Graphics Books

With each new Bone book I get, I never get disappointed. Each book is more and more engrossing. While the black and white issues are the originals, the colors add more to the overall story than I would have guessed. The art is great, the epic story is amazing and the colors just help bring everything together even more.

I gotta say that once you get into the Bone series, it's hard to stop reading it, and I really enjoyed this volume, which is mostly about the antics and schemes of Phoney Bone as he tries to swindle people out of their money, hurting others along the way as things backfire terribly. Definitely great stuff!

The Bone series really hits its stride in this volume. Continuing the excellence from previous volumes, the story deepens and builds into a truly great fantasy tale, on par with classics of the prose fantasy world. I'd give this volume more than 5 stars if I could. Highly recommended.

Side note: - While I understand the all ages appeal of the Bone series; I find it odd that these books get shelved (and buried from a wider range of readers) in the young adult sections of the major chain stores. It would be better to shelve them with Graphic Novels or SciFi/Fantasy.

Jeff Smith's BONE: THE DRAGONSLAYER provides another fine graphic novel in Book 4 of the Bone series. Here the forces of evil are growing - and the roots may be within the Bone family itself. Full-color graphic novel pages entice kids to read the Bone adventures, and even newcomers will find it easy to jump in.

Action, suspense, mystery, with a winning plot and great characters, this beautifully mastered chapter in the bone series is top notch! I can't wait for the next book in the (assumed nine-part) series to come out!

I bought this for my kids. My daughter loves reading and couldn't put Clan Apis down. After reading she told very excited it was a lot of fun, and most importantly, that she learned a lot about bees while reading. The book takes the form of a comic strip, but the drawings are amazing, and it is packed with information about bees, many of which I never knew about before.

I was looking for some engaging books for my 8-year old who is into science and has never found most books for his age group very interesting. I got this for him - but I could hardly give it to him because I kept wanting to read it. I just love the drawings and the hilarious comments from the bugs and flowers.

And my son loves it too. He reads it at night and in the car ride to school to his carpool buddies. A very fun and entertaining "comic book."

It's hard to find a book that is as funny, interesting, educational and deeply humane as this graphic novel. The story is charming but not saccharine. Main characters-- all of them honeybees-- die, some quite heroically and others simply grow old. And while the bees are to a great extent anthropomorphic they remain bees and their world is filled with alien and fascinating information.

All in all this was a wonderful book.

Other reviewers have already mentioned that this book: (1) tells an emotionally deep and action-packed and delightful story (suitable for adults and children), (2) includes a great amount of scientific information, and (3) includes outstanding drawings. The only thing I can add is that the book is the most amazing and perfect combination of story and science education I have yet managed to find in a book. The story's emotional depth and impact is comparable to that found in the best children's stories that I remember, e.g., Charlotte's Web. (In other words, the story can make an adult cry, in a good sense.) And the science subject's coverage (just right) and focus and presentation are as good as the best found in any knowledge-wrapped-in-fiction book that I've read, e.g., Russell Stannard's super Black Holes and Uncle Albert.

Clan Apis is incredible. Every other knowledge-wrapped-in-fiction book I've read seems in comparison to have a far, far more pedestrian story. For example, the following books with good or at least decent science/knowledge instruction cannot meet Clan Apis's super-high standard for a first-class story: George Gamow's science-awesome "Mr. Thompkins in Paperback" (not the Stannard-updated abomination "New World of Mr. Thompkins" (bad)); Stannard's science-awesome "Uncle Albert" books; the "Magic Treehouse" books; the "Magic School Bus" books; Stephen Hawking's (and daughter's) uneven but exciting "George's Secret Key to the Universe" book; and Hosler's own "Sandwalk Adventures" book (which I didn't like much, I forget why not). Fellow reviewers or comment writers, please share with us any other good knowledge-wrapped-in-fiction books (or movies/shows) that you know about. Thanks!

Let me just start by saying the author, Jay Hosler, is one of the best human beings you could ever have the fortune to meet. I am one of his students at Juniata College, and I can tell you everything this man does is quality and excellent. Dr. Hosler's first book, Clan Apis, is my personal favorite because I think it best illustrates him as a person.

