About book Hip Hop Family Tree Volume 1: 1970s-1981 (2013)
Very fun! A history of hip hop in comics form. This is only volume one, so it only covers up to the early 80's or so. I admit this is history I'm largely unfamiliar with, but it has the ring of truth about it. I certainly recognize lots of names, and even recall hearing a song or two. I was previously familiar with Piskor's work from his collaborations with Harvey Pekar. He can seemingly draw anything--the cover, in particular, is quite striking. The production on this book is top notch, going for an intentionally retro look that suits the material well. Not only does this look like a treasury-sized comic book from the late 70's, but the paper has even been given the correct shade of brown to make it look old, and the coloring intentionally uses visible Ben Day dots. There are some pinups by other artists in the back of the book, and these pages are not "aged" like the rest of the book; the effect us quite jarring. I enjoyed this book immensely, and look forward to Volume 2. As a completely raw, virgin introduction to the early history of hip-hop, it's confusing, dense, and muddled, visually and narratively. It's a better companion piece to an actual history book, or else as a fun treat for someone already familiar with it all. Still, that density of information—there's an index!—and enthusiasm shine through. The marriage of aesthetics is perfect. It's great, not for me, and I'm absolutely going to pick up volume 2.
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really does know the history and goes in deep. great read
—Rainstormx
