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Princess And Comic-Con

Recently I watched Disney's The Princess And The Frog animated feature and I was blown away by incredible art. Animated using traditional hand-drawn cells and with painted background, the films brought to the Silver Screen a new classic that ranks right up there with Disney's other classic "Princess" movies such as Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella.

Jeff Kurtti and Chronicle Books, with assist by Walt Disney Pictures, present a beautifully illustrated book that takes art directly from the movie.

Look for character designs, storyboards, background illustrations and scenes taken directly from the film accompanied by text filled with production facts, artists accounts and a preface by John Lassiter along with a foreword from directors John Musker and Ron Clements.  This is pure Disney magic with lush illustrations and fascinating text.

Comic-Con International:  at the mere mention of the phrase comic book readers, toy collectors, movie-lovers and lovers of popular culture grow weak in the knees.  Of all the "Comic Book" conventions held across the United States (and the world) Comic-Con is the granddaddy of them all.  I've never gone, but one day...one day.

Chronicle Books has compiled the ultimate Comic-Con book that tracks the entire history of the historic convention.  Look for sections about the early days of the con including celebrities that attended them, the people who helped organize them and the fans (many who would become professionals in many of the represented media) who made the con possible.

Sergio Aragones provides the cluttered cover (as only he can) and legendary sci-fi writer Ray Bradbury the foreword.  This luxurious oversize hardbound book is brimming with art, photos, historical documents and anecdotes and commentaries for pro and fan alike.  This is a book you can spend hours just looking at, let alone reading.  San Diego Comic-Con International is the Mecca of comic book and pop culture fans.  If you can't attend, buy this book.  If you can attend, buy this book also.  It's that good!

 

Firefly Rain

As a young boy growing up in the small town of Maryfield, North Carolina, Jacob Logan was anxious to move away and start a life of his own.  Small town life was not for him and after leaving for college, graduating and setting up his own successfully business his visits home were few and far between.

His life suddenly took a sour turn when his business failed, his personal life was in a shambles and everything seemed fruitless.

Reluctantly he moves back to Maryfield and takes up residence in his childhood home.  Both of his parents had died and are buried on the property.

Jacob hopes his trip home will let him catch his breath and bearings before he decides which direction his life should go.

His old homestead seems to be the perfect setting:  It’s quiet and peaceful and just the place to reflect and regroup.

But when a series of mysterious incidents pile on top of another: lost belongings, stolen car, etc., and no one hears or sees a thing-or do they?

The townspeople seem unusually distant, his ground caretaker, Carl, seems too good to be true and the fireflies…they die whenever they approach Jacob’s home. 

Then there’s the sounds at night, creaking, creepy sounds and the unnerving feeling that he’s being watched-but by who or what?

Something wants him home and refuses to let him leave-but what and why?  Firefly Rain by Richard Dansky, published by Gallery Books, it's a horrific page turner that never lets up. Coming home has never been so scary. 

 

 

 

 

Comics, Comics, Comics!

From Krause Publications comes Tony Isabella’s newest book: 1000 Comic Books You Must Read.  Now this is my kind of book!   I’m a huge comic book fan and read scores of books on the subject.  !000 Comic books is high on my must-read list.

The book is jam-packed with full color cover illustrations of Tony’s picks for the top 1000 comic books every comic book reader must read.  For the most part I agree with all of his choices, although there are a few notable issues absent-such as The Incredible Hulk #181, the first appearance of Wolverine.

Still, the book is a veritable encyclopedia of visual excellence coupled with Tony’s historical notes, personal collecting anecdotes and interesting trivia.  This is an awesome book that I recommend to any comic book reader.  It’s a real treat to look at, loads of fun to read and makes and excellent addition to any comic book collector’s library.

Another great book that any true comic book collector must have for their own is Chris Ryall’s and Scott Tipton’s Comic Books 101: The History, Methods and madness form Impact Books that gets into the meat, bones and guts of the comic book industry starting from the earliest pre-Golden age publications right up to today’s slick and highly commercialized comic books.

The book is an extremely comprehensive guide to all things comic books, from publishers to creators, inside politics and to company policies and why certain things can and can’t been done with characters and titles.

Stan Lee provides the foreword and other notable figures such as Harlan Ellison and Paul Dina offer their own reflections on the industry they love.

If you want to know about the long, and sometimes arduous, history of comic books in the United States this is the book for you.  Brimming with historical facts and stunning artwork, the book is a veritable cornucopia of comic book information.

Learn about publishers come and gone, important and influential comic book writers and artists, pivotal events that shaped the industry and so much more.

Two publications that serious collectors need to have on their shelves both come from Krause Publications.  Comics Values Annual 2009 by Alex G. Mallory features more than 95,000 comic book values from all the many comic book publishers ranging back to the Golden Age.  Titles are listed alphabetically and are oprice3d in near-mint condition.

Wolverine editor is interviewed and a short section on grading comic books is also included.  Any serious collector needs to carry this book with them when looking to add to their collection.

