Comics Books

Like the first 'Zits' treasury, this book will provide you with a lot of laughs, and you will probably want to return to reread the strips again in the future. I enjoyed this book immensely and plowed right through it in two sittings, even though I had planned to stretch it out over a week.

My one quibble with the book is that several of the strips are exact duplicates of strips from the first treasury.

If you have or have had teenagers, you need to red Zits. The adventures of all the characters will keep you laughing. They even manage to capture the angst of both parents and teens.

I evaluate funnies by the drawings, and, of course, is it funny or not? With that said, here we go.

In some ways, I think this comic is influenced by Calvin and Hobbes, one of the most memorable and classic strips. This comic strip is drowned in sarcasm and irony. The drawings have a sort of sketchy quality about them, something that makes them loose and very cool-looking. They have shading and scribbly detail, but are still very clear and easy to understand.

It has more than 4 characters, allowing the cartoonist to come up with many interesting character traits. Exploring these personalities is very fun to read. A boy and a girl never seen not hugging each other, a mom, a dad, a big brother, and a boy with a guitar are just some of the characters. I think this strip has about the right amount of characters.

This book is my first encounter with the comic and it is very appealing. I won't tell you to buy it, because I'm not a salesperson. I'm merely telling you why I like it.

In Big Honkin Zits (hey, it's named after ME when I was 16..or 26) you can clearly see WHY this strip by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman is one of the fastest growing and most popular strips EVER.

The best way to explain it is: it's on the same quality level as Bill Watterson's Calvin & Hobbes at it's funniest, most irony-laced and visually comedic BEST. Once again we have Jeremy...the self-absorbed 15-year-old who is constantly (in his view) humiliated by his parents' mere existance (except when he lowers the posture and briefly show he really cares). The strip shows things from the adult point of view but ALSO does a good job of pointing out how a teen might view the parents (his parents ARE dorky).

There are several reasons why this strip is such great COMEDY, and holds up so well in a treasury form such as this. The artists use a story-line of sorts (akin to the story-line Watterson would use where a given daily strip would stand alone but is part of a group with a theme). The shorter strips work as well as the longer ones. As in Calvin & Hobbes we often see things from the teen or parental view in the form of a fantasy (his father dressed like a clown; Jeremy with huge ears after his girlfriend mentions his ears are big).It's a strip that shows character evolution: his girlfriend finally gets her braces off; he goes to his first real rock concert; sneaks into his first teen porn film etc.

But above all it's the world-class visual comedy, character facial expressions and actual irony-heavy comedy that makes this strip among the best EVER. Since there are tons of strips I'll share one that is my favorite. Jeremy's mother reads an article that says "the average teenage boy thinks about sex once every eight minutes." They look at each other and each says "Wow." She thinks: "That much?" He thinks: "That's all?"

You're going to want to read Big Honkin' Zits again and again and each time you're going to laugh as much as the first time. SUPERB selection of a SUPERB strip that happily continues to quickly grow in circulation, artistically and comedically.

Jeremy returns in his second treasury, combining strips from the books "Don't Roll Your Eyes at Me, Young Man!" and "Are We an Us?" Not much has changed since the first treasury. He still wishes his parents would get off his back, he still doesn't understand women, and he still dreams of making it big in music. But whether he's trying to decide what to do about the upcoming Gingivitis concert, win back Sara from a sophomore, support a friend's mom who has cancer, or sneak over to his girlfriend's babysitting job, he's sure to find the humor in any situation.

Unfortunately, I don't get the strip in my local paper, so I have to wait for these books to enjoy it. But I can certainly see why it has become such a popular strip. Everyone can appreciate the humor in the storylines, which poke fun at everyone equally. The visual gages are some of the best in the papers today and make for some of the best strips in the book as well. And it's easy to like these characters because they really do have good hearts just beneath the surface. My only complaint with this book is that the strips don't appear to be in order. It makes for a little confusion when a character is first introduced after we've already met him or her, but over all, it really is minor.

This is a wonderful collection that should win new fans and satisfy the old. Buy it today and enjoy the laughs.

I loved this comic from start to finish. The story is brilliant the artwork unbelievable. It is amazing how well drawn it is. The artwork tells the story almost completely without words. The reviews are right on! All 5's!

