Men of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters and the Birth of the Comic Book

In this single-issue volume published by Basic Books in 2005, Men of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters and the Birth of the Comic Book explores the gritty, real-world origins of the American comic book industry. Written by Gerard Jones, the book delves into the early 20th-century collision of immigrant ambition, organized crime, and creative passion that birthed the superhero genre. It stands as a definitive, well-researched cultural history that illuminates the unlikely figures—from scrappy publishers to visionary artists—who shaped a multibillion-dollar medium.