The Comic Book History of the Cocktail
Cocktails. We know them. Many love them. But how many of us know the long and complicated journey through history that brought us the cocktail as we know it today?
From Ten Speed Graphic, renown cocktail historian David Wondrich delivers The Comic Book History of the Cocktail along with art from Dean Kotz, Brad Simpson, and Micah Myers. Opening with some pre-history, this nonfiction journey around the world introduces the earliest known precursors of mixology from civilizations such as Rome and India. From there, the story really begins in the 1600s with the expansion of global trade and the journeying of ingredients, practices, and liquors around the globe. While cocktails are rather a niche subject, their evolution was shaped by many aspects of a changing world. Race and gender dictated who could stand behind a bar. Politics and global warfare led to booms and lulls in alcohol consumption. And social standards drastically changed consumer expectations about what a cocktail could be and where the bars that served them fit within society. With deep historical knowledge and a clear affection for mixed drinks, Wondrich and the creative team offer a detailed and engaging history of drinking which simultaneously takes us across centuries of world history, charting the ebb and flow of society before turning an eye toward the infinite possibilities of the future.
Though deeply researched and factual, this graphic history is written with a clear and engaging style that makes the subject matter entertaining and accessible. The narrative voice that drives much of the book feels quite personal, interjecting commentary on world events and suspect cocktail techniques throughout. There are also frequent interludes from two bartender characters who offer further commentary on topics from the chapters while also sharing recipes and techniques for some of the drinks referenced throughout. Rather than a history text, the book feels like a casual lesson from a friendly group of people passionate about the subject matter. The book is full of information while never feeling bogged down in excessive detail. Even with all that it presents, there is clearly so much more a curious reader could go on to discover with further reading. Indeed, Wondrich closes the books with an extensive index and bibliography of further resources for those curious, highlighting the extensive body of scholarship underlying the information presented here. If the writing has any weakness, it’s the fact that a book of this sort simply doesn’t have the space and time to dive as deep as some of these historical figures and periods deserve. On a pickier note, the dialects and historical accents of some of the historical figures rendered into written text are occasionally distracting—but even these are drawn from historical sources as accurately as possible. As an introduction to the subject which manages to effectively cover a huge span of time and history, Wondrich remarkably makes the subject matter both accessible and fun to read all along the way.
Wonderich’s extensive knowledge is made all the more engaging with art from Dean Kotz. There isn’t a great deal of sequential visual story telling here. Rather, Kotz captures an enormous range of historical figures and time periods. Illustrating each era the book covers from those uncertain times of pre-history right up through the covid pandemic and into the modern day. With heavy line work and a mix of style and realism, Kotz details bustling bars, shattered battlefields, horrific plantations, and the men and women who walked through them all. It’s an undertaking to capture chemistry and brewing practices alongside shifting societies around the globe, but every page of this book is made better through Kotz’s illustrations. Particularly of note are the double-page spreads of bars at specific periods of time, showing their evolution from small, focused establishments to the influential social spaces that they are today.
With no recommended age range and no particularly explicit content, this book is relatively safe for any reader to flip through. However, given the explicit focus of the subject matter on drinking and alcohol, it’s a read best aimed at adults, especially given that it takes a rather positive slant on the history of cocktails without more nuanced discussion of the risks drinking also poses. Nearly every page features liquor being made or consumed, and there are also digressions into serious topics such as war and the international slave trade. As such, adults with interests in areas of history and drinking will be the audience best served by this one. Additionally, it does lean more text-heavy than some comics, expecting the reader to be settled in with an attention span to match. As a final note, not only does Wonderich offer a wealth of historical information not regularly covered by more mainstream sources, he also goes out of his way to recognize the contributions of often marginalized figures throughout history. There’s a clear, individual perspective to the history, but the book is always explicit about where there is authorial commentary alongside historical fact. Furthermore, the book is upfront about any place where the historical record is murky or nonexistent. The Comic Book History of the Cocktail would be an excellent addition for any comics collection that leans toward the adult and the historical. It is a strong read on its own, and might also ignite further curiosity in the covered range of topics and intriguing historical figures.
The Comic Book History of the Cocktail Five Centuries of Mixing Drinks and Carrying On
By David Wondrich
Art by Dean Kotz
Ten Speed Press, 2025
ISBN: 9781984860330
NFNT Age Recommendation: Adult (18+)
