Graphics Books

This is a great item! CLAMP is one of the best working group of comic book artists from Japan, putting out winner after winner such as Card Captor Sakura, Tokyo Babylon, Clover, and X/1999. These comics are what spawned a movie that although was not poorly made, it seemed not to explain much. After all you can't do much with a two hour stretch of time. The new OVA series is much better, let me assure you! Anyway I hope everyone buys this item and the other books to go along with it, it is more than worth it!

While X/1999: Vol 1 (Prelude) was an introduction of some of the major characters in the series and merely hinted at the plot, volume two is an overture. The instruments have begun to play and although the story hasn't started yet, many of the characters have arrived on scene. Here we learn about some of their pasts and signs of things to come. Volume two picks up right after volume one leaves off. Kamui is left injured after fighting a strange figure with strange powers. As he sleeps, he is plagued with disturbing and graphic dreams. The blind seer Hinoto attempts to reach him, to get him to understand the gravity of the situation and to get the young man on her side. After reading volume two the reader is still left with so many questions unanswered. So many characters step in for just a scene or two, giving away only hints about their true intentions. Who are all of these people? What are the seven seals, the seven harbingers? What is going to happen next?

Although not all of our questions are answered, we are still presented with a stunning manga. The artwork is beautiful. It's main flaw, the fact that most of the male characters are far from anatomically correct, is more of a stylistic choice. So much attention is drawn to detail, whether it is the swirls of magic in an action scene, the entrails and body parts of a mauled character, or the shading in Kamui's hair. The story is as compelling as it is graphically violent and gory. Although the main character may not have one your heart yet (he can be a rather unlikable sort of fellow) it is quite likely that one of the other characters have already drawn you in. My personal favorite is Sora, who brings a sense of comedy to this rather depressing manga.

By the end of the volume, the reader will be curious to see what happens next. I suggest buying this series more than one volume at a time. You're not going to want to wait for number three!

In this vol. we start to meet up with new characters, and learn more about the main characters,the characters get more interesting and interesting....we know that kamui still has feelings kotori and that he hasn't given up on her, and that there opponents who would like to battle kamui , this is a must get manga!!

Clamp is probably my favorite manga artist, this being one of their best mangas. Not in the least like the almost babyish Card Captor Sakura, this has a more serious plot and a gothic influence about the end of the world and the battle between the angelic dragons of heaven and the demonic dragons of earth and Kamui- the kid who will choose the fate of the world.
I recommend it for anyone, especially people who've never read Clamp before.

X/1999 is a wonderful series. It has a compelling storyline, interesting characters, and even a little humor. It's great for anyone who likes manga, except that it's not. While it adds to the story, several scenes in Overture contain gross depictions of violence (including dismemberment). If you are squeamish or sensitive to violence, you should not pick up this book. I'm not even that squeamish, yet I was unable to eat for about half an hour after reading Overture. I highly reccomend this book, but take caution.

I searched everywhere for this book, and when I found it, I practicly lunged at it, and it was beyond worth it. Step into the life of the young sleuth, Lili, as she uncovers mysteries by finding the birthdates of the victims and the suspects, so she can use her mothers ring to solve the cases. I love the series; I bought all of the books within a month. Enjoy!

This is a very good series, despite being so short. I love how the mysteries are incorporated with tidbits of astrology. It's really very interesting and engrossing. Another thing I love is the blossoming romance between Lily and Hiromi is so fun and you'll be screaming for them to get together the whole time. Lily is an astrology whiz who has just taken over her missing mother's job; Spica. Spica is a detective who uses her secret ring to call upon the spirits of each sign to help her solve the murder or mystery. The little spirits are adorable and each has a distinctive personality based on their representative sign. Throughout each book their will be author's notes telling you about the sign being investigated at the time. The mysteries themselves are varied and some (as in later in the series) can be downright frightening! This isn't a book that will scare you, however. It's a story about mystery, lost love, a missing parent, and fun. There are many funny bits to lighten the story up. The art style involves a lot of shading and screen tones. It is very detailed. This is a great series all around and I definitely recommend it!

This is a good series. It's about Lili, a high-schooler who solves crimes with the help of a magical ring containing the spirits of the zodiac signs (Virgo, Scorpio, etc.), who give her clues to track down who did the crime, and how.

The art is pretty good, but not what I would call remarkable. The story is mostly meant for younger kids, so a 10-year-old would probably like it a bit more than a teenager. If you're trying to get a friend of yours interested in manga, (or want to find out about manga yourself) this is a good choice for fans of Nancey Drew and Encyclopedia Brown.

