Cartoons Books

I am an avid reader of indices -- the index to "The Meaning of Lost and Mismatched Socks" is truly one of the best I have ever found. (The book itself is a multilayered masterpiece.)

Rapturous. Incredible. Meaningful. Necessary. All children and adults should sway to the power of the missing sock. For yea, it is through missing socks that we may truly approach deeper thought about the multifarious mysteries of the Universe. Thank you, Thank you, good Doctor.

Harry S. Robins, who is also known as the voice of various scientists in Half-Life, and plays Dr. Kleiner himself in Half-Life 2, here expounds on a matter of pressing importance...especially pressing to socks pining for their mates.

For fans of Half-Life, as well as wearers of socks, purchase of this volume is mandatory!

I've been reading the adventures of the Canadian Patterson family ever since Elizabeth was younger than her sister April is now. I love the way Lynn Johnston's characters grow up and develop...sure, it ensures the eventual end of the strip, but on the other hand I find it so much more interesting this way than characters that stay five-years old forever, like Dennis the Menace or the Peanuts.

I love comic strip collections. On the whole, they're cheaper than buying a year's worth of newspapers, and invaluable if you miss several issues.

In this particular collection, Elly and Phil's dealings with their aging parents hit a little close to home with me, as I and my brother find ourselves in a similar situation. It's uncanny because I experienced some of the guilt, helplessness, and frustration that were portrayed, and I felt a strange kinship with Elly Patterson. I mean, I, a middle aged, never-married Black American suddenly had something in common with a fictional Canadian housewife! I guess it goes to show there are some things we all go through at one time or another. I can think of no better comic than For Better or For Worse to help point that out.

The Best book I have ever read in a long time.I have been reading the For Better or For Worse commic strip for the past two years. My mother is the one who got me hooked on it. What the Patterson family goes through with their kids, My parents go through the same thing. Exspecially my mother who has to put up with having her eldest child going to University and her youngest in college.The one good thing that my mother has is she only has to go through this twice.

This is yet another wonderful book from a gifted storytellerwith an eye for realism and detail. I ... appreciate the growth anddevelopment of characters as opposed to the perpetual childhood of Dennis the Menace and the Archie Gang. Very few books have tastefully, gently and kindly dealt with the passing of a loved one the way this one does. (At one time, I was a little embarrassed to admit that I could be so moved by a comic, but now I'll freely admit that). It is truly a work of art and I love the way you can "suspend" reality by e-mailing the characters! I love the "interactive" forum of the strip and I really love the character of Jim, a savvy senior citizen who brings in some sharp insights. It is past time for seniors to get positive press and I'm glad to see it happen in this book! THREE CHEERS FOR THIS BOOK! END

Kuper's sketches are some of the best and most appealing I've ever seen, be sure to see what he's doing with the black and white MAD Magazine 'SPY VS. SPY', which he gave fresh life to. This book has a clever angle and mystery to every book which doesn't come across as a cheap gimmick suprise, all while telling a good/meaningful story.

The formula works like this--there are four panels on the front of the page which give you a visual clue.

Turn the page and on the back is the fifth panel, which "concludes" or solves the puzzle of the first four.

Extremely simple, but extremely entertaining. The fifth panel usually takes a left turn to some quirky conclusion (which makes it that much more fun to figure out).

I leave this out on my coffee table, and people are constantly hooked after just one or two "puzzles."

This is the second copy of this I've owned--the softcover version wasn't bound all that well and fell apart quickly. However, I had so many people over who asked me what happened to "that really neat comic book" that I bought this hardcover version--which holds up well.

Great for your guests or a few hours of fun.

Mind's Eye is the second 'Eye of the Beholder' collection, which began as the first comic strip to run in the New York Times, and provides a fine set of black and white strips which presents a particular viewpoint. These visual puzzles provide much food for thought: there are panels of scenes, then turn the page for the unifying concept linking them.

Bendib's wit and humor say more in one image and a few words than most of us could in a full dissertation. Stunning!

Award-winning cartoonist Khalil Bendib, whose work is seen in over 1,700 newspapers across North America, presents Mission Accomplished, a collection of his sharp-edged political cartoons lampooning greed, hypocrisy, arrogance, moral ineptitude, and worse, both in America and abroad. An American Muslim, Khalil Bendib does not shy away from tackling issues ranging from terrorism to globalization to militarism, genocide, underfunded infrastructure at home, and much more. Especially harsh criticism is leveled at the ruthless excesses of Zionism, America's ill-planned Iraq occupation and the chaos in its wake, and corporate welfare heaped upon thieving institutions such as Haliburton. Most cartoons are in black-and-white; a few are in color. One particularly telling cartoon shows an empty gasoline pump labeled "Uncle Sam Gas, $2.85 per Gallon" and cars lined up for miles to fuel at a gasoline pump labeled "Death to America Osama Gas Only, $2 a Gallon". At once both sidesplittingly funny and bitterly insightful into the paradox of human greed that keeps America stymied in failure, Mission Accomplished is highly recommended.

