Area 51
The Graphic History of America's Most Secret Military Installation
Published on 20. November 2014
Book
Paperback/Softback
96 pages
978-0-7603-4664-8 (ISBN)
Description
The actual history of the United States' worst-kept military secret revealed in graphic format.
Though nearly everyone has heard of it, almost no one has known anything about it . . . until now. Located in the remote Nevada desert near the dry bed of Groom Lake, Area 51 is the most famous military installation in the world that doesn't "officially" exist. In Area 51, author Dwight Zimmerman and artist Greg Scott unravel the real history - minus the aliens and sci-fi movie plots - revealing in detail how for more than 60 years, the CIA, the U.S. Air Force, and aerospace company Lockheed Martin have all used Area 51 as a staging ground for test flights of experimental or highly classified aircrafts. Scott illustrates the Archangel-12 as well as follow-on aircrafts, such as the U-2, the SR-71 Blackbird, and the F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter, while author Zimmerman tells the history of how they sprang from the research and development conducted at Area 51. This first-of-its-kind graphic history strips away the fantastical aspects of this mysterious location and establishes the actual, significant history made there.
"Zimmerman's rendition of the Area 51 story is a walk down memory lane for this former USAF insider. It superbly captures the history, mystery and folklore of one of America's best-kept secrets. Riveting, accurate, and thought-provoking for anyone with - and even those without - a Need-to-Know!" - Michael Angley Colonel, USAF (ret) Special Agent, OSI (ret)
"Of all the books written about Area 51, the best and most accurate is the striking new graphic history written by best-selling author Dwight Jon Zimmerman and expertly illustrated by comic-book artist Greg Scott. Military historians and aviation enthusiasts will love it, as will anyone else who wants a fascinating and easy-to-digest history of America's most secret site. UFO enthusiasts, conspiracy theorists and sci-fi fans might not find exactly what they're looking for here (though I suspect they'll enjoy it too), but this is the real story of the place where a handful of intelligence chiefs, aeronautical engineers and test pilots made history and changed the world." - Nick Pope (UK Ministry of Defense, 1985-2006)
Though nearly everyone has heard of it, almost no one has known anything about it . . . until now. Located in the remote Nevada desert near the dry bed of Groom Lake, Area 51 is the most famous military installation in the world that doesn't "officially" exist. In Area 51, author Dwight Zimmerman and artist Greg Scott unravel the real history - minus the aliens and sci-fi movie plots - revealing in detail how for more than 60 years, the CIA, the U.S. Air Force, and aerospace company Lockheed Martin have all used Area 51 as a staging ground for test flights of experimental or highly classified aircrafts. Scott illustrates the Archangel-12 as well as follow-on aircrafts, such as the U-2, the SR-71 Blackbird, and the F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter, while author Zimmerman tells the history of how they sprang from the research and development conducted at Area 51. This first-of-its-kind graphic history strips away the fantastical aspects of this mysterious location and establishes the actual, significant history made there.
"Zimmerman's rendition of the Area 51 story is a walk down memory lane for this former USAF insider. It superbly captures the history, mystery and folklore of one of America's best-kept secrets. Riveting, accurate, and thought-provoking for anyone with - and even those without - a Need-to-Know!" - Michael Angley Colonel, USAF (ret) Special Agent, OSI (ret)
"Of all the books written about Area 51, the best and most accurate is the striking new graphic history written by best-selling author Dwight Jon Zimmerman and expertly illustrated by comic-book artist Greg Scott. Military historians and aviation enthusiasts will love it, as will anyone else who wants a fascinating and easy-to-digest history of America's most secret site. UFO enthusiasts, conspiracy theorists and sci-fi fans might not find exactly what they're looking for here (though I suspect they'll enjoy it too), but this is the real story of the place where a handful of intelligence chiefs, aeronautical engineers and test pilots made history and changed the world." - Nick Pope (UK Ministry of Defense, 1985-2006)
Reviews / Votes
"In the pop culture consciousness, Area 51 is a secret government base in the deserts of Nevada, housing everything from crashed UFOs to live extraterrestrial beings to ancient magical artifacts. With this book, Zimmerman (Uncommon Valor; The Vietnam War: A Graphic History) pulls back the curtain to reveal the true story of this cutting-edge aerospace research and testing complex. Spy planes flying on the edge of outer space, radar-defeating stealth technology, and even today's deadly strike drones can all trace their origins to Area 51 and the teams of designers, engineers, and pilots who served there through decades of total secrecy. Apart from a few brief asides, little mention is made of the facility's role as the Shangri-la of UFOlogists, and the well-known conspiracy theories regarding the facility are ignored, much less refuted. Scott's illustrations do a fine job of conveying the seriousness and tension that permeated every aspect of the base's many projects, but confusing page layouts disrupt the flow of the narrative in a few places.Verdict The history-heavy, conspiracy-light treatment may disappoint some readers initially, yet those who stick with it should enjoy the fascinating true-life tales of espionage, diplomacy, and high-tech aerospace innovation. Recommended for Cold War history buffs and aviation aficionados." - Library Journal "Zimmerman packs a ton of information into a book that helps explain and understand one of America's worst kept secrets about one of it most vital technological national assets. Area 51, while "Black" for years, has been the focus of crazy legends and conspiracies and Zimmerman helps demystify the legends and put things in perspective in a unique, highly readable format. A "must read" for those interested in Cold War history and future aerospace technology development." - Richard L. Weaver, Colonel, USAF, (ret) Special Agent, Air Force Office of Special Investigations (Retired) Former Director of Security and Special Program Oversight, USAF and Author, The Roswell Report: Fact Versus Fiction in the New Mexico Desert "This is NOT just a book for young people--this is a serious, information-packed illustrated book. Amazing and entertaining; it debunks lots of rumors and misinformation about Area 51. I am impressed with all that it delivers. Not "just a comic book," it resonates with adults as much as it should with younger readers. A great read!" - W. H. McDonald Jr. Founder of The American Author Association & The Military Writers Society of America Author and documentary film consultantMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Publishing group
Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Illustrations
b-w illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 13 mm
ISBN-13
978-0-7603-4664-8 (9780760346648)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Dwight Zimmerman | Greg Scott
Area 51
The Graphic History of America's Most Secret Military Installation
E-Book
11/2014
Zenith Press
€19.49
Available for download
Persons
Dwight Jon Zimmerman is a best-selling and award-winning author, radio show host, and producer and the president of the Military Writers Society of America. Zimmerman has authored the text for several graphic novels, including the acclaimed The Hammer and the Anvil, a dual biography of abolitionist Frederick Douglass and President Abraham Lincoln. His other titles include The Vietnam War: A Graphic History and Uncommon Valor: The Medal of Honor and the Six Warriors Who Earned It in Afghanistan and Iraq. He is also the co-author, with Bill O'Reilly, of the New York Times number-one bestseller Lincoln's Last Days.
Greg Scott is a comic-book artist who has done stints at both Marvel and DC Comics, working on such series as Gotham Central and Case Files: Sam and Twitch. He's also a film fanatic and he typically watches two movies a day. The aesthetic of film informs his work, more so than traditional drawing. Get sneak peeks at his blog: gregscottart.blogspot.com.
Greg Scott is a comic-book artist who has done stints at both Marvel and DC Comics, working on such series as Gotham Central and Case Files: Sam and Twitch. He's also a film fanatic and he typically watches two movies a day. The aesthetic of film informs his work, more so than traditional drawing. Get sneak peeks at his blog: gregscottart.blogspot.com.