Comics Books

Just buy this already-- here's a book with great production values that features one of the great artists (of any kind!) of the 20th century, Villy Elder. "Genius" it says-- and for once it's fully justified. Comic genius, artistic genius, wiseass genius: Elder is the real thing.

Will Elder, as you know was one of the Original EC Comics Artists. Along with Harvey Kurtzman he was a Part of the first 25 Issues of Mad Magazine.
His amazing Art helped to define what Mad was all about. To put it in Words, this man went Plumb Loco, and just about created Lampoon Art all on his own.

This Lavish 392 Page Book is The Document of Will's Life and his Art. Over 100 Pages of his Comic Art is Reproduced here, and this Material is a Feast for the Eyes, for anyone who enjoys Comics and Good Humor.

Besides Mad, Will's work in other Publications are here as well. The Humor Magazines: Panic, Trump, Humbug, Help! and Pageant are all represented with lot's of his Work not seen in decades. The 'Liitle Annie Fanny" and "Goodman Beaver" Stories {Teaming with Harvey Kurtzman, again} are here in Bulk as well.

Paintings, Portraits, Still Lifes, Stetches and Drawings from Will's Personal Files show another side of his Talents.

This Book is One of the Best, I have every seen on the Subject of a Comic Artist...{And I have seen a few!}. It is a Massive Volume about an American Original...The One and Only...Villie Elder !!!

Will Elder is one of the greatest artists in American history. Elder's works have appeared in magazines ranging from Mad to Playboy. Many of Elder's best works are parodies of such comic strips as Archie and Lil' Abner. Elder eventually became a full-time artist at Playboy Magazine and was one of Hugh Hefner's top assistants.

This is a must have book for all Will Elder fans.

This collection of Elder's work is a solid addition to what is already available. (The complete Mad comic book issues are available in paperback form at most bookstores, and the Little Annie Fanny series can be ordered from Amazon.) This volume contains much of Elder's work from Trump, Humbug and Help, as well as other magazines, like the 1950s Pageant.

Also included are many personal paintings and drawings of Elder's family, as well as landscapes.

A class clown in art school, Elder also assiduously studied such masters as Peter Breughel and Cezzane. In fact, he even gives homage to these painters in an illustrated series for Pageant, in which he discusses the artists which inspired him.

There is a lengthy essay by Bill Stoudt in which he describes the painstaking process by which Elder, Harvey Kurtzman and Hugh Hefner created each episode of the "Little Annie Fanny" series. Hefner insisted that each page resemble a painting, and that is precisely what Elder delivered. Only after numerous drafts, sketches and erasures was a page of "Annie" ready for print.

When commissioned to satirize Norman Rockwell, Elder decided to prepare for the work exactly as Rockwell would. He enlisted his neighbors to model for the characters in the painting, and the result was the hilarious "Visit to Grandma's" in which a wholesome American family is depicted feeding small animals to a Venus Fly-Trap plant.

You can look over the panels of "L'il Melvin" or "Howdy Dooit" and see something different each time. This is because Elder doted over each picture, cramming it with details, building one joke over the next. Thus it took hours - maybe days - to complete one page, but so what? It kept the kids in the 1950s laughing their butts off! (I know because I was one of them. We used to run around the playground, running like the characters in the "Starchie" parody with our knees up to our chins.)

But did he make money? Well, eventually, but he could have made a lot more. In 1956, Kurtzman and Elder left Mad to start their own humor magazine, Trump, financed by Hugh Hefner. Kurtzman had given an ultimatum to publisher William Gaines that he would remain with Mad only if he could retain 51% ownership. Gaines insisted on 49%, so Kurtzman quit. In retrospect, he should have stayed, because the magazine went on to make a fortune for Gaines. Trump, however, folded after two issues.

As other reviewers have suggested, Elder's work belongs not only the category of "comic books" but possibly to the world of art. Will Elder drew in the tradition of Breughel and Hogarth. He drew the Human Comedy. Ultimately, he held the mirror up to nature and found it all hilarious.

I'm not going to fault Daniel Clowes for including selections from Elder's work available elsewhere (MAD satires on "Gasoline Alley", "Archie", etc) or for NOT including the complete "Goodman Beaver Goes Playboy," which is apparently under copyright limitations from the ARCHIE publishers (and is available elswhere on the 'net!) However I would have preferred more complete sequences from TRUMP and HUMBUG - which are not readily available elsewhere - and fewer examples of Elder's "straight" artwork - one still-life fruitbowl is plenty, thanks! How about more on the "A Night at the Castle" and "With trembling pseudopods" illos, which are in any event reproduced elsewhere?

It's been 15 years and Scott Adams shows now signs of slowing down or the ckind of burnout that caused Bill Watterson to retire from Calvin and Hobbes. Thank God! Because Dilbert remains the most consistently funny comic strip in the papers. A daily dose of wry, sarcastic wit that is daily bread to those of us toiling away in an office environment.

The title of this book says it all...who hasn't wanted to smack the person reviewing us upside the head and ask them what the hell were they thinking when they wrote it. Reviews, marketing, computers, stupid bosses...it's all to be read and mocked in Scott's latest collection.

