Book excerpt: The history of painters in comics goes back to the dawn of pulp magazine covers. From "The Shadow" and "The Spider" to "The Black Bat" and so many other characters, painter's works have graced the covers of comics and pulps, which have influenced many artists over the decades. This deluxe coffeetable art book, edited and overseen by Alex Ross — one of the comic industry's most recognized painters, whose expertise has helped guide and define its contents — is the most important, most comprehensive prestige hardcover retrospective of the history of painters in comics, of all time.