Graphics Books

I've been an avid CAS reader for over 30 years. I happened on the Ballantine Books "Fantasy Series" paperback edition ZOTHIQUE when it was first released in the 70s, and have long wished for a compendium of his work.

CAS's style is very dense, and reflects very careful construction of prose as well as plot. His style is as evolved as Lord Dunsany, Morris, and Tolkien, and is entertaining in it's own right. Don't let this scare you off - his stories are all eminently accessible to casual readers, and numerous wry turns of phrase indicate a well-honed (but bone dry) sense of humor.

When compared to his better-known contemporaries, H.P. Lovecraft (Cthulu) and Robert E. Howard (Conan) I find CAS to be more a "readers writer." CAS is a master of phrasing surpassing HPL - his stories are less eerie than HPL, and don't slather on the dread as heavily. CAS is (usually) less swash-buckling blood-and-gore than REH, but doesn't shrink from characters hacking each other to bits when the story requires.

The only fault I can find with this series is that stories are ordered by date of publication. (Perhaps this was required by the copyrights issued to the three Ballantine collections assembled by Lin Carter.) My preference, though less academic, would be to collect the tales by story cycle to facilitate READING rather than STUDYING. Nevertheless, these volumes are without question well worth the investment - like a collection of Poe, you will find yourself returning to them many times.

I love the writings of Clark Ashton Smith. He was the quintessenstial poet. BOW DOWN, I AM THE EMPEROR OF DREAMS. I Crown me with the million-colored suns of secret worlds incredible and take their trailing skies
for vestment. His fiction is also clothed in words that are poetry. His only peer is Lord Dunsany.I corresponded a little with Smith and owned one of his strange sculptures. I welcome this renaissance of interest in Smith (if that is what it is).I wrote a short story influenced by his writings which he critiqued and added one sentence. I lost it, if you ever come across it, the title is THE COMING OF THE BLACK NEBULA.

`The End of the Story' is the first of five volumes of Clark Ashton Smith's short stories. The stories are arranged chronologically by composition. The stories in this volume were written between 1925 and 1930. The stories are:

The Abomination of Yondo
Sadastor
The Ninth Skeleton
The Last Incantation
The End of the Story
The Phantoms of the Fire
A Night in Malneant
The Resurrection of the Rattlesnake
Thirteen Phantasms
The Venus of Azombeii
The Tale of Satampra Zeiros
The Monster of the Prophecy
The Metamorphosis of the World
The Epiphany of Death
A Murder in the Fourth Dimension
The Devotee of Evil
The Satyr
The Planet of the Dead
The Uncharted Isle
Marooned in Andromeda
The Root of Ampoi
The Necromatic Tale
The Immeasurable Horror
A Voyage to Sfanomoe

Most of the stories are of the `weird tale' sort, but some veer to straight Horror and some can be classified as Science Fiction (although always with a horror angle). Smith was a very flowery writer, and some of the stories can be tough going, but that's the beauty of short stories, they're short.

This first volume in what promises to be the definitive collection of short fiction by Clark Ashton Smith is nothing short of a literary treasure. For those who have previously had to satisfy their craving for Klarkashtonia by seeking it out in scattered and hard-to-obtain tomes, The Collected Fantasies of Clark Ashton Smith is a blessing nonpareil. Do yourself a favor and get it while it lasts.

As established here and reinforced by the second volume, all five books in this series are essential to anyone interested in Smith's work and literate fantasy as a whole. Connors and Hilger have followed earlier textual studies by Donald Sidney-Fryer, Steve Behrends, and others with extensive studies of their own to restore as much of the glory to Smith's texts as is currently possible - and what glory! Smith is one of the few fantasists capable not only of creating multiple fantasy cultures, but with investing each of those worlds with its own distinct atmosphere, tone, and use of language. Many earlier versions of these texts toned down the richness, eroticism, and grotesquerie of these stories in order to appeal to what Smith's editors deemed was acceptable to the lowest-common-denominator among its readership. Scores of deletions, simplifications, bowdlerizations, and other alterations which have served to remove the sheen from these works have here been corrected through painstaking attention to all available manuscripts and correpondence. Here, at long last, is Smith in all his mordant, coruscating splendor. If one considers all of this, along with intelligent introductory material; alternate endings; unpedantic notes to each story detailing its composition, publication history, and its place within the larger context of Smith's work; as well as Jason Van Hollander's inspired integration of Smith and his sculptures into the macabre and affectionate cover art; Night Shade and these editors have presented to all lovers of fantasy an edition of the master's prose fiction which will serve as the benchmark for many years to come.

This book works through some great effects in cookbook style, such that if you follow the recipe, you can great some fantastic results. Although I am using CorelDraw 8 LE on the Mac, and am a beginner when it comes to graphic arts, I was still able to amaze friends and family with the output!

The written style is clear, concise and easily understood, and the side bars are very informative. The color pictures in the center of the book are helpful in defining the target look, and the enclosed CD with electronic "recipes" and results is great.

This is now in my top 10 technical book list!

I absolutely LOVE this book. It's opened up a whole new world of possibilities with Corel Draw 9. By the time I've experimented with all of the tutorials, I'm sure I'll be quite the whizz kid. Unfortunately, I'll have to do it all without any help from the CD. There is no INSTALL.EXE on the CD. Therefore, I am unable to install it. Although I can access its contents through my CD-ROM, using it that way tends to freeze up my system and it's just not worth the aggravation. But the book itself is a real jewel and I truly enjoy reading and learning from it. Shane Hunt's writing style immediately puts the reader at ease. This alone is worth its weight in gold and is a rare and welcome commodity in "How-To" books. Thanks Shane!

This is the best how to book I have ever worked through. It is a must have for Corel Draw 9 and 10 users who have never learned all the hidden secrets and shortcuts to this program. After learning each and every technique in this book, my talents in graphic design have multiplied greatly! I find my self creating amazing graphics I never would have believed possible. Thanks Shane Hunt for writing this incredible book!

After trying several of the web based tutorials I decided to try Shane's book. One of the best things about this book is that it takes an artistic approach in the instruction. I have used what I have learned from this book in all my projects to date. Shane has made me a more creative Corel Draw user. After several years of just using Corel Draw I am now creating on a level I never could have attained before. One should know the basics of Corel Draw before using this book. If you know how to access the menu commands then you should get this book. Highly recommended.

The CorelDraw 9: FX and Design is one of the best books on the market to get the most out of your software package. Author Shane Hunt knows his stuff. He presents facts, tips and creative ideas in a fun and entertaining way. This book is exactly what I needed to teach me the 'how' of CorelDraw 9 and at the same time teach incredible creative tools I can use right away. The Official Guides are fine but this book gives you the tools to think not only 'outside the box' but outside the stratosphere.

Upon the second reading of this book, I've found I enjoyed it just as much- if not, more. I noticed a lot more the second time. Nowadays, comic collectors will just bag up their books and never bother to read them. DON'T DO THAT TO THIS BOOK. Read it. And buy two- one to read and one to preserve...

In one of the most original evil plots of all time (a madman tries to blow up the moon!), the Feimans have outdone themselves. The distinctive, Popeye-esque artwork will keep the casual reader captivated, while the clever plot will capture even the shortest of attention spans.

Sci-fi thriller and morality play combine in this comic book that entertains all ages. It's fun for the kiddies, but intelligent enough to engage the adult reader. (Makes a GREAT Christmas gift or stocking stuffer.)

Myke Feinman's "The Crystal Skull Files" does something that hasn't been done. He takes all the excitement and adventure of the daily strips of yesterday and turns them into a full length graphic novel. No waiting until tomorrow's paper to find out how his protagonist, Terry Freedom, made it out of the latest jam. Just one long satisfying read from beginning to end. Satisfying is the word for it. Like any writer worth their salt, Myke makes you keep turning the page to find out what happens next. It's not only the writing that works it's the Segar-esque (Popeye) bigfoot style art combined with a Caniff-esque(S. Canyon) action tale. Of course, like Myke's first graphic novel with Terry "The Mask Conspiracy", "The Crystal Skull Files" is ripe with underlying themes such as freedom of speech and basic human rights. None of which is preachy but worked into the story with good results. There is also several other strips by Myke and others in the back of the book so it's definitely worth the price of admission. It's clearly worth more that a subscription to a daily paper.