It was beginning to look like Scott Adams would run out of material for Dilbert, but the corporate world just keeps spinning. Words.. is a new high level in corporate mayhem. From Dogbert the headhunter to the genius garbage man and of course Catbert the evil HR manager they are all here. We learn that "plundered" is now called "enhanced stock holder values." The pointy hair boss gets a body double for safety, and Dilbert invents a robot clone to double his visibility. It's another swipe at office management and the minions who toil our lives away in cubicles. Buy a 2nd copy and mail it to your pointy hair boss. Better yet, buy a 3rd copy and mail that one to your HR Catbert.

One of the reasons I like this one so much is because it contains the comic strips that I always read in the paper last year. These are a few of the reasons why you should buy this book.

Toxic Tom
Dilbert as a sheep
Wally being lasy a usual
Dogbert's Tech Support
The Consultick
Dilbert's mood altering drugs
The furniture psychic
The new dress code which is barrels
My favorite comic which is the one where Wally researches Greek names for a new product

This are a bunch of really great comics and they are a must buy for all Dilbert fans.

This is another very funny and spot-on book from Adams. Some of the characters like Ratbert and Dogbert don't appear as much, but Wally comes on strong and new characters are introduced like ConsulTick.

What's funny is the resonant note that Dilbert has struck with so much of corporate America. Having been an employee at a major Fortune 500 company for many years myself, I was convinced that Adams was talking about my company, and so did everyone else, although the resemblances at times could be almost eerie.

Adams's cartoons of the more absurd and ridiculous aspects of corporate culture (which at times seems to be about 99% of it) continue to provide much needed comic relief for hapless cubicle dwellers everywhere, and this is another funny book from Adams that shouldn't disappoint his fans.

It's more Dilbertine for the addicted like myself and allthough there are a couple of minuses to mention the level of hilarity stays high as always. And how could it not? The inspiration from the corporate world keeps coming through in tsunami waves.

While one of the most cult characters in the Dilbert series (Wally) gains even more of the spotlight other equally legendary characters like Ratbert but above all Dogbert himself keep getting lesser and lesser appearances. That's a pity actually as especially these two have offered unforgettable moments in the past. Another thing connected with these two fading somewhat is that we get fewer moments of Dilbert at home and more in the office. Tha creates somewhat of an imbalance which was not present in the initial installments of the series.

All in all though, this gets adequately compensated by Adam's invincible humor and the introduction of new characters who might have less of a lifespan in comparison to Ratbert and Dogbert but who provide for some freshness nevertheless.

Other than that it's Wally galore to the max. Wally has been the secret ace of this comic all along. This is cynicism at its very best and its most hardcore. The lines coming out of Wally's mouth are surreal.
The Dilbert series continues to be a classic.

This book makes a great gift for your writer friends. After all, you can't just keep buying them nice pens for Christmas.... I found this while looking for a gift--and ended up reading it before I gave it away, though I wanted to keep it and tear out the pages to post 'round my desk. Really funny, really true (the best kind of humor).

'Writer at Work' is a high quality, thoroughly wonderful collection of Richard Krzemien's unique cartoons about the writing life. From the superb renderings to the pithy punchlines, each cartoon is a work of art in its own right. The keen eye will note the bookshelf in each drawing with a message specific to the cartoon written on the book bindings - a bonus addition to the cartoons. Funny and poignant - these cartoons can be enjoyed by writers and non-writers alike.

Krzemien finds his own unique truth about the writing process, then passes it on to readers with great humorous insight. This is a "must read" for anyone who claims to make a living with the written word. Feel the pain - and live to laugh about it.

I know lots of writers, and they're all depressed. They're constantly getting rejected, having their work chopped to pieces, and generally suffering from a lack of self esteem. This book makes them laugh out loud; the relief is palpable...someone who feels their pain and makes it funny. And you can look at it more than once, because of the detail in the pictures; you see things in the background that you miss the first time.

I laughed, I cried, [...], and that was for my own work. Finally, someone who understands the pain, yes the joy of putting words to paper. Helpful to any professional or student and, amazingly, the insights come at a price your therapist can't match.

I didn't expect to like this since it's marketed for children, but I freaking *loved* it! It's humorous, it's imaginative, it's really fun! I would recommend this for anyone who likes sci-fi or humor. Can't wait for volume 2! :)

Zapt is a cross between The Last Starfighter and the Green Lantern Corp but with fun Manga sensibilities. Its like the Saturday morning cartoon I always longed for but never got. A cool concept full of sci-fi tech, pirates, and a relateable main character. The art is very clean and in the stylized vein of Teen Titans Go! and X-Men Evolution. The dialogue is fluid and the story is just cool. I picked this book up on a whim and now have been recommending it around my circle of friends. Excellently written, fun book!

Shannon Denton and Keith Giffen have crafted a fun sci-fi/super-hero title that readers of all ages can read and enjoy. If you are an older comics fan would like a fun, quick read, then this is a great choice. Or, if you're a comics fan looking to turn some young readers on to comics, this is an excellent choice. I've bought several copies to give out to friends with kids.

I also really like Armand Villavert's art -- fun, clean and expressive. He's new to the comics scene, but looks like he'll have a nice long career if this book is any indication!

One of the best, most imaginative books I've read in a long time. Aliens, space pirates, this one's got it all!

In this hilarious first volume of the ZAPT! adventures, normal kid Armand finds himself having a typical day of school: he's tripped on the school bus, finds himself stuffed in a trash can, has his essay homework go missing, and realizes, at the last minute -- and to his horror -- that it's picture day.

