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 DC Comics: The 75th Anniversary Poster Book
Seventy five years!? Hard to
believe but DC Comics has been around for 75 years. I've enjoyed reading its comic books for
over 50 years. In fact, DC Comics
was my introduction to comic books.
When I was five years old I was stuck in a hospital for a week
recovering from having my tonsils taken out. Since my Mom couldn't be there the entire time, she came up
with a clever way for me to pass the time.
You guessed it-comic books! Each
day she would stop by the neighborhood Salvation Army and Good Will stores
and pick up a stack of comic books at two for a nickel-most were DC Comics. Occasionally she would buy new issues off
the stands at a whopping ten cents each!
I can still remember thrilling to the adventures of the Flash, Green Lantern,
the Atom, Adam Strange, Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and a library of
books filled with DC superheroes, adventure and science fiction
titles. Most were Silver Age with
the occasional Golden Age surfacing.
Of course I had no idea that the books I held would one day go on to
be classics and worth a small fortune.
I was hooked. From that
point on I read comic books-I still do.
DC Comics: The 75th Anniversary Poster Book, with commentary by Robert
Schnakenberg and published by Quirk
Books, is a treasure trove of classic images. Included in this oversize book are 100 ready-to-frame classic
DC comic book covers starting from the Golden Age on up to modern times. On
the flip side of each poster is a commentary about the title, anecdotes and
recollections by the cover artist along with two additional cover reproductions.
This is what collecting and reading comic books is all about. Flipping though its pages I was swept away
by a wave of nostalgia by both the old and new images. It reaffirmed why I love comic books so
much.
Buy a copy today, savor every page and image and relive the magic that
only DC Comics can deliver.
 Cul de Sac
Cartoonist Richard Thompson has unique way of looking at childhood and people
and life in general. Just one look
at his Cul de Sac comic strip will confirm that conclusion. Cul de Sac stars preschooler Alice
Otterloop and her misadventures in her neighborhood and at school.
Each and every day brings strange new people and adventures Alice's
way-or so she believes. After
reading Cul de Sac Golden Treasury: A Keepsake Garland Of Classics
published by Andrew
McMeel Publishing you're sure to come away with a off-kilter view of
life and living of your own.
Follow Alice as she copes with preschool, the beach, growing up, her
neighbors, holidays and the many unexpected twists and turns of life seen
through the eyes of a child enriched by her imagination.
 
Civil War And Hot Wheels
Of all the wars the United States has taken part in the Civil War is the
most popular when it comes to collectibles. Perhaps Civil War collecting is so popular because of the
nature of the war. This was no war
where we sent troops overseas, this was a war where brother fought against
brother, family against family and state against state.
Here in the South the Civil War is still very much alive, at least in
spirit. Many great battles were fought
in the South and Rebel pride flourishes.
No one condones the South's use of slaves. Rebel pride goes far deeper than that. Southerners are proud of their heritage
just as much as, if not more so, than Northerners.
The popularity of the Civil War is evident by the many reenactments
taking place across the country and the plethora of Civil War artifact
recreations.
In Warman's Civil War Collectibles by Russell E. Lewis and published by Krause Publications, Civil War buffs
have a complete Identification And Price Guide at their disposal.
Inside everything from documents to uniforms to weapons, flags, surgical
kits, personal items and more fill each page with full color photos
accompanied by informative historical text and price ranges. This book is far more than a book about
Civil War collectibles, it's a great reference book about the war that
nearly tore the United States apart.
Warman's Hot Wheels Field Guide 3rd Edition by Michael Zarnock is a
great pocket size carry-along guide for the novice and veteran Hot Wheels
collector. Speaking as a novice,
it's especially helpful to me. Just
a few years a go I wouldn't have known what a Redline or variation were,
let alone what to look for.
Warman's has been a great help.
Inside this small Values And Identification Field Guide, Hot Wheels
fans are presented with over 800 color photos, listings of Redlines,
pricing and lots of other invaluable information.
 Dreamscapes Myth & Magic: Creating Legendary
Creatures And Characters In Watercolor
One of my favorite mediums to work in is watercolor. The fluidity of line, the soft, subtle
shades of color that can be achieved and ability to blend colors so
smoothly together make it a wonderful way to paint. However, it is one of the most difficult
painting mediums to master and takes a good deal of skill. Unlike oil
paints that you blend colors and make corrections over an extended time or
acrylics that dry quickly and can be easily corrected by painting over
mistakes, watercolors are far less forgiving.
