Cartoons Books

Will there ever be a new edition of this title? It's been ten years. Any info. would be much appreciated.

I'll start this review by saying that, in fact, I haven't read THIS book, but I own Grant's older book from the '80's of the same title (which I bought from a used book seller for $3!), and I assume that this is the same material, but with some new stuff added. I plan to buy this newer book, because I can't wait to see this author's views on the subsequent movies that came out.

John Grant's description of the Disney movies and cartoons is amazingly detailed, and he profiles every character, from Mickey Mouse to obscure supporting characters that most people have forgotten about. While reading the entries, I remembered several movies and cartoons that I had seen as a kid, and forgotten about. It made me want to run out and buy all the old movies on DVD, so I could watch them again and relive this simpler time!

While Grant is definitely a Disney fan, he does look at the movies with a critical eye, and is willing to admit some of the shortcomings they had, including some of the racism that appeared in the earlier films (although I think he was a little too soft on this, which could be seen as insensitive to many people). He also has this charming, very British style of writing, that's addictive to read. Great escapist fun for any Disney fan!

This is almost certainly the best book on Disney animation ever published - it is difficult to think of superlatives that other reviewers haven't already (quite rightly) used in their praise of it. (To the reviewer who complained about the omission of Eega Beeva: Eega Beeva is a character in the comics, not the animated movies.) Astonishingly comprehensive, beautifully illustrated, and written with the kind of stylish wit that makes the mere act of reading the text a joy in itself, the Encyclopedia deserves all the praise that has been heaped on it.

I have only one complaint. This is the third edition, and was published in 1998. Why oh why has there been no subsequent edition? What has gotten into Disney's corporate head that they have not begged Mr. Grant, well known for his extensive writings elsewhere, to bring the story of Disney animation up to date? Such a book is desperately needed!

This is a definite must-have for any Disney fan. The book is divided into three basic sections: Characters in shorts, characters in television shows, and characters in features. Each category has a mention of every Disney character created until 1997 including interesting articles about them. This is also a great place to find information on lesser-known or forgotten Disney characters such as Spike the bee from a number of Donald Duck cartoons and Little Hans, a star of his own wartime propaganda film. Combine this with hundreds of pictures from the films and you have a book that is sure to be a favorite of any Disney fan.

First, while the title of this book is accurate, it is also misleading. This is no fluffy, flimsy book containing some fun descriptions of Disney characters from the latest popular films. This is an intense, in-depth look at EVERY Disney animated character since Walt began his career. The book is divided into two parts, "Shorts" and "Feature Films". The shorts have the usual gang, Donald, Mickey, Goofy, Pluto, and so on. After each characters bio is a list of every Disney short they've appeared in. Don't be worried or fooled by by this truly encyclopedic book - it is not a boring A to Z book. Color photos pop off of every page, including some from rarely seen Disney shorts. The feature films section not only includes detailed character bios, but plot summaries and "making of" details, cast and crew credits, and more. You buy this book, you will have a list of EVERY Disney short ever made (including the early "Alice" shorts and Oswald the Lucky Rabbit), every feature film in chronological order, and enough information about each one to be the champ of any Disney trivia game!

I love how Christopher Hart really delves into the hard things to draw. Like hands and feet and expressions. This is a wonderful art resource. The pictures are fun and will help you generate many of your own ideas.

This would make a great gift!

Before I finished my third book I decided it needed cartoons to visually explain some ideas (a picture is worth 1000 words) and provide humor to a tough subject. I started checking with hiring a professional artist (or student artist) to do the work. It quickly became clear the task would be time consuming, expensive and I may not get what I wanted in the end.

First, it would be difficult to find someone who would be able to take what was in my mind and transfer it to a cartoon

Second, it became painfully clear it would be expensive (even with a student artist). I wanted around twenty five cartoons drawn.

Third, some individuals wanted to discuss contracts and usage.

My best option was to learn how to draw cartoons myself. I figured it would be less expensive (only the cost of books and art supplies), and frustrating and I would get exactly what was in my brain. It would take some time to become proficient, but it sounded like a fun project. I was fortunately right.

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Cartooning but Were Afraid to Ask by Christopher Hart and a couple other books helped me learn how to draw cartoons good enough to put in my latest book.

Christopher Hart has done several books on drawing comics. He provides excellent common sense content, and teaches the skill very well though his words and cartoons.

Some the sections that I found especially helpful were: Expressions, How to Draw Hands, The Art of Character Design, Body Types, Principles of Layout, Layouts from a Distance, The Special Effects Lab, Explosions and more.