And then things aren't quite as typical anymore. From one second of being in the school hallway to the next, when he finds himself in P.O.O.P. headquarters, Armand isn't sure exactly what's happened. Turns out he's the newest rookie recruit to the P.O.O.P. Squad, otherwise known as the Pangalactic Order of Police.

Now Armand has been teamed up with Payleen, a talkative, hyperactive Pandekian, on a "test mission." Except, as seems to be happening a lot during this really weird day, nothing goes according to plan. During the course of days, or maybe it's only minutes, the two meet a space pirate, fix a broken Capernium generator, and watch a princess-in-hiding being kidnapped. Seems it's all in a day's work for the members of P.O.O.P.

ZAPT! is a great graphic novel, full of action-adventure and laugh-out-loud humor perfect for all ages. I plan to pass this book along to my ten-year-old son next, who I'm sure will enjoy it. A great first volume in this new series, you don't want to miss ZAPT!

Reviewed by: Jennifer Wardrip, aka "The Genius"

Where were YOU on the morning of September 11th, 2001? I was at work when Howard Stern reported that a plane had crashed into one of the World Trade Center Towers. Having been born and raised in The Bronx before moving to Rochester, N.Y., my workday immediately ended as I focused my full attention on Howard's show; He became my only link to the city I loved and would always call home. Later on came the TV reports and the images that will never leave my mind, but for those first few hours, I sat listening in shock as the man who makes me laugh every workday became my only connection to family, friends, and loved ones who were suddenly living in a war-zone.

9-11: Emergency Relief is a benefit book that is filled with true stories from September 11th. They range from touching, to infuriating, to thought-provoking, and the list of creators reads like a who's who of Indy Comics: James Kochalka, Will Eisner, Tony Millionaire, Harvey Pekar, Tom Hart, Joyce Brabner, Ted Rall, and literally DOZENS of others. Besides being entertaining, and raising money for the Red Cross, the book fulfills another important purpose: It stands as a reminder of a day we must NEVER forget. God Bless America!

9-11: Emergency Relief puts a unique perspective on a shared tragedy. Taking the events out of the cold realism of news photography and video and into the pen and ink world of the comix artist lets the reader share the emotions of another individual on a highly personalized level.

Do not let the genre keep you from reading this book! Even if you are not a comix afficionado, the images and storytelling technique of each artist/author are fascinating and deeply moving.

Like any good book, it is well structured. Stories lead up to the event, there are on-site accounts, the aftermath, and the realization that we're living in a changed world. For people having trouble coming to terms with the events of 9-11 -- regardless of their age -- this book provides comfort and insight. We all have stories to tell about 9-11 and most readers have probably wished they could express their own feelings so well. Fortuntely, this group of artists says it for us.

Easily the best of the comics industry's myriad responses to the tragedy of September 11th, this book gets down into the nitty-gritty of human experiences and reactions to tragedy. No superheroes. No larger-than-life expostulation. Just real people - talented artists - telling amazing stories. Higlights include Gregory Benton's "Treasure," an untitled Hutch Owen story by Tom Hart that manages to toe the fine line between rage and sentiment and "Citadel Of The Night" by K. Thor Jensen and Chris Knowle. Honestly, though, the book is so full of great material that nobody should be without it.

After the September 11th terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and in the skies over Pennsylvania, some 50 graphic novelists and cartoonist ranging from such legendary names as Will Eisner and Harvey Pekar, to newer talents such as Frank Cho and James Kochalka, came together in a very special project as a way of expressing their grief, patriotism, and support of the American people in the face of naked, lethal, ideologically driven aggression. The result is 9-11: Emergency Relief, a powerful graphic novel. The proceeds will go to benefit the American Red Cross. Simply put, every school and every community library in the country should acquire a copy of 9-11: Emergency Relief for the edification of their students and their patrons.

Everyone has a dark side--it's that frightening part of our personalities that drives
you to root for something to blow up and hurt James Bond. It's what makes us "root
for the bad guy" at Mel Gibson films. It's what drove us to watch with rapt attention
on September 11, as the Civilized World crumbled before our eyes.

This, happily, is not the part of us that forces us onward through "9-11," a graphic
novel that tells nearly fifty stories by respected creators from the comic-book industry
about the terrorist attacks and their implications. "9-11" is, with rare exception
like Ashley Wood's obscenity-laden two page monologue, a labor of profound love.

Here, comics legend Will Eisner--who literally invented the concept of "sequential
art," the name by which the academic community now refers to comics--joins virtually
ever major creator in the comics industry in donating his time, money, energy and
artwork to charities benefiting the victims of the September 11 terror attacks.

Marvel Comics lead the pack, their magazine-format "Heroes" book being the first
released (in late October) and best-promoted of all benefit books. The first week
in January, they followed up with "Moment of Silence," another comics-for-charity
project to which Hollywood director and comics guru Kevin Smith contributed a story.
"9-11" was released on January 9 by Alternative Comics, a small, independent publisher.
It contains mostly works done by small-press of self-published comics creators who
are not under contract to a major publisher. Contributors include Phil Hester of
DC Comics' best-selling "Green Arrow," Michael Avon Oeming of "Powers" and "Bluntman
and Chronic" fame, Eisner and "Bone" scribe Jeff Smith. Sixty-two stories featuring
more than 75 creators are collected in the 200-page book, which costs [price]. All
profits from the sale of "9-11" go to the American Red Cross.