A great deal of pre-planning must be made in order to assure a viable
final watercolor painting. There's
only so many corrections that can be made despite the quality of the paper
painted on or the pigments used.
Overworking of watercolor muddies an entire painting. Only by carefully applying pigment in
planned layers can a final product be successfully created.
Dreamscapes Myth & Magic: Creating Legendary Creatures And
Characters in Watercolor by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law and published by Impact Books!, provides
step-by-step instructions on how to create a successful fantasy watercolor
painting beginning with pencils, the proper way to lay down colors and in
what order and the final 'tweaks' that make a genre painting a
success.
The author provides lessons on illustrating and painting a myriad of
fantasy settings, creatures and characters accompanied by precise
informative text and tips. It's a
great instructional book on how to create beautiful and lush fantasy
watercolors.
 Incredible Comic
Book Women
Longtime comic book artist and new author Tom Nguyen (and his bevy of
beautiful babe models) present Incredible Comic Book Women: The Kick Ass
Guide To Drawing Hot Babes! published by Impact Books!
Ask any veteran or wannabe comic book artist and almost without
exception when asked, “What is the most difficult thing to draw?” and
they’ll answer—women. Trust me, I know, I have difficulty myself.
There’s something about the way that women are put together:
their curves, torso area and faces that makes drawing women difficult, but
not impossible. The biggest mistake young artists make when drawing women
is they tend to make them look too muscular and use too many
line-especially in their faces. The whole secret to drawing women is
economy of lines and simplicity of form-any drawing of a woman should
emphasize the soft, subtle curves of their body, their grace and most
importantly their beauty.
Tom Nguyen understands the complexity of drawing women. His new book
offers step-by-step instructions, with illustrations and photos, on how to
draw faces, facial features, hairstyles, expressions, age variations,
dynamic poses and lighting effects and five full-length demonstrations that
simulate real-life “assignments from cover art to a complete comic book
page are also included.
Artist of all sorts will want to study this book as it offers excellent
advice and tips on drawing women of all shapes, sizes, ages and ethic
backgrounds. Hot chicks-even hotter art!
 Wheels,
Antiques, Rocks, Glass And Shoes
When author Michael Zarnock and Krause
Publications state that the 4th Edition of Hot Wheels Variations is The
Ultimate Guide they weren’t kidding! Just one look at this massive book
clocking in at 5,500 number packs and with 3,100 photos includes a full
identification and price listing of every Variation and it’s cool to look
at to boot!
Warman’s 44th Antiques & Collectibles book by Mark F. Moran is the
ultimate guide to everything antique ranging from glasswares to war
memorabilia. Trusted since 1948 this guide is the bible of any serious
collector with comprehensive listings, historical data and current market
trends and prices. If you collect, then this is the book for you.
Before seeing Collecting Rocks, Gems And Minerals by Patti Polk I never
realized how many different types of geological goodies there were. Look
for full identification, values and lapidary uses. This book is packed with
color photos, interesting mineral facts and full features. Rockin’!
Glass Collectors are sure to want to pick up Warman’s Depression Glass
Field Guide 4th Edition by Ellen T. Schroy. Full value and identifications
are included as are full color photos of each piece along with linear
pattern recreations, prices and abbreviated historical facts.
Caroline Ashleigh and Warman’s Shoes Field Guide tracks the history of footwear
from everything from athletic shoes to cowboy boots and everything in
between. Look for values and identifications, promotional and historical
documents and much more as you jump feet first into collecting shoes.
 Star Trek: The Children Of Kings
I applaud Pocket
Books and author David Stern for writing about a seldom explored era in
Star Trek lore: the years that the starship Enterprise was captained by
Christopher Pike. As any old ‘Trekker”
knows, (I’m not a “Trekkie” since I am a fan of the series since it first
broadcast in 1966), Pike was originally supposed to be the Captain of the
Enterprise when Star Trek went on the air.
But, in a surprise move NBC requested a second Star Trek pilot be made
that was less “cerebral” since NBC considered their audiences too dumb to
understand at the time and so Gene Roddenberry replaced Pike with Captain
Kirk-a man of action and notorious womanizer.
In the original series' pilot Christopher Pike was the Captain, Dr.
