Graphics Books

With art that looks like something Basil Wolverton might've done if he'd drawn used his feet & keeping his eyes closed this is a great collection of early '40's superhero comics. Plot? Characterization? No way! This was when action & good beating evil were what superhero comics were all about. And I've seen enough G-A stuff to know that this may not be the best but it sure ain't the worst (wait til Marvel reprints USA Comics #5, now THAT was the worst!).

Oh, its also very well made and the story about Fletcher Hanks himself is both touching & disturbing as well as a change from the usual text format.

Wonderfully bizarre naif stories. The final chapter recounting the background of the creator is as interesting as the actual stories.

If you enjoy strange and forbidden comics like The Monster of Frankenstein then Mr. Hank's odd 4-color creations will not disappoint you. The comics are almost as odd as the artist himself!

What is this?!?! Giant ants in the jungle and amazing power beams?!?! Sure, WHY NOT? Space Sorcerers? Makes sense! Every story involves criminals with some form of bombing planes!?!?! Keen!
Nothing I can say THE BELIEVER magazine's article about Fletcher Hanks hasn't said better, but its an amazing book well worth owning.

On at least a superficial level, I Shall Destroy All the Civilized Planets by Fletcher Hanks is an unimpressive collection of comics from the late 1930s and early 1940s, and it is apparent why the comics have remained obscure. The art is okay but the writing is definitely missing something, such as characterization or plot development.

The greatest number of stories feature Stardust, "the most remarkable man who ever lived." This blond giant lives on a distant asteroid where his seemingly omniscient technology detects evil doings on Earth, usually involving world conquest or mass murder. Equipped with strange and powerful weapons, Stardust metes out justice. He is so utterly powerful, however, that no foe stands a chance against him, and suspense is never really an issue.

Of only slightly more depth is Fantomah, "the most remarkable woman ever known," a jungle girl with vast supernatural powers which she uses to stop people from exploiting the people and beasts of the jungle. When she uses her fullest powers, she changes from beautiful woman to skeletal monster, but she is essentially a scaled down Stardust.

There are also standalone stories featuring lumberjack Big Red McLane taking on the Red River Gang and one with Buzz Crandall stopping Lepus the Fiend (who utters the line that is the title of this book) from forcing Earth and Venus to collide.

As mentioned before, on the superficial level, these stories are quite mediocre, but as I read through the book, I realized that they are not meant to have the standard qualities one would associate with good stories. Instead, they are tales of divine justice. With their near omnipotence, Stardust and Fantomah (in particular), punish evil with fierce, often ironic justice. For example, when Stardust stops one villain from robbing Fort Knox, he gives the crook his share of "gold" when Stardust feeds him to a monstrous golden octopus. (Unlike many superheroes, Stardust and Fantomah have no qualms about killing.)

The best writing is actually in the comic-form afterword by editor Paul Karasik, which deals with Karasik's attempts to find out more about the mysterious Fletcher Hanks. He tracks down the son, who describes his father as a thoroughly unpleasant man. Karasik (and the reader) get some insights into Hanks, but he remains mostly an enigma.

This book has a certain nostalgic charm but I don't know if they are really worth owning unless you're a real comics completist. If you are, then pick this up; otherwise, approach this book with caution.

I have the hardcover edition. I collect Robert Crumb's works and this is a favorite of everyone looking at my collection. It you are an art student this along with his Gotta Have'Em Portraits of Women by R.Crumb is good resource material. I'd give The R. Crumb Coffee Table Art Book in (hardcover) ten stars if I could. I have not had the opportunity to look at the soft cover version but I would bet it is well done.

I just picked up the hardcover edition yesterday at the bargain section of my local bookstore. Once I started reading it I couldn't put it down. It's in chronological order of R. Crumb's work broken into chapters. Each chapter starts with a write up by him telling about what was going on in his life at that time, and how some of the drawings came to be. I find him to be a fascinating artist. He bares his soul in his work, not really caring how he appears or what people think.

This book is the ultimate Crumb. You won't be disappointed if you love his work.