This manga is great! It has comedy, mystery and action. And the art is beautiful. Its too bad that there is not much on it on the web... Cause it never got turned into a tv show, and so it is not known very well :( I recommend that you buy this and introduce this to your friends, make them read it even though they might judge the book by its cover! my buddies say that they didnt like to read this because of the cover T_T! its a good manga!

I LOVE Zodiac P.I.! It's wonderfully written, with a awesome cast of characters and catchy plot! I've read all 4 of the books so many times that I accidently ripped the spine of the 4th volume...oopps.

~The Characters~
Lili (NOT Lily) Hoshizawa is a 13 yr. old astrologist on a search for her mother,Kaoruko Hoshizawa,who disappeared 2 years ago. In the meantime,she busts mysteries under the alias Spica P.I. and leaves the police, along with her own father, scratching thier heads as to who she is. She solves crimes with 2 things: the birthdate of the victim and the help of 12 zodiac spirits who give her clues and guidance from Lili's summoning of her Star Ring.
Hiromi Oikawa,however,is another story. Good-looking,yes, Hiro is also a detective(much to Mr. Hoshizawa's annoyance) and deals with the mysteries in a logical manner. At times, he's a regular pain in the behind. Hiromi is also allergic to girls, including his own sister, Megumi(whose vainity is VERY annoying..I'd like to do nothing more than kick her and Michelle/Sailor Neptune over a cliff. They're so AIR-HEADED...) I find that very funny.......poor Hiromi!!

Great 3d resource. A positive aspect about this book is that it's not based on any particular software. There is a fair amount of reference to 3DSMax but it is not exclusive to that package. This is especially useful to the uninitiated in that it gives an excellent overview of 3d in general independant of the any particular software.
There's good stuff here for anyone from the merely curious to the professional.

Computer graphics and animation expert Mark Giambruno draws upon the experiences of working professionals about the technology shared through insightful interviews in 3D Graphics & Animation. Offering the novice strong and "user friendly" presentation of information needed by those just learning the 3D area and those who are trying to enter the 3D market, this updated and expanded second edition of 3D Graphics & Animation builds on the well-received segments of the first edition to cover the basics of 3D in general terms. 3D Graphics & Animation also offers excellent and comprehenstive coverage of such related topics as developing a story concept, storyboarding, and putting together a demo real and portfolio. New elements showcased in this second edition include interviews from industry leaders as well as application specific tutorials for 3ds max 4, Maya 4, and LightWave 7 that are included on the CD. If you have a project involving graphics and animation, then give a careful reading to Mark Giambruno's 3D Graphics & Animation!

A great book that not only gives general info about the industry but offers an extensive multi-platform tutorial to get you on your way. Definitely for begginers, but it does what it is supposed to do well.

It amazes me how Mark aims sooo wide but hits so precise! He treats every aspect within 3D art without missing a step. I couldn't imagine a better guide for climbing the sometimes steep and treacherous paths of "Mount 3D".

It's hard to specify who this book is "for". In such cases it might be easier to define the negation: This book is NOT for those who DON'T want to LEARN 3D, because they inevitably will :)

Apart from being a superb 3D artist Mark Giambruno is an excellent writer as well. As if that wasn't enough he's also a great teacher!

What's really cool is that the book has a generic approach. It's not specific for any software but applicable to all. So instead of just learning to master 3DS Max or Maya or any other 3D package, you'll learn to master the art of 3D modelling! Isn't that great? I mean, software are just tools (pretty fancy friggin' tools if you ask me, but still tools) the real stuff is what you got inside you're head, right? On the other hand one can't dismiss tools just like that, it's not like you can blow 3D models out your nose (or acctually... nah I won't go there) so you're still depending on them. Mr. Giambruno is well aware of this and includes versions of the tutorials in the book for 3 different packages on the companion CD.

I use Softimage XSI myself which has no corresponding version on the CD. I have no problems following the tutorials, and I'm a newbie to both 3D modelling and Softimage XSI.

This book won't spend to much time on the shelf if any. If you want to learn 3D you will waste valuable time by not buying this book. If it's not the standard for teaching 3D in schools it sure as heck should be! There's no point that I tell you what areas the book cover since it's better specified elsewhere but I'll do it anyway: EVERYTHING :)

BUY IT!

