As the drinks columnist for Esquire from 2000 to 2016 and the Daily Beast from 2016 to 2022, David Wondrich was perfectly placed not only to observe the modern cocktail revolution, but also to help push it along. A former English professor with a PhD in comparative literature, he turned his studies to good use in writing books such as the James Beard Award-winning Imbibe!, a biography-with-recipes of pioneering bartender Jerry Thomas, and editing The Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails, which the American Library Association deemed the best reference book of 2021. On top of that, Wondrich has helped to train literally thousands of bartenders; been a television guest of Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, and Rachel Maddow; partnered in developing several award-winning spirits (plus his own line of barware); and been voted the #3 most influential person in the bar world by a thousand of his peers. He lives in Brooklyn, New York and Trieste, Italy.

Originally from Northeastern Pennsylvania, Dean Kotz studied painting at West Chester University and has been working professionally in comics since 2009.

"Cocktail history is rife with colorful characters, so what better way to tell that story than via comic book?"--Imbibe Magazine

"Another insightful and incredibly engaging read from Brooklyn's resident superhero. David Wondrich has always been a brilliant storyteller, but this format really lends itself to the playful aspects of cocktail culture while honoring the richness and importance of its history. This book is a must-read for people who love history, mixology, and entertaining at home."--Julie Reiner, co-owner of Milady's and Clover Club, and judge on Netflix's Drink Masters

"What a delight it is to follow the estimable David Wondrich as he weaves a spell of rich history, high spirits, dark truths, and beautiful flavors, all brought to life by his words and Dean Kotz's vivid pen. It turns out that the magic wand of the cocktail spoon has passed through black hands, white hands, European hands, Asian hands, and American hands--all the hands, across the seven seas--and now into our hands. Here we discover that the past can be not only entertaining, but also a guide to a sportier future."--Garrett Oliver, brewmaster at Brooklyn Brewery and editor-in-chief of The Oxford Companion to Beer

"Illustrated and illustrative, this is probably the most coherent history of the cocktail in a narrative form. And like a great Daiquiri, it never fails to bring smile and delight."--François Monti, journalist and author of 101 Cocktails to Try Before You Die

"After award-winning drinks historian David Wondrich edited The Oxford Companion to Spirits & Cocktails, the definitive tome on alcoholic bevs, he embarked on an equally ambitious project in writing The Comic Book History of the Cocktail. It illustrates the untold genesis of the cocktail--its birth, death, and modern revival--with the help of artist Dean Kotz. Together, they bring drinks history to life, from how to make the Blue Blazer, a flaming Scotch cocktail, to the origins of bourbon and rye."--Men's Journal

"There has been no cocktail historian more prominent, more complete in his influence than David Wondrich."--The Mix with Robert Simonson

"A fine concept with an excellent guide to the subject."--InsideHook

"Wondrich teams up with illustrator Dean Kotz to tell the story of the mixed drink, from the hazy origins of the first punches to the dark days of Prohibition and disco-era Harvey Wallbangers, to the contemporary revival of old-school drinks, forgotten ingredients, and culinary prestige in the bar world. . . . You'd be hard-pressed to find a better introduction than this distillation of the major points. . . . Kotz's illustrations enjoyably accentuate this history with period-inspired garb and the occasional sound effect."--Washington Examiner

Publisher: Ten Speed Graphic

Pub date: 2025-09-23

Length: 176 pages