Pinball Hardcover A Graphic History

This is a vibrant, colorful love letter to pinball that will leave readers longing for the sounds of the arcade. While the book is lacking a little on the nitty-gritty of the manufacturing process (sorry, materials nerds), Chad traces pinball's lineage, its battle to be taken seriously as a game of skill, and how the internet breathed new life into these surprisingly complex machines. There is something wonderfully meta about using the comics medium to explore the "language of pinball," which includes two main categories of interaction: exploration of space and coding objectives. At this moment of renewed calls for censorship in reading, Chad reminds us that "think of the children" tactics are a common thread in the U.S. and were applied to pinball in the past (1930s and '40s), similar to the panic over Dungeons and Dragons in the 1980s. Perfect for both fans of microhistories and the history of gaming. The guide to basic flipper skills, machine anatomy, and glossary of terms give this comic reference value as well. COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.