The book "3D Graphics and Animation" is like some one way ticket to the world of 3D graphics. Since I've bought the russian version of it - my life has changed. Finally I desided to connect my future life with CG.
Whether you are experienced graphist or you're beginner this book is for you. Here you can find all concepts of 3D modelling(polygonal-, spline-, patch-, NURBS-modelling, etc); although it contains chapters about different types of animation, texturing, lighting and special effects.
This book does not refer to some specific software and, I think, this is it's advantage(for better understanding). And what is more - the book builds on lessons, during which you're studying how to deal with 3D.
The most peculiarity of this book is chapter "Finding the Job in 3D Industry "-which I haven't yet found in other books. It was really cool to find it, when I have not any idea about the job in 3D. The other big surprise was to find in detail notices about software and hardware used in 3D.
I think this book is perfect for the peoples who has some experience in working with 3D and doesn't know how to "convent it into cash". Book comes with a lot of helpful information (advicements, internet links, lessons on applied CD)
Thanks to Mark Giambruno - the book is realy nice.

Hello everyone ! I bought this book cause I need it !
Not only for a better understanding of max tools but for the entire process of making of a good 3d movie animation !
Well,this book acomplish its purpose !The book pass through every stages of this process !Congratulations for the author and for his clarity expositions !

I just received my copy, this is not much of a review but I have a question, i will update this as soon as i have my review.
My question: is it normal that the book comes with 2 cd-roms? And why are on the 2 cd-roms the same data?

This is a great book on completing a project, it helps in every respect, lots of tutorials, references, information, examples etc....
One thing is not mentioned, to complete these projects, you will need more then 3DS Max 6, you will need to have Adobe PREMIER to make/edit the movie, for special effects & more, you will need COMBUSTION 3, even though it is not necessary but it will be essential for a complete animation, you will need to have a sound editing software like Cakewalk's SONIC or something similar and of course Adobe Photoshop.
I am very happy with the book, and have already started planning & sketching a storyboard plus modeling the environment I will use, my characters are almost ready, but because of this fantastic book, I didn't know about the sound editing and the movie editing outside of 3DS Max requiered to finish a movie, now with this book I will complete my animation project.

This book is a very good surprise. It's very complete, well explained, very clear.

That book contains exacly what is said on the cover.. So no deception possible! (An exemple that Sanford Kennedy shoud follow because his book about 3ds max 5 is terrible, a total desaster.)

So this is the book to buy! Thank you Mr Barret Fox.

He shows how he developed, boarded, modeled, textured, rigged & animated the 3 figures shown on the cover. He doesn't wander off on side issues, nor does he gloss over the tricky parts. The book comes with a CD of usable models and scenes so you can see what and how he did it.


One word of warning is the author assumes the reader is advanced on the subject - don't get this book if you need a basic how-to animate with computer book.

As always with Amazon, I received the book I ordered very quickly, in perfect condition and reasonably priced.

Another fascinating adventure by Asterix and Obelix! Worth to have it in your collection!!

This is my favorite Asterix book! The best part in the book is when Asterix & Obelix get recruited into the Roman army and the ensuing scenes in bootcamp as they prepare for deployment. Those are laugh aloud artwork (and dialogue). This might sound discriminatory but the clever use of hieroglyphics whenever the Egyptian "recruit" is around remains unequalled in the rest of the series (except, of course, in maybe Asterix and Cleopatra).

First published in French in 1967 as Astérix légionnaire , it was first published in English in 1970.

Beautiful , young , Panacea returns to the village , after two years studying in Condatum (Rennes) , and Obelix falls head over heels in love with her.
Panacea,however , is engaged to Tragicomix , who has been forcibly conscripted into the Roman army , as part of Julius Caesar' s war effort against the Romans who support Pompey.
Despite Obelix heart being broken by the news of Panacea's engagement,he nonetheless is enough of a gentleman to offer to bring Tragicomix back .
Asterix and Obelix set off for Condatum where they join the Roman army, and after having driven their commanding officers crazy, and having changed protocol in the Roman Army , they embark on the journey to North Africa , where things really become interesting.
Once more this is an interesting commentary on Europe at the time of writing , with the Roman Empire being something like the EU today.
In their regiment there is a Greek , a Briton , a Goth (German) , and An Egyptian , as well as a translator , much to the distress of the two Centurions.
This makes for a lot of fun.
Once more we get to see a guest appearance by Julius Caesar.