Boyce (I like that name) the physician, Number One the First Officer and
Mr. Spock the Science Officer.
Their missions took them to both hostile and welcoming worlds that
were as every bit as interesting as any Captain Kirk’s crew explored.
Captain Pike had a strong sense of discipline and loyalty to his
crew. Less congenial than Kirk,
Pike was a man who lived by the book but with the capacity to look outside
the box for solutions when necessary.
In The Children Of Kings Captain Pike and his crew discover that
Starbase 18 has been destroyed and all clues point to the Klingons and a
new secret weapon. But, Pike is not
so sure, especially when the Orions are thrown into the mix.
Do the Klingons have a new cloaking device and what of the Orions who
have long been known to practice piracy and what of the Captain and crew of
a disabled Orion ship that the Enterprise assists?
Regardless who, or what, is to blame for the destruction of Starbase 18,
the threat of total annihilation hangs over the heads of Captain Pike and
the Federation unless the threat is stopped. The Children Of Kings explores the tenuous relationship
between the Federation and the Orions and delves into the reasons behind the
tensions between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. For a Star Trek history lesson be sure
to pick up The Children Of Kings.
 Sparky
When I was young I tried never to miss a day reading Peanuts by Charles
Schultz. When we got the paper
everyday it was easy to do, but there were times when we didn’t so I would
read neighbors’ papers, scrounge through trash on trash days to get the
comics and when all else failed I bought the early compilations of Peanuts
strips at the bookstore.
I loved Peanuts then and I still love it today-even though Charles
Schulz is no longer with us.
Beverly Gherman and Chronicle
Books present a loving tribute to Charles “Sparky” Schulz in Sparky:
The Life And Art Of Charles Schulz.
What a charming and heartfelt book.
Author Gherman looks back at his early life of Sparky and the things and
events that would shape his unique comedic take on life. Learn about his early days as a boy that
drew constantly, even when visiting his father’s barbershop. Discover his early sports aspirations
and what events led up to his creating peanuts.
It’s a nostalgic look back at his life complete with anecdotes, good
times, bad times and his eventual overwhelming success as a cartoonist. The book is brimming with Peanuts art as
well as some art that many may not be familiar with. It’s a wonderful book about a wonderful
man and his imaginary friends that thrilled readers for nearly 50 years.
 Street Fighter: The Complete History
There’s no denying the Street Fighter is a pop culture phenomenon. When it was first introduced as a video
game by Capcom in the 1980’s it became a gamer favorite. And why wouldn’t it? It was a surefire combination: players
got to choose from an impressive roster of fighters, big and small, male
and female, who would then proceed to knock the #$%*! Out of each
other! Admit it, isn’t that what a
video game is really all about-one guy trouncing another? Sure it can be an armored, super,
futuristic soldier or a cute little whatchamacallit-but it all all boils
down to someone or something beating up another someone or something and
Street Fighter does it best.
Author Chris Carle and Chronicle Books
present The Complete History of the game, its many manifestations, its fan
base, merchandizing and plethora of characters both loved and hated by
fans.
It’s a colorful collection of art, screen captures, cosplaying,
conventions and merchandise complemented by historical and fun facts,
insider info and much more.
 The Art Of Toy Story 3
When Toy Story hit theaters in 1995 it wowed audiences. Never before had a feature length
computer animated movie been seen.
Audiences went wild and before long the movie’s studio, Pixar,
became famous all over the world.
Subsequently Pixar has released a number of computer animated
movies, all under the Disney banner.
It wasn’t long until Pixar became part of Disney.
Toy Story opened the door for computer animated movies released over the
last 15 years. But as good as some
of the movies are, no one can beat Pixar Studios when it comes to concept
and implementation. Pixar remains
at the forefront of computer animation and with each release audiences are
amazed with its technical wizardry.
The Art Of Toy Story 3 by Charles Solomon and released by Chronicle Books
takes readers inside the inner workings of how the movie was created. John Lassiter provides the preface with
Lee Unkrich and Daria K. Anderson collaborating on the foreword.
The book consists of pages filled with color character designs, scenery
and interior designs, color and textures studies, storyboards and script
refinements and alterations. Look
for Marquette photos, on location study sessions and documentation of every
phase of the production. It’s an
insider’s look at what it take t make such an innovation and
ground-breaking production. Look
and enjoy!