I received the Crystal Skull Files through the mail, and was I pleasantly surprised!! Both it and Feinman and Company's first effort, "The Mask Conspiracy" are used as teaching tools in schools across the country. And let me just say that the people at Ink and Feathers are very friendly and very accomidating. Write them, and I'll bet you get a reply! The art-work is great, reminding me also of earlier comics. There is a message in each of the two comics from I&F, and there is nothing even slightly distasteful. Don't be afraid to let your Junior High Schooler read this. Unlike most other comics on the market today, there is nothing to be concerned about. Keep up the Good Work!

Very useful if you want to go there and understand the real Morocco. Well written, too.

It is all very well, but the main vehicle of culture is the language. This book is helpful in highlighting cultural features but a good section on the language would also be a good idea.

In anticipation of accompanying my close Moroccon friend to his homeland on a business trip with another American, I read this book in one sitting and read it twice more before leaving for Morocco. It proved to be an invaluable tool to better understanding my Moroccan friend here in the states and it provided knowledge, information and tips that proved priceless during my recent stay in Morocco. I have no doubt that had I not read this book, I would have had a very different experience. This book enabled me to have the most incredible travel experience of my life despite the fact that I don't speak arabic or french. At the very least I had an understanding of this wonderfully rich culture steeped in tradition. I recommend this book to anyone interested in Morocco whether for travelling or simply interested in the country, their people and customs. While this book is ideal for someone relocating, I found it to be more useful than any of the other travel companions I purchased for my trip. Any future travel plans of mine will start with a purchase of "Culture Shock..." for that country.

I have spent 3 summers in Morocco and 5 years with my husband who is Moroccan and this book clarified a lot aspects of Moroccan life for me. No matter how objective one may be about cultural differences, it helps to have a neutral party explain what is happening in a given interaction. I didn't even realize how much I suffered from culture shock until I read "Culture Shock!" Particually helpful were the author's comments on the difference in Western and Eastern concepts of personal space, public space and privacy.

After reading this book, now I'm all the more excited to go to Morocco. Hargraves paints such a vivid picture of the people, the culture. It is a complicated society, very foreign to my understanding and experience. And yet, as I read through it, so many times, page after page, I realize that the culture is so familiar, so like my experience. Most of all, I now understand that it will take a lifetime to learn to adapt to Moroccan culture. I am eager to see how the words lift off the pages and into reality.

Almost every page has nuggets and key points to learn and understand, and my copy is mostly yellow from highlighting. One aspect that I wish were different, though- Hargraves appears too often to accept the stratification in Moroccan culture, and the mistreatment of the lower classes, as par the course, and something Moroccans accept, and therefore something that we should accept, and something culturally neutral. There is so much good in Moroccan society, but, just as in any society, some that is not as good as well.

But that's only one small detraction in an otherwise great text. Particularly interesting is the quiz at the end of the book, where you test one's knowledge gained through reading. I've never seen this in any other culture or travel book, and it should really be more common! Hargraves doesn't just repeat information here either- rather, he asks the reader to intuit the answers not yet given, from the information that he's previously provided- and then of course, he provides all the possible correct answers.

I want to learn how to live and eat and talk and think, Moroccan. I want to see what it means to be a Moroccan who is so adept at adaptation to so many different cultural situations. I want to learn to engage in real Arab relationship, and to learn how to politely refuse a request, and how to be a good guest, and a good host. I want to learn how to serve the Moroccan peoples. If you're interested in this as well, then this is a book you need to get.

This is it. This is where the modern noir Daredevil take started with Frank Miller. A must have for any Daredevil fan or if you're a comics enthusiast that wants to see some of Frank Miller's best work. The book is huge though, it is the biggest book I've ever seen. Looks great in your bookcase but a tad uncomfortable to read through.

I see this is sold out on Amazon and people are trying to sell on Marketplace for $150+. There are still copies left on mycomicshop.com for $88.

Get this one and enjoy the ride! Reprints Miller's classic DD stories starting with issue 158. Miller's early Punisher rendition is still the best! The coloring and paper quality is excellent --- although this volume is somewhat pricey. In my opninion, Miller is one of the VERY few artists to capture the essence of Daredevil. If you're a Miller or DD diehard, this one is not to be missed.