Comics buyer’s Guide’s 2010 Comic Book Checklist & Price Guide 1961 – Present 16th Edition (whew!) is also brimming with black and white photos, 130,000 alphabetically listed titles and prices, a guide to condition grading and a short history of comic books.

Both the Annual and CBG Guide are invaluable resources for the serious collector.     

How To Train Your Dragon

Dreamworks Animation, the folks behind Shrek, introduces a wonderful new fantasy later this year with the release of its How To Train Your Dragon animated feature.  Tracey Miller-Zarneke, with preface by Cressida Cowell and foreword by Craig Ferguson, present The Art Of Dreamworks How To Train Your Dragon published by Newmarket Press.

The book is brimming with character sketches, concept art, production notes and developer insights.  The art consists of preliminary sketches to final designs for key characters, the Vikings, the dragons, background art and effects.  Look for details on how the story developed, how much research went into creating the feature and provides and upfront tour of the land of the dragons and their human antagonists.

The Art Of Jaime Hernandez

Todd Hignite and Abrams Books presents The Art Of Jaime Hernandez: The Secrets Of Life And Death, about one of the most influential and pivotal figures in the creator-owned, direct sale comic book field.

Known primarily for his stunning art in Love & Rockets, Jaime's clean, crisp style eliminates unnecessary clutter and gets straight to the point.  His superb pen and brush work gives his art a clarity and focus that immediately catches the eye.  When reading and looking at one of his illustrated stories you'll immediately notice no wasted words or detail.

The book examines Jaime's life, beginning in Oxnard, California as one of three Latino brothers, and his unquenchable desire to draw.  Like many young artists, Jaime slowly developed his own personal style through many different venues, most notably comic books and comic strips.

The book follows his career through self-publishing to his serialized work in the New York Times Magazine.  The book is brimming with sketches, color studies, character designs, archive photos and finished art accompanied by insightful and informative text.

Kick-Ass

When writer and Mark Millar and artist John Romita Jr. introduced their new comic book collaboration, Kick-Ass, to the world about two years ago they really stirred things up.

For the first time superheroes entered the real world and they weren’t really super at all.  The story centers on high-school student Dave Lizewski, a huge comic book fan, who decides all it takes to be a superhero is a funky costume, a couple steel pipes and a passion for fighting crime.  He was right in a sense-until he got the sense nearly knocked out of him in his first crime-fighting encounter.

Undaunted, he resumes his crime-fighting career unaware that his escapades inspires other superhero wannabes and suddenly the city is filled with costumed do-gooders- some skilled fighters such as Hit-Girl and her partner Big Daddy.

In Mark Millar: Kick-Ass: Creating The Comic, Making The Movie, Titan Books presents a blow-by-blow account of how the uber-violent Kick-Ass comic book was translated into an equally violent movie.  Learn all about the cast choices, location shoots, set and costume designs, cast and crew insights, pre and post production and more.

Included are sketches, photos, storyboards and glimpses of art created by John Romita Jr. specifically for the movie.  No powers? No problem.  Be prepared to Kick-Ass!

 

Inception

Fans of the original Star Trek series must read S.D. Perry's and Britta Denison's new Star Trek novel, Inception, from Pocket Books.

In Inception readers learn how Kirk met the 'hot little blond lab tech' Kirk's longtime friend Gary Mitchell (see Where No Man Has Gone Before) introduced Kirk to.  Later in The Wrath Of Khan, the lab tech was revealed to be Carol Marcus (the inventor of the Genesis Device and the mother of Kirk's son David). 

How Spock's romantic entanglement with Laoli Kalomi began and ended is chronicled.  Later In This Side Of Paradise, Spock and Laoli would meet again and consummate their love.

The parallel stories intertwine when Laoli joins Carol's team and Kirk and Spock are forced to place their careers before their personal feelings.  Environmental tensions mount and Starfleet's Prime Directive is pushed to its limits as Kirk, Spock, Marcus and Kalomi begin their separate journeys that will ultimately lead to one of the most pivotal events in Starfleet's long history.

 

Sketchbooks

If you've never taken the opportunity to purchase and look at Comix Buro's Sketchbook series now's a good time to start.

Comix Buro recently released four more titles in its Sketchbook series of soft back books.  Measuring in a just a little smaller vertically as a comic book, the Sketchbook series are square bound, printed on heavy paper stock and contain a wide variety of art as reflected by the many artists the series spotlights.

This time around the releases cover Valley, Mazan, Mathot and CiVello.

Of the four CiVello's art is the most realistic-at as rendered.  The book is filled with realistic rendering along with fantasy sketches and drawings.  Of the four titles this one is my favorite.

Mathot's work is much more cartoonish with a heavy emphasis on character and costume design.  I especially like the pencil sketches.

Valley has a thing for urban art, specifically got urban chick-semi-nude urban chicks.  'Nuff said.

For less realistic cartoon figures Mazan fills the bill.  But, as if to demonstrate the talent of the artist, very realistic renderings of ancient archeological sites are also included.

Regardless of what book you choose to buy (Why not buy all of them?), Comix Buro's Sketchbook recent releases are a perfect choice.

Fantasy Genesis

Now here's something I've never seen before: a book that that not only shows you how to draw fantasy figures, etc. for a game but also includes the game.