Just about every huge page (this book is big!) is filled with inspired color drawings from the legendary underground artist. Crumb gets very personal in this book, it's incredibly honest and, at times, deep. He takes the reader on a nostalgic journey through his childhood, life, and career. It's about growing up, finding the artist within, and adjusting to the insanity of the world. Or, you can simply read it for the edgy, often sexual comics. Either way, this is a big heavy book that is hard to pick up, but harder to put down.

A generation ago, American poets such as Sylvia Plath, Robert Lowell, John Berryman, and Anne Sexton gave birth to a genre that's come to be known as "confessional poetry." Their verse revealed intimate facts about their lives that simply weren't spoken of in polite company: fears, phobias, sexual hang-ups, pettiness, depression, suicidal tendencies. Some of their work wound up being rather pathetic, more confessional than poetic. But when it was good, it invited readers to face their own demons.

Robert Crumb, whom the art critic Robert Hughes has called the "Breughel of the 20th century," is a confessional artist whose chosen genre is comics. For 50-odd years (with the emphasis on "odd"!), R. Crumb has explored his many identities and personae in thousands of sketches, drawings, and paintings. The R. Crumb Coffee Table Art Book is actually an autobiography put together from a handful of the work Crumb has produced over the years. It's interspersed with essays by Crumb on his childhood, school days, the hippie scene in San Francisco, his marriages, his "personal obsession with big women," his spiritual yearnings, and his love of old music. Taken together, it's a fascinating portrait of a man who's dared to explore some of his deepest and darkest places, and to do so (at least sometimes) publicly.

Crumb believes that the pivotal moment in his personal and artistic life was the period in the mid-60s to the early 70s when he dropped acid on a regular basis. Although he sometimes worries that he might've fried his brain, he also thinks that the LSD trips liberated his psyche and helped him break through to new and deeper levels of creativity. The LSD was, he tells us, his "road to Damascus."

Perhaps. It's true that Crumb's work has changed over the years--it's become more brutally honest, more introspective, darker and at the same time funnier. Perhaps the LSD had something to do with it (although, personally, I quite dislike some of the work that comes from that period, finding it rather flat and silly). But I suspect that the single greatest influence on Crumb was his childhood and his family, especially his brother Charlie, who seems to have been just as much a genius as Robert. Crumb the man really is the child of Crumb the boy. The LSD may've helped Crumb get in touch with the raw energy generated from those days.

Crumb has become notorious for the sexuality of some of his comics, and has taken his share of political correct knocks. But The R. Crumb Coffee Table Art Book makes clear that the bottom line of much of his art is his existential need to explore and expose the shallowness and absurdity of much of modern life. Above all, as he tells us (p. 247), he wants to tell the truth, not only about himself but about us as well. Whether it's in the pages of "Zap" or "Weirdo" comics, or in panels featuring Shuman the Human or Mr. Natural, Crumb continuously questions racial, sexual, cultural, and artistic conventions, pushing the envelope as far as it can go and frequently causing readers discomfort. There's also a longing on Crumb's part for deep meaning in a universe that appears crazy. This most often reveals itself as nostalgia for bygone days (his love of "old" music, for example), but also more explicitly as a yearning for a god that he can no longer fully believe in and frequently mocks.

Reading R. Crumb is an intense experience. Like all good art, his stuff can make one laugh with joy or send shivers down the spine. The R. Crumb Coffee Table Art Book is a good place to start if you're just discovering Crumb, and an equally good collection to help long-time admirers get some idea of the big picture of Crumb's work and to better appreciate its depth. It's also a good catalyst for getting in touch with one's own multiple identities.

When someone tries to blow up Jack Knight, and in the process gets some of his family, he will slowly come to the realisation that he has some growing up to do.

He kicks against this for some time, but his father, a couple of local cops, Opal City herself, and the need to do something about The Shade and The Mist start to move him in the right direction.