Note: There are a few extra goodies in this volume: A Miler interview and storyboard layouts.

awesome collection of the frank millar daredevil run! great quality printing, pages feel great.

Before Sin City, before Dark Knight Returns, there was Frank Miller's Daredevil. In my opinion the best thing he ever did. He took a "B" rated super hero comic, that was being published bi-monthly, and turned it into one of the best selling monthly books of it's time. The ideas that Miller introduced in these stories are still resonating in the Marvel Universe today. He turned Daredevil into a super-bad ninja warrior. He made the Kingpin a major villain with unlimited underworld clout. He transformed Bullseye from a two-bit hood into the world's greatest assassin. And most noteably, he introduce Matt Murdock's ninja assassin love interest, Elektra.

These are some of my favorite comics of all time. The stories are a brilliant blend of super hero adventure and film style action and pacing. Not as light and upbeat as some of the books of the time, but not as dark and depressing as the "gritty" stuff Marvel is publishing these days. While I really liked some of the early adventures of DD by Stan Lee, Wally Wood, John Romita etc., for me Daredevil begins and ends with this legendary run. Nuff said.

I'm not gonna try to sell you on this book 'cause if you're looking at it you're already a Frank Miller fan. So... before I purchased this book I wanted to know what issues were contained therein! Above there are claimes this book contains DD issues #158 thru #191; this is only sort of true...

This most wonderful book ACTUALLY contains:

Daredevil #158 - 161 and #163 - 191 as well as the DD story from
What If...? #34!

Cool bonuses are: ALL of Franks DD trade paperback reprint covers, thumbnails and color guides for issue #190, a new introduction and an 1981 interview w/ Frank and Klaus,Frank's DD page from Fantastic Four Roast #1, AND Frank's intries from the Offcial Handbook of the Marvel Universe!

You know you want it True Beliver!

'Nuff said!

This book is a great resource for when you're looking for that specific line of code. Its terrible to read from front to back, but its an excellent way to find exactly what you're looking for. Its so much code, it'll make your eyes bleed.

Director 8.5 is a monster application with huge range of functionality. Nyquist's "Bible" uses CD-ROM-based tutorials to carry you through the concepts with relative ease. The tutorials are part of one continuous complex project, taking the reader from the basics through media management, interactivity, project management and some pretty sophisticated Lingo programming. It is also organized to allow easy reference for specific issues. Having recently completed an 'Emedia & Design' programme I would have to say that Nyquist's book is probably the most valuable text in my library.

There is no better book with which to get involved in Director. I've read nearly all of them; nothing else comes CLOSE! Get IT! ENJOY IT! LOVE IT!

Este libro es realmente extraordinario para aprender a usar director, pues se ve desde el uso basico de cada herramienta aplicando los ejemplos que incluye el cd-rom.

Recomiendo este libro a quien nunca haya usado director antes, y para aquellos que habiendo usado, solo han aprendido por su cuenta sin referencias técnicas.

A well written book of the "Bible" series! Great examples and delivered in an understandable "lingo." This book is a must have for all Director developers regardless of your level or experience. There is a ton of useful information for everyone.

This book was great. Good story line and char. I would recomend this book to friends and will read it again.

Well I just got done reading this book and must issue the following warning to those who read this.DO NOT READ THIS BOOK IF YOU ARE: a)trying to go to sleep. This book will upset your sleep patterns and you will regret this.b)lacking any form of a sense of Humor. If you don't got it, you won't get it.c)under any way shape or form driving.It could kill you and that's not good.d)taking any medication or suffering from recent surgery in the abdominal area. Too much laghfter could split stiches or cause a reaction with medication. If your not suffering from any of the afor mentioned things then read on.
One prepare for many puns.Lots of puns. Some like to hide in wait and ambush you, while others stir themselves over a long period of time. Prepare for a massive assault on anything and everything. Nothing is safe from being used. Even Fed Ex gets hit at one point. Enjoy this book and have much fun for several hours/days/weeks or however long it takes to fininsh.