After finishing my sketches, I used Adobe Elements software to polish up the work. I was very pleased with the final cartoons that went into my book..and there have been many positive comments about them from people who have the book!

Overall, this is a great resource for learning to draw cartoons!

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide to: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

Drawing on the Funny Side of the Brain : How to Come Up With Jokes for Cartoons and Comic Strips

The Cartoonist's Workbook Drawing, Writing Gags, Selling

This a useful book for the artist (or developing artist) moving into cartoon drawing. The material is high quality, drawn and written by a professional with many years' work under his belt. You'll wish it were longer.

Far more detailed than the How to Draw Cartoons book by this author. There are examples of heads, eyes, noses, mouth, hands, and many other elements in good detail.

I bought this book so I can learn to draw cartoons with my 2.5-year-old daughter. Right around this time I had finished reading the book Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman, and I was wondering how I might be able to start teaching my child about different emotions. Then on pages 18 and 19 of Hart's book I found a list of cartoon faces depicting emotions. We started drawing some of them. Currently we're concentrating on two: Happy and Laughing.

All this book is, is a collection of the daily comic from the last book with very little new material. I don't think they've created any new material for this strip sense Liz and John ended up together.

I got this book in a 3-pack and could hardly stop laughing. Jim Davis has really reached his pinnacle of humor! Buy the book!

Garfield is funny when kicking odie off the table,playing with mice,being lazy,and hating mondays all in in this book...... Garfield feeds the kitty

I have two cats. They are both fat and lazy. I think the only difference between my cats and Garfield is they these do not particpate in the weddings of the mice. This is book is funny. Buy it! Read it! Enjoy it! and don't forget to LAUGH!

No matter what kind of a mood I'm in, I'm always entertained by reading Garfield comic strips. I have no problem admitting that, even though I'm in my early twenties. I think it's a very hilarious strip and it gets better with every year. "Garfield: Feeds the Kitty" is yet another very amusing collection of funny Garfield strips.

Laugh along as Garfield takes on dieting, Mondays, his owner Jon, the very not-so-bright Odie, smart-aleck mice who always get the last laugh, and much more. With Garfield, you know it's never a dull day (even if HE finds it dull).

Again, Jim Davis never misses a beat with making Garfield funny and entertaining. While some strips are funnier than others, the overall product is very satisfying. You'll want to re-read the book over and over again. It's a great read, especially when you need some cheering up.

The 35th book in the Garfield series, "Garfield: Feeds the Kitty" is a very hilarious collection of Garfield hijinx that you won't want to miss out on. If you're a Garfield fan, I highly recommend you checking it out. Always nice to have something that is bound to get a laugh or two from you.

Linda Barry nails tweener angst. And her drawings are so different from anyone else's, they're mesmerizing.

I read the "Marlys" comicstrip back when it appeared in DC's City Paper. Marlys, her friends, her mother are drawn in gorgeous and grotesque panel-cartoon style. Barry's characters are bizarre yet familiar. The angst is universal. Think Gidget on acid: a super gift book to delight a funky friend.

If your a long time fan or have never heard of Lynda Berry this is a book you must own. For the first timer the drawings might seem alittle rough,(but you get past that real quick and realize its perfect)just like the stories about Marlys. I love Lynda Berry and her work. Iv followed the stories of Marlys since the early 80's. I can so relate to Marlys and her environment and I think many others will too. Im not a writer just a huge fan so I hope you all will give it a peek and find out for yourselves. Matt Groening (creator of Simpsons) says "Lynda Berry rocks".

Wow! Number one!! This book captures the feeling of childhood in an amazingly touching fashion.

I love Marlys and her goofiness. She is alternately hilarious (as when she describes all the different methods of fake smoking, such as the gum cigarrette with its realistic coughing, or a hot dog, for when you're having hobo feelings) and touching (as when she describes her sister's threat to kill herself when the tree outside loses its last leaf - which prompts Marlys to glue a bunch of leaves back onto the tree). I love how she reminds me so poignantly of the bossy kid that I was, and the wacky things that kids think. This book is way worth it.

Gary Larson has a macabre and twisted sense of humor and I commend him for it. His "The Far Side" comic strip was one of my favorites from the first time I read it until he retired the strip. This book contains the cartoons of the last six months of the strip as well as 13 additional cartoons drawn by Larson after he retired. They all have the twisted look at life that was Larson's trademark. If your funnybone is twisted into a similar contortion, then this is a book that you must read.

