Dr. Frank Burbrink, molecular evolutionary biologist and curator of reptiles and amphibians at the American Museum of Natural History... and a student of the history of comic books, which were, for many of us, the very first books we read.

Comic books...

for many of us, the very first books we read.

Dr. Frank Burbrink - molecular evolutionary biologist and curator of reptiles and amphibians at the American Museum of Natural History, a renowned scientist and explorer who travels the world with his team looking for new species of snakes. (My daughter-in-law Eden knew Frank from when she also worked at the museum, and was a big fan.)

Frank is also a student of the history of comic books with an extensive comic book collection.

While we will generally be talking about more conventional books on our podcast, this was a unique opportunity to get a perspective on comic books, which were, for many of us the very first books we read.

Learn more about Frank here.

What Frank is reading... and other stuff too

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, Michael Chabon

Buy on Amazon

Read the reviews: New York Times

Maus, Art Spiegelman

Buy on Amazon: Maus I | Maus II

Read the reviews: New York Times | Penguin

“Horror Comic Books”, 1955 Confidential File, Estes Kefauver

CONFIDENTIAL FILE, a syndicated television program which covered scandalous and lurid topics, devoted a program to the violence of horror comic books and the impact it had on youthful readers.

Watch on YouTube

Comic Books and Juvenile Delinquency

Read about it

60 Years Ago Today: The US Senate Puts Comics on Trial!

Read about it

Senate Committee on Juvenile Delinquency 1954: Dr. Frank Wertheim and William Gaines

Watch on YouTube

Read: Mad Magazine (Wikipedia)

Catholic Students in Binghamton, NY, Burn 10,000 Comic Books

Read about it

Snake Tales

Frank wrote the introduction to Snake Tales, a collection of 1940s and 1950s pre-code comic book horror.

Read about it

Buy on Amazon

The Strand

Frank refers in our discussion to a visit he made to The Strand, an iconic New York City bookstore.

The Strand was born in 1927 over on Fourth Avenue on what was then called “Book Row.” . . . Today, the Strand carries over 2.5 million used, new, and rare books, covering topics as far-ranging as occult to philosophy to finance.

Read about it: History of Strand

Website