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Ahh, how I love Tokyo Babylon. Its probably my favorite work by CLAMP (and one of their oldest). The story, the characters, its all just so wonderful. A bit bittersweet though, and some of the stories will bring a tear to your eye while others will turn your stomach..or maybe both. =) I find it to be an endearing story.......but maybe I'm just an evil tokyo babylon fangirl.

....but it really isn't. Actually, that is the last thing I would call this master work from the four woman powerhouse with the awesome stories and the drool-worthy men that is CLAMP. "A save Tokyo City Story" denotes that this would be a story full of giant robots and superheroes, rather than delicate men with supernatural powers and the secrets they hide. I'll summarize for you: Subaru is a naive(ish) sixteen year old boy who follows his family's profession as the Onmyouji (literally yin-yang magician)for Tokyo, where he sorts out the spirits of the dead and their (often multiple) problems. Along the way he is accompanied by sometimes shallow twin sister Hokuto and his crush, the older, mysterious Seishirou. And that's all I'm gonna say! Heh heh. Buy it, rent it from the library, borrow it from a friend or read it in the store, you won't be dissapointed by the fabulous artwork and dark atmosphere of this "Save Tokyo City Story".

As the title says, this is my absolute favorite CLAMP manga, and i have the utmost faith that anyone who reads it will love at the very least one scene. me, i love it all....

From start to finish, this is an amazing and gripping manga. CLAMP does an amazing job with the illustrations, every character and scene thoroughly CLAMP. The story and characters are amazingly complex and human, making this very worth reading.

The summary on the back of Tokyopop's cover doesn't do it nearly justice. I love it thoroughly, but if I had just picked the first volume up and read the back cover, I probably wouldn't have read it. The back cover makes it seem slightly horror creepy-ish, and while that element is there, it is by no means the main focus of the manga. It's the story of Sumeragi Subaru, the 13th head of the Sumeragi clan, an onmyoji who does exorcise spirits, but it is his relationships with the rest of the characters that really make the story. These relationships range from sibling bonds, friendship, love, and everything inbetween. The manga is filled with almost every human emotion, especially CLAMP's early favorite, angst, which is very apparent in the last two volumes. *cries over vol. 7*

Tokyopop does an actually pretty good job with the translations. They leave in the oh-so-important honorifics, and leave the characters intact, with Subaru-kun's 16-year-old uber-cuteness, naivete, with all his blushing and stammering, and the adorable pull-the-hat-over-the-eyes trick *squee!!*, Hokuto-chan's "Ohohoho"'s, her attempts to set up Sei-chan and Subaru-kun, her outrageous outfits, and the ability to be goofy and seemingly shallow one scene and sweet and deeep the next, and Seishirou-san's seductions of Subaru-kun, the feeling that underneath the kind vetrinarian exterior, there's more....(*alter ego hits w/ fan to prevent spoilers*), and his speeches. All of the trio are as complex characters as to make them completely unforgettable, and all three of them have made a permananet spot in my heart. You really should go out and at the VERY least read the first volume.

It's an amazing series, and a lot of fun to read.

OH! and the sakura petals!!! ^_^ ...the sakurazukamori.....read and you'll find out...^_~

I absolutely loved this manga. It was the first time I'd read anything by Clamp, and I can't say that I was disappointed! Don't let the somewhat bland covers or common "Save Tokyo City" summary fool you - inside is an absolutely brilliant work of art.

You've read the summary already, so I won't bore you with the details on that. I will tell you, though, that it is definitely worth the read - and that shounen-ai, or boy love, plays a fairly large role in this. I would still recommend this to almost everyone, even if you're uncertain on whether to pick up a manga in which men love men.

Anyway.

The artwork is absolutely, positively beautiful - the characters are distinctive and wonderfully done, and the backgrounds and scenery are startlingly realistic. Some may not like the blacks, but I personally rather like the high contrast. It was quite a surprise to see that the twins were so similar in appearance but you could still tell them apart easily - something that can't be easy. And Subaru may be distinctly feminine, but Seishiro is definitely not - something that isn't extremely common in this type of manga. Panels with artwork in colour are on the inside of the front cover and are absolutely wonderful.

The plot is very nice. Subaru is an onmyoji who seeks to aid souls of the dead and the living. Doesn't seem too exciting yet? Throw in his overly exuberant twin sister, Hokuto, and his suitor, Seishiro (who happens to be the heir of the rival Sakurazuka Clan), and events in his past that he can't quite remember, and you've got quite an interesting story going on!