Especially notable in the "9-11" tribute book are several pieces by non-legends,
who have been largely overlooked even in the comics press due to names like Harvey
Pekar, Will Eisner and Tony Millionaire being attached to the project. A. David Lewis'
11-page "Alabaster Cities" details his exploits on the morning of September 11, which
are refreshingly non-dynamic. Rather than depicting himself running out the door
to help, as is the temptation when writing a story about your personal reaction to
great tragedy, Lewis and many other creators in the book simply paint a picture of
desperate phone calls, frantic e-mails and great personal reflection and fear. Despite
a medical condition that precludes him from Armed Services duty, Lewis confesses
to ever-so-briefly worrying about being drafted on September 11--a thought that surely
crossed the mind of every young male in the country in the hours following the attacks
on America.

John "Bean" Hastings has a short but poignant story about the importance of art and
popular culture in troubled times--it's clear that he put a lot of himself in a small
amount of pages, and the result is stellar. Keith Knight's indictment of middle America's
closedminded attacks against Arab-Americans and Danny Donovan's disappointment that
the heroes of comic books and movies weren't there to save us when it was truly needed,
hit home in witty and well-thought-out stories designed to make readers take a break
from the seemingly endless pages of grieving and think about their own attitudes.

All in all, "9-11" is a beautiful book, put together by truly talented people and
well-executed; it can do no person harm to buy a copy. Or two--the money, after all,
is going to charity.

Asterix and friends battle Romans and go to different places. They also encounter new foreigners and always share wild boar with them. I rate it 5 stars because this book is better than the other books I have read.

I rate this book 5 stars because it was the best collection of Asterix comics I ever read. I was surprised when I found these sort of books at amazon.com. I am sure that from now on this is going to be my online book shop. have fun reading a lot more wonderful books at AMAZON.COM!!!!

Asterix should be read by all kids and adults. The jokes in it will make you laugh and give you a good feeling all over. Asterix is about a group of Gauls trying to defend themselves against the Romans and all the misadventures they have. All the stories take place in the year 50 B.C. the time of Julius Caesar and his conquests. These Gauls are the only people who are able to defend themselves against Caesar and his Romans. They contain such lovable characters as Asterix (a little midget that is clever and lovable) Obelix (a big fat stupid man who eats wild boars and beats up Roman soldiers) and Getafix (the druid who brews the magic potion that gives superhuman strenght) This is a good way for people who don't know who Asterix is to start. It contains five classics. It contains Asterix and Cleopatra, Asterix and the Big Fight, Asterix and the Cauldron, Asterix and the Chieftans Shield, and the Twelve Tasks of Asterix (based on the film) Each them are highly enjoyable. Not only that but Rene Goscinny does a wonderful story each time. One of the best things about it is the art work done by Albert Uderzo. The illistrations in it are beautifully done and contain much detail. To sum it all up, read it!

These tales are of great interest to adults. Cuttin the age at 12 is a great diservice to older folk who may think that they are *kiddies* books. Far from it. There are many references that only an adult or high teen would get, but they are still fun for the younger set. I would suggest that Amazon change the reading age to 9 to (whatever). Aloha

Asterix remains arguably the best comic book series ever written. It will delight to follow the french/belgian hero together with his fat friend Obelix (and his diminutive pet dog) throughout their adventures in the ancient world. Humor is always very subtle and entertaining and never falls into vulgarity. You will also find that the plot is coherent from beginning to end and every statement has a reason to be. By now you know I am one of those "till death" Asterix supporters - but for a good reason.

beautiful drawings...no matter how self critical mr. ware was back in the day. the book really allows the reader into the head of a master illustrator. if you're looking more for a graphic novel, don't start with this one (try his first real freshman work jimmy c, or his ACME novelty library, probably my favorite - you get a real sense of what ware is all about - clean lines, insane, or better put, anal details). anyway, back to this one...great book, if you're a fan of ware, there's no reason not to get this one, and if you're not yet convinced, this is a nice piece just to have - these same drawings and doodles that once inspired ware himself, now get me thinking. love it.

I didn't think I would like this one. But after owning everything else the man ever made, I asked for this one for x-mas. Wow! I love it! There are spontaneous portraits of people on the bus, views from friend's rooftops, the rudiments of strips like: God, Jimmy the robot etc...
If you are a Chris Ware fan YOU WILL LOVE THIS BOOK! If you are not familiar with Chris, best to start somewhere else.

If you want to see inside Chris Ware's head, this is the book. There's next to no Jimmy Corrigan or Acme Novelty, just raw sketches of inspiration and internal struggle spanning 9 years of Ware's life (1986-1995). As an illustrator/designer, I found this book to be the most inspirational book I own, and I own many inspirational books. I definately recommend it.

I just finished reading this, and it's a real treat. Fans of Jimmy Corrigan or Acme Novelty Library will enjoy drafts of these but expect differences in style. This gives a better look at Chris Ware than his other publications that I've read. You can really feel his frustrations in this work. I reccommend this to both fans and non-fans.