This book is the last six months of Far Side cartoons. Plus 13 new cartoons. They are phenomenal. And now, a moment of silence for The Far Side...

its like a drug. once you read 1 you cant stop. you got to read more and more AND MORE. till you read them all,then it starts slowly you feel unforfilled then you go in to denile"thair has to be more!!!!!!!!!!!" then anger"i need a (...) FAR SIDE BOOK!!!. then you find more and joy is restored. i just finished Winer Dog Art. now,i am in a state of peril. I NEED A (...)Far Side book. Larson RUN FOR PRESIDENT,you my not no this but you thousands of bystanderdeds who are willing to rise up and carry you to power.i know i would

This isn't Larson's best book but being his last Farside cartoon collection before retirement is a collectors piece. The 140 cartoons in the bulk part of the book contain some classics such as the Inferiority Complex Sufferers cartoon and the ACME Wingbaby cartoon. The majority are good but there are some that you can tell were being left out of earlier books due to their standard. I love the two cartoons on page 80 (the end of the general cartoon section) that tell us The Far Side cartoons were all a dream of a man and the cavemen, cows, nerdy kids all looked like members of his family. The 13 full page cartoons at the back of the book are drawn after retirement and in most cases I would say aren't up to Larson's usual brilliant standard.

There is also an Afterword by Gary Larson that tells a tale his father drew on his kitchen table about a kid in school, drawing a box that becomes a lightbulb then becomes his mum bending over. Interesting story but I would have preferred a few more cartoons.

There are better Far Side collections than this one but if you own the rest you need this to complete your collection. There are plenty of good cartoons here.

For those of you Larson~FarSiders like me, this is a must have. You need to love and see FarSide on your daily life to understand and enjoy Larson's humor. This last book has more of what we all wished he could and would continue giving us. On a scale of one to ten farsides, and compared to previous FarSide books, this one is an "8". Buy it!

More of Patrick McDonnell's gentle humor. The artwork is subtle and the strip, while making insightful comments about animals and the range of care and commitment they receive, is never preachy.
If you love animals, you'll love Mutts.

I LOVE Patrick McDonnell! Without arrogance, profanity, or the modern deluge of grotesque vernacular, he took two wonderful characters (Mooch and Earl), their "families" (em, packs) and made them timeless.

Having 6 cats, two dogs, four ferrets, a half-dozen rabbits, and a few fish, I see Mooch, Earl Stinky Puddin', Woofie, Doozy, Millie, and all the other wonderful beings in McDonnell's books as a reflection of REAL people. Not fashion models, rock stars, and other modern pop icons...real people who really love their pets...friends.

I also like McDonnell's subtle and thoughtful animal issue strips: One can be political without being in-your-face. Overpopulation, how mankind has affected THEIR world, man's inability to care for our sentient frinds...

I certainly hope he never retires: Every morning I take one of my dogs, Google, down to the paperbox to get the daily paper, and our daily dose of MUTTS.

You will LOVE this book. The strips on pages 8 &9 will make you think. Page 15 is how EVERYONE should feel! Page 76 is farm-time funny. Pages 104 & 105 are timeless and funny. But the center strip on page 119...All I can say is YESH!!!!

Patrick McDonnell's "Mutts" is one of the best comics in the papers. Nothing could be finer then, than to have a book (or several) of the collected strips to peruse at one's leisure. "Mutts" is funny, warm, clever, honest, and this collection has been nicely printed. I was especially amused by the Sunday strips' clever references to comics of days gone by. I hope that in the future, colored collections will be available.

... that I can't rate this higher than five stars!

This is the sweetest comic strip ever. Its innocent characters, pet antics, and angstless plotlines make me feel that the world is a beautiful place. Amidst a thousand cynical strips, this one matches "Peanuts" for charm.

All five publications by Patrick McDonnell are a joy to own, read and re-read! With the premature departure of Bill Watterson, Gary Larson and the retirement of the beloved Charles Schulz, Patrick McDonnell has filled the void with his wonderfully witty and wise panels both hilariously funny and yet reminding us of our responsiblity to those who cannot speak for themselves. His work is both satisfyingly current and yet contains the best essence of the earliest cartoons (Krazy Kat, etc.) I await the next compilation! Cheers, Patrick!

More awesome comics in the Life In Hell series. I love these books! I just wish I'd had them as a teenager!