Dr. Hosler loves inverts, and mostly, bees. So, it is obvious that this graphic novel is a labor of love for him. Every page and every character is scripted and illustrated in the utmost care and love. His gift for narrating an amazing tale and combining that with clever education is not just obvious in this book, but in the classroom. Everything he has ever taught me has stayed with me to some capacity because of his ability to clearly communicate ideas.

Not only is Clan Apis a wonderful story about bee biology, but it is even a tasteful way to introduce young readers into many adult topics such as leaving home, independence, and death. Dr. Hosler executes every bit of this story with style, humor, and decorum. He has created a story that not only entertains but educates on many levels, an achievment most major movie studios have not accomplished in animation in years (You listening Disney? Pick up this for a screenplay!).

If this hasn't convinced you to buy this amazing, quirky book, then do it for the fact he has two really cute kids and has to put up with a room full of annoying biology geeks like me everyday.

I was very disapointed in this book. I was under the impression that it would not only be instructive but that all of the work in it would be Gerald Brommer's. It was neither.

This is a good book for beginner and intermediate collage artists. It contains basic historical and theoretical information, as well as basic application techniques. You may also consider Nita Leland and Virginia Lee Williams' book CREATIVE COLLAGE TECHNIQUES. The techniques are challenging and open ended, so they truly encourage you to be creative.

This is the best reference available as at this date on collage. It is also one of the most inspiring art books I have read. I cannot recommend it more highly. The artworks provided as examples are of the highest quaility. Thank you, Gerald Brommer.

What I particularly liked was that all the illustrations were of first rate work.So many different approaches. An excellent text and motivational advice on materials and the object of collage as a genuine artistc outlet.

Brommer approaches collage from an fine art point of view. Most other books I have looked at tend more toward the scrapbook and/or kitchy altered art genre. He has an excellent section on art paper preparations and basic design.

Many thanks to IDW for embarking on this publishing milestone. Even the earliest, crudest TRACY strips are entertaining and enlightening. Chester Gould's abilities as a storyteller and artist take shape over the course of years. His economy of action, character and suspense grows over decades. It's fascinating to watch the character and the strip develop in these early panels, especially if you know what's coming. At the rate they are publishing these volumes, it is expected to take five-six years to commit the entire work to book form. There have been other attempts over the years, both in hardcover volumes and comic book variations, to reprint TRACY, but it looks like IDW has come up with a satisfactory format, great design, and a commitment to getting it done once and for all. Please support them.

An excellent start to a much overdue collection! Yes, this first volume was pretty much covered in Tommyguns, but its arrangement and hardcover setup make it worthwhile. I look forward to future volumes!

I've been a huge fan of the Dick Tracy comic strip since I picked up my first comic book reprint of the strip sometime in the latter '40s in the middle of the "Boris Arson" narrative arc from the mid-'30s. It was great stuff, and even at my young age I knew it was the real deal and drew upon some actual events for plot points; "Arson" used an iodine-dyed dummy pistol carved from a raw potato to break out of jail! (Ah there!, John Dillinger!)

I was hooked, and became a dedicated collector with issue #29 (toward the end of the "Flattop" arc) and had every single issue from that point forward 'til #137! (Somewhere, inexplicably, they all disappeared! They survived the disapproval of my father, but not, apparently, my first wife!)

Over the past 30 years I've acquired virtually every "Tracy" reprint I could get my eager mitts on, and they've been for the most part excellent. But due to the selectivity of the reprints (none of which touched on the "Boris Arson" arc), there's been no continuity of the Chester Gould oeuvre until this series debuted, and I was all over it!

I've purchased the first two volumes, devoured both, and, O joy!, "Boris Arson" has appeared toward the end of the second one. The publication date of Volume III is a month away, and I'm like a kid awaiting Christmas morning!

I imagine the reason this "Complete Dick Tracy" project wasn't previously attempted had to do with some sort of "rights" issue, but I'm delighted that it's underway... and I know that unless they accelerate the present two-a-year schedule, I probably won't live to see the "Moon Maid" years, but that's okay!