Starman, written by James Robinson,with art by Tony Harris, Peter Snejbjerg and others, details the exploits of Jack Knight, the son of the aging 1940's Starman, as he struggles with the family business, his personal business and Knight's Past, his, um, business business. It's got science, mystery, romance, cowboys, pirates, and some of the most pure heroism that was presented in the grim and shallow world of 1990's comics. This is one of those great series, Sandman-style, which is loved by comic and non-comic readers alike. This is where I first saw the pencils of Ex Machina artist Tony Harris. I had such a man crush on this creative team, when I met them at a convention in 1996 I giggled Japanese schoolgirl style and averted my eyes. I palpitate at the thought! James Robinson complimented me on my shirt, which I had cleaned especially for the occasion. This is the comic that made me love DC comics, made me embrace my inner collector, and kept me returning to the comic store.

I have to admit I like the new Starman alot. But I donthtink everyone would.

Great stories, great art, coloring...I have all the 7-8 volumes in the tpb format. The character is written very well. The Sandman stories are especially good, as well as JSA related and even the filler stories with Starman's brother, and Opal City's historical characters. Bank robbers, pirates, aliens, poets, fantasy, sci fi, tattoos, etc...what more could one want?! Also the substitute/guest artists are as good as the regular artist.

However I am a little dissappointed that DC never mentions any ratings for their books similar to Marvel. The new Starman Series by James Robinson is NOT FOR KIDS. Although not overly gratuitous visually, there are bedroom scenes, with semi-nudity(no full frontal), drug use(only one issue), as well as homosexual characters(which is not overly emphasized or distracting to the comic. only noticed this rare&few times. no sex, just words of "love forever")but it may offend some people, and confuse or harm children's moral upbringing. As an adult, they dont get in the way of the main characters virtuous and heroic qualities but they may cause some people who are offended by that kind of thing to miss the overall well-crafted story plots. For others it may cause them to imitate those scenes. I dont like them in a comic book. Personally the parts of the story that show those scenes really dont add that to the plots very much. But I dont believe the writer was trying to shock anyone, just make society more comfortable with this type of relatonship. I would have rather those ideas/characters remained out of the books, or "faded to black" (as one homosexual scene was). I still give the books the highest marks for overall artisitic presentation.

Starman has since departed from the superheroe scene(i think?) but this run of stories has many many great moments in the modern super hero context. Just be careful if you are scensitive to the "adult" situations. They show this Starman superhero and related friends, associates, as very human persons, equiped with fallen human nature, and have to go through their own personal, yet in some cases, universal, spiritual and vocational superhero trials and tribulations. These trials are moral & emotional, that many people can relate to on a down-to-earth level. I tend to think of these stories as kind of modern greek mythological hero/fable stuff anyway. But just because greek stories have all the sex and stuff doesnt mean I like to read, or see, in contemporary novels. I pretty much find it insteresting how Robison included the adult situations, but ignore it overall. However, there is more to emotional maturity then sexual relationships, or positions. At least Robinson provides enough character depth & developement to overshadow these unnecessary plot developments. That is where his writing talent really impresses in dealing not with physical strength, but virtuous strength, in terms of acquiring courage, and in some cases, emotional & spiritual growth. Interpersonal relationships between family and friends also play a strong part in the stories as well.

But if you are senstitive to the adult themes maybe the original Starman Archives is your style. There are moments where Harris's & Robinson's modern Starman stories really are the best I have ever read. All though there is alot of art deco, art nouveau, and film noir symbolism throughout their work that allows their style to be respectful of the past. Some of Harris's visual treats could make terrific posters. The inker is especially sensitive to his style. The modern Starman handles the adult themes well in many instances, but they couldve been done even better. If you look at film noir, alot happened that you didnt need to see to help create drama. I am afraid Robinson couldve been more graphic, but he also couldve been less so. For instance issues about adultery(not shown in this particular issue) had wonderful, morally and spiritually uplifting conclusions, with effects that run throughout the Starman series, but he didnot have to show the adulterous act to make us know it happened. For me the resolution was marvelously handled, that it overshadowed what was "shown", however many people might have missed the great ending because of being "shown" too much. "One does not have to see the sin, to learn from it." However, I must restate, Robinson didnt necessarily cross the line of decency, but got right up close to it...even dance over it...to close for me, but still accomplished a great piece of story telling.

No offense meant by my comments, just some thoughtfulness that I think DC should include in its packaging, or on its website. Right now one would think Starman is just like any other comic for kids, when SOME issues, NOT ALL, are more like R rated, G, or even PG.