Some of the best humor is based on gross exaggeration of circumstances, which is Groening's specialty. This book of cartoons stars a set of odd-looking "children" who hate school. They do everything they can to ridicule all members of the teaching staff. I am not so old that I have lost my memories of my time in the grades K through 12. These cartoons brought back memories of many of the things we used to say about our teachers. My friends and I used to draw simple and unflattering figures of our teachers and our principal in elementary school was unmarried. We often said, "Well, you can certainly tell why she is a Miss!"
One of the ways we cope with difficulties is to make jokes about it. If you had a difficult time in the early years of school, then this book will provide a lot of coping. Humor is a tonic for stress and there is plenty to drink in this book.

I've always had a love hate relationship with school. I LOVE LEARNING despite enough years of school that I should be a doctor. Groening hit the nail on the head though, that school is about everything but learning. Conformity is king. It kind of makes me sick.
I have a degree in art education, taught school for one semester. Love teaching, love the kids. Hate the system. I don't want to go to "school" the rest of my life. Ironically, I think I picked this up at the end of that semester. I just picked it up and read it from cover to cover a few years later. A wicked gift for someone in education considering a change of career...
His actual diary from elementary school should be "required reading" for anyone in education.

"School is Hell" was a very disturbing book for me to read because of "Lesson 18: The 9 Types of College Teachers." In the grand Aristotlean tradition Matt Groening has devised classification systems for types of teachers for grade school, high school and college, as well as for students at the first two levels. So, of course, I tried to figure out which category applied to me and so far I have narrowed it down to two uncomfortable possibilities. The first is "The Genius From Another Dimension," because I think the loony and entertaining advantages apply, but the warning of turning students into believers just does not apply because I do not believe in anything enough to pass it on. The second is "The Singe-Theory-To-Explain-Everything Maniac" because irony is the master trope of the reality, but I already know that parroting is not learning. Maybe there is a hole in Groening's theory, but that does not seem right since he seems to touch on every other aspect of education in this mini-jumbo compendium of hellish cartoons.

Within the pages of "School Is Hell" there are 48 cartoons from Groening's syndicated "Life in Hell" comic strip circa 1982-87. The main attraction are the 21 lessons of the "School Is Hell" educational miniseries, but there are also the eight parts of "My 5th Grade Diary" ("I decided I'll never be prez of the U.S. so I think I'll stop now"), several pages of "Parental Brain Twisters" ("What's wrong with you?"), and assorted fillers such as "Lies My Older Brother and Sister Told Me" (e.g., "The Alphabet Trick"). Not all of these are school related, but they do feature Bongo, the young rabbit with one ear who has to endure the trials and tribulations of the educational system throughout this volume. One thing that has to be said for mandatory education in this country is that everybody should be able to relate to the subject matters in "School Is Hell."

Obviously students are going to get a big kick out of "School Is Hell," because it embodies the great truth of most of Matt Groening humor, "It is funny because it is true." They will also have an easier time finding themselves in the list of 33 types of grade school students from the teacher's pet to the class clown. Teachers will also learn a thing or two from cartoons like the "Teacher's Guide to Words That Make Kids Snicker" (e.g., "Who can tell us if there are rings around Uranus?"). This is just the sort of book to students and teachers alike get through the travails of finals week. It certainly gives me a sense of nostalgia for grade school humor when being rubber was better than being glue and driving a teacher crazy was the prime directive. These cartoons are wicked bad funny.

Matt Groening is right on the money with his take on school. His sarcastic treatment of the subject is both hilarious and true. For all Simpsons fans, this book, and his other Life in Hell books are necessary reading material. While this collection of comic strips was written well before his Simpsons days, the show's humor is present over each page. You will find yourself laughing out loud constantly, and it is just as funny when you decide to read it again. If you disliked school at any point in your life, this book is for you. A brilliant, witty, and hilarious book that will be enjoyed for years. I strongly urge you to check it out.

As a person who is always on the lookout for the newest Get Fuzzy as well as looking online everyday to see the latest in the world of Bucky Katt; this is a must have book of funny comics. I would recommend this edition to anyone either just starting out on the Get Fuzzy path or for someone who has loved it since the beginning.

I laughed; I cried; I spit up my tuna! A bunch of old favorites, plus a lot that I had forgotten. Hurry and order, before Darby Conley retires, or whatever those cartoonists do when they burn out...

this book is so good that i re-read it again for old times sake! if i need a laugh or smile i just pick a randomn page and read the current comic strip. this is by far the best work of darby conley yet!

As with all previous Get Fuzzy collections, this one serves up more antics of our favorite trio .... the only thing I miss is the full color on the Sunday strips, other than that no complaints and as always, Conley delivers cutting edge wit throughout this collection. A must have for any Get fuzzy fan or anyone who is not familiar with his work I would recommend giving any in this collection a chance.

