785 pages, indexed. The jacket is chipped at the edges with loss to the head of the spine. The body of the book is in excellent condition, clean, unmarked and solid, though it does suffer from a very light musty smell. Overseas customers please be aware that the book weighs over 2.5 kilos and will attract additional postage - lots of it. "The World Encyclopedia of Comics is the first comprehensive survey of this universally popular art form. Covering in one volume the vast field of comic art since its inception, this monumental work contains more than 1200 cross-referenced entries in alphabetical order on comic features, artists and writers from the United States and the world. The biographical entries provide a summary of the most important authors' lives and careers, with emphasis on their work in the comic field, their stylistic and thematic contributions, their influence on other artists and their achievements in general. Biographical entries provide a brief history of outstanding features, including the names of the artists and writers who worked on them, summaries of theme and plot, a description of the main characters, the place held by that particular feature in the history and art of the comics, and its adaptations into other media. Included in this World Encyclopedia is: a global history of comic art; a chronology of the most important events in the history of comics; an analytical summary relating the comics to other aspects of twentieth century culture, a glossary of comic terms; a bibliography; a number of appendices, and a 10,000 name index. Over 800 illustrations, many in color, accompany the entries and the various sections, providing a unique visual record of the styles and achievements of the world's major comic artists." (Front flap)