I hope DC puts out the remaing issues. I believe about 20 more need to be released in tpb.

Yankstar

James Robinson shows his brilliance in crafting vivdly fleshed out characters in his highly entertaining revision of the superhero genre in the 'Starman,' series. This first volume opens up in typical anti-hero fashion with a mortal character reluctantly thrust into the role of superhero and his subsequent struggle to assume such a larger then life identity. While the story and plotting in vol. 1 is decent and perfectly serviceable, the strength of this series is ultimately found in the wonderful character development that takes shape through dozens of chapters. Jack Knight, the hero of this tale, comes across as an everyman with a fascination for kitsch collectibles and pop culture while constantly struggling to find comfort from his transformation to super-being. Good heady stuff without taking itself too seriously.

Almost everyone in comics got the wrong message from "Watchmen" and "The Dark Knight Returns." Rather than learning that superhero comics could be about more than adolescent fantasies they simply embraced the violence of those books and created comics that catered to a darker set of adolescent fantasies than the old Superman or Spiderman comics did. Comics didn't grow up; they just went from being geeks to juvenile delinquents.
I say almost everyone because there are a few notable exceptions where people have written superhero comics for grown ups, or to use Neil Gaiman's words comics that are "about something" (about something other than muscles, spandex, and maiming and killing "evil doers" that is). Kurt Busiek of course, and strangely enough Alan Moore himself are the examples everyone knows about. Unfortunately, James Robinson's work often falls between the cracks, and that is a shame, because "Starman" is a comic that is truly about something.

Aptly enough a good bit of what the comic is about is growing up. Early in the series Knight mocks things like family, duty, and honor, but Jack coming to embrace those things as well as responsibility is the heart of the whole series. Spiderman and Superman are great metaphors for adolescence, "Starman" is a story about coming out of a prolonged adolescence. Jack Knight isn't an obsessed Rorschach or Batman driven by internal demons in a near psychotic quest for vengeance. Rather, he's a self-centered hipster who gets in the superhero racket out of duty, family oligations, and loyalty to his beloved home town.
But really I make it sound all stodgy and positively 19th century Prussian, and it isn't. As well as being about something the series is a lot of fun. Robinson clearly loves all those old guys in tights and all the baggage that goes with them, but in his hands it really isn't baggage. You get explosions, evil plots, crime waves, superhero team ups, and everything you expect in comics, but you get meaning too. On top of that Robinson has a knack for creating characters and enough attention to detail to bring them to life. The O'Dares could have degenerated to Irish-cop stereotypes, the Shade a mere metropolitan killer, or Knight a hipster with superpowers, but none of them did. They all seem like living breathing people, and that's not something you can say for characters on a good many acclaimed television shows.
"Starman" was one of the best comics of the 90's and the best place to start is at the beginning.

Stephen Colbert is so good at being seriously funny. This comic book is a hoot.

This comic based on Steven Colbert's Tek Jansen story (unfortunately still unpublished) is pretty hilarious. Though it's set in the sci-fi future the impression that I get is that it's a take (though a strange one) on modern politics, living and, of course, lovin'.

It's a good, cheap read and more than likely a collector's item... Because who doesn't believe that Colbert could take over the world with his wit alone?

I was totally jaded with all the "Dark Graphic novels and Comics - until I picked up Stephen Colbert's Tek Jansen.. A more capable Hero there never was nor will there be. Illustrations are top notch, and storyline fantastic! Tek! Tek! Tek!I don't care what Shatner sez. I WANT MY TEK ADDICTION!!!!!

I have never read anything more funny and enjoyable than this Tekaliciously Tek Jansen comic!!! A must-read for anyone!! I highly recommend it. :-)

When I heard that the Tek Jansen comics were coming out, I was at first nervous. Would the comics be just as good as the show, or would they fall short of Stephen Colbert's hilarious brand of comedy and disappoint me?