 Rough Justice
I first encountered artist/writer/designer Alex Ross’s work in the
defunct Now Comics Terminator mini-series. Even then, at such an early age
(not yet 20) Alex’s talent was evident. His mastery of facial expressions,
anatomy, page layout and use of color far exceeded what one to expect to
see form one so young.
From Now Alex went on to produce the ground-breaking maxi-series for
Marvel Comics aptly named Marvels and soon after the Kingdom Come series
for DC Comics. Since then he has produced dozens of comic book covers, a
score of comic book stories for regular monthly titles, mini and
maxi-series, one-shots and a handful of original series for both Marvel and
DC.
The new Rough Justice hardbound book from Pantheon Books by Ross, with editor
Chip Kidd, offers a sneak peek into Alex’s creative process by showing
sketches and design ideas for the work he’s done for DC Comics. Inside
readers witness Ross’s exhaustive research methods when creating characters
and stories. Character designs, cover sketches, storyboard layouts, color
studies, logo design, vehicle and environment refinements and hundreds of
sketches fill each page along with personal notes and observations and
anecdotes by the artist.
Alex’s art can best be described as reality meeting fantasy. His characters
are rendered as if they were real, with stunning lighting effects,
innovative costume designs and easily identifiable characters (no cookie
cutter likenesses).
As a designer and artist I can appreciate the sheer volume of work, effort
and time put into each sketch and final piece. The book makes for a
fascinating journey into the mind of one the best artist in the industry
and one of its most influential and ground-breaking creators.
 Wonder Woman
Author Robert Greenberger, with a foreword by legendary comic book
artist George Perez, and Universe
Publishing present the ultimate Wonder Woman book aptly entitles Wonder
Woman: Amazon, Hero, Icon.
This massive tome sports an Alex Ross painted cover and is brimming to
near overflowing with artwork depicting the Amazon Princess since her first
adventures as written by William Moulton Marston (the inventor of the lie
detector) and illustrated with subtle S&M references by harry G. Peter.
Created to appeal to young girls as Batman and Superman appealed to
young boys, Wonder Woman was an instant success and has been continually
published since her first Golden Age appearance. Over the years she has transformed from a simple female
Superman to a goddess complete with mythological roots.
The book carefully and lovingly traces her comic book career through the
decades complete with full color illustrations, character designs, short story
reprints, special promotional art and dynamic full page and two-page
spreads by some of finest talent in the industry.
This book contains more than just the history of Wonder Woman; it is filled
with facts and recollections about the history of comic books beginning in
the early days of the Golden Age.
It’s a real treasure trove of information and visual treat that will
fascinate readers for hours. For an
upfront look at Wonder Woman in all of her various versions over the
decades, be sure to pick up a copy of this book.
 
Teenager
And Litter Box
Two new titles from Andrew
McMeel Publishing hit the shelves and both deal with unwanted pests:
cats and teenagers-just kidding!
In A Zits Guide To Living With Your Teenager (I’ve had two and my hair
is still falling out from the encounter) Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman
explore the strange world of the teenager.
This small hardbound book contains classic parent/teenager situations that
any parent can identify with. Clever comments accompany each cartoon strip.
They wouldn’t be as near as funny if they weren’t so rooted in the truth.
For an encounter of a different type check out Treasury Of The Lost
Litter Box Get Fuzzy Collection by cartoonist Darby Conley.
The book is comprised of reprinted daily and Sunday comic strips
starring everyone’s favorite pet comedy act: Bucky B. Katt and Satchel
Pooch. Follow their misadventures as they, and their strange group of
friends, make their human owner’s (Rob Wilco) life a roller coaster ride
with no seat belts, broken tracks and no way to get off.
This time around Bucky goes Hollywood, there’s hygiene for pets, booger
hide and seek and other hilarious outings. If hilarity has a name it must
be Get Fuzzy.
 Watching M*A*S*H*,
Watching America
For eleven years the CBS comedy/drama series M*A*S*H entertained the
America TV viewing public, Derived
from the dark Vietnam era war comedy movie of the same name the series
continued the misadventures of the doctors and staff of the 407th
M*A*S*H* united set during the Korean War.
The Mobile Army Surgical Hospital personnel were responsible for
patching together wounded soldiers not far from enemy lines.
Tensions were high and nerves frayed and yet soldiers and medical
personnel held it together, amidst the insanity, to do their jobs.