Fantasy Genesis: A Creativity Game For Fantasy Artist by Chuck Lukacs and published by Impact Books is just such a book.

Inside both gamers and artists will get over forty demonstrations on how to draw anything from monsters to environments.  Step-by-step instructions illustrate how to start an idea, evolve it into a creature or other fantasy element, refine it and put the finishing touches on it with detail and shading.

Once you've completed your creations you'll  proceed to play up to three game variations that include three full-length demonstrations on how to play the game from start to finish.

The book is jam-packed with black and white and color illustrations, helpful technique tips and instructions on how to kick-start your imagination.  It's fun to read and just as fun to play!  Don't just play the game, make the game!

 

From The Pen Of Paul

Our current digital age offers a tremendous advantage to illustrators and painters of all genres.  Fantasy and science fiction artists have decades of reference material from past artists to build upon, the internet makes gathering reference material a snap and with the new digital output and printing capabilities art reproduction is amazing.

But, what if you were one of the first science fiction and fantasy artists?  What if you were pioneering a whole new genre?  What if reference material was few and far between and you had to rely on sketchy reference, at best, and your own imagination and talent?

That’s exactly what artist Frank R. Paul did.  His work and career is chronicled in the new book from Shasta Phoenix edited by Stephen D. Korshak: From The Pen Of Paul: The Fantastic Images Of Frank R. Paul.

This lavishly illustrated book follows Paul’s career.  As a young man he was slated for priesthood, but his talent for drawing architecture, machines and the human body and his ability to compose interesting compositions both in color and black and white eventually cemented his occupation.

His art output was prolific and varied.  Beginning his career as a magazine illustrator for science magazines, Paul soon transitioned to interior illustrations and color covers for the burgeoning science fiction magazine market.  His bold use of lines and color made him the perfect artist for the new media.

Limited by the crude color printing processes of the Pulp magazine era, Paul nonetheless used what was available to his advantage.  His bold, rich and primal color scheme cover paintings captured the energy and excitement of the subject matter. 

His art continues to influence artists today and he is considered to be the master and father of science fiction illustration. 

The Sorrows Of Empire

The last time we saw the alternate universe Spock from the classic Star Trek TV show in the Mirror, Mirror Universe he had just assisted this universe's Kirk, McCoy, Scotty and Uhura to escape and transport back home.

Captain Kirk challenges Spock to change the tyrannical empire in which he lives with this statement, "In every revolution, there is one man with a vision."  Kirk informs him of the Tantulus field, a deadly device used by that universe's Captain Kirk to eliminate his enemies.

As Kirk and the others beam away, Spock tells Kirk he will consider his offer.

In Star Trek: Mirror Universe: The Sorrows of Empire, written by David Mack and published by Pocket Books, Spock puts action to his words.  He kills Kirk, takes his weapon and his Captain's woman and sets out to put in place the various elements to bring the eventual downfall of the Empire and put in its place a democratic Federation.

In order for his plan to work Spock must gain the throne for himself, change long held Empirical policies amidst the disgruntled status quo and eliminate those threats to his plan.  Along with his new wife Marlena, Spock becomes that one man with a vision.

The Sorrows Of Empire is a great addition to the Star Trek mythos.  It sets in place a whole new arena of story possibilities.   

 

 

Loverboy And Visions

When I first say the name Irwin Hasen on the cover of Vanguard Productions new soft cover Loverboy book for the life of me I couldn't place the name.

The cover art showing a diminutive man standing next to naked female legs made me wonder if he was a Playboy cartoonist.  The book begins with an illustrated tale about the short man and his many sensual and sexual escapades,  his romantic entanglements and their subsequent ups and downs (pardon the pun.)

From there the book delves into delves into his career, his life, his journeys and  his reflections on life and death all accompanied by drawings.  Flipping through the books pages it suddenly dawns on me exactly who Irwin Hansen is.  All it took was a drawing of a small ragamuffin boy with huge black eyes and dressed in baggy oversize clothes.  The boy?  Dondi: star of a comic strip that was very popular a number of years ago and was even made into a film.

A side note:  I actually met the man who as a child was the inspiration for Dondi.  Irwin Hasen also worked for various comic book companies during the Golden Age.

Well into his nineties, Irwin continues to draw.  Loverboy is his biography disguised as a graphic novel and makes for a fascinating read.  It offers a close-up examination of his life seen over the decades and follows his many exploits, travels and published history.

Patrick and Jeannie Wilshire edit Visions Of Never: The Collection Of Fantastic Art.  And fantastic it is!

The art anthology contains examples of some of best work by some the finest artists in the genre.  Besides breath-taking full-color art by such artistic notables as Robh Ruppel, Marc Fishman, Paul Lehr and many others, the book also contains insightful copy about the artists themselves.  Look for comments by the artists, production notes and helpful tips and tricks on how each artist created their fantastic work.  The book offers real eye-candy along with extremely informative text and examples of art contained within a similar genre represented by widely diverse styles.

 

 


The Adventure
Begins at Home

 

 

 

 


SHASTA PHOENIX