These early strips show how polished Gould had become since his rather crude beginnings, and how much he developed his technical and creative "chops" over the decades. The format is fine... anything larger to accommodate a fuller sized Sunday strip would probably have put the volumes well above the "widely accessible" price point... so it's but a minor inconvenience for me to wear my reading glasses.

Kudos to IDW Publishing.

Around the early 1930s, as Prohibition was coming to an ignominious end, gangster films began to really take hold. James Cagney, Edward G. Robinson and Humphrey Bogart led the way on screen, while Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler wrote the books, and on the comics page, it was Chester Gould, with his strip, Dick Tracy. Volume One of The Complete Chester Gould's Dick Tracy follows the detective from the very beginning in late 1931 to the middle of 1933.



As the comic begins, Dick Tracy isn't even a cop. When the father of his fiancee Tess Trueheart is killed by robbers, Tracy joins the police force and becomes a top detective without even needing to take an exam. He first solves the murder of Tess's father and then proceeds to be a one-man-gang against murderers, kidnappers, thieves and con men. His first real foe is the gang leader Big Boy, and most of the early battles are against Big Boy or members of his organization.



For those familiar with Dick Tracy's more bizarre foes such as Pruneface and Flattop, there may be a little bit of disappointment with the more mundane villains in this volume. Besides the bad guys and Tess, the main characters are Pat, a rather hapless fellow detective and Junior, a street urchin who Tracy takes under his wing. But it's Tracy who is the lead character, constantly meeting out justice with fist and gun. Like many such characters, Tracy himself is not that interesting, but is made more so by others around him.



Well-drawn and decently written, even these early Dick Tracy strips should appeal to fans of older comics. It may not be the best of these old-time comics (I reserve that compliment for other strips like Krazy Kat, Gasoline Alley or Popeye), but it is a fun read.

While I appreciate the effort to reprint the complete original Dick Tracy comic strips, certainly one of the most uniquely rendered creations in comics, I have reservations about the chosen format. The reproduction size of the Sunday strips is smaller than ideal, making for some challenging reading. To properly accomodate the Sunday strips, surely a larger format would have been better.

However, it's still fascinating to watch the evolution of Gould's trademark graphic style emerge from what started as a very ordinary-looking strip. Since it's probably not going to be done again on this scale, I suppose the best thing to do is accept the Sunday strip reproduction for what it is and board the train -- the best is yet to come.

I don`t speak a lot english and i was so scare to buy it because this guy is brithis but i saw some reviews and took the risk. when i got the book we can resume in one ward i was just surprised, it is completly amazing, i dont know for one else but for me this guy that`s really knows how to explain the difficult world of 3D, Thanks Peter Draper I've already found the key to my goal "this Book"

Most books out there are rehashes of the help documentation or popular tutorials already out there. For this book, however, almost every single tutorial covered tricks and techniques that I've never been exposed to before in my years of working with 3D Studio. Definitely an eye-opener for anyone who wants to learn how to create any sort of realistic environmental effect.

This is one book that is a must-have.

Most 3D books are unimpressive to me-- the sorts of things that could be readily learned by reading the manual or help files (particularly in the case of 3D Studio, which has excellent help and tutorials.)

Pete Draper's book is one of the happy exceptions-- it extends one's knowledge and capabilities, and moreover, his work is excellent; these are images and animations that would get you a job, if you could make them.

Would that there were more books of this calibre!

I have had this book for about 2 months now and all I can say is wow. This book has really been helpful...extremley helpful I must say. Easy to follow, the tutorials ALL work....Pete draper expresses all aspects of each tutorial and explains the WHY factor in each step in his tutorials. I cannot praise this book high enough. It has solved a lot of underlying problems that most would use plugins to work around. I give this book a 100% feedback....and I really hope he launches another...I will definatley buy the next one.

There is a reason why the used books are priced the same as the new for this item. This is an essential buy. Beginners should try get their hands on something a little easier first, but everyone with even a little bit of experience needs to get this book. Whereas many books leave you with a feeling of being "rushed" or of not being properly thought out, this one leaves you with an impression of having every single tiny detail meticulously planned. The DVD even includes video tutorials that didn't fit in the pages of the book! And the author has a website for the book and users that have problems with the tutorials. And guess what? He actually visits the website and offers help! wow! what a concept!