For the first three years the series positioned itself as an anti-war
platform against the Vietnam War using parallels between the Korean War and
the then current conflict. After the third year and the departure of McLean
Stevenson as Colonel Henry Blake from the series, the show took a more
social commentary approach cleverly commenting on current social trends
such as women’s rights, divorce, etc.
Through eleven seasons the cast, with some changes, included Hawkeye
Pierce, Trapper John, Henry Blake, Radar O’Reilly, Colonel Potter, Hotlips
Houlihan, B.J. Hunnicutt, Charles Emerson Winchester, Frank Burns, Max
Klinger and Father Mulcahy who coped with the war, matured and developed as
characters. All of the characters
went through significant changes.
Watching M*A*S*H*, Watching America, written by James H. Wittebols and
published by McFarland and Company,
Inc., examines the long running series, its changes over the years, its
social relevance, its characters and stories and most important of all its
unswerving dedication to quality and attempt to be more than just a comedy
about war.
Although set in the 1950s the show is as relevant today as it was when
first broadcast in 1972.
 Firefly: Still Flying
It’s a positive testament to a TV series, its writers, actors and staff,
when although short run (just over a year) the series still is as popular
as ever with fans and continues to garner new fans.
What made Firefly so unique is that is was a science fiction TV show
unlike any other science fiction show.
Set in the future, the series harkened back to the rough and rugged
days of the American West, when might made right and the law of the
frontier held sway.
You were just as likely to see a traditional handgun amidst the
high-tech surroundings as your were to see leather clad ‘Cowboys” mingling
with alien races.
In Firefly: Still Flying, Titan
Books presents new stories from the writers of the original TV series
as a celebration of Joss Whedon’s acclaimed TV series.
Look for character bios, behind-the-scenes photos, storyboards,
production art, prop photos, spaceship designs and models and lots of other
‘goodies’ that make the book not only a joy to read but to look at as well.
 Classic Bible Stories
Two stories from the scripture: Jesus: The Road OF Courage and Mark: The
Youngest Disciple are reprinted in full color in Titan Books’ new Classic Bible
stories hardback.
Originally printed in the British comic Eagle and drawn by such
legendary comic strip artists as Frank Bellamy and Frank Hampton, the
stories illustrate key moments in Jesus and Mark’s lives as envisioned by
modern day artists.
What makes these stories so interesting is that the artist took great
efforts to depict the scenes as they would appear set during biblical
times. Costumes, setting and
surrounding looked as they did hundreds of years ago. Not dry or sterile in their
presentations, the images are vibrant, full of energy and laid out in
dynamic style with lots of action, plenty of pathos and presented as
serious stories.
It’s obvious that a great deal of attention was given to details,
historical accuracy and story telling technique. The stories never talk down to the reader, rather they seek
to instruct, inspire and enlighten the reader.
 Jeremy & Dad
Andrew McMeel Publishing
presents a Zits tribute-ish to fathers and sons by Jerry Scott and Jim
Borgman.
In typical hilarious fashion the often tenuous relationship between boys
and their dads is explored through the eyes of Jeremy Duncan- the tousled
hair teenager with the knack for always getting in hot water with his
parents.
In this compilation of recent and classics comic strips Jeremy and his
father Walt find common ground (especially when it concerns Jeremy’s mom
and Walt’s wife) and points of contention-specifically Walt’s lack of
techno know how.
Speaking as father of a teenage girl (19) and a son, now 23, I can
sympathize and identify with Walt.
Both of my kids seem like they're talking a foreign language when
they start spewing techno-babble and yet, like Jeremy and his father, there
are things both my children and myself can share a common interest with.
It just so happens, like Jeremy, my son loves old Rock and Roll-much of
it from the period I grew up in.
And, like Walt and Jeremy, as we grow older we discover that we have
a lot more in common than we thought.
Zits is a wonderful commentary about parents and their kids, sprinkled
with humor and yet often containing nuggets of truth. I read it every chance I get in the
newspaper.
 The Complete Peanuts:
1975 To 1976
When most
book series, cartoon strips, TV series or other popular culture icons reach
their 25th Anniversary they tend to get a little stale and
predictable. Not so with Charles M.
Schulz's Peanuts comic strip.
In fact,
Peanuts never seemed more relevant, irreverent, timely, topical or funnier
than when it hit its 25th Anniversary as evident in Fantagraphics Books' newest
Peanuts anthology reprinting strips from 1975 to 1976.