Luckily, Tek Jansen issue number one managed to be a completly hilarious comic, and I loved it instantly! The humor is not entirely like Colbert's, but similiar all the same. Colbert did have some imput in the script and art for the comic, but it's clear that the comic's writers and artists took their own style and combined it with Colbert's to create a fantastic, entertaining read.

I counted down the days for this comic to come out, and though it came out months later than expected, I finally bought it and devoured it, and I'll be doing the same thing with the next one. The next issue can only get better, as the comic book writers and artists collaborate even more with each other and with Colbert to create such an amazing piece of work that's entertaing for fans of The Colbert Report, fans of comic books, teenagers, adults, and everyone in between!

I just have to say alot of people said what this is about. About a girl that is gothic scarey and 4 boys that are beautiful as the light of the sun trying to make her a lady to get free rent. If I was them I do it too man, "free rent oh yeah" You get some new art in the manga, that is really new to us. But in anycase the art you learn to love I did. Just because this manga series is just so funny. Every page I was laughing so hard I couldn't even finish the page. You start looking at the art as if it beautiful the first couple of pages. I love the art now these people look Japanese. KEWL. I fell in love with these characters. I have alot of manga all kinds. But this is new to me, it's funny, cute, funny, and you get some romanitic times. I just love it. Just go to a book store and read the first one and if you don't like it. Then something is Seriously wrong with you. This is SO FUNNY PLEASE IT IS SO WORTH THE MONEY FOR TYPE OF PEOPLE IT'S JUST SO FUNNY YOU CAN'T SAY NO. OK maybe you can but don't.

One more thing this series goes to 20 volumes I checked it out. So I got 6 to go now. But they're not going to be out till next year. :(. I really do hope you like this series, as alot of people did here.
Later and Smiles ;P

I am not, by a long shot, what you would call an avid shoujo manga reader. It was actually never even my intention to read this, but my sister put a little annoying bug in my ear so (needless to say) I decided to give this manga a shot. I could not have been more grateful for actually doing so. This is, by far, one of the best mangas that I have ever read. The characters are highly entertaining and well developed, the art is beautifully done, the storyline is just awesome, and the author's ability to thrown in serious issues (such as self-esteem, beauty, and self-acceptance) is just amazing. It can be a bit over the top sometimes (not in an angsty way thank goodness), but its a comic so all is well!

I'm actually able to read and understand the Japanese version of this series, so I'm lucky enough to have read all the way up to vol. 19. All that I can say is that I'm still a fan, I will always be a fan, and I hope that you will become one too. The Wallflower isn't for everyone (obviously), its a little bit on the gothic side and sometimes that turns people off. I'm no goth either, but I can set aside my personl preferences to read and enjoy these books like there's no tomorrow. They're just that good.

the description doesn't do it justice; it comes off sounding like another coming-of-age girly story(which i guess it is but in a fantastic weird way). I give it five stars but with a few draw backs.
The good:

the most hilarious story i've read. i've never laughed so hard; Sunako is just awesome and completely different than the squealing girly mold of most shoujos. The leading lady is a horror obsessed recluse thrust into the light of four normal, handsome boys. The artwork ranges from mostly cute, funny chibi form to incredible beautiful artwork (mostly when Sunako is pissed or dressed up). There are some actual real poignant points in the manga. One scene that that i enjoyed was in the middle of 'turning Sunako into a lady' Sunako sits in her room surrounded by her horror comforts and asks Jason 'if they took away your mask and your chainsaw and made you be something you aren't what you would you do, Jason?' or something to that extent.

A couple of bad points:

though i'm going to get flamed for this the leading four men are waaaay too girly. Kyohei looks like a woman. Look at the front cover! If you didn't know any better you'd think it's a woman. I had a lot of trouble seperating the boys because they pretty much looked alike. Though the general thought is unique and funny there isn't a lot of go power for this manga. the slapstick gets old fast and starts to meander and looses the plot thread. you could read the first manga and be satisfied without reading the rest, i mean you can pretty much guess how it will end.
so. buy the first one and enjoy a laugh.

First question: Why do these guys know so much about makeup and hair and clothing? Does it say this anywhere? Near as I can tell they're supposedly "normal" high school students. Maybe I missed something.