This is the FIRST graphic novel to be published for the Kindle, and if BIRTH is any indication of what's to come in portable e-comics, then great things await!!!

This story of two alien societies is the prequel that sets the stage for the Novo: The Birth of Novo, from what I've read. I'll be buying Novo: The Birth of Novo in the very near future.

The story moves at a steady, even pace, not rushed or slow, and the artwork is stunning. I've written two ebooks on the subject of Kindle graphics (Graphics on the Kindle (Book 1 of the "Graphics on the Kindle" Series) and Formatting Comics for the Kindle (Book 2 of the "Graphics on the Kindle" Series). I've worked with MANY different artists in the past few months helping them improve their images on the Kindle, and I have to stay that this is the BEST artwork I've ever seen on this device.

ALTERNA COMICS should take a bow for taking the chance to be the FIRST graphic novel available on the Kindle, and for releasing such a well-done publication as the first of their many future Kindle ebooks. Their example should inspire and motivate other indie comic creators to follow suit and explore this emerging method of publication and delivery.

M Burgos,
Author
Graphics on the Kindle (Book 1 of the "Graphics on the Kindle" Series)
Formatting Comics for the Kindle (Book 2 of the "Graphics on the Kindle" Series)

I ordered this book based on the author's artwork he had done in another book. This book sat on my shelf for a couple of weeks before I finally go to it... this should have been at the top of my to read list.

This book doesn't contain a lot of dialogue and relies heavily on the artwork to tell the story, and it does so beautifully. A hint of sci-fi element but a definite parallel to the human race and how we treat each other. Blaming one another for our own faults and never taking responsibility.

I cannot recommend this book enough.

I'm ordering the sequel, 'Novo', today and I'll write a review for that one later.

The ultimate cautionary anti-war fable, blending fantasy and sci-fi elements into something wholly its own. Bracco's art is jaw-dropping eye-candy, and the story is a fantastic mesh of text and visuals. This is a tale made to be a comic - it'd be extraordinarily expensive as a film, and perhaps overly didactic as pure text, but as the graphic novel BIRTH, it's pitch-perfect. It's got style, atmosphere and ambiance to spare. And it's very intelligent and imaginatively executed. A book worth your time and money, no doubt whatsoever.

FYI - while BIRTH is entirely stand-alone, it also serves as the prequel/prologue to the new ongoing grpahic novel series Novo Volume 1: The Birth of Novo, which is also one incredibly conceived comic. Bracco's the next Frank Miller, Erik Larsen, Doug TenNapel, etc. Mark those words.

I love the story, which relates to us all in some period of our lives. I love the artwork which details strong, confident lines, I look foward to the continuation which has endless possibilities. I thoroughly recommend this to everyone who can truly stomach real life, ok maybe real life in another dimension or world, but real life indeed. This is not your ordinary comic. Check it out!

If you are looking for a small, comprehensive analysis of how to do animation, this is your book. Walter Foster is one of the best companies out there on drawing books, though I wouldn't recommend them all. I highly recommend this one. :)

This is a great way to see how animation starts. I would recommend it to anyone wanting to choose Animation as a career. I am taking Web design and Animation.

This book is simply the best animation how-to guide for the novice or talented amateur. Very well presented and beautifully illustrated. It's a classic book that has been around for many years and should be around for many more.

The book is arranged like this: Drawing principles, character design, then animation. The principles are about constructing forms and wrapping guidelines & features around them properly, facial expressions, building a simple skeletal foundation, how bodies can be drawn, and hands!

The character design section is small, but brilliant. There are great example drawings to work from and trust me when I say the characters are pleasing to look at.

As for the animation section, it's got the essentials for walks, runs, understanding squash & stretch and line of action in movements. It might not have enough movements as one may want, but really, using what you learn here to analyze actions from life will enable you to learn how any movement can be strengthened for animation. I actually haven't started animating yet (still doing the drawing sections), but I know I'll be perfectly fine with just this. Harold Whitaker's "Timing For Animation" does seem like it could be a perfect supplement to this though, so you might wanna check that out as well.

Other pages include things about dialogue phonemes, takes (when's the last time anyone's seen a Tex-Avery-style reaction in a cartoon? learn this and bring it back!) pointers on animation, and, best of all, TONS of characters to practice from.

The book is only eight bucks and, being from Preston Blair, a genius from the golden-age era of animation, you can't go wrong. Buy it, follow everything that he says, draw from each drawing in the book until the concepts seep in, and make some cartoons. Even if you wanna draw comic strips and/or comic books, get this now!

Very informative in the use of art work. Hopefully, this book will help my son in the future with his career in art work.

JIM, who ran away from his nurse and was eaten by a lion.

It's small wonder that Edward Gorey chose to illustrate Belloc's verses, written nearly a century ago - in fact, they were such a clear and strong influence on his work, it's hard to believe he didn't write them himself. 'Cautionary Tales' is a literary work that was years ahead of its time, parodying the overtly-strict educational children's verses of the time with tales of children whose punishment is wholly disproportioned to their crime. Gorey's illustrations, published only after his death in 2000, complete the ghoulish verses with his trademark naïve and refined black and white crosshatching. Already in his seventies, Gorey has lost none of his charm and style and these illustrations are as nasty and sarcastic as anything he's done, perfectly complimenting the ironic text.

'Cautionary Tales' is the first work of Gorey's published after his death, and it's a perfect conclusion to his illustrious career, and one of his finest works. It's an essential to any fan of this great artist.

This was one of the loved books of my childhood in the original edition, of course.

I hadn't seen it for a very long time and was anxious to haev a copy for my younger grandchildren. Though old people can enjoy it as well.

Now plesed to have it on my own shelves

I got this to read to my nephews, and it did not disappoint when the time came to pick a story to read. I highly recommend this and the Gashlycrumb Tinies to anyone with children or nephews....

I just gave this to a friends' one year old for her birthday. In the inscription I wrote that she ought to read and learn, as whatever she does in life will come back to haunt her. My friend thought the book hysterical. Her husband thinks we're both odd...

One can imagine Edward Gorey mulling over these "Cautionary Tales",subsequently creating succinct Goreyesque illustrations for them. Then years later after presenting his family to us in "The Willowdale Handcar" he undoubtedbly mulled over ideas about families & children and came up with my personal favorite Gorey: The Gashleycrumb Tinies. If you like Gorey & you like the Tinies, you'll enjoy "Cautionary Tales".

4 stars only because I happen to like the devilishly wonderful "Tinies" better.

I don't care about your lousy internal mistakes, give me the ENTIRE book series of 'Crest of the stars'! I not seen a lick out of you since the last one! I love this work and I demand to buy the rest!!!

For years, I have loved the anime. I was hoping someone would translate the books, and was happy to stumble across them in a bookstore. The books are better than the anime, and fill in some great details that the anime left out. It was also nice to see the artist's Ahb language that he created for the books. Though it can take a little getting used to the new words for things, I thought it added a nice, original element to the books. (The anime only used the true Ahb language for a couple words/phrases.) If you love the anime, you should read these books!

A group of bored teenage girls, who all have problems they wish to run away from, enter the anonymous world of online RPGs only to find themselves in a more terrifying situation than their previous ones.
Although the ending was a little too...unpredictable for my taste, the story was engaging throughout and kept me squirming at the edge of my seat. The translations were pretty accurate as well and did a good job of maintaining the original author's voice. Overall, a thrilling, original, and startlingly realistic work.

I have not read the book yet so I cannot honestly review it.
My rating is based on the Anime which is absolutely awesome.
It is clear though that neither the editorial review abowe nor the other reviews on this page refer to the novel "Crest of the Stars II"!

Sawako, an overachieving junior high school student, is extremely lonely. Her mother is gone, her father distant, and her friends are non-existant. When she receives an email on her cell phone inviting her to be a part of an interactive story, she jumps at the chance to belong - even though the message came from someone she does not know.

Two other junior high girls receive similar emails on their phones: Mayumi, who lives in the shadow of her intelligent and athletic best friend, and Mai, who would rather go clubbing (for the music, not necessarily the scene) than deal with the high expectations of diplomat family.

They develop a story about a young girl, her tutor, her stalker, and a detective. Each girl writes for a certain character and posts their chapters at the website. The mysterious Yukari, the girl who started it all, writes the role of the stalker. As the story's suspense escalates, life begins to imitate art. Suddenly, Sawako goes missing in both stories, leaving the other girls to wonder what happened to her - and if it will happen to them next.

Chain Mail: Addicted to You by Hiroshi Ishizaki embraces the story-within-a-story format from the very beginning, and keeps raising the stakes until the vey end. Cell phones are ever-present, making this cautionary tale ultra-contemporary. While racing through the book to find out who done it, American readers will subconsciously learn about Japanese culture and schooling.

Chain Mail comes courtesy of Pop Fiction, a new teen fiction imprint from TokyoPop.

An action-comedy manga about a beautiful tomboy, with a twist. Though the character design may not appeal to everyone, the writing is topnotch and had me laughing out loud at times. A rarity. I highly recommend checking this manga series out.

What can I say that hasn't already been said about "Cheeky Angel", just bye it now and see for Yourself You wont be disapointed.

I've read the other reviews, and I just wanted to add mine. "Cheeky Angel" is an interesting "gender-bender" since, until about 3/4ths through it do you get an indication that things are not exactly as they seem. There IS a trick to the gender-bending question, but you have to be paying attention. Or, for some people, it doesn't matter.

Now, that said, enjoy the ride. Frankly, the things that make this worth reading are Genzo and his silly ways. I've enjoyed the anime and I have to say that it was a great ride. Miki, Kobayashi, Yasuda, and Fujiki all help make this a great cast, but it's the rarely seen characters like Megumi's father and mother, her maid, and Genzo's sister that make it fun. Plus, Megumi's rival who arrives around the middle adds to the fun.

This is NOT just a shoujou piece, since there is a LOT of fighting and bad words in it. I was a little disappointed with Viz's translation, since I don't think they give justice to Miki, but at least it was released in English.

Also, the anticipation of Megumi's first kiss is killer, possibly worse than Ranma 1/2 because that one just got silly after 30+ volumes. Besides... we all know she's gonna fall for Genzo. Afterall, I would. ^___^

There's a lot of questioning "what makes a man manly" and "what is feminine" since it is a gender-bender, but I like this discussion because Megumi is so adamant that she's NOT a girl. And Genzo tries SO hard, and he's SO cute, and I just love him to death. With Kobiyashi's strange crush on Soga, the faithful Fujiki, and the ever-peeping hentai Yasuda, this is just fun.

Really. Read it just for Genzo. He's really worth it. XD

Cheeky Angel is about a lovely girl. No, a down right hottie female student. She has fine hands, silky long hair, white smooth skin and can beat the stuffing out of any boy she meets. The problem is, six years ago she was a guy. But when she asked...at the time he asked...a genie to make him the "manliest man on Earth" the tiny creature turned him into the "womanliest woman on Earth."
Now Megumi, who all the boys drool over, has another problem. The baddest dude in town seems to like her. In fact, he seems to be in love with her.
What's a girl...er...guy to do?

I never would have thought I'd be reading something called "Cheeky Angel!" Thankfully, I had some extra time at Borders the other day, and picked this up on a whim. I'm very glad I did.

The basic premise, as has already been described, involves a scrappy little boy named Megumi who gets transformed into a girl by a devious genie - but of course, even as a girl, he retains all of his martial arts moves and violent impulses. As the story opens, it is 6 years since the "curse" took effect, and Megumi has blossomed into a certified babe, now entering high school, where he/she instantly becomes the school obsession. Young Meg almost immediately has the misfortune of encountering the reigning tough guy Genzo; he's making his ex-girlfriend cry, Meg beats him up, and naturally, he is lovestruck.

While the plot sounds simple so far, I have a feeling there is more to the whole "curse" thing than meets the eye, so I'm anticipating plenty of plot twists and turns in the future. Most importantly, this manga is hilarious; I can't recall laughing out loud so much while reading a graphic novel, at least not of late. And, there's some action as well, since Meg still can't keep from getting into fights that showcase her martial arts prowess.

I understand there is also a 50 episode anime series based on this manga that ran in Japan; hopefully, if enough people show interest, it will be licensed and released here in the U.S. soon.

For those looking for a great blend of humor and action, this is very recommended.

I was very saddened to know that life of this young child can be considered to be normal...until the child grows up. I felt in every line drawn an emotion was spilling off of the page...the words were so carefully chosen...the detail in each frame is fascinating. This author is more than a comic she is a master of the arts.

I can't say enough about this author/artist. I've just finished reading the book and am almost speechless. For anyone out there still dealing with demons of their own less than perfect childhoods, this book takes on the feel of a close friend in the same situation. The author, in a semi-autobiographical fashion, recounts a childhood of sexual abuse, drug abuse, and general coming-of-age well before it ever should. Full of amazing illustrations (Gloeckner is a lauded medical illustrator as well as excellent cartoonist), this book is sure to please anyone looking for something different, and in my case, cathartic. I don't think I could begin to recommend this book highly enough. I'm just glad that I live in a day and age where this book is not only allowed to be published, but can earn accolades as well (the least of which is from me). Thank you, Phoebe!

This collection of Phoebe Gloeckner's comics is definitely not for the faint of heart, but it's worth a reading. If you haven't read her novel, Diary of a Teenage Girl, I think you will find this book a better introduction to her work. The themes are much the same and the comic art is very well done.
The subject matter is pretty bleak.

A Child's Life is hard to read but even harder to turn your eyes away from. Her child-like drawings combined with adult events and content perfectly express the difficult adolescent limbo between girl and woman.

"A Child's Life" by Phoebe Gloeckner is like witnessing a car wreck or a street fight: you are horrified and appalled, but you can't stop looking. This beautifully drawn book gives graphic insight to the devastating impact of psychological and sexual abuse on children and teens, but also portrays the importance of facing and overcoming bad early life experiences in order to have a productive adult life. In my lifetime, I have known too many people in their 30's, 40's and even 50's who suffered childhood/adolescent problems that seem minor compared to what "Minnie" endured, and who continue to use their past problems as an excuse for continuously messing up their lives throughout adulthood; "A Child's Life" should be mandatory reading for these folks. Without doubt, a childhood of abuse and neglect is horrible, but we do ourselves and our society a disservice when we rely on it to excuse our own bad behaviour and avoid growing up and moving on with our lives. Phoebe Gloeckner is a new kind of hero who survived a hell on earth and bravely lived to tell the tale in an intelligent and scorching manner. (N.B. This book should not be given to children or young teens; it would frighten them. Older teens, depending on their maturity level, would find this book compelling and cautionary.)

City of Glass is a graphic novel interpretation of Paul Auster's well received book, originally published in 1985. Halfway through the graphic novel I picked up the original book to see how some of the wild imagery was portrayed in written form. I was surprised (though should I have been?) that there seemed to be greater depth to the literary version, which supplemented the imagery as I continued to move deeper into the graphic novel.

The only reason I didn't give this work a better rating was due to the storyline building up in a way that insisted more in the end. I enjoyed the graphic novel, but after reading it I realized I would have appreciated the original even more. I feet it would probably be best to read the original novel and then try the shorter graphic version again...but I honestly have some difficulty committing myself to a detective yarn when I already know how it will end.

Not knowing the book, I bought this comic by chance and was not at all prepared. I've never read a comic like this in my whole life. It goes so deep...it's a miracle.

The real magic here is that, in reworking Paul Auster's original novel, Karasik and Mazzucchelli have produced a true literary adaptation in comics form. This is no "Classics Illustrated"; this is a comic that strengthens its source material rather than diminishing it. The original book's concern with the gap between language and meaning is given further depth and resonance in the comic, which finds a visual language equivalent, and does it in a way that no other medium could have. This is no mere illustrated text, but comics as a formidable language and medium in itself. Interestingly, when the original book and the comic are read together, the comic itself almost becomes a physical character, another in the story's proliferation of literary doubles.

"City of Glass" is not a simple adaptation from the original book, but a real translation, from literature to sequential art. Mazzuchelli's drawings provides a very good trip to Auster's universe, his unusual characters, enlarging at same time the limits of comics language. One of the best comic books ever!

If you enjoyed (or more likely were haunted by) City of Glass then you owe it to yourself to read this graphic novel. Yes, it is essentially the exact same story as Auster's metaphysical detective novella. However, this is a fascinating and beautifully rendered interpretation of the source work. My only complaint: where are the graphic novels for Ghosts and The Locked Room?

There are numerous attempts at producing illustrated versions of the classic tales from around the world.