The characters are wonderful. Subaru is the innocent, almost naïve protagonist who is willing to do anything to help others; Hokuto is wonderfully different, loud and enthusiastic; and Seishiro is the one you can't be too certain about, for his family - for the Sakurazuka Clan is one of assassins - belies is kindly and amicable nature. When you take Seishiro's romantic advances, Hokuto's consistent attempts to get her brother and Seishiro together, and Subaru's embarrassment at the whole ordeal into consideration, you've got plenty of comic relief. And yet, the main plot - Subaru's attempts to ease wounded souls - overshadows a more serious and sinister secondary plot involving Subaru and Seishiro, their onmyoji powers, and that mysterious event that Subaru can't remember all too clearly and that is hinted at from volume to volume....

Left in its original, unflipped format, Tokyo Babylon is definitely quite a read. The translation doesn't seem to be all to bad, and suffixes and name order are left untouched, each of which is a definite plus. This series has, so far, gotten progressively darker, so be careful what you get into. The rating of 13+ is deserved, warranted by some violence, blood and gore, minor sexual references and dark themes, and while the first volume never gets too serious, these do show up in later volumes. You have been warned.

This is a manga that you definitely get into and can read over and over again; it's worth the money to buy it. Tokyo Babylon is definitely a manga to read.

A tale of good and evil, light and darkness, innocence and corruption, Tokyo Babylon is a powerful drama.

Subaru Sumeragi is a deeply compassionate sixteen year old medium/exorcist who uses his gift to aid lost spirits and the possessed. After a hard day or night's work, he comes home to his devoted, vivacious twin sister Hokuto, whose favorite hobby seems to be trying to hook Subaru up with their friend Seishirou - a veterinarian nine years their senior - in spite of reservations due to the fact that he belongs to a family with a reputation of being in the assassination business that they both choose to ignore.

The interaction between the three reaches it's climax in the final volume, with hints throughout the series about how things might ultimately turn out, but Subaru's interaction with the people he tries to help is interesting in itself. The series handles such topics as gang rape, child abuse, treatment of the elderly, and the ethics of organ transplantation - pretty heavy subject matter.

Subaru himself is a highly unique hero. Professional and competent but without a shred of conceit, he would prefer to lead a quiet life but cannot turn his back on the suffering. Not arrogant enough to believe he can change the world, all he knows how to do is unconditionally love everyone who comes his way, and he's one of those special people who make the world a better place just by being in it. But no one can fix everything, and the underlying question of the series is whether or not Subaru will break if and when he finally faces an evil that might be more than he can handle...

At a relatively short seven volumes, Tokyo Babylon is a manga any fan of either angst or the supernatural should have in their collection.

Hi,
OK! This book is just toooooooooooooooo CUTE!!!!!! I've read the whole first series twice!!!!! And this just happens to be one of the sweetest EVER!!! You HAVE to buy it! For those of you who are on the first books and LOVE Ichigo {and no her name is not Zoey}you will love the ending of this series! Also mew mew continues in Tokyo mew mew A La Mode!!! So if I were you I would keep reading!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh boy, this is the best book yet! I LUV Kish, he's soooo HOTT. I'm so mad at Ichigo for liking Masaya instead of him. If I were her, I'd consider myself lucky. I cried when Kish died, it broke my heart that he would die to save the girl that doesn't even love him! ANYWAY.......I HIGHLY recomend that you read this book.

By the way, im not a kid. Im just a girl who used the kids review so i wouldn't have to log on. im 14, seriously. Luv ya!

-Rezurii

This book was great. I've read it over 5 times in the first month I've gotten the book. The book is great, and the petite mew mew and extra pages are great!

I loveddd this book it's probably the best book out of the series. It seems so happy until the suprise twist. I'd really like to tell you but it would destroy the suprise part. Read IT!!!!!!!

It was a great book, but it was sort of sad. I mean, Kish dies and he really loves Ichigo and all that. It does have it's happy moments, but in my opinion, it is just plain sad.

I suppose it was just bad luck that the first API (ReadDirectoryChanges) I needed help with wasn't in this book. I ended up spending some time searching the news groups to get more information. Seems like ReadDirectoryChanges should have been included in a book that has been described as the "definitive reference for the Win32 API"... A bit disappointing.

I could say 5 Stars and it would be all what to say - but if you are not shure, what a type of book to choose that would be to few. Well I have this book for a long time and it is my bible. It is very practice indeed and close to the problems. My own projects have gone much more easier to solve. My own focus is on automation sectors and so I did some work for automating rs232 driven radio controls for hobbie and HAM- interested people. If you are interested in it so you can look at my website http://www.peter-geisler.de - looking to results from which I can say are a lot of ideas from John Ayres Tomes of Delphi - I rating it 5 Stars.

you just cant afford not to get it, with the declining availability of good delphi source out there... its indespensible

Have only been been using Delphi for 4 months now. This book and the Core API are very good. I found them very easy to understand.

Imposing as the material in this book might otherwise be, I am most impressed with the clean authorship of the material. This book is more than a developer can reasonably hope for in a source reference. I expected to have to give maybe 10 days' time to absorbing it cover to cover, but it is written so well that most chapters require reading less than a page describing the chapter; and the rest of the material can simply be used. So full of treasure is this book that I spent hours the first evening just typing code into projects. All of it ran right the first time. I doubt a better book can be written on this subject, and will from here on consider any book with John Ayres' name on it the one to look at first on whatever the topic. A huge thanks to you John for doing your work so well. You made ours' far easier than we imagined.

What a delight this book is!
In a voice entirely his own, and with terrific humor and great sympathy toward his oddball hero, John Butman engages us in this original tale of relationships, power, loyalty, love, business dealings, responsibility, and fine men's shoes. Butman is a careful observer of people. He's particularly good at noting the small details, usually passed over, that make a situation or character, no matter how far-fetched, come alive.
This unusual (and very funny) story of improbable coincidences, and contradictory and conflicted characters, is one that provided great pleasure to this reader. I eagerly look forward to what John Butman does next.

Good things come in small packages. This novel has its own ironic but not unsympathetic tone towards it characters. You might hear some echoes of John Barth, Nabokov, S.J. Perelman in terms of the novel's unusual set up, humor, and wordplay. The humor in particular is interesting because much of it is sharp-edged satire of the absurdly monied classes of the eighties and nineties, with their grotesque MacMansions, devotion to gigantic cars, and the need to demonstrate to one and all that they are indeed richer than you. Yet, once we meet one of these people in the form of Arthur Worthy, we are charmed by him, much as Theo, the neo-Thoreauvian butler, is charmed. The details are rich, the oddities entertaining (I shall never look at a wrought-iron railing again without certain unrelated words coming to mind), and the twists and turns unexpected.
Buy it, read it, and read it again. It's even better the second time.

Townie is an exceptionally well-written and engaging first novel and I so enjoyed it I was sorry when I turned the last page. How often do you laugh out loud while reading silently and alone? I was charmed by Arthur and Theo, lovably flawed, and by their unlikely, but very appealing relationship. The plot and characters make Townie more than good enough ro recommend, and the writing itself is a real pleasure; it's a rare treat to come across unfamiliar words in contemporary fiction.
Three cheers for Butman!! When's the next novel due?

I really enjoyed the characters and laugh-out-loud dry humor in Townie. From an unlikely beginning to an unpredictable but enjoyable end, Townie was entertaining and thought provoking. It's a fast read but full of insights. I highly recommend it!

Despite the need to admit that acquiring and reading the book was based on my being a close friend of a friend of John Butman's, I realized as I read that it is a damned good book.
I expected this debut novel to be interesting, good, nicely written.... more than enough reason to read it. I did not expect to be riveted....to be held in suspense... to laugh out loud.... to sadden.... to recognize people.... to mark passages for repeat reading.... to wonder if a little bit of Alan Theo Lowe is hidden somewhere in John Butman. Wonderful!

Edgy and hilarious! For long time fans like me, this latest bumper collection is an essential purchase, and for Troubletown "virgins" it will be an excellent introduction to one of the top independent weekly strips. Lloyd Dangle is consistently funny (as in laugh-out-loud), thought provoking and highly quotable. As the title suggests, a lot of these cartoons came out when most cartoonists were being extremely cautious about criticizing the Bush administration as we sent troops in to occupy Iraq. Dangle went out on a limb and in retrospect we see he was right on the money.

