.
November 16, 2012
(More pictures on my blog)
This is book 1 of 3 that covers the life and career of American cartoonist Alex Toth who was active in 1940s to 80s.
The publisher IDW has once again come up with a stunning artist biography book. This book is huge. It's a bit larger than A4 size and it's 328 pages thick. The paper is non-gloss white. Layout and editing is wonderful.
This first book collects his early works until the early 1960s. There are his life stories, his early days at DC, lots of different genre comics reprinted in large format, stuff like Zorro, romance comics, photos, others. It's a nice read that provides some interesting context on the comics industry at that time.
August 5, 2014
One of the greatest, most influential comics artists ever... but you didn't need me to tell you that. What I would like to mention is that there's a pretty interesting documentary on Toth's life called "Simplicity: The Life and Art of Alex Toth," to be found as a special feature on the flip side of disc 2 of the DVD set "Space Ghost & Dino Boy: The Complete Series." If you're a fan, it's well worth seeing.
September 8, 2012
Pretty amazing book. Only tangentially aware of Alex Toth before this. This is a huge, very well-made book, filled with black and white and color artwork and biographical information on Toth. I was amazed when I got to the end and discovered it ended in the mid-1960s--this is only the first book of a three-volume set on Toth! Someone really put some love and effort into this project.
October 4, 2013
This is a fantastic book, and it was fun to read. It has a lot of great biographical information on Toth and his career, and a lot of incredible and beautiful artwork. The book itself is a hardcover edition, and it is big, heavy, and really nice. I would highly recommend it. I have already started reading the second book in the trilogy, "Genius, Illustrated: The Life and Art of Alex Toth".
September 8, 2012
This is worth five stars simply for the gorgeous reproductions of so many of Toth's originals. His art is a high point that has rarely, if ever been matched in the comics world. Toth drew like a fucking angel.
August 25, 2011
Amazing, beautifully produced book. Well worth having.
March 21, 2014
Just a glorious, well-annotated, lovingly designed book on Toth the master; and this is only volume one of three!
March 28, 2015
Alex Toth - a genius. Should be more widely known. Brilliant artist.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews