Comics Books

I thought I was getting a paperback version of the original hardback book of cartoons. It is the same book but the paperback version is much smaller than the hardback.

The New Yorker has all these things, and the combination of cats and The New Yorker is a felicitious one. These witty, wonderful cartoons are just the thing to bring a sparkle to even the most glazed of eyes.

Two ladies sipping tea, a cat strolling past tail in the air. "Whe she was little," one says "we had a very close relationship, but now we're just friends."

And a hundred others. A book is not as good as a cat, but this one is halfway there.

Cats you say? Take a look at the cover. Take a good look. Nobody does it like THE NEW YORKER. 101 cartons and 65 years later, the cats still have the last laugh. High level stuff and highly recommended!

I rated this book based on the hardcover version, but I do want to put in a word against the miniature paperback version in the beginning. Avoid the miniature paperback: It is very tiny, reproduced poorly, the paper quality is not good, and some of the material cannot be seen without a magnifying glass.

The only drawback I saw to the hardcover version was the lack of a witty introduction. I graded it down one star for that lack. The New Yorker cartoon books on business and money have wonderful introductions, unlike this one.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I must admit that I do not have a cat. Yet I have many friends who do, and I tried to view these cartoons through their eyes.

The main cartoonists of these 102 cartoons are Charles Addams, Tom Cheney, Helen Hokinson, Frank Modell, Mischa Richter, Danny Shanahan, William Steig, and Saul Steinberg.

The cartoons generally follow one of the following styles: juxtaposing cats for dogs; anthropomorphizing cats; and treating humans like cats. These formats were predictable enough that the humor worked best when one of the categories was not followed, such as in a cartoon with no words where a cat is seen scratching against an arm chair while a man sits in it reading the newspaper -- chair, man, and newspaper all bear the same scratch marks everywhere.

Here are a few of my favorites:

A woman letting a large number of cats out of the back door: "Everyone be home by two o'clock."

No words: A man sits in a chair reading with his feet on a bear skin run. Behind him, a cat lies in a bed with a mouseskin rug on the floor in front.

A man receiving a call at work: "Your wife feels that your cat needs to hear an authoritative male voice."

One mouse to another: "Miss Egan, bring me everything we have on cats."

Dog to cat: "Hey, pal, let's hear 'Doggie in the Window' again, and this time play it like you mean it!"

Cat to cat in bow tie: "I'm sorry, but I think it's uncatlike."

Cat in casts to another cat in casts in vet's office: "I tried to make it from the windowsill to the top of the refrigerator. How about you?"

Cat behind loan officer desk in bank to dog: "Beg."

Man to cat: "The fact that you cats were considered sacred in ancient Egypt cuts no ice with me."

Person shouting through the window to a woman in a roomful of cats: "Glendora Hogan got another load of cats, Elinor honey. Can you take a couple?"

Let this good-natured look at one of our favorite animal friends liven up your day, and remind you of the humor behind everything. It's only our stalled thinking that denies us a good laugh at everything!

If you live with a cat, you'll want to read it before you give it to another feline lover; it makes a wonderful present.

This is easily the funniest Marvel book you will read this year!! Or any other year! Unless you count midevil times, that whole black plague thing really sucked the humor out of stuff.

This book is great and lives up to its promise of explosions and kicking people in the face.

This book is hilarious. Over the top action. Lots of explosions. Ridiculous fight scenes. Lampooning of classic Marvel characters. I haven't laughed so hard in years.

Warren Ellis's work on Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E. is, by far, the best work I've read in comics in years. Why people didn't buy the comic is beyond me. The comedy was genius. Marvel's management is a bunch of boneheads for canning Nextwave. If you have read the other reviews, you know what it's about, so I won't bore your with another recap. If you like comedy, explosions, parody, slapstick, explosions, random acts of violence, heartfelt origin stories, and explosions, then you'll love Nextwave. If you like anything, you'll love Nextwave.

With NEXTWAVE: AGENTS OF H.A.T.E. VOL. 2 (I Kick Your Face), Warren Ellis persists in dispensing with multi-layered plotlines and the fleshing out of characters. This one, collecting the final issues #7-12 and much like in Volume 1, reads like an extended fight scene sound effect. If you like action that's often in your face and without the constant impediment of dreary word captions, then this'll float your boat. Stuart Immonen's artwork is remarkable, even if I had to turn the page upside down a bunch of times.

The premise: Monica Rambeau (fomerly Captain Marvel), Brit hottie Elsa Bloodstone (monster hunter), the mutant Tabitha Smith (formerly Boom Boom), Aaron Stack (the slightly insane Machine Man), and the Captain make up the Nextwave Squad, originally hired by H.A.T.E. (the Highest Anti-Terrorism Effort) as its primary anti-terrorist response team. Nextwave turns on its employer when evidence surfaces implicating H.A.T.E. and its parent company, the Beyond Corporation, of terrorist activities.

SPOILERS are here:

As per this series, we get the usual pattern of two-issue story arcs. The Nextwave Squad faces off against the Mindless Ones, magical creatures rented by the evil Beyond Corporation from interdimensional demon lord, the Dread Rorkannu, in exchange for girls and cash ("Yes! I have a hundred of the Earth dollars!"). With this series's bent sensibilities, it shouldn't be a surprise that this sorcery-laden storyline indulges in the Mindless Ones engaging in a West Side Story homage and that the climax is a bathroom fistfight.

Then, Nextwave is lured into an abandoned and fake city and ends up going toe to toe with a ridiculous batch of super nasties, as created by the Beyond Corporation, with the most formidable villain being Forbush Man. Forbush Man uses his power to trap each hero into his or her own existential misery, giving us a chance to savor Immonen's Mike Mignola salute in the Bloodstone sequence. Also, Captain America goes to the john.

The series culminates with Nextwave tracking down the giant aerial homebase of their arch nemesis, happily romping and stomping on yet more beasties and uglies (including my favorite, Wolverine chimps!), and at last coming face to face with the true power behind the Beyond Corporation. By the way, General Dirk Anger gets even more loony bins and even dies for a while (I did warn about Spoilers, right?).

Okay. End SPOILERS.

"Nextwave is a pirate superhero fight comic." Must be nice to have Warren Ellis's clout. Marvel Comics gives him full license to weave tales that are proudly short on subtlety and depth but long on nuttiness and scurrilous humor. He does indulge in one Character Moment (presenting some disquieting background on Elsa Bloodstone as a baby). But Ellis promises to not let it happen again. One thing he also does is rummage thru Marvel's dusty back shelves and bins, managing to drag near-forgot entities such as the Not Brand Echh title and its mascot Forbush Man, MODOK, and Moon Boy and Kid Dinosaur kicking and screaming onto these pages. So, no, this isn't your typical comic book. Readers will either find this title too cardboard cutout, overplayful, and unseemly - or an uproarious belch of fresh air. I'm of the latter breed.

Artist Stuart Immonen should be equally lauded (or blamed) for his light and exquisite touch. He dependably comes thru with a visual feast of nonstop mayhem and gleeful violence. In issue 11, Immonen rampages thru 6 double-paged spreads which simply reek of all-out, no apologies ACTION. This is very nifty. Perfectly complementing Immonen's style are the inker Wade von Grawbadger and colorists Dave McCaig and Paul Mounts. So they too should be applauded (or blamed).

Meanwhile, there's some debate about Nextwave's place in Marvel's mainstream continuity. But, having been infected with this comic's jaunty subversiveness, I choose to not delve into it too much. Besides, I'm sure Forbush Man's existential powers can fix it.

My favorite one-liner: "X-Men come back more than Jesus."

My favorite recurring rejoinder: "My robot brain needs beer!"

Lastly: the Captain rocks. Elsa Bloodstone is bloody fine. Machine Man is mental. Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E. will return...someday. Just keep paying Ellis. And Immonen.

I've long been a fan of Steve Rude, but haven't read all that much of Nexus. So, it's pretty overdue for me to begin reading Nexus from the beginning. This book began over 20 years ago, and it's held up surprisingly well. This volume starts off with a few black and white issues and end with the last half in color. Rude's artwork blossoms in this volume, and he is truly one of our best living comic illustrators. He's got a keen eye for amazing composition, characterization and clean and clear sequential style. His artwork is a cocktail of the best of Curt Swan, Steve Ditko, Jack Kirby and Sal Buscema, and Rude holds his own in this esteemed company. Mike Baron's story is engaging and timeless, a SciFi adventure for the ages. Nice volume from Dark Horse. The color seems old fashioned by todays comic book standards of computerized color, but seems to be a good reproduction of the original. Highly Recommended.

Baron and Rude's Nexus remains one of the best science fiction/superhero series ever done and Dark Horse gives it the treatment it richly deserves in this classy archives format. To their credit, they've allowed the three black-and-white issues to remain in black-and-white rather than coloring them, allowing the reader to experience the artwork in as close as possible to its original presentation. The only thing lacking is the classic flexi-disc that was packaged with issue 3, featuring an audio dramatization of that issue's story and with the "unforgettable" Nexus theme song.

For anyone interested in amazing art and well-written storylines, go no further. Nexus is a joy to read, and very easy on the eyes. I originally read these quite a few years back, and I am hoping that I am not speaking through nostalgia, but i think that the stories hold up quite well. I am sorta amazed that these books are not hallowed amongst some of the best stuff that came out in the 80's. Perhaps that it was not a Marvel or DC title, i don't know. I would put Nexus, specifically the Steve Rude issues, in my top 20 comics of all time. Anyhow, I would be quite surprised to find a comic reader who would not enjoy these stories. Take a chance, you will most likely be very pleased.

Horatio Hellpop, the man known as Nexus, comes to life in this deluxe hardcover volume collecting the first 7 issues of... well, "Nexus" by Mike Baron and Steve "The Dude" Rude.

The first issues (first published starting in 1981!) are in b&w, the way they were originally printed, but you do get the nice color covers (some are by Paul Gulacy) and then the four-color series kicks in. Along the way Baron's erudite writing style starts to flow and the Dude's art coalesces into something resembling his gorgeous mature work. These are two creators in their formative days coming together to tell the thrilling, philosophical and sometimes hilarious stories of Nexus as he wrestles with his destiny as a man doomed forever to kill mass murderers.

You'll meet Nexus himself, then watch as he pursues killer freaks like Zeiffer Meird and the decapitation-obsessed Clausius. As the story progresses, Nexus encounters the reporter Sundra Peale, who will become his lover, and then the nefarious and compelling Ursula X.X. Imada (plus he learns what the X's stand for). It's a sci-fi superhero tale that quotes William Blake and visually references everything from Dr. Seuss to "Star Trek." All those influences (Baron lists a few in his intro), and yet it's like nothing else.

"Nexus" was one of the indie greats of the 80s, and some of these stories were later retold more fluently by Baron and Rude, but it's worth it to have them in their original, somewhat rougher, form. Wonderful work that only improves along the way.

It's time, once more, for the daring character
play of NEXUS. The gripping saga of a noble
executioner, and the lives his activities
transform, is entering its 25th anniversary
this year. With the star-spanning, soul-
searching creations of writer Mike Baron
and illustrator Steve Rude set to enter a
new phase of their lives, there's no better
time for a handsome hardbound series of
archives to collect the original exploits
of Horatio Hellpop, Sundra Peale, Dave,
Judah, Tyrone, Ursula and all the rest who
comprise this stunning tale of tragedy,
laughter, power, ambition, and humble
affection yearning to breathe free.

Dark Horse Comics, the intrepid company
which was the third to feature the award-
winning Science Fiction chronicle, has
just issued the first volume of the NEXUS
ARCHIVES. Even if you're one of the few
to own those rare Capital Comics issues,
or the equally rare Graphitti collection
of Capital's original Black and White
debut, this Dark Horse hardcover is a
special treat all its own.
Collecting the Black & White debut &
origin of the philosopher slayer and his
myriad world, the NEXUS ARCHIVES gathers
the first four color issues of the Capital
run, and unveils the first master schemings
of one of the most compellingly evil villians
ever conceived for Fiction; one who will
manipulate anyone -even her own body- to
further her own vested ends.

The ARCHIVES is invaluable in providing a
look at the beginnings of one of the finest
teams to grace the Sequential Arts. From the
start, Baron's ability to imbue ruthlessness
with beguiling charm, tenderness with a tough
edge, and communicate camraderie and commitment
with something as simple as a cookout, or a
shared touch, has made him one of the great
writers of the past 25 years. Baron's
handling of plot and dialogue commands
the incisive candor of a playwright's
grasp.
No less the genius, Rude's fine lines convey
a wealth of diversity in body language and
emotional insistency which none surpass.
Only George Pérez and Wendy Pini match his
capacity for broad cinematic scope. As is the
case with ELFQUEST's Pini, Rude's frequent
use of painted portrait to convey the varied
levels of narrative is captivating and eye-
popping, presaging today's much-plaudited
work from brushmaster Alex Ross.

The essays written by Baron and Rude for
this collection are a treat in themselves,
providing a glimpse into the very stuff of
aesthetic integrity, the flimsy nature of
industrial whim, and a touching exchange
of staunch respect and abiding friendship
which has made their business endeavors
all the more rewarding.

As kicking as the multifaceted character
of NEXUS himself happens to be, the
rich tapestry of supporting characters
marks this chronicle as a wonderfully
precious, deeply involving, highly
ethical storyline. Male, Female, Alien:
All have a story.
Here, a political spy can become a dynamic
figure of courage and honesty, and a factory
manager stands revealed as a healing counselor.
A cynical refugee can become a caring political
leader, and an ambassador can stand revealed
as a fiendishly polarizing force.
In a tale where a killer has the heart of an
innocent and the soul of a poet, all things are
possible.

If you have been with NEXUS over the past
twenty-five years, consider this collection a
special monument to the resilience of great Art,
and the healthy interest of a sharp, searching
readership.
If you have never read NEXUS, and wonder what
all the shouting is about, I heartily encourage
you to acquire this collection, and enter the
start of a particularly special voyage.

You want Comix that give a damn, and have
something to say with thought and feeling?
Here you are.

Great literature doesn't get any better
than this.

Cementing Jonathan Hickman's place as a visionary for a new era, The Nightly News is one of the most original, powerful, and just plain brilliant works to grace the comic book medium in quite some time. A story involving the effects of the American news media on the populace, The Nightly News revolves around a cult of people compelled by The VOICE to engage in violent, terroristic acts in what appears to be an effort to reveal the real truth. There's more going on in this six part story than meets the naked eye however, as Hickman lays the groundwork for this nihilistic tale thanks to his innovative and unique art and graphic design presentation. It may appear to not be easily accessible (and in reality, it really isn't), but give The Nightly News a chance and you'll definitely walk away with a different feeling than what you may expect. That feeling may be that of having your eyes opened or being just plain horrified, but either way, The Nightly News is a powerful and even rewarding experience. Yes, it is that good, and yes, The Nightly News deserves your full attention. And who knows? Maybe if you do, you really will look at the media and everything drawn from it in an entirely different light. Do yourself a favor, pick this up.

Jonathan Hickman is a fresh new voice, and this first compiled work hints that more goodness is yet to come. Pax Romana is off to a good start, as is TransHuman. We'll see if he can keep up his winning streak.

Twisted but insightful post-modern unraveling of mainstream mass media. Or is it all media? Or is it Congress. Nightly News Joins Frank Miller's Return of the Dark Knight and Alan Moore's Watchman as the best graphic interpretation of politics, media, and post-modern culture around.

I would recommend it to anyone interested in challenging their conventional understanding of the relationship between media and power.

DrDigipoldr

Powerful and relevant. This is what a free media transmission looks like. It seems that the only forms of free speech left are via comic books and comedy. Satire is our last sanctuary of creative commentary. Nightly News is crucial reading for every American. It exposes the hipocracy of modern mainstream media and provides crucial statistics and info on the corporate nightmare formerly know as the "Land of the Free". Big ups to Jonathan Hickman for his important contribution. Jonathan Hickman you are now officially a hero of THE GOOD FUTURE. Can't wait to see what you come up with next.

"The Nightly News" is one of the most revolutionary comic books to be released within the last decade. While the author claims to not share some of the ideals brought up in the book, it's spoken from his soul. This is just one of those books that gets a 5 star on every level. The art, the characters, the plot, everything.

The plot is detailed in the description, so I'll jump to the art. It flows so well, but at some point, you think to yourself: "Am I really reading a comic book?" Even compared to today's liberal standards, The Nightly News breaks the rules of sequential art taught to hundreds of artists in art school. Inspired by graphic artists rather than other comic books artists, (already a sign of a revolutionary, if you ask me)Jonathan Hickman gets to the point with his OWN detailed back drops of random circles but with realistically drawn characters. Instead of reading from panel to panel, Hickman's comic makes it feel like a constant flow. Not quite cinematic, (though one can relate this to Tony Scott) but definitely not traditional. It's nothing like you've ever seen. The art was the reason I picked up this comic book by random choice. It looked different from everything else on the shelf, and I was burning a whole in my pocket so I grabbed it along with with Warren Ellis' "New Universal."

Well, "New Universal" turned out to be disappointing, but Hickman's comic book turned out to be incredibly deep from the start as well as addicting. I preordered the paperback in April, and made an EXTREMELY hard pact to myself to not read anymore until I received it in the mail. When I finally got it, I considered not going to work. I did go to work, but after reading it when I got back him I realized I would not regret making the other decision. The art never wears off, only because the story is complex yet not preachy. Hickman even stated at the end of each issue that he does NOT associate himself with sides in politics, and is more into the social examination, which I really dig.

Pick this book up, now.

If you know anything about the Peanuts Gang, you cannot help but lve them. In this collection Schulz, has outdone himself again. Anyone seeking a good laugh or a smile brought to a cloudy day should take a look at this.

Here it is, a book which contains all of the Peanuts cartoons created in the year 1991. Some jokes come out flat, but most get smiles, chuckles, or even out-loud laughter for their creativity, orignality..and a good punchline always helps.

Sure, computer-generated strips are the new thing, but you can't really mess with the strip that changed comics...

I could not put this book down. A whole year of this comic is so funny. i know that i can relate to everyone of the penuts gang.

This is a most charming collection of the antics of the round-headed kid we all love. With comics from a year's worth of newspapers, including the Sundays, you'll have enough to read to keep you entertained, over and over again. Not only are the Peanuts Gang funny, but inspiring, touching, sad, and as the title indicates, sometimes even profound. With Linus' wise advice, Lucy's sassy attitude, and Snoopy's admirable imagination, Charles Shulz' creations give us insight to the most enigmatical yet simplest part of our lives: our childhoods. Read the comics once and laugh, but read them again, look into the words more, and see the other emotions buried underneath. Charles Shulz was truly a genius, and the world will miss him.

I enjoyed this so much that I read it in one sitting. I never realized how much more enyoyable the Peanuts strips would be when you read them one after another, rather than one-a-day!

CGC is great but this is the "bible" for the industry. Long live the King!

there is many information that you can use and know other sites that you didn't know before, so you can check prices and where to buy the best bargain.
paper is also great. glossy.

38th edition of Overstreet is the best yet. The ads are a valuable resource for pricing and buying/selling. The top sales of CGC certified comics is handy, too. There are articles from the Overstreet team of advisors -- collectors & dealers who know the latest trends.

I use this to beef up my own collection, knowing the trends and investing smartly. What are the top ten sellers? What Silver Age hero is in high demand? What's my House of Mystery lot worth? It's all here!

Other interest:

Comic Book Collecting: A Valuation Guide

I have been a comic book collector for over 50 years. During that time I've looked at every price guide ever published. While I get an occasional insight from other sources, I consistently find that the Overstreet annual guides are by far the best source. I also find that collectors of all ages and sophistications rely on this guide so it tells me what the market will be for comics I might want to buy or sell.

Some people feel like they don't need to buy these every year. I disagree!

Even the advertisements are valuable . . . I've found many helpful, low-cost suppliers through these pages over the years.

I especially enjoyed the updated versions of articles about much older comics in this edition. Don't miss them.

And I rarely even look at the prices. This is THE reference book for what was published, when, the actual title, which issues feature notable artists, guest appearances, first appearances, origins, major events like weddings and deaths, etc. If you collect comics you need this.

I liked this volume, although maybe not as much as some of the other volumes. In this volume, Mara the demon is here to cause trouble, Urd is called back by the Almighty, a ghost girl tries to hold Keiichi to a promise his grandfather made, and Hasegawa wants to learn how to make the perfect lunchbox for a special someone. The back of this volume has a quote describing this series as "genuinely hear-warming" and I would have to agree. Although the author/artist often deals with themes that are a bit adult (mainly sex), somehow, this series has never gotten raunchy. It's a wonderfully sweet series, something that you can discover in practically any volume you might pick up. This volume seemed a little weaker to me than some of the others, probably because the short story format of some of the stories didn't let the characters shine as much as they could have, but it's still an excellent read.

After all that Mara has been through with the goddesses--charm allergies, amnesia, the Lord of Terror, other demons--you'd think she'd eventually give up on attacking them. Well, no one ever accused Mara of having a brain, or common sense. She's come back with a genie-like demon named Senbei, who shows up again in the "Devil In Miss Urd" arc. Needless to say, this doesn't do anything to stop the goddesses, and Mara and her accomplice are once again defeated.

Banpei enters, and causes problems for everyone in the household except for Belldandy, with whom he has fallen madly in love. This is a cute story, but it makes you feel kinda sorry for Keiichi and the oldest and youngest goddesses.

Every fan of OMG should have this book in their collection. So buy it!

This graphic novel covers the original Japanese manga Vol. 7 Ch. 45-47 & Vol. 8 Ch. 48-49. Chapter 45-46 is the Mara arc and chapters 48 & 49 are solo tales.

The first part of the Mara arc has her return to Earth where she possesses Megumi. She unleashes Senbei, who is a genie-demon of poverty and disaster, upon Keiichi and company. The second part of the Mara arc has Skuld create the anti-Mara robot Banpei which works a little too well. The third part has Urd being recalled to the heavens and Mara intends to make sure she leaves for good.

The next story has the Nekomi Tech Motor Club on a retreat to a lodge where a shinnentai (manifestation of will) lives. She seems to know Keiichi and is determined to make him fulfill a promise made in 1930! The final story has Belldandy teaching Sora on the art of making boxed lunches while Urd attempts to play matchmaker.

Bottom line: As one might expect from this series, the artwork is great. The stories are light for the most part with the latter two being more humorous. Great for a quick read before going to bed.

Another wonderful book in the Oh My Goddess series. Mara returns yet again to wreck havoc on the goddesses. This time she takes over Keiichi's little sister's body, and tries to bring misfortune to Belldandy with teh help of Senbei the demon of poverty. He is a prettyy neat guy who talks in the third person. He also lives in a bottle. Also in this book Skuld builds a robot named Banpei to protect the Morisato household from Mara. The problem is that the robot decides that Belldandy needs protection from everyone, including Keiichi and Skuld. Good stuff. Please read it!

The romance between mortal Keiichi and goddess Belldandy is the most innocent you'll find: rarely do they kiss and never more than that. Surrounding them are Belldandy's sisters: Urd (who wields misfiring love potions in an effort to speed things up) and Skuld (who builds bizarre contraptions which inadvertantly get in the way).

Though this book is named Mara Strikes Back, don't be misled into thinking an overarching plot exists. Characters do recur and remember and act based on what went before, but the stories are largely episodic. Lack of an overarching plot is not a detriment here: it allows Fujishima to be more playful with his characters, and the whole cast is a lot of fun (though Urd often steals the page, as it were). Fujishima's art seems richer here, especially in the backgrounds. His mastery over his art style clearly developed as the series progressed; the differences between the very earliest art and this art are quite striking.

This easy to read comic will have parents everywhere in tears of laughter. Hammie and Zoe have their parents dead tired after 5 minutes with them. A must have for any parents to be. Check out the other books too.

The Singapore National Newspaper are publishing Baby blues cartoons with a more grown up Zoe and Hamish who can walk steadily on his own. I reckon this could the the No. 12th comic onwards after the title "if I were a stay-home mom, why am I always in the car". I am looking to buying the 12th editions onwards, please ask the publisher to compile and publish the books.

The Singapore National Newspaper are publishing Baby blues cartoons with a more grown up Zoe and Hamish who can walk steadily on his own. I reckon this could the the No. 12th comic onwards after the title "if I were a stay-home mom, why am I always in the car". I am looking to buying the 12th editions onwards, please ask the publisher to compile and publish the books.

My hubby & I have started reading Baby Blues 1 year ago & now we are truly truly addicted to the series. we absolutely love hammie & zoe..... keep up the good work ... it is indeed bringing tears of laughter to readers worldwide.

Ever since I became pregnant,I have read and enjoyed all of the Baby Blues books. Every so often, I even go back to the first book and start all over again...although seeing what Wanda and Daryl go through, I don't think I'm ready for my second child yet. (My daughter is 3 1/2) But I must say, this is true to life. If you're thinking about children, you must read the whole series to understand what you will be in for.

I highly recommend the Black Dog opera books. They're the perfect way to learn about an opera: They include cd's of the opera by outstanding singers, photos of performances, historical and critical commentary, a scene-by-scene summary of the plot, and the complete libretto in both English and the original language, so you can play around with the translation if you're interested. They can't be beat.