Tip: out of stock does not mean you cannot find it in other bookstores.

As a child, I read all of the "classic" Asterix books in Swedish. As an adult and now living in the U.S., I am reading them again to my children, but this time in English. This is a good classic. In Swedish, this book was called Asterix in Africa, but I read this English version to my children. As others have pointed out, the Asterix books are not very popular in the U.S., but American kids (like mine) are not much different from European kids, so I think someone is missing a business opportunity here. American kids respond positively to these books.

Asterix and Obelix live in a village in Gaul that the Romans failed to conquer. The reason for this is that the village druid knows how to make a magic potion that endows the villagers with super human strength. In this book a villager, Tragicomix, is kidnapped, and later he and his girlfriend are sold as slaves in Rome. Asterix and Obelix set out to find him and rescue him (them), but to do that they have to join the Roman army. Their search leads them to North Africa. It is an interesting and entertaining story full of lighthearted good puns. Thanks to Obelix the Roman army finally got good food.

In general I find that, children the age 5-13 really enjoy these books, and so do my children. Adults can enjoy these books as well. The Asterix comic books are a great way to teach children ancient history. Naturally, the adult needs to help with the differentiation between fiction and history. From these books, my kids have learned about the Roman Empire, the ancient Greeks, the Vikings, the Goths, the Phoenicians, ancient Gaul, ancient Egypt, and the ancient Mediterranean world in general.

My ten year old started loving these books at the age of eight and he cannot get enough of them. My six year old started liking them at the age of five. Even though many Asterix puns may be a little bit above his head, my younger son still loves these stories.

In my opinion the best Asterix albums are: Asterix and the Normans; Asterix in Corsica; Obelix and company; Asterix the Gladiator; Asterix the Legionary; Asterix and Cleopatra; Asterix and the Goths; Asterix in Belgium; Asterix and the big fight; and Asterix all around Gaul. The last title is a translation from Swedish and might be wrong.

Having previously read the first three novels, I had no doubt the fourth novel would be just as good. It exceeded my expectations. The manga seems to get better and better with each volume. Personally, this is my favorite volume since the bandit Tasuki is introduced (my favorite character). Miaka continues her quest to find the remaining Suzaku Senshi and runs into all sort of trouble. I highly recommend this volume as well as the rest of the series. Money well-spent.

*Out of all the manga I read from this series, I like this one the best cause of Tasuki. Tasuki is my favorite character cause, he's always sarcastic and is always ready to kick... But its all good! Fushigi Yugi is serious must have for the anime otaku (otaku- japanese word for obsessed fan).

Yu Watase, Fushigi Yugi: Bandit (Viz, 1992)

The fourth installment of Fushigi Yugi has Miaka and crew searching for the last three Constellations of Suzaku. We get two stories here; the first takes them into a bandit camp, the second into a town stricken by plague. As the story's ramped itself up and some of the major pieces have fallen into place, there's more focus on the action in the stories, and things are getting faster-paced and building to the first of what is likely to be a number of climaxes. A fun series, well worth your time. *** ½

Ok, now taking into consideration that this book is totally great, in fact so great that i can't even tell you the 1/8th of it. So i will introduce you to tama-home he is really to-die-for, and to think, manga artists get paid to draw him all day... anyway tama-home was (and occasionally still is) always looking to make some cash, not because he is greedy, but to help his family. When he meets Miaka, a girl from today, who opens a book and goes to this other land, he is brusqe, but after she goes home for a while, (3 months) then he realizes how much he loves her, which is a good thing because miaka fell for him a bit a go...
So BUY THESE BOOKS! TAMA-HOME rules!...

Fushigi Yugi is about a bouncy eighth grade girl named Miaka. She's just a regular junior high school girl trying to get through exams, but one day she goes inside a restricted library and opens up a book called The Universe of the Four Gods. She gets transported inside the book and finds herself in Ancient China. She had to get out of the book, so she has to find the seven oracles. On her mission she falls in love with a handsome seventeen year old guy named Tamahome. He's caring and does the best for his family by earning as much money as possible - but at first when Miaka tells her feelings for him, he rejects her and says doesn't feel the same way.

Eventually Miaka discoveres that the beatiful emperor of Hong-Nan, Hotohori, is in love with her. By then Tamahome also discovers he had fallen in love with Miaka, so it form a love triangle. When this is all happening, Miaka is able to get in her own world...but then her best friend, Yui, who is the one who saved her gets stuck in Ancient China. A day passes by, then Miaka goes back to the restricted library to seek for Yui. She transports back into Ancient China, and she finds out a lot of bad things had happened to Yui during that time. Even though it was only a day in the present time, it was months in the other world. Yui sides with another country, and this forces them to become rivals.

This is a good book that has a mixture of romance, friendship, comedy, horror, action and adventure all in one great series. A must-read!

This book is awesome if you are a batman fan. It has four of his early story including his origin. This book also has the origin of the joker and catwoman. This book do not include the very first batman appearance story.

The BATMAN ARCHIVES VOLUME ONE, the first and thickest volume of the series,reprints the stories that appeared in DETECTIVE COMICS 27-50, covering a nearly 2 year period (1939-41)BATMAN begins (ouch!) as a series about a "winged", vampiric avenger of the night who is pursued by the police for his vigilanteism, but after the appearance of Robin, the Boy Wonder, he starts to resemble the "Caped Crusader" who was portrayed on television by Adam West. Although none of the popular villains appear in this volume (except the Joker's single appearance performing a "death serenade") it does contain my favorite period of the Dark Knight's publishing history...the very beginning, when the Bob Kane Studio produced the stories, with minimum involvement from the DC Comics editors.

Generally, like some of the newspaper strip cartoonists of the period, Bob Kane had a staff. He had his own writer (BILL FINGER,whom many feel is The Batman's unofficial "co- creator")as well as art assistants who would help him with inking and lettering. During this period, the staff was restricted to SHELDON MOLDOFF, JERRY ROBINSON (the Creator of the Joker concept)and GEORGE ROUSSOS. Future JUSTICE LEAGUE writer GARDNER FOX does make an appearance, temporarily substituting for Mr. Finger,where he contributed the BATGYRO (precursor to the BATPLANE) and the UTILITY BELT to the bat-mythos. But the stars of this edition are BOB KANE and BILL FINGER at their very best...

As far as plotting went,apart from wanting certain things to appear in a script they talked over, Kane generally gave Bill Finger free reign. After Mr. Finger began working directly for DC, he recieved greater editorial supervision which led him to concentrate on plot development. Now, while this yielded more interesting stories, it was at the expense of his rich prose that he either voluntarily or was forced to streamline.In the stories found in BATMAN ARCHIVES VOL ONE,we experience Mr. Finger's work "uncut" and "unplugged", dazzling the reader with the literary acroBATics that were rare for the "Golden Age" comic books. Bob Kane generally wanted the series to have mystery and action and there is PLENTY of that here!

As for the distinguished Mr. Kane, it has been said that he was merely the figurehead and the art got better after others started drawing the series; I have never agreed with this. The art got slicker--not "better". Bob Kane was first and foremost--a cartoonist and he never forgot that. Inspired by movies,pulp magazines and other cartoonists, Kane exhibits in this book, a bravura spirit that dared to try anything, often going beyond his skill level to give his drawings a sense of drama and action that influenced the many who followed him. From the heady spookiness at the beginning of the book, to the "derring do" in the second half, in his storytelling, Kane understood what we readers wanted and he made sure we got it!

If you want to see more of the famous villains, give the DARK KNIGHT ARCHIVES a looksee. But if you want to see how a legend (and a franchise) was born, then you've just got to have BATMAN ARCHIVES VOL. 1! CAUTION: THE READING OF THIS HANDSOME VOLUME WHILE EATING PIZZA OR POTATO CHIPS IS STRICTLY PROHIBITIVE!

I strongly suggest you read the other reviews because they give great insight about this volume and how batman is depicted. I will not recount what the other reviewers have already stated, but I will give a synopsis of what to expect from this archive collection:

1. It reprints the Batman stories of Detective Comics #27-50
2. Issue #27 marks the debute of The Bat-Man and Bruce Wayne's friend Comissioner James Gordon; Batman drives a red car.
3. Issue #28 shows Batman gloveless as his costume goes through different incarnations early in the series.
4. In a two-part story, Dr. Death debutes in #29 & 30 as Batman's first recurring Bat-villain.
5. Issue #31 introduces Bruce Wayne's fiance--an actress by the name of Julie Madison; Batman utilizes the Batarang and the Bat-Gyro for the first time.
6. Issue #32 has Batman using a gun for the first time in order to shoot a silver bullet into a vampire---The Monk.
7. Issue #33 introduces the origin of the Batman for the first time and is later reprinted in Batman #1; Bruce Wayne is shown going into a secret laboratory where he stores his Bat-costume inside a trunk; The car Batman uses begins to change but is still red.
8. Issue #34 shows Batman murdering a criminal while he rescues a female hostage.
9. Issue #35 features Batman sporting a blue convertible.
10. Issue #36 marks the debute of Professor Hugo Strange and his perverted interest in torture as he brandishes a whip against the bound and suspended Batman.
11. Issue #37 shows Batman's car changing once again, but maintaining the blue hue; Batman dons night-vision gogggles; a promo for a Professor Hugo Strange story is promised next issue, but is printed in Batman #1 instead.
12. Issue #38 spotlights "The Sensational Character Find of 1940... Robin-The Boy Wonder!"
13. Issue #40: Batman and Robin meet Clayface (Basil Karlo) and try to solve this murder mystery before he kills Julie Madison.
14. In what is considered Robin's first solo adventure, Issue #41 still features Batman aiding the Boy Wonder in wrapping up the case.
15. Issue #44 features the Dynamic Duo's first imaginary story.
16. After first appearing in Batman #1, The Joker makes his return in Detective Comics #45; The Batplane is reintroduced with a new look.
17. Issue #46 brings back Professor Hugo Strange, but ends in his apparent death.
18. Issue #47: For the first time, we see Batman enter a deserted barn that leads into a secret cavern underneath Wayne Manor.
19. Issue #48 houses Batman's car (now red again) inside the deserted barn.
20. Issue #49 After acquiring fame as an actress, Julie Madison changes her name to Portia Storme and breaks off the engagement to playboy Bruce wayne. But Clayface returns and wants revenge on the actress.

This collection is simply wonderful. It contains, in a single volume, all of the earliest Batman stories from Detective Comics, many of which are difficult to find these days. Having each of these in a single book makes it well worth the price. You get the very first Batman story, the Case of the Chemical Syndicate. Also contained is the classic Batman story featuring "The Monk". Also included are early appearances of The Joker, the first appearance of Dr. Hugo Strange, the first appearance of Robin, and the first appearance of Clayface.

The writing and the art is crude by todays standards, but this was the standard of the day for Superhero comics. This book also features a different kind of Batman than most are accustomed to seeing. While he is still grim and dark, as he has been since the 1980's, the Batman featured in these stories not only takes lives, but at times seems to revel in it. He also uses firearms, and even carries a holstered pistol on his utility bet.

You also see the evolution of the batsuit. Originally, his gloves were only wriust length, and at times he did not even wear gloves. Also features are the first bat vehicles (the batplane was the first vehicle with a bat-prefix, and Batman has a variety of different cars, but none of them are referred to as a batmobile at this time.)

The stories themselves are not campy, as some might expect, but have a sort of E.C. horror and suspense tone. The stories were inspired by the pulp fiction of the era, rather than being "superhero" adventure tales.

How can anyone explain Batman's longevity? He first appeared in Detective Comics in May of 1939, and this very year, 2005, saw another major motion picture release featuring Batman (complete with sequel set-up). Apart from movies, Batman has starred in countless comic books and strips, television shows, and numerous toys and other ancillary products. America doesn't seem able to tire of this character approaching the 70-year mark. Why?

Some of the answers get revealed in this incredible archival volume containing the first Batman stories ever printed. Running from May 1939 to April 1941, readers can see the entire Batman mythology unfold before their eyes. In the very first issue we find out Batman's true identity (or, more accurately, we find out what Bruce Wayne does after the sun goes down). Not only that, Batman's dual nature lays out before us immediately. He shows no mercy to criminals as he uses the very tools they use to gain their ends: fear and brute force. In essence, Batman fights fire with fire. Running through this story is an unbearable tension: we root for Batman because he stands for justice, but he doesn't necessarily represent the law (once, when the police bust in on him he shouts "The Law!" as if he himself stood outside of it). He punches cops and security guards. He tresspasses knowingly. in short, Batman represents the "just" vigilante. Someone who has their own agenda and uses whatever means they can to fulfill it. The main difference between Batman and the criminals is that the results Batman obtains fall on the side of justice. The crooks and criminals often have stealing, kidnapping, and murder on their minds. With an equal passion, and with similar methods, Batman rushes to stop them. To top it all off, Batman does not posess supernatural powers (unlike Superman who debuted a year before in 1938). Any of us mere human mortals, given the resources and strength, could potentially become the Batman. Superman stands far outside of our current human thresholds. But Batman? Batman could live next door.