The series called "Classics Illustrated" is the definitive attempt at bringing all the great classics to the easy reach of us with beautiful illustrations, in the grand form of sequential art also known as Comics.

It invovled some of the finest artists, and produced a huge collection of stories. These were the results of the dream of Albert Kanter, materialising during the 40s,50s and the 60s, thrilling and educating and entertaining a generation with vivid, simple and beautiful versions of the well known classical tales such as the Three Musketeers, Ivanhoe, The Count of Monte Cristo, Arabian Nights, Robinson Crusoe to name a few.

I remember as a kid, I got hold of a used copy of 'The Salt Mountain' this was part of the Classics Illustrated Junior series, there was something absolutely stunning about it, the story, the pictures, the adventure. it captured the imagination.There was something special about it, which I could not find in any other story book, or series. I wasn't aware what series this was part of, who the publisher was, who the artist was. I was a kid, I simply enjoyed it. not a collector or a history buff. But several years later, when I tried to figure out more about that book, I simply couldn't, until recently the omnipotent WWW helped me learn about this amazing series. I was hooked. I am sure many of us can relate to this, and have a similar tale.

Now to the book.

This is a fantastic chronicle, of the happenings of the Classics Illustrated series, beginning with the beginning, Alber Kanter's dream, it takes us through the publications history of the various stories, and the involvment and influences of the numerous artists invovled in the effort. The evolution of the style and presentation of the books, such as the evolution from comics style to the painted covers etc. are all full of interesting information.

There were several editions, and series... Classics Illustrated, Classics Illustrated Junior, Classics Illustrated Specials, etc and several republishing attemts up until the turn of the century. All of this is detailed in the book with interesting facts.

This book lists all the stories that were published with details about the author, illustrator etc. as much as is available, also the listings from several publishers, and variations.

The book also contains pages and covers from several Classics Illustrated, mostly in black and white. There is a section of about 8 pages in color in special paper.

For the Classics Illustrated collector this sure will be a delight, as it would be to anyone interested in the grandeur of sequential art.

When I was just a boy (many years ago), for a treat to myself, I bought the Classics Illustrated comics. The art work and plot were so engaging that I still carry some of those images around in my mind. Jules Verne's "Mysterious Island" and Dana's "Two Years Before the Mast" and many others were indelibly imprinted on my brain so that they could never be forgotten. Little did I realize that these illustrated novels were real literature, that they would lead many years later to actually reading those works. When I spied the life-sized book "Classics Illustrated: A Cultural History with Illustrations," I could not resist buying this book. When it arrived, I began reading a serious history of the Classics Illustrated publications, their awkward beginning and about the lives of their illustrators, and how the U.S. Postal Service effectively drove Classics Illustrated out of business. (It seems that the post office considered this comic a book and not a periodical.) Colorful images taken from the book abound throughout this edition. It's ironic that this very volume of literature is in danger of becoming a classic itself.

CLASSSICS ILLUSTRATED comprised such a crucial, influential, and above all, entertaining part of my youth that they have never entirely left me, and in fact I still have my entire childhood collection, and then some. The author of this book, William B. Jones, notes that his approach to the subject is meant to be objective in nature; but of course anyone raised on CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED can never be completely objective about them, and time and again Jones' understandable passion for these books seeps through. Nor is it simply nostalgia: when I go back to reread old issues it is mainly for the inherent richness of the storytelling and artwork they contain. Where in all comic book history is there a work so profound and moving as the Norman Nodel-illustrated LES MISERABLES, or as sad and tragic as the Angelo Torres-illustrated TOILERS OF THE SEA? Where is the comic book art that can excel, for its sense of historical time and place and fine drawing, John Severin's treatment of the Alamo and the Mexican War in BLAZING THE TRAILS WEST? Has there ever been a swashbuckling comic book so superbly ALIVE as George Evans' treatment of THE THREE MUSKETEERS? As for THE WAR OF THE WORLDS, I wholly agree with the author that it was never adapted so effectively, in any medium, as it was in CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED. I could go on. This is not to say that there weren't issues that were pretty bad, especially in the early days, and Mr. Jones freely admits this. But for those who are already familiar with this series, and especially for those who aren't, I cheerfully recommend this book as a kind of bible to CI and its several related series. I learned so much that was new to me about the issues, the artists, the editors, and the evolution and ultimate decline of the publishing house, Gilberton Company. The packaging and layout and paper quality of the book is a delight. Bravo, Mr. Jones! And bravo, CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED!