When will Americans wake up to the fact that alternative cartoonists should be employed as Rovian and Carvillian(?) masters of political campaigns who can predict the future? Maybe after reading this book.

As the title suggests, Lloyd Dangle's "Troubletown" cartoon has been telling us what's what--and making us laugh--week in and week out since he began cartooning during Lord Reagan's reign.

This plump collection has all the tidbits you need from the last few years--from the divisive confirmation hearing of Vlad the Impaler to How A Bill Becomes A Law (Pole dancing is involved).

Cleverly disguised as a cartoon collection, this History book is presented in chronological order, which may be of use to someone desiring an absurdist trip down memory lane. For myself, the years-long assault on reason has blended all the nightmarish events together, so I'm thankful to Dangle for reminding me that Frist diagnosed Terry Schiavo via TV before the Korans were flushed down the toilet.

Forget the memoirs and dour political tomes--cartoon collections tell the true story of our turbulent times.

There's simply nothing sexier than an intelligent man with a razor sharp sense of humor. Lloyd Dangle's wit, illustrated in his political cartoon "Troubletown," is as sharp as his x-acto knife.

Reading these comics has become an addiction for me, especially because they're so language intensive. Each five-by-five inch square is packed with a full service laugh. One might think a book of cartoons is a quick read, but this isn't the case with the collection, "Troubletown Told You So: Comics that Could've Saved Us from this Mess." You'll want to spend time on each page and not miss the subtle notations and political barbs within the drawings. Indeed, many are amazingly prophetic, and evoked a sad-but-true reaction from me--even while I was laughing.

Good for the coffee table or the powder room collection, you might want to keep this away from your Republican acquaintances as they surely won't appreciate the humor. But your well-read, intellectual friends (particularly those who peruse daily newspapers and have registered as political "independents") will marvel at Dangle's ironic, right-on take on the mess that is American politics.

Michele Cozzens, Author of A Line Between Friends and The Things I Wish I'd Said.

I read trouble town in the paper and I recently had a chance to pick this book up from the author at a comic show. Not only does this book tell the tale of our troubled nation but it does so with terrific art! Not only that but Lloyd Dangle was very nice and sold his bok to me in a very convincing manner. Love it.

I used to live in San Francisco, where I could read Troubletown every week. Now I'm stuck in the middle of no where, so I have to wait for these great compilations when they come out. I've got all of them, and this new one really rocks thye housed! I thought from the title that it might be only focused on the Iraq War and major Bush calamities (which would be fine by me) but, as usual, Dangle aims his unique perspective at the whole world of subject matter. And, as usual, he comes up with some amazing gems.
I always find a really different perspective when I read Troubletown, Dangle sees the world through an amazing filter. I think he must be one of the most studious, well-read of political cartoonists working today.
This book is a great deal-chock full of a great years output- and it's samll and easy to carry! The perfect birthday present!

Filled with true suspense and engaging swordfights. The storyline is perfect and it keeps you involved with the characters throughout the book. I would recommend the entire collection. The Vagabond series are one of my favorites.

I bought this manga without ever having heard of it and it quickly became my favorite. I usually don't read manga (though i do watch anime) but this one I fell in love with. I would suggest it to anyone. Beautiful artwork, neat story and the fact that it's historically based is the icing on the cake. I can't wait to read the rest.

I've been reading various Manga for more than 15 years. I read Japanese manga in various genre not only ones in English but also the old ones that never made it to English translation. The first two volumes of Vagabond so far are fantastic. Definitely a tall cut above the average. I can even compare it across genre and say it's a lot better than Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball (one of my top choices before I read Vagabond).

Vagabond is very poetic and alive. It fully exploits the advantage of the manga as a media and I feel the scenes from the comic are actually more alive than movie or novel. Look carefully at the expression of the characters. My favorite is Takuan Soho - it feels almost like you can get a glimpse of "Satori enlightenment" just by looking at his features as drawn in the manga. Beware that you may end-up being converted into a big Musashi / Japanese swordsmanship fan after reading this manga! This graphic novel is very absorbing!

Vagabond is about the journey of Takezo, a young man, future master swordsman, who is in search of purpose and meaning to his life. In the first book he thinks its to become the best swordsman by challenging and defeating the best in the world. This is bravado for an untrained youth, even just fresh from his first battle on the losing side.

If you like Manga that does not romanticizes war or swordsman, Vagabond should peak your interest. The storytelling is excellent in the drawings, more so than the text. I would rank such adept skill in the same arena as Lone Wolf and Cub. LWC is the standard for balancing poetic story telling and showing the hardcore grit of life as a swordsman. Vagabond starts with a youth, a teen, not a man with a child. So Takezo maturity is not yet there. What drives him to succeed and overcome his past makes this series promising. The characters show a range of emotions in this manga, and the situations they deal with does an excellent job of targeting a mature audience. Takezo struggle for "his" truth becomes ours to learn from his journey about becoming complete.

Read each book like a wine, one delicious sip at a time, enjoy the flavors.

For those of you who don't mine a fair amount of explicit violence, and enjoy fast paced things with good actions and pretty good characters, I suggest Vagabond. Okay, so thus far I'm, on the 2nd vol. However, I HAD to read that right after the first one.

You see Vagabond moves very fast, its not a short manga, page wise, but you get through it quite fast. Vagabond is based off of a novel based on the geatest Samurai whom ever lived. Forgive me, but I don't remember his name(blocks some shots). haha

I don't really see a need to run through the story, so I wont. Just read it, and be sure to get volumes 1 AND 2. :D

God Bless & *enjoy ~Amy

The book is easy to read and walks you through the process of setting up a web site in a very organized, step by step, process, with a little humor thrown in.

After thinking it over and over again if I should do my very own website, and if I should just learn to do it by myself because it would have been either too expensive for a professional webmaster or too much to ask from one in the family (trust me, working with family doesn't work!); I finally decided: the heck with it, I shall learn it and do it all myself. The first book I chose to study from for my high-tech adventure is actually a textbook currently used in many web design schools. Dennis Gaskill's "Website design made easy" is just that. Gaskill is a professional webmaster who really knows his trade. You'll be shown not only how to build a basic page, but also given the technique to create more advanced websites that include the use of Javascript, CSS, frames, tables, etc. Even though the book doesn't really delve into these more specialized languages, we do get help on their basics and, at the end of the book, there is a list of online resources one can go for help.

Something I did find boring about the book is that Gaskill expresses, right from the beginning, that he does not endorse any of the HTML editing programs (such as, for instance, Macromedia Dreamweaver), and this is the reason why he explains how to build a website from scratch. In this way, you are taught ALL the codes to do everything manually in HTML, something that I believe is good to know - especially if you run into problems while using Dremaweaver; although in this day and age to believe that a new student of the subject will eventually do it this way and without the help of one of the major software programs available seems to me kind of naïve. I would still recommend this book, since if you don't know anything about building websites the task can look daunting. But do not despair, Dennis Gaskill is here to make it easier for you and, with his own brand of humor spread throughout the book it is actually a fun ride to hang on to. You can even practice your new learned talents with the quiz and the exercises at the end of each chapter, where that last question is always a joke (e.g.: How many web designers does it take to change a light bulb?)

Overall, a fine book you'll keep referring to again and again, especially when you need to check on your code. Only one question remains: being Gaskill, as he calls himself, a professional graphic designer as well as a webmaster; why would he approve such an awful layout design for the printing of his book?

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced web designer, you are likely to find something of value in this book. The information is presented in an easy-to-follow and easy-to-implement structure that walks you through all the steps needed to create and publish your website. Dennis even provides design tips to help the technically-competent-but-graphically-challenged! And, he provides lots of links to other useful websites as well as to special places on his own website... where he has provided even more tips, tools and techniques.

I wish I’d had this book when I first taught myself HTML – it would have shortened my learning curve incredibly, and with Dennis’ sense of humor, I would have had a lot more fun! With all these tips for designing, coding, promoting, and maintaining your site, and the added reference and troubleshooting charts, online resources, glossary, index and multiple screen shots, maybe it should be retitled, “Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Creating Your Website, But Didn’t Know How to Ask!”

Originally I was going to pass the book on to my daughter who is just now learning webdesign, but it’s just so doggone useful I think I’ll have to get her her own copy! (P.S. Go visit his site – you’ll get a sense of the quality of this book when you look through the many tutorials, graphics and ezines he already offers for free! And be sure to check out his Background Magic program, too.)

If you're a web design newbie, then this is the book for you. Finally there's a book that puts web page designing in plain English, rather than some techie jargon. It takes you step by step from the bare basics to some of the more advanced techniques in a way that's actually easy to understand. Plus, the author goes beyond telling you how to make a website work, but also gives practical advice on how to make it good. On top of all that, the book is well written with plenty of humor that makes it not just informative, but also fun to read. I wholeheartedly recommend it!

