bookaneer

Secret Teachings of a Comic Book Master: The Art of Alfredo Alcala

I think the most important factor determining whether you will enjoy this book is your expectations. When I picked it up, I was more focused on the "Secret teachings" bit of the title and description than the "Art of Alfredo Alcala" bit. I'm not actually a reader of comics, and before reading this, I had absolutely no idea who Alfredo Alcala was. I have an amateur interest in art, and I was mostly interested in any potential tips for figure drawing, scenery, or dynamic composition.

In actuality, however, I think this book is geared towards fans of Alfredo Alcala rather than anyone interested in an art manual. The book itself is very short--under 80 pages, and probably under 60 if you don't count the introductions-- and spends most of the pages detailing Alcala's origins and experiences, as well as his own comments on his life and career. The book is positively chock-full of his art; I'd guess that at least half of the content is given over to imagery. As seems reasonable in retrospect, the actual art tips are minimal. There is a very brief description of composition, and a much longer (and quite interesting) discussion of Alcala's stylistic influence on comics. Overall, if you are a fan of Alcala, or you're interested in the changing styles of comics, this is definitely worth a look.

~~I received an advanced reader copy of this ebook through Netgalley from the publisher, Dover Publications, in exchange for my honest review.~~