Ever said that line? Then you'll love this beautifully written and lovingly researched book about the history of Classics Illustrated.

Jones manages to evoke the characters of the men and women who contributed to this fascinating niche of Americana: illustrators, editors, publishers, and even its detractors. Interviews were obviously thorough, chapters are meticulously footnoted, and yet it reads like ...well, like an engrossing classic tale of adventure! Pick a chapter at random or read from cover-to-cover... it's consistently a winner.

While occasionally too ready with a disavowal of nostalgia, Jones does not hesitate to reveal his personal lifelong love of the comic book series. Truly, the best works of fandom itself can be so endearing, so contagious with admiration and awe. This book is no exception. Like myself, Jones loved the comics when he was a kid. Just as publisher Albert Kanter intended, as an adult I've managed to read every word of the real Count of Montecristo and War of the Worlds and The Moonstone, but I first learned these vivid and amazing tales by reading the Classics versions. Jones augments my personal appreciation and gratitude in this excellent book.

His work was in-depth and, while certainly using a critic's eye, relatively even-handed when it comes to the series' contributors. Now, reading the book, Jones has even made me appreciate the work of Classics artists whose pages I'd previously disliked.

Excellent illustrations, particularly of rare pages and covers, fill the book. Nice personal photos of the artists and editors are a great touch, seeing as this is a book of both down-to-earth and scholarly sensibilities.

Only fault I can find is that the text sometimes refers to a page or panel or other artwork which is not actually reprinted in the book. It can be maddening, at times, because we want to see exactly what he's talking about. My family's incomplete collection lies in another continent, otherwise it would be nice to have it at hand for referencing these things. Keep yours at hand. The book, I suppose, would be gargantuan if Jones did include these bits. So, by rights, it is an excellent book, and I did enjoy reading it.

From 1941-71 Classics Illustrated comics introduced millions to abridged, comics-style version of literary masterpieces. Classics Illustrated tells of the birth of this popular medium, founded by Russian Jewish immigrant Kanter whose operations saw both the heyday and decline of the golden age of comics. The focuses on artists' creations is particularly involving.

although this is a great book at a great buy, the shipping took about a month. this book seems to have a low avaliability so if you can just go the the local book store and buy it instead.

I really enjoyed this book even though it doesn't really have many words in it at all. I really like the art for Evangelion and also the other series in here as well. I also found out that Yoshiyuki also did a few album covers for some famous American singer. This book features the art of Neon Genesis Evangelion, The Wings of Hominese, and a two more I am not very sure about. This book is just a must have for anyone who likes anime and Yoshiyuki Sadamoto. I absolutely love his work because of the way it is portrayed on paper with cg, and water color. Not only that it is also because I have something that is from one of my favorite series (Eva). He is a great big insparation to me and I know what the truck I am talking about because I am a fellow Anime artist as well.

The artwork of Yoshiyuki Sadamoto is simply amazing to behold. One cannot help but be moved by it. Even Eric Clapton, who'd never seen Sadamoto's anime designs, was impressed, and asked Sadamoto to design the cover to his Pilgrim album, the art for which is found in this very collection.
It's gorgeous renderings of his work from Evangelion, Nadia, and Wings of Honneamaise, as well as some original pieces created for this collection.
It's a beautiful collection, well worth picking up.

Given one glance through this book, otaku or not, you'll find yourself immersed in this man's art! Not to be underestimated, and most importantly, to be appreciated by all, this book gives new meaning to the term Art Book.

Wow! Almost every single page has a full-color, full-page painting. No tiny thumbnails, no rough sketches, and very few works that spread across the spine. Among art books (whether English or Japanese), this is very rare. A majority of the pieces focus on Evangelion, but they are so beautiful that anyone could appreciate them even if they had never heard of Evangelion. The other works, on series like Nadia and Fatal Fury, are just as nice. The large format makes it even easier to admire. I own over 150 illustration-art books in several languages, and "Der Mond" is definitely on my essentials list.

We are very lucky that an artbook as great as "Der Mond" has been published in English, at a reasonable price. Be sure to pick this one up before it goes out of print.