Here's just a
few of the highlights that made the strip so memorable. They include Peppermint Patty hiring
Snoopy as a watch dog only to have him incapacitated by her waterbed,
Charlie Brown's Valentine vigil, Snoopy and Linus's truffle hunt, Snoopy
playing tennis and other classic moments.
For a real
appreciation of Charles Schulz's genius for creating classic daily and
Sunday comic strips for over 50 years take a look at the newest book from
Fantagraphics to witness a true American treasure's work.
Prison, Planet, Cloudy, Warcraft And Eastwood
Insight Editions has released
a quintet of titles dealing with TV and movies. All are exquisitely designed and jammed full of photos and
art. If you've never given Insight
Editions books a look you need to give them a try. Each and every volume, regardless of
subject matter, is a small work of art filled with lush illustrations, high
resolution photos and informative text.
The books themselves consist of high-quality paper stock that
guarantees clean crisp image and text reproduction and tight, clean
binding, with or without slipcases.
The TV series Prison Break is one of the most innovative and original
series to come down the pike in some time.
Centered around two brothers who are unjustly imprisoned by the
mysterious Company and then escape, has had viewers guessing and second
guessing what is going on each and every episode.
Insight Editions and writers Christian Trokey and Kalinda Vazquez
present The Official Companion Book To The Greatest Escape On
Television. Each and every page
offers behind-the-scenes info and pictures from each of the show's seasons. Learn the secrets both in front of and behind
the camera complemented by lots of candid photos and revealing text.
The Art Of Planet 51 is a square bound hardback book by Danny Graydon
with a foreword from Gary Oldman.
The book consists of a short story synopsis, lots of production art
of characters, locations and vehicles.
Look for charter bios, storyboards, color studies and sketches-lots
of sketches. All thought the movie
didn't fair so well at the box office, this new book is a real eye-pleaser
and lots of fun to read.
A huge hit for Sony Picture's Animation, Cloudy With A Chance Of Meat
Balls, based on the award-winning children's book, translates perfectly to
the printed page. The huge
hardbound book comes in a sturdy slipcase, both lavishly illustrated front
and back.
Written by Tracey Miller-Zarneke with a foreword from Judi Barrett, The
Art And Making Of Sony Pictures Animation's Cloudy With A Chance Of Meat
Balls gives readers a complete text and art rundown of the entire hilarious
movie.
Look for complete character bios and illustrations, color studies,
location illustrations, ground-breaking visual effects-such as clouds and
some really cool special inserts.
What other book offers you things like scratch and sniff stickers,
Top Secret schematics, a map and shopping guide, Flint's Car schematic:
before and after, a fold-out weather map, screen savers, a burger guide and
more? Now that's my kind of book!
There's a reason why World Of Warcraft is the most popular online game
ever created. A solid story,
spectacular art, incredible special effects and a game friendly playing
environment make it extremely popular with gamers. A whole world-universe-is open to gamers
with new scenarios and environments being introduced almost on a daily
basis.
The Cinematic Art Of World Of Warcraft Wrath Of The Lich King is as
every bit as impressive as the game itself. Discover how the game came about, who the key players are,
what they look like, how special visual effects and panoramic vistas were
created, modeling, texturing and surfacing secrets, rendering and sound
creation and more in illustration filled pages with accompanying text that
reveals the how and why.
Randomly inserted translucent envelopes contain final production art
that make the cook a complete package of fantasy art as imagined by the
geniuses behind the online game.
Most readers and movie goers associated Clint Eastwood with his Western
an Detective movies and recently his WWII films. I actually started watching Eastwood when he was one of the
co-stars on the Rawhide TV Western series.
Even then his charisma and screen presence could be seen.
While filming the series Eastwood traveled to Spain to film the
Spaghetti Westerns he would become so famous for as The Man With No
Name. After a string of several
other Westerns Clint would make a series of movies starring as character he
would become most closely associated with his entire life: the no nonsense
police detective: Dirty Harry.
Clint Eastwood ICON: The Essential Film Art Collection by David
Frangioni with essays by Thomas Schatz, chronicles Eastwood's long
cinematic career via movie posters form all over the globe.
The oversize hardbound book breaks Eastwood's career by decade and
showcases his many films via movie posters. It makes for a welcome nostalgic trip down Memory Lane of
Clint's stellar cinematic career.
