Read Lynd Ward’s 1929 Wordless Novel in Woodcuts

Lynd Ward’s Gods’ Man (1929), a wordless novel of 139 woodblock prints telling the story of an artist who trades his soul for a magic paintbrush is in public domain. It was the first American wordless novel and influenced the graphic novel. A special edition of 409 copies was printed in May 1930 by Aldus Printers for Jonathan Cape and Harrison Smith, with 378 copies for sale, each signed by the author and bound by J.F. Tapley Company. The book was issued in a case consisting of 144 unnumbered illustrated pages.