The book is a record of an absolute monster drawing talent!
It collects tentative investigations, as a scrapbook of ideas and odds and ends. The amazing thing about it is its vitality.
Anything and everything becomes a source of inspiration and investigation into the nature of drawing. A coffee cup, a telephone in a waiting room, a washing machine, such mundane things seem to begin as notations but are transformed by Ware's observation of line and tone into their inner vitality - much like Van Gogh's peasant shoes. There are beautiful portraits. And beyond the observed notes, the book is positively brimming with characters, mutations, and cartoons from his eccentric imagination. The fantastical musings and the observed notations blend, merge together, separate like DNA strands through the book, adding up to a rich record of creativity

Eric Shanower is a true Oz genius. He is one of the only authors I know that not only give you a written word story that is close to the original tone and feel of the Baum classics, but he lets you really =see= the stories through his wonderful art.

These five stories, formerly available only as long out-of-print graphic novels, are collected together under one cover and one imprint. Formerly First Comics published these wonderful fully illustrated titles in a single issue graphic novel format, in a size (about 8 by 10 inches) that really lets you enjoy Shanower's wonderful art.

"Enchanted Apples of Oz," the 1st story, takes us on a journey to see the Wicked Witch of the South and what happens when someone falls in love with her (for a while anyway... :-). The story is about Bortag and his quest for the Enchanted Apples of Oz. I won't ruin it for you, but I loved them all, especially Quox the Flying Blue Marlin.

"The Secret Island of Oz," the 2nd story, takes Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Cowardly Lion, and Eureka on a journey to find the Crimson Tailed Quipperug and what happens to them along the way. I think you'll enjoy the story of Knotboy and Princess Trin.

"The Ice King of Oz," the 3rd story, takes us on a journey to the land of the Ice King. My favorite character was Flicker, the candle-maker, and his vital role in rescuing Ozma from a frozen fate.

"The Forgotten Forest of Oz," the 4th story, tells about Nelanthe, a wood-nymph, and how she falls under the spell of the King of the Trolls, and what Dorothy, Toto, the Scarecrow, and the Sawhorse have to do this time to save Oz.

Finally, "the Blue Witch of Oz," easily one of the best illustrated, tells the tale of what happened to the Good Witch of the East and also what happened to her and her family.

Oz fans will find very little to quibble with here - Eric tells these tales as though he had the ear of Baum himself - and even non-Oz fanatics will find these stories easy to read and very fun.

I highly recommend buying this - especially since Shanower gives you such wonderful stories you can even read to young children while showing them what they see. A real gem to add to the crown of Oz.

This book far exceeded my expectations. I like comics that have brilliant, bright, beautiful artwork and I have to say out of any comics I have ever read, this is by far the best. The illustrations in this book are more like book illustrations that comics. The story lines are wonderful and "fit" with the other Oz stories. The book is a high quality paperback with thick glossy pages. It is well worth the price.

My first acquaintance with Eric Shanower's work was made when I hit on a slim volume called "the Enchanted Apples of Oz". I always search in the children's section of bookshops with the hope I will find something that will appeal to, as well as satisfy, my sense of wonder. Sure, I've spent many hours boring myself amongst piles of children's books totally inadequate for my adult brain who sees in them an unvarying sameness, but this consistent pursue has led me to the discovery of books whose imaginative work surpasses the customary outline that defines children's books. Shanower's stories and artwork transport the reader onto a mythic land which is as realistic as realistic is the pleasure one feels while being in this world. This pleasure I can only compare to the one I felt as a child when reading good old Walt Disney's stories. Through the years I've stopped reading cartoon stories such as those of Donald Duck and Uncle Scrooge and figured it was due to me growing up that I no longer found any excitement in them. Truth is, they hardly make quality comics nowadays - storytelling is reduced to a depiction of a fictional reality that is so much the same to the one we recognize as everyday reality. Shanower's work retains this old magic of cartoon series that is a fun to read no matter how old you are.
His respect towards his creation is felt throughout his stories and it is a respect the reader returns by making more room for this world and its characters to exist in one's imagination alongside with all the treasured creatures of our childhood. Yes, fantasy has intellectual faculties and once conceived it is never forgotten; it becomes ours forever and the pleasure of it remains.
"Adventures in Oz" features all five Oz graphic novels that Shanower created. Before ordering it, I hesitated as to whether the storyline would be as good as in "The Enchanted Apples of Oz" and thus, I wondered if there would be full-color illustration (I did not want any black&white surprise at this price). When I got it, I saw I had a treasure in my hands. Indeed, the stories get even better and it is in glossy full color illustrations that drowns the reader into the Oz land in a flash. The printing quality is of a high standard - better than the original publications and the color and black line art gives depth to the work. I am glad I got the hardback edition because I leaf through it so many times, so this binding is just.

L. Frank Baum's delightful Oz books have entertained every generation of readers, young and old alike, since they first appeared more than half a century ago. Indeed, so popular was the world of Oz and its myriad of colorful characters, that after his death other writers took up the task of creating more stories set in that colorful land over the rainbow. Now Eric Shanower has imaginatively written and beautifully illustrated five more stories that are combined in a large format graphic novel called "Adventures In Oz". The stories include 'The Enchanted Apples of Oz', 'The Secret Island of Oz', 'The Ice King of Oz', 'The forgotten Forest of Oz', and 'The Blue Witch of Oz'. Carrying and expanding the mythology, legendary, and fairy-tale fantasy first established by Frank Baum and enthusiastically recommended reading for ages 8 to 80, "Adventures In Oz" does full homage and credit to the growing library of Oz books, - and this time with the added visual and storytelling benefits of the graphic novel format. For school and community libraries (and dedicated Oz fans) it should be noted that IDW Publishing plans to release a hardcover edition next year that will have 70 additional pages of behind-the-scenes materials, including material from Eric Shanower's sketchbook, character designs, an essay by Eric about his experiences creating Oz comic stories, a variety of illustrations he has created for other Oz publications, short Oz comic stories, and more.