 50,000 Pearls Fans
Can't Be Wrong
Andrews McMeel Publishing
presents the latest compilation of Pearls Before Swine daily and Sunday
comic strips by Stephan Pastis.
Sporting a cover that spoofs Elvis Presley's famous golden suit
album the book offers a playful tribute to the singer going so far as to
list the 'song credits' and volume number.
Of course Pearls' cast of characters give Pastis a hard time for his
blatant rip-off of the album on the reverse side of the book. Pretty clever.
Inside readers witness that same madness that makes the strip so
enjoyable from Rat's often cruel and sarcastic outlook on life to Pig's sweet,
innocent and naive take on day-to-day events.
Add in Zebra and his nemesis Croks, Goat the brain and the occasional
appearance by Pastis and you have a collection of hilarious strips that are
irreverent, poignant and profound all wrapped up in one side-splitting
package. Be sure to check out the
'guest stars' comic strip characters, soldier Duck and that other animal
and humans who have the misfortune of getting entangled in the insanity.
 Wacky Packages New New New
Maybe it's because I was in advertising for so many years and saw my
share of product designs or that many of my favorite cartoonists from
bygone years illustrated them or that I love the crazy trading cards Topps
put out in the 1970's that I get such a kick out of Abrams Books new Wacky Packages New
New New book.
Authored by the Topps Company Inc. and Jay Lynch, Wacky Packages New New
New is a compilation of full color illustrations of all 206 rare and
hard-to-find Series 8-14 Wacky Packages stickers, with bubble gum, created
in the years 1974 through 1975.
Included with the book is a wax pack of four Wacky Packages
stickers. Go Wacky and buy this
book.
 Star Trek Online:
The Needs Of
The Many
Fans of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine saw the future and the fate of Jake
Sisko in the series. Eventually
Jake would become a galaxy renowned writer. In Star Trek Online: The Needs Of The Many readers get to
witness Jake’s writing at its best as he delves into the controversy and
mystery of the Long War with Species 8472 who were first introduced in Star
Trek: Voyager.
When Captain Janeway struck a deal with the Borg for safe passage
through their space if she would help to defeat Species 8472 who the Borg
had no defense against the Federation became Species 8472’s enemies by
default.
For years Species 8472 infiltrated every aspect of the Federation by
using their technological ability to transform themselves into humanoids in
key positions.
Dubbed the Undine War, the conflict nearly destroyed humanity with millions
of lives lost, alliances tested and the fate of this dimension brought to
the brink of destruction.
Hailing from an alternate liquid dimension Species 8472 were not
motivated by greed or the need to acquire new space, they were drawn
together to fight humanity for a far simpler reason: revenge!
Jake Sisko, along with collaborator Michael A. Martin, has compiled a
comprehensive history of the years of long conflict, its effect on every
region of known space and the people who occupy it. Read firsthand the points of view from
all factions including the Klingons, Romulans, Humans and others as the
pieces of the puzzle slowly come together to reveal a truth far more
frightening and far-reaching than anyone could ever imagine. Look for Star Trek Online: The Needs Of
The Many from Pocket
Books.
 Dennis The Menace
1961-1962
Dennis The Menace literally finds himself up a creek without a paddle on
the cover of Fantagraphics Books’ latest Dennis The Menace collection:
1961-1962.
Artist/writer Hank Ketcham really hit his stride beginning in the early
1960s with Dennis. His cartooning
style emerged and matured that he used
on Dennis and continues to use until this day on the strip.
What started out as a new strip appearing in barely a hundred papers
soon blossomed into the thousands.
Dennis the Menace fever struck America and soon little Dennis
wannabes began appearing in every neighborhood. A plethora of small boys dressed in denims, striped shirts,
carrying slingshots and tooling around the block on tricycles became
commonplace. The cartoon spawned
tons of merchandising as well as a popular TV show starring Jay North as
Dennis. Decades later several
movies were made.
Dennis may have been a Menace but he was a godsend to Ketcham who
started out as a Disney animator and soon found himself the head of an
entire Dennis empire.
Fantagraphics Books has reproduced every black and white single panel
strip from 1961-1962 slightly larger than their original print size. Take a moment to appreciate the artistry
of Ketcham and his clever use of layout, movement and pacing as he sets his
characters in motion within the restrictions of a single panel.
 
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.
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