As much as people like to talk about politics, there's nothing like a satyrical comic. One frame, maybe 2 and this image can evoke such responses. I've shown Khalil's work to my family, coworkers and friends. The reactions I got were from pure love and admiration, all the way to confusion and anger. That's how you know someone is doing their job and Khalil does his job in this book. Well.

The artist / cartoonist / illustrator J.J. Sempe may not be familiar to many here in the US, but he is beloved in France. Here, however, he should be well known as a contributor to New Yorker magazine... having done dozens of covers over the years. This is one of his best book collections, with charming, insightful illustrations of the world of musicians. He gracefully peers into a moment in life and captures it with a few perfect lines. Subtle, beautiful, sweet. The color pages add a lot... worth every penny in either hardback, if you can find it, or paper.

When you read Sempe, you hear music.
That's how good he is. Don't miss the small details here and there. It's like finding a gem among his pencil strokes. I would highly recommend this beautiful book to anybody.

I'm not sure that is the book I'm looking for. But I do know one thing about Sempe's relationship with music. I'd like to see his picture with simple line and deeply reflection from his mind. I can find that he is good in playing music than his paint. That's what I think about Sempe.

I have to admit, I just love any kind of Mutts books and this one is well worth the read. As always, they bring a smile and laughter. Don't miss this one!

i think this is a fun book to read i like to sungle up in my bed and have a drink and read this book on cold snowy days!! i love this book and it makes me laugh its really fun so if you get this book you know your in for a treat!!

Again and again, Patrick McDonnell demonstrates that he's the most inspired cartoon artist on the planet. For 10 years we've been treated to the adventures of Mooch, Earl, and all the elements, mundane or complicated, animal-vegetable-mineral, of their world. "Sunday Afternoons" is yet another treasure. As writer and critic Glen David Gold wrote in the Los Angeles Times, McDonnell gives us a "daily dose of brilliance." A shameless plug: If you love "Mutts" then be sure to check out the official Mutts website, www.muttscomics.com. More brilliance awaits you there.

The Neighborhood in Color is another example of how talented Jerry Van Amerongen is, VERY. The comic panels are so very bizarre and the captions can be such an understatement that they can deliver most of the laughs.

You are under orders to get all of Jerry Van Amerongen's
"The Neighborhood" and "Ballard Street" books!
Here are some examples from this selection:

(1) We see a fellow flying off his bicycle in the
direction of a truck which has written on the side
"Another shipment of Warrior Farms attack dogs" with
numerous snouts sticking up the top of the truck with
lots of teeth waiting to greet him. The caption is
"The Saga of Harold (Hard Luck Hadley) continues.

(2) A barn is full of people wearing goofy
costumes, all of them holding candles along with
signs with single
letters of the alphabet written on them.
The caption is "A secret society called 'The
formation of the vowels'".

(3) An annual stockholders' meeting of a corporation
is being held, but instead of the executives sitting
by the podium, there are dummies instead with the
real people hiding behind them making faces in the
direction of the audience and carousing in other
ways. The caption is "Top Management acutally looks
forward to the Annual Sharholders' Meeting".

(4) We see a lounge with a lot of empty chairs
and a single customer wearing a Texas-style
10-gallon hat. At the front is an iguana tied
to a chair with a microphone in front of him.
The caption is "Another low moment in lounge
entertainment near Midland, Texas" (BTW-that
is where President W Bush is from!)

I am sure after reading these samples you are
all rushing out to buy this book. One at
a time, please!

You may know van Amerongen's current strip, "Ballard Street" from current funny papers. "The Neighborhood" is in exactly the same spirit... the art of understatement and sublimely funny drawings of hapless older folks desperate for a clue. My favorite FAVORITE strip has an older gentleman looking out his upstairs window, down onto the lawn, where the neighborhood dogs have amiably arranged themselves to spell out the word "Hi." The man is saying to his wife, "Helen, could you come here a minute?" OH MY GOD I can't even think about this strip without falling over. This book is fun for the guest room, or the coffee table, and is enjoyable over and over and over.

In my opinion the Evangelion mangas are even better than the Anime. If you loved the series, you should definately buy the mangas.

Sadamoto's version of Evangelion is really understandable. The first time I watched Evangelion, the anime, I feel it was a breakthrough in animation and story, but somewhere in the middle, it is very confusing and sometimes dissapointing because of all the psychological twists and turns, but I respect Hideaki Anno's vision. With the Manga, it is becoming clear where the story is heading. In volume eight, Shinji and Rei are changing a lot and they are becoming more mature and aware of all the events surrounding them, We see the beginning of NERV and the consequences of being a double agent for Kaji...and the plot is gettin very good. You can check the similarities between the anime and manga here, but with Sadamoto's point of view, you will see the story as never before, just like an extended version of the anime. I dont want to spoil things for you. Just check volume 8 of Neon Genesis Evangelion and you will find a lot of surprises, lucky for us, very enjoyable ones. I just cant wait for the rest of the volumes.