From 1986-92, Eric Shanower made 5 Graphic Oz Novels (comic-like books) that told the fascinating stories of 'the Enchanted Apples', 'the Secret Island', 'the Ice King', 'the Forgotten Forest' and 'the Blue Witch' of Oz, all of which followed the adventures of Dorothy and Scarecrow with their friends, saving good people (sometimes one of them being misguided into doing bad things) from even worse people. Here, 'Adventures in Oz' is not a new story book by Eric Shanower, but a COLLECTION of ALL 5 Stories. Both the black-and-white and colour artwork for the graphic novels and other books have been rescanned by the publisher IDW Publishing, and Eric made sure that printing mistakes from the original editions would not be repeated (i.e. bits of a picture without colour) and did some minor revisions to the artwork, so therefore this book looks better than the orginal printings. The advances in the past 20 years makes the colours look far closer to what Eric Shanower originally painted than in the original printings of his Oz graphic novels - also his artwork changes from nearly good in 'Enchanted Apples' to Incredibly Fantastic and Lavish in 'Blue Witch'.
"Adventures in Oz" is actually published/printed in 2 different editions: a restored all-5-stories PAPERBACK (normal, currently still available) and a Deluxe LIMITED Signed Edition (which I am the lucky owner of!! Now Sold Out, Sorry!), which not only contains the original 5 stories in one volume but also includes some new, little seen and never-before-published material, such as Character Designs, Sketches, Colour Studies, Advertising Art, Abandoned Concepts and other things (just like the final Issue "9/Epilogue" of 'Oz: the Manga') not seen in the paperback version. The section for the extra material is more than 30 pgs and Eric was very keen on adding these special bonuses. Unfortunately it does not include the Introduction to 'Enchanted Apples' by Harlan Ellison.
BOTH Books have (in the following order) the same front and back cover design, Ozma & her tiny piglette on "This book belongs to", 2 red-dressed trolls, Scraps the Patchwork Girl with Toto and the Saw-Horse and tiny Flicker on the Book-Title pg, a re-scanning of the front & back cover for 'Enchanted Apples' but with 'Adventures' instead of the original title, Abatha the Blue Witch on a publishing pg, Nelanthe the Wood-Nymph with the Chapters, Eric Shanower's portrait of Ozma, "Just a word before you start", a Map of Oz (which again has the Blue East and Yellow West switching places!), Acknowledgements, 'the Enchanted Apples of Oz' story, 'the Secret Island of Oz' story, 'the Ice King of Oz' story, 'the Forgotten Forest of Oz' story, 'the Blue Witch of Oz' story (all 5 dedicated to someone special) and a colourful panel strip with the Oz characters. There are also ENDPAPERS, but both editions have different designs: the PAPERBACK has originally colourful yet b&w scanned pictures of the Famous 5 of Oz on the Yellow Brick Road (front) and the Forbidden Fountain of the Water of Oblivian (back), while the DLSE has new artwork of Eric's characters with 3 Denslow characters and two 'OZ' emblems. Also, in the DLSE after the 'colour-Oz-panel' comes the following: Eric's writing on him & Oz (throughout most of the book's ex. material), childhoods drawings (among them a history of the magic land), "General Jinjur of Oz" Pt. 1 in colour & Pt. 2 in design, design sketches for characters and books and location/places etc., Thanksgiving in Oz, Original opening for 'Forbidden Fruit of Oz' which became 'Enchanted Apples', rescanning of Eric's original graphic novel covers (without the writing), advertising art for the books, pictures made for magazines etc., origin of 'the Ice King', a try-out for Roger S. Baum's "Dorothy of Oz", original 'Story of Nebelle' before becoming Oz - which would've been out of place for Oz, alternate/cut-out endings, colour studies, cards & pin-ups, b&w pictures from Oz books illustrated by Eric Shanowers such as 'Wicked Witch' along with 2 Colour-Plates not in the book, 'Giant Garden', 'Runaway', 'Third Book', 'Invisible Inzi', 'Paradox' (which illustrates such films like 'Return', 'Journey Back', 'Cinar', silent films, etc.!), 'Oz-Story 6', 'Salt Sorcerer & Other Stories', another Ozma portrait, 'Oz-Story 3', 'Rundelstone', the annual Munchkin Convention and Winkie Convention of the International Wizard of Oz Club, 'the Living House' (which is seen on the 3-Disk MGM DVD!) and finally "If 6 Great Cartoonists had drawn Oz Characters'!
For me, I saw (and quickly scimmed through) "Forgotten Forest" and "Enchanted Apples" in 'Comic Kingdom' (which is also where I ordered copies of "Oz: the Manga") and I've always wanted to get 'the Blue Witch' which of course is out of print, but now that they are altogether in one brand-new collection, it doesn't hurt to get the one story I've always wanted with the other 4 stories and some extra delights (So Worth Looking at the Others!). Since I have never actually looked through or owned the orginal 5 books, I can't specify what has been changed or improved, but Eric did mention fixing the way he drew some of Dorothy's faces and the skin colour for the (human) characters, but unfortunately Dorothy still looks a bit too skinny and Ozma's hair isn't really tidy in 'Enchanted Apples'. Since I got 'Wicked Witch' long before 'Adventures' I often wondered at the drawing of "Who is that tiny little man with fire for hair?" Well, thanks to this book, I found out that it was Flicker from "Ice King (Oz)" and learned everything about him, so now I am no longer in the 'Not Know'.
I am VERY pleased to know that something OTHER than MGM is given a 'Special Anniversary Restored Edition' (it has been 20 years since the first publishing), and because of all the hard work that went into making this an 'Excellent Extended Edition' is why it took so long for its release. And I am REALLY GLAD to finally have my copy.
Eric Shanower also illustrated Rachel Cosgrove Payes' "the Wicked Witch of Oz" (which is not as scary or dark as it sounds, and can be bought through 'Hungry Tiger Press'), and even both written/illustrated other Oz books (Giant Garden, etc.). Although I never really liked his idea of giving Dorothy, Betsy and Trot modern-day clothes (shirts, shorts/pants, sneakers and socks that look suited for Summer) and copying John R. Neil's idea of all 3 girls having short hair (which can be confusing), his art is wonderful (ESPECIALLY in 'Blue Witch') and unlike John R. Neil, actually drew Betsy older than Dorothy and Trot younger than Dorothy, as originally written by L. Frank Baum in 'Lost Princess'. In 'Blue Witch', however, Eric redraws Denslow's Long-Haired Dorothy.
Once again, I am proud of some Classic Oz Books being restored for a Brand-New-Collection-Edition, especially since this saga was originally started by someone as talented as Eric Shanower, one of the greatest Oz Illustrators to ever live and draw!
Wouldn't it be GREAT if Eric did a Graphic Novel of L. Frank Baum's 'the Wonderful Wizard of Oz'?
P.S. On the MGM Oz - 3 Disk DVD, we actually see ERIC SHANOWER and some of his art in the 'Because of the Wonderful Things It Does: The Legacy of Oz' featurette, along with Willard Carroll! - but what about William Stout?