At first I was daunted by the task of reading this brick that deforested half of Equador, but as soon as I started reading the book I could not put it down. I knew I would enjoy it from the moment I saw those first three quotes: two from Shakespeare - The Tempest and Hamlet - and one from Monty Python's flying circus: "And now for something completely different." This was my type of humor. And as for humor this is probably the best book to read for that. That is if you like puns. Wm. Simmons knows how to use the right amount of puns, and doesn't go overboard, though I am sure that is tempting. As I read I was drawn into the world of the game and of the story. Part of the reason I loved it was because of the characters who were believeable and lovable... and in some cases not so loveable. I wanted to know what would happen to them. I almost cried when... well, that would give some stuff away. The story was the best part. I lost myself in those books (though in the middle of math that might not be a good thing) and read them constantly. After I finished each book, it would seem like I was waking up from a dream, or another world. And then I fell right back into the dream in the next book. Wm. Simmons is a wonderful story teller, and those who read this book will not be disappointed if they are looking for a book that has a serious plot with lotsa laughs.

I bought a first printing (only Printing) of "In a Net of Dreams" at an airport magazine stand. Little did I suspect it would be my all-time favorite book. Only tape holds my poor battered copy together.

So when I discovered this compilation, I had to have it. And it was worth it.

Sc-fi, Fantasy, Comedy, Drama, pop-culture references, and bad puns, this series has it all. And wraps it up with engaging, well developed characters.

Why are you still reading this? Order this book now. And pray with me that there will be another sequel.

Wm. Mark Simmons, the fastest pun in the West, is back, and he's done it again! "Woman of His Dreams" crowns the Dreamland Chronicles trilogy after a long wait by his fans. I have loved and laughed through all of the adventures of Ripley and his cohorts, and this latest installment is the best yet. Simmons' trademarks are strong characters, thought-provoking philosophical twists of plot, lots of action, and truck-loads of wit. Even though familiar with his style, I still was not prepared for the finale. I found myself watery-eyed at the last page, and sad to see it end. This is a book I have given to friends and had them call me in the middle of, just to tell me it's the first time in years they've laughed out loud while reading a book. Simmons may or may not have screenplay experience, but his novels read like movies, extremely visual. Now...if only Spielberg would read them...

Never imagined i would get a chance to read the EC collections of Tales from the Crypt, Weird Science, Shock Suspenstories etc, that too in good quality bound volumes in glorious color on art pages.All are real collector items. A good investment to treasure and re-read on lonely rainy nights. Boooooooooooooo !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The current age of the comic book and graphic novel has seen so much classic work with technical and artistic virtuosity that could only have been dreamed of in 1950. What they had back then, and is so beautifully reflected in this reprint, was a deep desire to tell a story unlike anything that had been seen or read before. I won't spoil any of the material for you, but I must say the level and depth of social ills dealt with in these stories is far more unflinching than even the current crop of verite and dark side of life style of writers and artists provide. The art in some cases, as seen in the work of Wally Wood, Jack Davis, Joe Orlando and Jack Kamen, is precise and stripped down in order to serve one cause- the furtherance of the story being presented. This book has beautiful production values, a great paper stock, some interesting historical tidbits, letters pages, pristine restoration and enhancement of the originals. The title says it all folks, these truly do shock and also manage to drum up a bit of suspense at the same time. A must buy, as are all the EC Archives books now out. I remember these comics in the hands of my older cousins and neighbors, I even inherited shopping bags full of old EC books from them as they all entered High School, went to College or left for the miltary. Moldy and a bit raggedy in some cases, they were nonetheless fascinating. But these more mature themed works could not escape the all seeing eye of my Mom, and in a heartbeat they went out in the garbage. A shame, because the books, as you will see with all edtions in this series, are anything but garbage.

Whether inspired by the success of Marvel Comics Essential or DC's Showcase reprint editions, EC Comics have excelled with the first of their series of collected editions from their late 1950s archive. These volumes give the average comic collector (even with a full set of the 1990s reprint editions) and avid fan of B movies access to many hard to find and prohibitively expensive gems, reprinted larger than the original comic size in full glowing colour. Even the forewords presented by icons like Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and John Carpenter (on Tales From The Crypt) show the significance of the stories that are contained within each volume, many of which giving inspiration to sci-Fi, mystery and horror tales in the intervening years.
I can heartily recommend these collected editions to lovers of nostalgia of every age.