I have read many books on designing web sites. Most of them are as confusing as dusty old text books. I have always wondered why learning new things has to be so difficult. It's always as if you need a teacher at your elbow so you can ask questions. But learning how to build a really, really good web site is easy with author Dennis Gaskill at your side. Yes, he is right there showing you the way with his new book, "Web Site Design Made Easy." It is easy to read, and easy to learn, and it's down right fun. Dennis not only leads you step by step, but he plays games along the way to see if you are paying attention. He has a wonderful, if not a bit twisted, sense of humor.

"Web Site Design Made Easy" is a joy to read. It answers all the questions, and clears up the mysteries. It starts out with simple HTML and carries you through many complex designing tricks and takes you all the way to optimizing for search engines and shows you how to upload your site to your server.

You will learn it all with this book. I don't know how he did it, but this book really does cover it all, right down to the little details that I always wanted to know. There are color charts, ascii character charts, html tag charts, trouble shooting guide, and a really great glossary. Everything is extremely well laid out, comprehensive, and fun.

It's no wonder to me why Dennis's own web site has won so many awards. I highly recommend this book. Its the only one you need.

For those of you new the the series, yes, the manga and anime known as "Wedding Peach" (WP) looks a lot like "Sailor Moon" (SM). Why? Well, not only is it a typical magical girl shoujo (such as "Magical Girl Pretty Sammy" and "Tokyo Mew Mew"), but the producers of Sailor Moon have actually worked on the series. I also find WP different in that it has a more focused storyline (saving love versus saving the whole universe), fewer magical warriors, and one singular body of evil. So, if you enjoy SM or like series but want something more digestable, I highly recommend WP.

As for the sixth volume, I admit, it was rushed. Nao Yazawa, the creator, admits it to being rushed. And frankly, I like her honesty. I do not see many manga writers that own-up to such things; at most, I see them tip-toe around the subject. (Of course, this could just be my experience; if you've read of others that have acted similarly, be thankful.) That being said, the storyline is wrapped up well with a mix of drama, action, and a fitting happily ever after.

I really like this Manga. It has action romance, and surprises around every corner. I reccomend this to any Manga reader. I plan on getting all of the Wedding Peach books.

I love Wedding Peach, and when I found out it was being published into the English language, I was pshyced! I've been into Wedding Peach for about three years, and I never thought it would make it to the USA, but it has. Anyways, this manga was pretty good. It is obvious that it wasn't translated from the original Japanese version, but from the German version because there seems to be german words in the backround scenes that are supposed to be sound effects...kind of strange. Other than that, its worth buying. I definately recomend!

You've just transformed into an angel of love and told that you must fight devils. WHAT ON EARTH JUST HAPPENED HERE!!!?!?!?!?!?!
That's exactly what happens to Momoko Hanasaki, daughter of the angel Celestia. Devils from the Demon Realm are on earth, threatening to steal all energies of love and replace it with hatred. Momoko and her friends Yuri, Hinagiku, and Scarlet are out to battle with the demons as the angels Wedding Peach, Lily, Daisy, and Salvia!
Along the way, new friendships are found, and many secrets are revealed.
Don't miss out on this new shoujo sensation! Be sure to get the anime too when it comes out on DVD in APRIL 2004!!!

This is the volume that actually jump starts the Wedding Peach plot. Before was a very long introduction and character establishment. Now that it has passed, volume three sends the Love Angels into understanding the history of the war they're fighting and comprehending how important their role is. Though the story doesn't become darker, it's a bit somber at times (especially in later volumes) which, I think, most will find refreshing.

Volume three is a reward for getting through the first two, and a nice passage into the final volumes that are definitely worth reading (especially if you've come this far).

Cartoons of the NEW YORKER variety are a long way from comic books or most newspaper comic strips when it comes to social commentary. Byrnes is a well-known practitioner of the slightly cynical cartoonist's art, often giving the reader pause: "Wait -- What did he just say?" Like the businessman asking on the phone, "What's our policy on honesty?" Or the magnate remarking to a younger manager, "When I lost my sense of humor, I lost my sense of compassion, which is how I got where I am today." And sometimes his commentary is sharper, such as with the parents in front of a family camp-tent addressing their youngest child: "I'm sorry, Tommy, you've been voted out."

