From its high culture influence on Pop Art to its low culture appeal to children of all ages, the comic strip has had a lasting hold on the imaginations of generations. Noted writer Donald Phelps provides essays on popular classics, such as Chester Gould's Dick Tracy, E.C. Segar's Thimble Theatre (which produced Popeye), and Frank King's Gasoline Alley. His keen eye discerns the sublime qualities of this most American art form with wit and refreshing candor. Reading the Funnies offers an elegant and eloquent look into this fascinating slice of American popular culture.

Seen by tens of millions of readers every day, Bill Griffith's Zippy the Pinhead is a pop culture icon. In each Zippy Annual, a year's worth of Griffith's work is collected into one place to guide us into the 21st Century. These brilliant black-and-white dailies and color Sundays (Griffith's mastery of four-color processing is unparalleled) feature Zippy, Griffy, and the rest of the gang dissecting pop culture trends and trivia in Griffith's inimitable style.