I am 35 years old, jaded, hardly young at hearted believe first and foremost that most comics as is most sci-fi are for people who have never had a girlfriend or hit a home run. But I have always heard good legendary things about EC comics, things which might make them transcend genre.

So when this collection finally came out after a lifetime of waiting I plunked down my milk money like any other dime store dork.

I cannot begin to tell you how impressed I was. The stories, plots and picture book quality of the stories are simply too good, too rich, too detailed, too good for this world. It is no wonder they were stopped by the powers that be.

A tome of fun for future generations or the ULTIMATE coffee table book? Either way, I am going to collect them all. And look forward to the NEW issues being released this June of Tales From the Crypt.

Just as I started thinking about the old E.C. titles and how I'd like to get my hands on some of the reprints that came out in the 1980's, I found out they were getting reprinted in hardcover trades! I was young when I first started reading the E.C. books, picking up the single-issue reprints of whatever was available at the supermarket or drug store. All of those copies were thrown away as a punishment nearly 20 years ago, along with all the other comics I had. I started reading comics again in 2001, and lately I've been dying to read these old stories from the 1950's that I connected with so heavily, forty years after they had originally been collected.

I've picked up this title and Weird Science, so far, and they both deliver even more than I thought they would. The original art was used in the re-printings. The lines and shading of the reprinted art is just as crisp as it may have been in the 1950's, perhaps crisper. The lettering is also amazingly clean and it's a blast to read Al Feldstein's thoughts on how each artist had his own distinctive style of bubbling/boxing in the letters that matched his artistic style.

And the colors, well I can't say that I ever laid eyes on the original printings, but I would imagine that the re-colorings are at on par. Even if they are not, they are certainly more defined than in the reprinted issues from the 1980's. Those issues are what I have to go on, and the reprinting in the hardcover surpasses them in quality--I managed to find a couple of back issues of the "Tales From the Crypt" and "Vault of Horror" reprints so I am able to compare them. Plus, everything is printed on high-quality, glossy paper. It's really a great job. And the writing is, of course, unchanged. It's amazing how Feldstein had so many stories in his head, churning out four stories per issue plus one or two one-page short stories. They hit just as hard as ever, with the "preachies" standing out like lightening blasts. To have read these fiery anti-bigotry stories in 1952 must have been a shock, indeed. All the letters pages and E.C. ads are also faithfully included.

Only downsides? It sells for $50 in the comic shops. Personally, I think it is worth the price considering just how well these stories are reprinted and the fact that it just gets harder and harder to find any trace of the older reprints, including the old hardcover reprints. The price just puts the younger readers out of range, though, kids will have to rely on their parents to fork over the cash if they want to be shocked and in suspense. The other downside is that it seems the volumes are going to be coming out just as slowly as every other comic book company puts out their trades, and that Weird Fantasy (the stories I am most interested in!) isn't scheduled until lord only knows when. They are putting out just one new volume every two months! Maybe if they sell fast and well, the release schedule will be quickened....hint, hint...BUY THEM!

To further answer the questions from die-hard fans about how faithful the re-colorings are, here is a quote from Russ Cochran, in charge of the project, from an interview by Jim Patterson for "Tales of Wonder" (Google it):

"RC: I remember when I saw the Nostalgia Press book Horror Comics Of The '50s. I was very disappointed in the color. It was garish and so strong in some cases that it tended to obliterate the artwork. The original ECs were printed on the cheapest grade of paper which absorbed the colors and kept them from being too garish. When these same color separations were printed on a better quality paper, the color was too strong. This has been a problem in virtually all the Archives projects from DC and Marvel and I wanted the EC Archives to solve that problem, and I believe it has. First of all, the earliest EC Comics from 1950 were not colored by Marie Severin. They were colored by employees of Chemical Color Engraving and this coloring left a lot to be desired. Bill Gaines and Al Feldstein were very unhappy with the coloring from Chemical. Toward the end of the first year John Severin mentioned that his sister, Marie Severin, could do a better job of coloring all the ECs. She was hired and subsequently colored all the EC product. Every page in the EC Archives has been re-colored using modern computer technology to include fades and blends, modeling on faces and clothing, and other modern techniques to achieve a more pleasing color page. But in doing this Marie's original color schemes and style were followed."