Surely the above accounts for at least some of Batman's seeming immortality. The original comics contained in this book speak volumes about the lure of the character. They have elements of 1930s drama (and sometimes melodrama, but it's the comics, after all), plenty of evil villians (some of which do seem supernatural, or who use technology to obtain their strength; Batman must be equally matched; he wouldn't carry as much fascination if he only went around beating up pick-pockets), strange murders, schemes, and plots. These stories and their corresponding artwork provide pure entertainment, and even some food for thought, even today.

Bob Kane's early artwork maintains its mystique. Though technically less proficient than the artwork of Batman's later years, Kane's treatment gives Batman an otherworldly look and feel. The extremely pointy cowel and nose, and the more angular cape make Batman look more sinister and mysterious than in later years. Batman's appearance begins to change in 1940, and then continuously morphs to the Batman look of the 1950s and 1960s. Others still continue to redefine his look, but more recently artists have returned to the early Batman's more sinister look a la Bob Kane (the Batman from the 1960s tv show looked anything but sinister).

This volume not only introduces Batman, but Robin, Commissioner Gordon, Clayface, the Monk, the Batmobile (which was originally a red-colored car of the era), the "Bat Plane" (originally called "the Batgyro"), the "Batarang", as well as the terms "The Dark Knight", and "The Dynamic Duo". Bruce Wayne's fiancee, a movie actress named Julie, breaks up with him because she wants him to "do something with his life" (a sacrifice that Bruce Wayne accepts almost to a preistly degree - don't look for too much lovin' or any sexual innuendoes in these comics). The Joker appears but not for the first time. Many milestones of comics history appear in this 300-page book.

These comics will be of interest to any Batman fan, or historian of the comics. Check it out to see how Batman really began.

This book will spoil you into never ordering a cocktail out again. Beachbum Berry has been featured in the New York Times and other publications for his work in unearthing these fabulous drink recipes from the tiki era. The drinks are tasty, and stout. Not the watered down junk versions you've had in modern bars. This spiral bound, lay flat while you mix book will transform you into a cocktail chef. The owner of my local package store says I have the best stocked bar in town since buying this book. Lots of fun finding out about new ingredients and trying new tastes.

THANKS BEACHBUM BERRY!

I am a cocktail snob and emmersed in tiki culture and the Atomic Age. Get this fantastic tome, a bottle of Falernum and Orgeat and your bar stuff, plus my Grogalizer found on my Swank Pad site and you are making the best cocktails on earth. No one should be without this book!

Joe Bob Briggs from UPI called this "the best bartender's guide for tropical and rum drinks ever published". That, my friends, is an understatement. Forget those fancy and useless trendy tiki books that have to be gussied up with Shag illustrations and glossy printing, if you've already bought those: use 'em as coasters for the wonderfully entertaining and informative "Grog Log". From a pair who can navigate the tikiphyte through the Singapore Slings and arrows of the sugary crap that give tropical drinks a bad name. Easily worth 5 times the cover price, "The Grog Log" and the follow-up "Intoxica!" are the only Tiki drink books you'll ever need or want.

I essentially have the same review for both this book and Berry's follow-up book, Intoxica: Jeff (Beachbum) Berry is, without question, the most learnéd authority on "tiki" beverages alive today. The cheap production characteristics of the book in no way detract from that fact, and it will be evident to both drink historians and harkeners after the tiki experience alike. Well-considered recipes, delicious and examined minutely=buy this book.

Alright, I'm going to keep it short and to the point. I'm a Tiki geek, I've got every book related to the subject and, along with The Book of Tiki, this book and it's sequal Intoxica are the Holy Trinity of the Tiki Religion. There is no better book on Tropical Drinks anywhere, ever. Buy it. Now.

Finally, the circle is complete. After the formative years when RPGs were simple and young, thru the past few years of more, more, more, which included money and rules. Full circle...this is a simple fun game, loaded with freedom and nostalgia. Thank you Troll Lords!

This is beautiful. Buy flowers for your wife. Take your kids out for ice cream. Howl for joy. This is the true successor to AD&D.

And if you're too young to remember, come feel the kiss of what it was like to roll up your first Dwarven fighter. Feel what it was like to realize that here is the magical world of heroes of which you've always dreamed.