Four devastating beautiful guys, "Creatures of Light", are offered free rent for three years if they can transform their landlady's niece into a lady of refinement. Too bad for them, Sunako is addicted to horror movies and hasn't taken care of her appearance in years. Her hair's overgrown, she has a uni-brow and pockmarked skin, circles under her eyes, and her clothing is stained, ill-fitting and falling apart. If she talks to one of the four for longer than three seconds, she'll melt or sprout a gusher of a nosebleed.

It's quickly apparent that Sunako is capable of great beauty - she's got a great body, and fabulous bone structure - but she lacks the desire or dedication to make it happen. So for the boys the challenge is not to change her outward appearance, but to invoke some inner changes to make Sunako realize there's beauty in the world and she isn't ugly and blah blah blah.

I'm sorry. I don't get this manga's popularity, other than the pretty boys. Is that all there is to it? The "guys" act more like a band of girlfriends, and the whole scenario comes off as completely unrealistic. Sunako is perfectly happy living her crazy, horror-movie life and the only reason these guys want her to change is to save their own hides. That's not cute or charming, it's cruel. They should leave the poor girl alone!

Yet the art is stunning. I'm the first to admit that. Hayakawa has a very unique style, inspired by Japanese musicians, and the delicacy and style of her characters helps make up for the uneven and strange storyline.

After reading through the other reviews I thought there wasn't too much to add, but . . .

I had to say something about the art. The art is extremely different. The author bases her characters on real Japanese musicians and due to this the characters actually look Japanese. Not a single character falls under the perfect looking, big eyed, shojo character that this type of work is prone to (think Fullmoon, anything by Yuu Watase). Due to this the art may be off putting to some. I think it is beautiful and completely original.

The only downside to the art is that Sunako (the main character) is usually drawn as a simple cartoon. When she is drawn she is beautiful and it makes you wish the author drew her like this more often. Also, the backgrounds are extremely sparse and sometimes there is nothing at all.

The plot lines (I have up to volume 11) are somewhat episodic (but there are cliffhangers), but it works. It feels like you're getting snipets of the life that the four boys and Sunako have together and their interactions. Plus, this is a truly funny book. Sunako tries to kill people, Kyohei is constantly being kidnapped or abused, Ranmaru has dated every women in the tristate area, and so on. There really is nothing like it.

All in all, if you want something funny, fresh, and original give this series a shot. Just know that you'll have to be patient to get the next vol. New works come out quarterly.

This book is written for intermediate Maya artists and it begins by covering some basic skills. In addition to lighting and texturing it goes on to cover a lot of valuable techniques. Since textures and lighting require good rendering setups, the author explains raytracing, mental ray, global illumination and HDRI. Those subjects are covered in more detail in other books but the author goes a long way in introducing them. Overall, it's a great way to advance your skills.

The companion CD comes with Maya 7 Personal Learning. (The key reason I wanted this book.)

You can't install the software, because it requires a software key.

The link provided to obtain the software key doesn't work.

It brings you to the download page for Maya 8.5 PLE. Maya 8.5 requires Windows XP or MAC OX X. (I'm on Windows 2000, bummer for me, eh?)
Maya moved from Alias to Autodesk.


Basically, this book provides some helpful theory. General theory you could apply to several different software packages. Also, good for improving photography techniques.

was very pleased and excited to see such a great new refreshing book on texturing. Great book for a beginner or advance maya user. Great visuals and will touch on many different topics and will show you technigues on creating difficult textures in maya.

I had certain expectations when I chose this book and I found that it lived up to almost all expectations I had. This book gives you an overview of a large range of Maya's texturing and lighting utility nodes and it explains to the reader all their individual attributes. At the end of each chapter useful tips and tricks are explored in the form of step-by-step tutorials - from lighting to texturing and rendering techniques. One chapter is devoted entirely to Maya's lighs, another to only 2D texturing nodes, a third to 3D texturing nodes, and so on.
It is a good book for people who have already some experience in using Maya and want to broaden their knowledge.
That said the book contains 13 topical chapters plus a 14th chapter filled with "additional techniques". However, the last three chapters (12-14) can only be found as PDF files on the accompanying CD. The printed book itself finishes with chapter 11. The book could also do with an update to bring it in line with the extensive changes to Maya's UI since the release of version 8.5, but if you use your brain a little you can use Maya's online reference to help you locate menus that have been moved or renamed since this book was published.