I recently purchased this volume, along with Starger & Spurlock's "Wally's World," and this is by far the superior of the two books. Rather than attempting to write a biography, as S&S do, Bhob Stewart has assembled some 35 essays about Wood, including four by Stewart himself. These range from one page to 46 pages in length, and from breezy to scholarly in tone. Some are more interesting and better-written than others, but collectively they add up to a fascinating portrait of a uniquely talented artist whose life ended far too soon.

As you'd expect with any book about Wood, there are copious illustrations, including 16 pages of full-color reproductions on glossy stock in the hardcover edition. (The paperback omits these.) The quality of the reproductions is generally good, although there is just the tiniest bit of bleed-through in the black-and-white pages. I wish they'd used a better grade of paper!

If you are a hardcore Wood fan, you should probably get both this book and "Wally's World." If you have to choose, this is the one to go with, assuming you can find a copy at an affordable price.

This is the penultimate guide on an artist who changed the way comic art is rendered today. This gargantuan exercise on artist Wallace Wood is an absolute for those who grew up with Woods magnificent style as well as the modern aspiring artist. Everything we see in comic art today can be traced in some shape or form to this master of pencil and India ink. The hand which so elegantly wielded the brush has been expertly brought back to life by Bhob Stewart. The text is written with a panache and flair almost completely missing from modern journalism on a subject so sadly underreported these days. Thanks to this wonderfully illustrated labor of love, the art of Wally Wood shall continue to live on for generations to come. All of today's modern heroes would not, could not exist had Wood's artistic creations not covered the span of decades. He was a true 20th-century Renaissance Man. "Against The Grain" is a work to be savored, embraced, shared by all serious artists who desire to know where it all began, and the man who rendered a new direction for a new century, Wally Wood.

"Against the Grain" is an excellent collection of artwork by the late comic book artist Wally Wood, accompanied with essays by his friends and associates.

If you've never heard of Wood, you are in for a major treat here: Martians, robots, other-world landscapes, elves and dinosaurs have never looked better before or since Wood's time. Wood's crisp handling of pen-and-ink, his superb attention to detail (which fans called "beautiful clutter") and his extraordinary use of shadow and light are here for the reader to behold. The illustrations cover the entire range of his career, including his work from the 1950s with EC comics, his illustrations for Galaxy and other sci-fi magazines and his final masterwork, "The Wizard King".

Whether it was a grotesque monster from an unknown planet or a parody of Superman, a complicated machine from the 24th century or a fighter jet battle, a lush female in a tight-fitting spacesuit or a caricature of a contemporary politician, Wood could draw it. He could have you reeling in terror from space aliens or laughing out loud with "Batboy and Ruben." His influence on future generations of cartoonists was extensive, and some of them pay tribute to him in this book.

He had both friends and fans, some of them aspiring artists who probably would have paid him just to work in his studio. He could play guitar and entertain a group with his conversation, which tripped from art to politics to science.

Thomas Edison once said that invention is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration, and Wally Wood must have understood that perfectly. His creations were the result not just of skill but of hours of labor. This is obvious from the fine details of such pieces as the spaceship interiors of "There'll Be Some Changes Made," his use of high contrast lighting in "Atom Bomb", the precisely-falling raindrops and slanted spears of "Joan of Arc," the exact movements of a medieval duel in "Trial by Arms"...