This volume was worth the long wait. Sadamoto's artwork and writing, already impressive, have matured. The characters are drawn in a wonderfully expressive style. Summary: In volume 8, Shinji floats in an disembodied form within EVA-01, where he encounters his own thoughts, fears, and visions of his late mother. On the outside, the story of the grown-ups & NERV are told in flashbacks. And the Kaji's activities finally catch up with him. There are no giant mecha battles; the conflicts occur on a human level in this volume. Shinji and Rei grow up. While it may slightly offend some EVA fans, the manga has diverged significantly from Anno's anime. It leaves aside much of the esoteric aspects of the the series; instead it focuses on the characters' interactions with one another. In particular Shinji and Rei. In the manga, Shinji is a sympathetic and tragic character who matures as a young man. His anguish at the lost of his mother and his courage is quite moving. The biggest change though probably takes place in Rei. Ayanami is not the same girl that she was in the beginning of the series. She is a fully realized person with her own hopes and fears in Sadamoto's version of Evangelion. Recommended to anyone who can appreciate a great story.

This book is for those who remember all the pain, humiliation, angst, and utter hilarity of the teenage years. Definately a book that brings back the fond memories of adolescents. A great way to get in touch with the inner nerd in all of us.

This book takes you on a trip down memory lane, back to the days when acne and humiliation were abundant, nerds flourished, and social acceptance reigned. While those years were some of the times in our lives that we would rather not re-live, the book Nerds, Etc. makes you forget all that negative nostalgia and causes you to find yourself in a state of hysterical laughing and pants wetting! Buy it, I'm sure you'll relate.

Tired of the same-old gags in your newspaper comics? Looking for a new comic artist to enjoy? Perry's perspective on high school life (the highs, the lows, the inane) is refreshing. (And funny.)

I first discovered The New Yorker when I was a teenager. When I saw how many people subscribed to the magazine, I started asking people why they did. Inevitably, the answer was, "For the cartoons." Since then, I have come to realize that The New Yorker is like the hall of fame for cartoonists.

Now, subscriptions to The New Yorker are pretty expensive, so your cost per cartoon can be hefty. Buy this book, and slash your cost per cartoon while increasing your laughs per minute!

Seriously (no kidding), this volume is well done. It leads off with a very witty essay about money from Christopher Buckley of Forbes FYI who introduces some of the cartoons.

As well drawn as these 110 classic cartoons are, you'll find that many of them work as quips. "I married you for your money, Leonard. Where is it?"

The pursuit of money is always tinged with concern about what one is giving up to get it. "Well, anyhow, it sure is handy having my broker right here in my cell."

Money can be a distressing subject as well, too delicate for the dinner table. "Must you tell us our daily share of the national debt every time we sit down to dinner?"

Money is an important subject. One that often comes up in families at other times. "Your mother called to remind you to diversify," says secretary to the executive.

The dog's eye view is helpful also, as one pooch says to the other, "Let's face it -- man's best friend is money."

The challenges of having enough money can bring us all up short. Like the man addressing the bank teller said, "I'd like to bounce a check."

It's no wonder that money has been such a constant source of cartoons in The New Yorker. By putting many of the best ones in this fine book, you'll have a good cross section of the best New Yorker cartoons in recent years.

Have a good laugh! Then stop to think about what stalled thinking you may have about money. Then think about how you could change your beliefs about money to have a better life.

As a former business owner, I found that those without a sence of humor soon lost money.

Here is a book of cartoons that will help most everyone laugh, maybe even those on the way to their best tax haven (page 13),or those who want to discuss the portfolio losses with their broker (page 96). There is also some excellent advice to use when responding to those unwanted cold calls (page 46).

Yes, I do like cartoons. With this book you can become a very good "money person".

It is bound to bring many laughs, today, tomorrow and in much of the future!

I first discovered The New Yorker when I was a teenager. When I saw how many people subscribed to the magazine, I started asking people why they did. Inevitably, the answer was, "For the cartoons." Since then, I have come to realize that The New Yorker is like the hall of fame for cartoonists.

Now, subscriptions to The New Yorker are pretty expensive, so your cost per cartoon can be hefty. Buy this book, and slash your cost per cartoon while increasing your laughs per minute!

Seriously (no kidding), this volume is well done. It leads off with a very witty essay about money from Christopher Buckley of Forbes FYI who introduces some of the cartoons.

As well drawn as these 110 classic cartoons are, you'll find that many of them work as quips. "I married you for your money, Leonard. Where is it?"

The pursuit of money is always tinged with concern about what one is giving up to get it. "Well, anyhow, it sure is handy having my broker right here in my cell."

Money can be a distressing subject as well, too delicate for the dinner table. "Must you tell us our daily share of the national debt every time we sit down to dinner?"

Money is an important subject. One that often comes up in families at other times. "Your mother called to remind you to diversify," says secretary to the executive.

The dog's eye view is helpful also, as one pooch says to the other, "Let's face it -- man's best friend is money."

The challenges of having enough money can bring us all up short. Like the man addressing the bank teller said, "I'd like to bounce a check."

It's no wonder that money has been such a constant source of cartoons in The New Yorker. By putting many of the best ones in this fine book, you'll have a good cross section of the best New Yorker cartoons in recent years.

Have a good laugh! Then stop to think about what stalled thinking you may have about money. Then think about how you could change your beliefs about money to have a better life.