I bought this manual to help me ugrade from Maya 7.0 to Maya 8.5 and it's become my most prized and relied upon resource. Every tutorial I've gone through has worked perfectly (no missing steps or errors so far), Mr. Lanier writes coherently & well, and each new topic is presented in a straightforward and matter-of-fact fashion.

As a professional Video Game Artist, I've reccommended this manual to our enitire company of 300, and will continue to do so to everyone else. In the past, decent documentation on the finer points of Maya has been elusive, but Mr. Lanier has saved us! I will be adding his other manuals to my library.

I purchased this book thinking that it would include detailed sketches and concepts for the creation of Spirited Away. While, the book did have these elements it had far fewer than one might suspect from the cover. In fact most of the art work were stills from the movie.


Which, to me came as a great disappointment. If I wanted to see the final art of the movie I would watch the movie. Buy this book if you really love the quality of the animated scenes. Don't buy this if you feel you can gain great insight into how it was made.

This book is beyond amazing! I love the "Spirited Away" movie and the art in this book is gorgeous and the screen clips are beautiful. Once I decided to purchase this I also picked up the "Spirited Away" soundtrack. This is a must have if you are a true Miyazaki film fan or even just a big fan of the movie itself!

It's Hayao Miyazaki again. What can I say. One of the most amazing animated film ever. And book explores so much of the movie. Amazing learning and reference book. Every animation/comic lover must have it.

The reson why I purchased this book is because of the art inside. It brought me back to the movie Spirited Away.. I ordered the book with a hardcover.. That's nice to have. The product is such fine quality. I am proud to have it and share the Art of Miyazaki with others. I know more about Miyazaki after purchasing this book.

i dont know what to say aside from the fact that miyazakisan is an incredible artist/storyboard creator. and bravo to everyone at studio ghibli

A young man looks up to the heroes of the city after he arrives, and wants to be like them, or help them if he can. When he bravely and probably foolishly intervenes in a crime, he comes to the attention of the Confessor, a Batman like character.

Astro City has a Sunnydale-like suburb, and out of that has come a hero trying to make things better. The Confessor finds his Robin, but ultimately at the cost of his secret.

If you're 'old school' and like Miller and Moore don't miss this book. Worth several re-reads
Peace

Kurt Busiek asks that question, to a certain degree, in all the Astro City stories. This story follows Brian, a young man who resents both the father that gave free checkups to his small town's children, and the adults who called him a bum after his death. Once Brian's grown up, he goes to Astro City to live among the heroes. Eventually, he catches the eye of a secretive superhero, The Confessor, who decides to make Brian his sidekick. Especially, the Confessor teaches Brian to observe a situation and pick out the fact that doesn't fit. This proves to be helpful when a mysterious killer begins ritually murdering people, the mayor demands superheros register their powers, ordinary people begin to get suspicious and resentful of the supers, and the Confessor begins to act oddly. This leads to several well plotted mysteries that don't always lead where you think they will. All this forms a beautiful story that explains why helping someone ungrateful can be the most heroic thing ever.
One minor concern is that the Shadow Hill Killer is delt with in one panel and is never fully explained. Also, if you have issues with Christianity, I would not read this book, as it has several Christian heros. Personally, I found the idea of a superhero with religious faith an intriguing idea.

Busiek has an amazing way of taking familar superhero comic themes and using them in new ways. Unlike some modern comic writers, he respects the genre and knows how to tell great stories within it, rather than cynically discarding the very things that make heroes so inspiring. The Confessor is clearly inspired by Batman, and Altar Boy is his Robin. But the basic similarity of the characters is used as a way of introducing a completely different kind of story. Even what appear to be relatively minor supporting characters are used to good effect, while also remaining surprisingly respectful to their own particular beliefs. Astro City is a great series, and a sure fire favorite for anyone who enjoys comics.