This is a typical collection of strips, but if you love "Get Fuzzy" (I do) you'll love this.

The second edition of this book was recently offered and I'm really pleased to finally get a copy. Melonpool is very rare among internet strips as it has well-developed characters with charm and personality and is well-drawn. It's been favorably compared to Calvin & Hobbes for good reason. It does help to start at the beginning (and this book starts just there) so you can get to know the circumstances the characters are living under and their basic personalities. Steve Troop deserves to be in newspapers and it's a shame that none of the syndicates have recognized his talent.

Melonpool is a great comic. It is a funny book with stories for all ages. The author does parodies on all different kinds of popular media. The chacters make for a funny story in every strip. Steve Troop,(the author) is brillant. I like this book better than Peanut , Garfield, or Calvin and Hobbs. If you buy this book, you wont regret it!

If you're a fan of comic strips, then you really should be let in on a little secret-the best comic strips today aren't in newspapers; they're online. One of the first, and greatest, online comics I read was Mayberry Melonpool. Troop's work will remind you of the heyday of most great comic strips; there is an aura of good feelings about these strips that is just infectuous, that will make you smile if you're not already aughing out loud at Steve's unabashed silliness. While this book contains a collection of great comics, by far the best part is following Steve Troops journey as his characters and strip evolve. If you enjoyed books like "Pre-History of the Far Side" or "The Essential Calvin and Hobbes," then you will want to check this tome out.

The Ultimate Melonpool is a great book about the evolution of one of todays most popular internet comic strips. Reading this book gives the reader the story behind his most popular works. His witty, timely humor is also apparent in the fantastic collection of strips in this book. This book must be read by any fan of witty humor. His website is updated daily with new strips. You should expect to see Troop's strip syndicated shortly.

In a world of sub par performances, it's nice every once in a while to see an instant classic like the Melonpool saga. This book is not only a superb collection of some of the best cartoon art available, it's also a glimpse into the mind of one of the world's truly misunderstood geniuses. I KNOW Steve Troop. I've broken bread with him. I've bowled with Steve Troop. I've held covoluted discussions with Steve Troop. Those of you who were never as lucky might benefit from reading this book...

Yes.
This is the ultimate guide to Zen.
TCC's great drawings and simple explanations brings you the Zen thinking to your home.

A must have for anyone interested in eastern culture.

Just getting started on your desire to understand eastern philosophies? Have you stood at the bookstore for hours pouring over where to start and what to buy?

Any of this authors books are a wonderful place to start. The reason? Because these books are all about the title subject in a nutshell, easy to read as a comic book, the story lines and illustrations are wonderful, and after you read this as well as all the other books by Tsai, you will have a great, well rounded start on your path and will know what you want to study more deeply!

To add, when others ask you about your interest in eastern philosophy, you can get them started here as well, because these books are fun, consise, and you know they will enjoy them over and over again!

This book exists to make Zen more accessible to the general public. For those people that practice Zen, the essence of Zen can only be felt or only be understood but not through words or pictures. As one teaching of Zen would have it, you would appreciate how beautiful the moon is rather than the finger that points you to that moon. I have to admit that this book manages to clarify certain teachings that are also mentioned in other Zen books. I'm not saying that this comic book provides me with the absolute truth about certain Zen sayings but it does provide me with an insight. Everyone has their own ways of getting to the original thinking & if this book cuts the cake, so be it. If we think that this is merely a comic book, then, it is a delusion! Remember, don't judge a book by its cover. This book is profoundly serious. Highly recommended, light-hearted & enjoyable to read.

"Comics are just words and pictures. You can say anything with words and pictures." ---someone I don't recall.

This comic book contains one hundred Zen Tales (koans), and I have heard some of them before. They seem to gain something when presented in this format. The author brings out something of the shock that is enlightenment that I hadn't really felt in the stroies before. The artwork is simple, yet effective. The writing is the same. The ideas conveyed are both profound and obvious. And, of course, it is a very enjoyable read.

Hard to imagine that a cartoon could unfold the depths of Zen. Perhaps it is the fact the cartoons are brief yet encapsulate so much. Personally, I find it to be in the expressions of the characters in the drawings that tell the story. I really feel the smiles throughout the book and can almost see them winking along with that smile.

Never straying from the seriousness of Zen, this little gem really reveals the joy that lies underneath. A great way to get started; a great little reminder for those already underway.