Hilarious is one way to describe the cartoons in here.Especially the few "Adam and Eve" ones..but youd have to buy this book to understand what I mean by that.Heh.The only reason I give it 4 stars is because I admit I didnt quite get atleast 5-7 or the cartoons.But thats only due to my ignorance in the subject that is joked about.

Don't get me wrong. There are plenty of really funny cartoons here. But, given the subjects we could choose from (normal business operations, radical religions, absurd politics, etc.), I expected more absurdity. Twenty of the included cartoons are from the "New Yorker." I have often read an entire issue of "New Yorker" cartoons without "getting" them, although I appreciated the artistic skill involved. Once, I interviewed a cartoonist who had sold a single cartoon to the "New Yorker." He could not explain why the editor had bought the cartoon or why he could never sell another one. Now, Pat Byrnes' cartoons are much funnier than the average. His art, though it looks dashed off, is certainly not. A great deal of thought and effort has gone into these well-crafted pieces. Here's hoping that Byrnes will publish a companion volume of even darker humor. Perhaps, the devil will make him do it. By the way, his introduction is just as humorous as his drawings.

Thankyou very much for these comics. LOL happen with each of them.

Pat Byrnes's cleverly caustic "What Would Satan Do?" is a collection of the artist's outrageous cartoons on the delights of deviltry. In his amusing introduction, Byrnes points out that the temptation to transgress is all around us; after all, society's moral compass went permanently haywire a long time ago. Therefore, the author decided to profit from the wages of sin by ridiculing such human shortcomings as greed, selfishness, incompetence, sadism, rationalization, one-upsmanship, hypocrisy, insensitivity, and other obnoxious traits that we see all around us every day--but never in ourselves.

The cartoons, some in black and white and others in color, are deliciously satirical and skillfully drawn. Nasty nuns, putrid parents, curmudgeonly CEOs, creepy criminals, and scenes from hell (literally)--they're all here for your reading pleasure. Byrnes also takes aim at reality show hosts, newscasters, computer geeks, slimy lawyers, and other easy-to-lampoon targets. "What Would Satan Do?" is timely and biting social commentary that makes us laugh at the expense of those self-centered and nasty individuals who delight in making everyone else's lives miserable. Although a few of the cartoons fall flat and others may be too naughty and tasteless for some, the book's blend of artistry (I love the facial expressions) and merry mockery make it a good purchase for misanthropes with a sense of humor.

Without any words, i just can say two thumbs up 4 clamp for making this art book. even if you're not a manga or anime lovers, this piece of art was worth enough to be collected.

The illustrations are SUPERB!! Like always. Very details and the effects .... make anyone amazed and jealous !!! Most of X pics are in it but some are not, maybe the CLAMP will publish the X - First in the future and it is my mission to hunt it.

I think X is an excelent manga, and this art book is wonderful, the pictures are marvelous.

I fell in love with this artbook as soon as I took it out of the box (it comes in a cardboard box/sleeve thingy).

CLAMP's illustrations are absolutely marvelous, and most of the pics are full page! There's at least 1 full page pic of every character, and they're all meticulously detailed, like every other CLAMP painting. I love this book! Get it!

This is a well-made, high quality hardcover artbook collecting color artwork from the manga (comic) X/1999 (as it is published in the US). X/1999 is a supernatural, apocalyptic story about destiny and choices leading toward the end of the world, written and illustrated by a team of women collectively called CLAMP. The artwork here focuses on the numerous characters. As a loose generalization, the illustrations are either elegant or bloody. The characters themselves have the delicate, slender designs of all CLAMP characters. The female character illustrations shine here: the sword-wielding priestess Arashi, the innocent Yuzuriha Nekoi, and the fire-wielding Karen Kasumi, in particular. Other illustrations, particularly involving lead characters Kamui and Kotori, are scenes of violence or impending violence. X/1999 the comic has scenes of dismemberment; none of these illustrations reach that point, but they are not all sweetness and light. If you have read any comics by CLAMP (such as X/1999 or Rayearth) and think the art looks good in black and white, these full-color illustrations will show you CLAMP can reach an even higher level. One last note: this is a Japanese book, so it opens and reads in the opposite direction (but don't worry, it sits just as nicely on a bookshelf).