I'm not a comic book fan; they're much too convulted for my own tastes. But even the first time I read Astro City: Confessions I knew it was something else, something different. Confessions is more literature than it is comic book; it transcends the genre and becomes something new altogether.

Yes, word of mouth is a good way to spread the word. I did a search here in Amazon of vampire books with good reviews, and this series was one of the first.
The bookstore I usually go to didn't have it, so I had them order it for me. They said it usually takes 2 weeks, so it was ok with me. 3 weeks passed when I went back & found it was never sent! Ugh! They did it again, but I was already planning to get it here. I say it's been already a little over 2 weeks since then & I haven't gotten a call that it has arrived!
No biggie! I ordered it here & I'm half way through & lovin' it!
If you are looking for vampire sex, so far there isn't any, but I haven't finished it, yet. But the story is great! And I read Hawkins is writing the third book. There's even comics!
So I put my 2 cents in! And recommend you get it here, since some major bookstores may not have it.

i was a bit skeptical at first because of the front cover but when i started reading it...my gosh...it's one of the best books i've read...i could not stop reading...i stayed awake for hours just to finish it...it's one of the best!!! please write more kerri hawkins!

The novel is definitely a must-read for anyone who enjoys vampire tales. Blood Legacy is a completely different spin on the mythos, one that delves into the science behind immortality. While I have no way of scientifically proving or disproving her explanations for these creatures, I really enjoyed reading about them! It was a very fun book, completely action packed with great heroes and villains! I have already read the sequel and loved it and am eagerly waiting for more novels in this series!

I cant begin to really describe this book or its sequel , but i will recommend that you buy it and read it..you might just like it even if you are skeptical

Though the characters here are strong and their conflicts interesting, the book as a whole could have used an editor's strong hand - both for the smaller proofreading errors (streptococcus is described as a virus, and a character is shown knitting a quilt), and for the larger, clumsy moments (like switching the point of view between paragraphs, or providing exposition to the reader by having characters simply state what they know "for the record").

But by far the greatest error here was telling us "The Story of Ryan" without having Ryan as our main point of view character. The whole affair is told via a framing story about a doctor, whose concerns and subplots conveniently vanish once Ryan's storytelling gets into full swing.

This story has a lot of promise, filled with dramatic flourishes that would be perfectly at home in a cinematic medium. It's an easy, entertaining read - and one that I quite enjoyed - with good plot twists towards the end. Just be prepared to forgive a few foibles.

I absolutely loved these stories and how they connect the dots between the two films. A lot of the things used in these stories are seen in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. When Jay and Silent Bob meet Suzanne the Orangutan in the comics, it plays just like the scene from the movie when they meet Suzanne, even the scenes of Jay's grim look into the future Planet of the Apes. There is another scene in here that was cut from J&SB strike back when they are kicked off the bus for smoking weed in the restroom on the bus.

What I love most about these stories is that it explains how Jay and Silent Bob ended up wearing the different clothes that they wear in Dogma. That was the coolest part of this, everthing about their clothes in Dogma is explained in these stories; from Jay's Forked Tongue T-Shirt to Silent Bob's Mooby's cap. Overall, these stories are a must have for any fan of Kevin Smith. They are funny and should be included as canon (except for the monkey scene that was later used in J/SB Strike Back). If you want to know what happened to the dynamic duo between films, get this

What happened to Jay and Silent Bob between "Chasing Amy" and "Dogma"? How did Jay get the idea of going to Shermer, Illinois? Where did he get that hat? And why were they hanging out in the parking lot of a birth control clinic?

This book WILL answer those questions...and make you laugh out loud in the process!

Not only does this tie Chasing Amy, Mallrats, and Dogma together, but it also sort of spoils J&SBSB.

So it's a must for a Kevin Smith fan with a broken VCR.

this can be described it two words hi-larious

I got this book to fill in the history between Chasing Amy and Dogma. I loved it! Loved the jokes! Loved the laughs! However, given that it was to fill a space, there was an awful lot of discontinuity between it and the later movie, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. It seemed almost like a first draft for that movie. But aside from that, I got a great many laughs.

Of course, Jay, the drawing, is not nearly so cute as Jay, the actor, but that's another story...