The tutorials themselves are brilliantly planned. First, we get reference footage, that is analyzed in order to get the best effect. Then, Draper goes through each step, and EXPLAINS EXACTLY WHAT WAS DONE AND WHY IN EACH STEP. This is vital and is sadly overlooked in many tutorials from other sources.

What will he teach you? Exactly what the book promises: extremely realistic water, earth, air, and fire. This is done mostly through the powerful new particle flow system and multi-layer materials (I mean MULTI-MULTI-MULTI-layer materials here). After only a few tutorials, I my skills with procedural materials and particle flow increased exponentially.

An essential buy.

Nita Leland has a wonderful way of inspiring her readers and making them feel more comfortable with color and paint. Doing the exercises in the book are an essential part of the experience and should not be skipped.

This book is everything I hoped it would be. I am a novice painter, working in acrylics, and wanted some basic info on color theory. This is it. The information is comprehensive yet easy to understand with exercises for the reader to do in any medium. I was so impressed that I bought her Exploring Color Workbook to go with it. This is highly recommended for the artist wanting to expand her color theory expertise.

One of the first books I've looked at that explains color in non technical terms. It has examples of how to use these colors in your paintings. There are several step by step instructions on using different color combinations as well as many exercises for you to do on your own. There's a companion coloring book which is helpful but not necessary. An outstanding book for beginners wanting to know more about color theory. The author has a web site and is very helpful in answering any questions.

Before reading this book I'd had an attitude about 'color theory' and such - or at least the teaching of it. Anything I read was either imperious and demanding or so complicated that I'd be lost in the first chapter.

But this book doesn't order you to do things a certain way. It explains what results you will get doing this and what results you'll get doing that. There is no highbrow judgment here about the only "correct" way to do anything. It is clearly written, with lots of pics and examples, and is completely accessible. What a breath of fresh air!

The book begins with a little bit of the history of color in paintings and the physics of color mixing. She doesn't bog down the book with it though. She gives just enough information to put the use of color in painting into context and as a starting point if one wants to do further research.

Then comes the more detailed information. This starts out simply and builds with each chapter. She explains why things happen in color combining and mixing and how to get the desired results. Color in painting is a detailed and complex subject, but, while she encourages you to learn it all, she is never demeaning or rigid that one has to know all this front and back before painting. She explains why knowing all this will help and improve your painting.

In other words she makes me *want* to learn all this rather than making me feel like I *have* to learn it.

One thing to note is the she uses watercolor in her examples and exercises so some adjustment may be necessary for oils.

There are also lots of things to practice in the book. She has exercises for everything she teaches. So when you're done you will have a tremendous visual reference library. I have lots of art books but this one will stay OFF the shelf and easily accessible. The use of color isn't something that can be learned overnight, so do yourself a favor: get this book.

I bought this based on other reviews about it. I don't know doodley about color and have always gone on gut instinct...and I've painted over a lot of ruined canvas and wasted a lot of paint.
This is an excellent little book with a lot of exercises to make it all quite clear. Every page teaches me something - I have so far had quite a few "AHA" moments. I am beginning to understand why sometimes a color works and sometimes it is just a little off...
I recommend this for everyone. Thank you Nita Leland.

When I read don't start reading until you have the time I had no idea how true the statement really was. I found myself not only captivated, spellbound, and utterly mezmerized by the story that evolves on the very first page, I was blown off my chair literally.

Like so many other readers I was expecting a terrorist 9/11 story but I was fooled. Instead I got the very best Vietnam story I have ever read bar none!

Harold Beck tells a tale of the war unline any ever told. I enjoy modern day thrillers and this one is set against a totally believeable historical backdrop every American can identify with. It was a book I just couldn't put down

Where did this author come from and why haven't we heard about him on television? I found myself thinking the story was real, especially the part on Che Guevara. The story is historically accurate as Guevara died on the date he dies on in the story and he also died in the same village he dies in in this story. Is it a coincidence or is the author revealing some well kept secret, as is the main story line in this book? I could not put this book down and I also didn't want it to end. The images created in this story were all too real.

