Drawn by the River

The Hudson River Valley as a Comics Ecosystem

Moira Fitzgibbons (Professor of English, Marist College)

$316.95 $253.22

Hardback

Forthcoming
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English

State University of New York Press
01 October 2025

History of Art & Design Styles; Comic book & cartoon art; History of the Americas

Series: SUNY series, An American Region: Studies in the Hudson Valley

Places comics studies in lively dialogue with landscape art and regional studies to shed new light on the Hudson River Valley as an artistic, social, cultural, and natural environment.

Drawn by the River engages readers in a lively exploration of the interplay between comics and regional culture. Connecting comics, cartoons, and animated films to Hudson River School landscapes and to the valley’s industrial history, Drawn by the River demonstrates the varied and overlapping ecosystems that have generated creative work in the area. The book tells of the massive impact of the Western Printing facility, the stunning success of the valley-based creators of the fantasy series ElfQuest, the surprising connections between landscapes and comic art, and the experiences of comics writers, artists, and editors past and present who have called the Hudson River Valley home. Richly illustrated with over one hundred images, Drawn by the River provides new frameworks for understanding comics and the culture, history, and community of the Hudson River Valley.

By: Moira Fitzgibbons (Professor of English Marist College)
Imprint: State University of New York Press
Country of Publication: United States [Currently unable to ship to USA: see Shipping Info]
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm, Spine: 21mm
ISBN: 9798855803815
Series: SUNY series, An American Region: Studies in the Hudson Valley
Pages: 282
Publication Date: 01 October 2025
Audience: Professional and scholarly , College/higher education , Undergraduate , Further / Higher Education
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

List of Illustrations Acknowledgments Introduction Part I: Landscape Art and Comics 1. Framing the Region in Nineteenth- and Twentieth-Century Pages, Prints, and Panels 2. Envisioning the Valley in Twentieth- and Twenty-First-Century Comics and Cartoons Part II: Local Creators and Production 3. Imaginative Industry at the Western Printing Site 4. Thriving Transplants: The Pinis' Epic Adventure 5. Roots and Networks: Comics Creators throughout the Valley Conclusion Dynamic Systems Notes Works Cited Index

Moira Fitzgibbons is Professor of English at Marist University in Poughkeepsie, New York. Her research and teaching engage with comics studies, medieval literature, disability studies, and the history of the English language.

Reviews for Drawn by the River: The Hudson River Valley as a Comics Ecosystem

""Drawn by the River provides an imaginative entrée into several forms of artistic creativity born of the Hudson River Valley. The text is lively, engaging, and as much fun as some of the comics and cartoons it explores."" — Katherine Manthorne, Graduate Center, City University of New York ""This book offers a great deal of useful information on various intersections between Hudson Valley history and comics-related activities, from the genealogies of the arts to the socioeconomics of their production. Of particular interest are the original interviews with comics’ creators."" — Peter Antelyes, Vassar College ""Drawn by the River explores the relationship between visual cultural, material history, and physical environment through the lens of comics produced in the region by artists with direct or indirect connections to specific places that are significant to their work."" — John Edward Martin, University of North Texas