This is a wonderful study score to Rossini's wonderful masterpiece. The story of a Barber named Figaro, who is the person that everyone comes to seeking advice.
It's easy to read and the size is standard (9in x 12in). It lies easily on a music stand or desk. It's low price is great for the starving music student. I highly reccommend this for professionals and opera-goers alike.

Be aware that the book shown when you take a "Look Inside" is NOT the book you get. What they show is a bound copy of the musical score with the libretto added. What you get is the libretto described in the written review, no musical score. That having been said, the book you get is useful and of interest, and the CD is a great recording.

One of Rossini's best operas, the Barber of Seville, is immortalized here in another one of Dover's fine scores. From the fast-paced overture to the "Figaro" aria (both made famous in old Bugs Bunny cartoons), this opera is nonstop greatness.

As usual, Dover has provided us with a book of the highest quality: they sew their books instead of gluing them so as for them to stay bound and be flexible, and they print legibly. Unfortunately, legible print is becoming disappointingly rare in modern scores, but Dover is the exception.

For a great score of a great opera at a great price, you can't go wrong with Rossini's Barber of Seville.

This book and CD set are the perfect combination for those who are new to the world of opera and not fluent in foreign language. Better than just a synopsis, the libretto in English lets you read every word so you won't miss the humor or pathos. As a homeschooling mom, I really appreciated this set as a teaching tool. I hope to increase my collection of The Black Dog Opera Library series.

Tim Kreider is more than an editorial cartoonist. He is a man who has been blessed with the ability of exposing the faults and failings of humanity in a series of fine lines. If you're expecting cute and cuddly stuff, save your money. But if you want to laugh at self-recognition, stop reading this review and buy this book. It's harsh and dark, but then, so are the realities of life.

Stop what you're doing and buy this book!!!!

I grew up reading Doonesbury and Bloom County. As I got older I looked for sicker, darker humor. I love Johnny Ryan, Kieron Dwyer, Ivan Brunetti, Kaz, and Derf. I'm a seeker, always digging, always looking for something sicker and darker and funnier and more extreme. Well, I found it. I knew nothing about Tim Kreider and bought this book on a whim. So listen to what I'm about to say and listen good:

This is THE Funniest book I have ever read in my entire life.
Ever.
Hands down.

I've laughed harder in my life, but never have I laughed so consistently from beginning to end. This book had me gasping for breath from beginning to end. It is simply brilliant. STunningly good. Kreider isn't as sick as Ivan Brunetti and I would say he isn't quite as good an artist as Kieron Dwyer (although he is still excellent), and his comix are all single page or single panel. But if you want brilliance in a comic book that will make your jaw drop - buy this book. Trust me.

There are jokes in here, like "Butt First for Love" that I looked at thought "am I really looking at this!?!?", humor that slaps you immediately in the face and has you cracking up from the word go. Then there are more subtle jokes, like "Kasparov vs. Gravedigger" that get funnier and funnier each time you look at them (I didn't laugh at that one until about the fifth time i had looked at it - then I couldn't stop laughing).

BUY THIS BOOK - nOW

This is a funny collection of cartoons which is perfect for smart, jaded, cynical people with dark senses of humor. It is not a book for the dumb, unattractive, faithful or optimistic.

A lot of people have been waiting for this book for a long time since we need to get a dose of Tim's cartoons every night before sleep and it's not practical or comfortable to bring a laptop to bed with you and go online. If I had the time or inclination (or analytical skills) to breakdown why exactly the drawings are so unbelievably funny I probably still wouldn't bother because I'd run the risk of ruining that moment when I see a Tim Kreider picture of Dick Cheney cringing or Condolezza Rice flashing the President's staff and I haven't even read the joke yet but I'm already in hysterics over the way it's drawn. There's just nobody in the world--not Steve Brodner or Oliphant or Ben Sargent or anyone--who wrings as much laughter out of his expressions and linework. It gets even better. Go to his website and click the "artist's statement" for each comic. They're every bit as funny as the comics themselves.

Not very often does a book make me laugh so hard I accidentally snort Diet Coke out my nose. "The Pain" treads the line between high-brow intellect and complete retardation in a way that is completely addictive and hilarious. I read it from cover to cover and then read it again. I've already bought two copies for friends. I wish my local paper ran Mr. Kreider so I could see new work every week.