I began casually reading this book and was hooked by the end of the first page. I give it 5 stars as it is the best I've read in a long, long time.

Reading The First Terrorist Act was as if I was reading the newspaper. This is a story that could easily be non fiction and I found myself living the experiences of Charley Reed.

I am a Vietnam Vet and I remember the battles as the author describes them. The battle for the City of Hue was exactly as he described. No doubt he was there!

Arc Light was Operation Archangel and there is little doubt in my mind his account in Bolivia with Che Guevarra is factual.

Where has this author been and why haven't we seen more from him? I'm hooked. When do we have a sequel or when will this be on the big screen?

This book is a must for all thriller fans.

What can be said about Harold Thomas Beck other than he is an extraordinary author cut from the same cloth as a Tom Clancy.

There is little doubt in my mind that this novel will rank with those Clancy has given us. I know. I am a Clancy fan. Now I am a Beck fan also.

"The First Terrorist Act" was given to me with Clancy's "Rainbow Six". Clancy and Beck are pure page turners! There are no if's, ands or buts about it.

As most Clancy reader's know, his characters are all well developed characters. Beck does it even better than Clancy. I couldn't believe it. Where has he been? His bio indicates he is not a youth new to writing.

I initially did not want to read this masterpiece because of the obvious inference to that tragic day of September 11, 2001. However when I was told this was along the lines of a couple of Clancy's novels I thought better of it and went forward. I was not disappointed. I loved this book.

From the first page to the last this novel, like Clancy novels, is purely enthralling and you will hardly be able to put it down. Even if you've never read a Clancy novel before, pick this up and then go to Clancy for a mild let down. He is better than Clancy.

If you're looking for pure intrigue, thrilling action and a few good laugh's along the way, as well as real life women, something missing in Clancy, you won't be disappointed. I wasn't.

A huge thank you to the Author for this one.

My husband told me I would like this book. Why would I like a book about spys, soldiers, and the Vietnam War?

Hello!

There are women involved with spys, soldiers, and the Vietnam War - especially the soldiers who served in the Vietnam War. And are there ever women in this story!

Jerilyn and Cindy are the opposites yet so much alike. The dark haired slut versus the blonde who did everything she was supposed to do. They shared Charley, they lost him, and now they have him back. Wow!

Then there is the driven reporter, also a woman who faces all the problems women face in their drive to the top.

We also have daughters. How does this man know so much about women? Moreover, how does a man write so expertly about women?

The historical backdrop as well as the current events unfolding and me remembering where I was when makes this all the more interesting. I loved this story. When will there be more from this wonderful author?

It's been a while since I've been able to grab a book and really have a good read for myself. This was it. Right from the first page, the character Jerilyn is exciting and the mystery starts with how this is all tied together and what the women all have in common and what they have up their sleeves.

The book is very well written. I had never read any of Mr. Beck's books before and needless to say, I am now reading another. I figured what could top "The First Terrorist Act", but another book by the same author.

The book is very good all along, without giving away any of the juicy details, but be prepared not to be able to put this book down until the well-done ending.

It's a great book. I love the way you get to know more about Frazz. I also love the relationships Frazz has with some of the students and teachers.

I really would rate this a 7! It's also really good to see children put in a good light. All parents and teachers should read this and the second one.

The first of the author's Frazz series, hilarious and real life from the first strip to the last. All will enjoy reading this and reliving our youth, a keen insight into the minds of the youth and all others. Read it, you will put this in your library and refer to it often.

My first encounter with Mr Mallet's work, and definitely a case of love at first sight. I'm astonished at how deeply Mr Mallet can make his characters come alive, while still being at least as funny and deep as any other of my favourite comics.

If you are not familiar with Frazz (or Mr. Frazier) the Janitor at Bryson Elementary School, let me take a moment to introduce you. Frazz is a triathlete, a song writer, a poet, a literary buff and, surprisingly, a janitor at an elementary school. He is into healthy living, good food, good fun, and loves a good battle ball/eraser fight. He is the shining star of Bryson and is loved by all the kids there. He is a better teacher than some of the other paid staff at the school.