Phew! It's hard to know where to stop.

As a teenager and amateur cartoonist, I would imagine Wood as living in a Manhattan penthouse (for surely someone that talented would be rich) overlooking the New York skyline, working at his drawing board and surrounded by futuristic machines, while gorgeous women lounged about his bizarre-looking furniture. (He depicts himself in that manner in "My World", a tribute to science-fiction artists.)

Nothing could have been further from the truth. Despite his talent and his fans, Wood became a life-long alcoholic who worked in dank basements, spending weeks at his drawing board, half-wishing he could enter the fantastic environments he was creating and flee all his problems with publishers, bills and imperfect women. It was as if all his emotions had been bottle-necked and could only come out on the drawing board. (One of his three wives was a psychiatrist who concluded that he just had to control everything or else.) In the end, he just walked away from it all, putting himself to sleep with a handgun in 1979.

Still, his fans and associates have assembled this superb collection and hopefully there will be more of them.

I came upon this book while browsing a comic shop in Cambridge, and soon realised it was the long promised comprehensive survey of Wood's art and career. I applaud Bhob Stewart for his perseverance and obvious passion in bringing this book to publication. Any fan of Wood's will want to read this book. It contains tons of great art ; some of it obscure and previously unseen, and the biographical information it presents is thorough, and illustrated with great photos. A blurb on the back of the book proclaims, "Hooray for Wally Wood" and sure enough the vivid and imaginitive genius of Wood is on full display between its covers. This is the triumph part of his story, and it makes it a must have art book. But this book bravely explores the person of Wood as well,including the negatives, and the price he paid for his obsessive genius. It's a tragedy that anyone who knows Wood's story is familiar with, and it speaks loudly to the American culture at large, and how we have in the past, sometimes treated our heroes like throwaway commodities. After seeing some of the gorgeous art in the book, it seems incongrous to imagine the same Wood staying up for 3 days on Dexdrine to ink a Wonder Woman comic, but it happened, and frequently. A giant like Wood routinely worked on mediocre jobs just to scrape by. This warts and all approach is as honest as it is heatbreaking, and in my opinion transforms the book into a work of art of another variety, in its portrayal of a gifted but tortured individual. Attention, Hollywood!
Assistants Paul Kirshner, Nick Cuti and others contribute amazing , written tributes to Wood that say just how much they loved the guy, all the while dealing with his difficult personality. For these heartfelt rememberances alone, this book is a welcome, if sobering addition to the legacy of the great Wallace Wood.
I don't know if the author's intent was to produce anything more than a beautiful art book and tribute to his friend, but the fact that this book also functions as a cautionary tale that provides insight into the creative process and inner workings of such an American icon as Wood, is a facinating by product that should be of interest to any general reader.

Although it had been promised to be a "definitive biography" by the publisher, Against the Grain: Mad Artist Wallace Wood continues the piecemeal format of everything that has been available about Wood and his contemporaries (Severin, Elder, Ingels, Crandall, Williamson, Craig, Davis, et al) for the last 40 years. -Which is to say it's a rambling book of personal essays/reminiscences, panel discussion excerpts and brief, fan-flavored interviews. The books one undeniable saving grace is that it is very generously embellished with samples of the artist's work. But overall, it feels like a blow-out issue of Squa Tront.

This will scratch the itch of the diehard and casual fan who wanted a coffee table browser on the subject. For those, like me, who hoped, finally, to see the subject's life drawn in one cohesive portrait by an insightful Boswell, it's a letdown, or "more of same."

I hope the book does well. It is, perhaps, an urgently needed Wood intro for newer generations who lack a sense of history. It is a welcome public reminder/declaration of Wood's place in The Comic Pantheon, where he clearly stands shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Roy Crane, Milt Caniff, Walt Kelly, Al Capp, Chester Gould and, dare one utter it, the Great Charles Schulz. Honest, it's not a bad little read. But I wish it had offered something new on the subject, or at least somehow extended the genre of fan appreciation/criticism established by Squa Tront during the 60s and 70s. As it is, this book has an odd way of making me feel that an entire generation, my generation, never really grew up.

Another addition to a wonderful series to share with your children ages 7-12.

If you know anything about Akiko and her friends, or you don't, Akiko and her fiends are a little different... or alot. In the book, wait, I shouldn't give all the deails. Read it for your self. I think it's the best one yet!!!!!! :-)

If you know anything about Akiko and her friends, or you don't, Akiko and her fiends are a little different... or alot. In the book, wait, I shouldn't give all the deails. The main part is that it takes place in The Alpha Centauri 5000 in space. They might get smooshed in one part. You should read it for your self to find out. I think it's the best one yet!!!!!! :-)

Akiko and the Alpha Centauri 5000 is a wonderful addition to the Akiko series. When her friends from Smoo trans-moovulate her on board the Boach's Bullet to help them win the Alpha Centauri 5000, Akiko is a little upset. But soon enough she's pitching in to help Spuckler win against the sneaky Streed. If you like light adventure stories, you're going to love this new Akiko.

Eleven spaceships, four aliens, and a fifth grader compete in an intergalactic race from one side of the universe to the other but must face some formidable challenges during the race. When Spuckler finds his old rival is also in the running, Akiko finds herself in the competition for a trophy in Aiko & the Alpha Centauri 5000, a fun science fiction tale for young readers.