I can only echo what the other reviews here have said... this game is a well done rules light version of 3rd Edition Dungeons & Dragons. This system lets you create a character and be off on your first adventure in just minutes -- no cumbersome combat system to worry about, no feats and skills, etc... just lots of fun old school gaming. Definitely worth buying if you're interested in a flexible, fast game. Buy the books and the modules, you won't be disappointed.

I began gaming in 1987 on Star Frontiers by TSR. I soon got into AD&D 1st/2nd edition and played them until 1997. Career, etc... took over and I didn't actively game again until early 2006. I found some guys at work who wanted to get into it, so I went to the bookstore and found that a fascinating new version of D&D (3.5) had come out and I quickly bought a ton of the books. A couple of months into playing, something just didn't seem right. The game seemed to be too much of a tactical board game... it just didn't feel like the AD&D I remembered playing years before. Looking around the web, I discovered that many other people felt the same way and I stumbled onto C&C very recently. I have since bought the Player's Handbook as well as Monsters and Treasure. This is it! This is the something that was missing. It takes roleplaying back to it's roots and throws out the boardgame feel. Playing C&C is just like the good old days. I can't believe how a simple, elegant system like SIEGE can replace 50 million skills and feats, but it does so brilliantly. This game runs like AD&D, but takes advantage of the positive side of d20 (unified mechanic). I find it superior to the new D&D in every way.

This is exactly the system I was looking for... after buying many Star Wars RPG books from Wizards of the Coast, and becoming completely frustrated with the taxing rules & combat system. I realized that when I had gotten the itch to get back into a Fantasy RPG, that D&D 3.5e (that uses the same systems as Star Wars pretty much), wasn't going to cut it. I thought about going old school back to the original D&D Boxed Sets... Remember The Red Dragon Box Set? But that was really taking a step back in many ways. Then I found out about Castles & Crusades. Oh glorious day... it takes advantage of the unified and logical d20 dice element, but it takes out all the extra stuff that burdens down the D&D 3.5e system. What you are left with is a really clean system, that gives you enough rules to guide the game and play it fair and fun, but let's the DM or Castle Keeper as they call it, really run the show with very little need to ever slow down and check rules in the book to run the game. Heck... you don't even need miniatures to run combat... let your games come alive and use your imagination the way RPG's were meant to be! I'm free... I'm FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

These stories are unbelievable!! Kevin Smith has come through once again with these stories which are just as funny as the movies. There are jokes in here that will have you laughing out loud, and there are some moments in here that will fill you with the Christmas Spirit. There is even a scene that was actually emotional. Dante and Randal are the main focus in these stories, since it is about "Clerks". Other characters from the View Askewniverse are also in these stories, even the return of Caitlin Bree!! There is even a scene with everyone's favorite guy who just wants to see the sailboat, you know who I'm talking about. If you loved the movie, you will love these stories too. They are just as witty and funny, with a little true drama thrown in, as the movie you have come to love. As a fan, you owe it to yourself to pick this up, it is worth every penny!!

i've been a fan of kevin smith and his movies for about 6 years and i just got the book this year (2006). i'm not really a fan of comics but i have wanted to get ahold of the comics by him and see what they were all about. these comics are great. the lost scene is hillarious. i'd say that ALL of the comics by smith are a MUST for any fan. hillarious stuff.

This is a SWEET book, i am a die hard Kevin Smith fan[God Bless All u other Kevin Smith Fans!] and this book is awesome. I really love how it is like the movie. This is a must have for all u Kevin Smith Fans............Oh yea....SNOOTCH TO THE NOOTCH!!!

For all of those people out there just like me, you cannot get enough Kev Smith material. This collection of comics spins off of the movie, Clerks. Randall does not dissappoint with crude behavior and his warped yet sensible logic. Find out what happened to Caitlin. How do you awaken a comotose female who had sex with a dead guy? Dante knows. Jay and Silent Bob naturally appear and even host the "Lost Episode" from the funeral in Clerks. Saying Kev Smith has milked this concept to death shows how little a VA fan someone is. Jay points out how the tubby one is cashing out, tongue in cheek of course. This book is not for the money it generates, it is for us die hard VA fans out there who cannot sit idley by and wait for the next flick.

This is so funny you may laugh yourself unconscious. You may want to check with your doctor first. Composed of several episodes from the Clerks comic book series, Kevin Smith authors some of the most laugh outloud comic adventures I've ever read. Reprising the characters from the Clerks movie and guest appearances from Smith favorites Jay & Silent Bob, Clerks: The Comic Books is a highly recommended good time.