I sometimes think that Frazz is a grown up Calvin (from Calvin and Hobbs)

I really love Frazz. This collection allowed me to catch up on a lot of the old Frazz cartoons. Mr. Mallett's drawing style is very consistent from beginning to end. His humour is always gentle, loving caring, thoughtful and morally sound. The lessons Frazz provides to the kids of Bryson elementary school are deep, valuable, honest, socially responsible, healthy and usually indirect and subtle. If I take the time, I even learn new words from Mr. Mallett.

My teens also love Frazz. Then again, they like Garfield a lot too, so there is no accounting for taste.

My family and I will be reading and re-reading this collection of Frazz cartoons over and over again in the coming weeks.

Gotta love Frazz!

At first I was hesitant to purchace Fun with PhotoImpact 4.2 because I had just upgraded to 5.0, but there was so much I didn't know I ordered it anyway. I have never been so happy with a graphics book. Features and tools of the program that seemed so complicated were explained in plain english and Stephanie Baker-Thomas guides you each step of the way. I had no idea PhotoImpact had so many "hidden" goodies. The mini tutorials are wonderful and the lessons learned in each give you the understanding needed to apply them to any other PhotoImpact project. This book is a must have and I am eagerly awaiting the release of Fun with PhotoImpact 5.0. Stephani Baker-Thomas is a true Diva of PhotoImpact.

If I had this book when I first started using PhotoImpact, I would be miles ahead of where I am now, after many months of trial and error learning. The text is very clear, with many screenshots and great hints. My favorite parts are the 'learn by doing' exercises at the end of every chapter...they really make the techniques you learn stick. A great book, and the only one in English for us PhotoImpact lovers.

I had my doubts about purchasing this book because I have Version 5 of PI. Now that I have the book I don't know what took me so long. This book is so well written and easy to follow for novice to intermediate user. It is very applicable to version 5.

Even with the $7.35 duty that I had to pay because I am Canadian, it was the bargin of the century! I received it just 3 days after ordering on a Friday.

Great Book!

No doubt about it, digital imaging can be a fun and rewarding endeavor, but contemporary imaging software is as daunting as it is powerful, and many budding digital artists may be too intimidated by the wealth of options and features available in a top-notch program like PhotoImpact. Fun With PhotoImpact 4.2 takes the novice or intermediate digital artist by the hand and leads them through the basics of the wonderful world of PI. With the knowledge and experience of the author for guidance, the reader can approach this exciting technology with a minimum of apprehension and feel confident that a new world will be opened before them. I highly recommend this book, and I am looking forward to the author's sequel on PI 5.0.

While the book may be of some use to folks who are completely unfamiliar with PI, I was a bit disappointed. It reads almost as a restatement of the PI user's guide ("this button does this...") rather than as a guidebook to innovative use of PI ("In order to get this effect, use these buttons and filters in this sequence . . .") that the title rather led me to expect. To be sure, the author does have an excellent and thorough web site with exactly that kind of hands-on "how do I do this?" data, but it was a bit of a let-down to find the book contains virtually nothing of the sort.

any book by Ralph Steadman requires serious and not so serious reading. his perspective on life is truly unique and worthy of consideration.

I'm very pleased with my purchase...It arrived promptly, well packaged, and in stellar condition. A flawless venture.

I love his work, have since he did the cover art and animation for Pink Floyd The Wall. This book is worth grabbing if you respect the artistic value of total insanity and the furthering of freedom of expression.

May the ghost of Hunter S. Thompson come down and become the next President of the United States - and may Ralph Steadman be his Art Director!

Having had, as many people did, my first taste of Ralph via Hunter S Thompson's books, I found this to be a great introduction to the Hyperactive and frantic style of a dude who is probably my favourite artist. This has a forward by Hunter, gives great colour examples of his works in the realm of Gonzo, and also has many written, poetical works, and songs. My fave piece is 'Stand up and be counted.' IE: The maverick beast will ALWAYS raise his head in the crowd. A perfect definition of Gonzo.