This is my second favorite yaoi after Yamane's Finder series. Katou and Iwaki are rival porn stars auditioning for the same part in a more mainstream film. However, the producer decides that to earn the part, they have to have sex, with each other. Iwaki wins the part, and also Katou's heart - if he can only convince Iwaki! A fabulous romance with good character development and lots of hot, explicit sex.

Nitta draws beautifully, and the story is original. Highly recommended.

This is actually my first yaoi and one of my first manga so my review will possibly be marred by inexperience about this very specific genre.

I find a lot to complain about this comic:

first of all, a simple remark: how about these blond Japanese with light eyes and very fair skins?

second, I do not really like this effeminate, skinny men with impossibly wide eyes, though I know this a rather western attitude.

third, what is all this obsession about roles in a gay couple? I know nothing, unfortunately, about Japanese culture but, are they really that obsessed with being active or passive, sexually speaking? Must the passive guy perforce be womanish, ethereal? Do they never switch roles?

fourth, I bought this specific yaoi because the reviewers agreed about its having very explicit drawings. Well, there are some, but rather confused, dimmed so to say: situations are much more rousing than the actual drawings.

fifth, the layout of the strips is sometimes confusing: I am not speaking about the specific Japanese paging style, which is illustrated in a forword, I am saying that in several pages the sequence of drawings and dialogue is unclear.

sixth, one third of the book has little or nothing to do with the main story, which is irritating.

Why buy it then? And giving three stars?
Because this manga is quite pleasing to read: the story is good, the drawing professional, the characters bigger than life but interesting, the passion between the two main ones rousing. All the above mentioned flaws are there but they do not overcome what is good in it

Iwaki and Katou are both porno star. But Katou is at the beginning of his career and Iwaki instead is on a turn: quit or pass on more mainstream film. To both is asked to auction for a leading role in a film about a gay relationship and they have to make love together. Iwaki gets the role but Katou's success seems not to have problems. An year after, Iwaki and Katou has the chance to work together in the television adaptation of the movie, and they start a strange relationship where Katou pushes to have a real affair where Iwaki tries to quit everything.

Embracing Love is a continuing series arrived to 6 volumes till now. It's really good. Both Iwaki and Katou are adult, not young teens, so the relationship between the two is more serious and complex than the normal yaoi. Seme and uke are not net characteritation here. Iwaki is serious and not easy to reveal his feeling. Katou is passionate and open, he brings the rein of the relationship and forces Iwaki to "accept" his presence in his life. Sex between the two is very hot and the plot is preatty realistic. Reading this yaoi I have really had the feeling to read a complete work and till 5 to 6 volumes I have still the desire to read more and I'm waiting for the six volume to arrive.

this is about two adult film actor who are rivals. they compete for a role in a movie by making love to each other. From there it only gets better. Iwaki wins the role but he doesn't like the fact that people think he is gay and that he is playing the part of the female. He invites katou over for a challange for the male part and sparks start to fly. katou makes love to him and now he's hooked. when they are caught kissing and it is in all the papers he is mortifide and trys to avoid Katou but still gets caught up in his web. At the author's house he admits only to himself that he doesn't like seeing Katou making love with anyone else. At the same time Katou admits to himself that he has feelings for Iwaki.
when they are wrapping up the end of the series Katou makes love to him for real without anyone knowing but the two of them. It is to funny. I would go on but this is just some of the highlights of the book this book just keeps geting better and better. The only problem is the dates for new vol keep changing. I just can't wait that long to buy the book it is a must read. love it, love it, love it

This is one you MUST read. By now it's been around for quite a while, and if this is your first time hearing about it, get it. A surprisingly realistic theme set behind Nitta's beautiful artwork makes for an amazing read. Don't let the description scare you. Although the story revolves around two porn stars, you'll be amazed at how Nitta is able to draw the audience away from that fact and into the true feelings of the characters. Of course, not enough can be said about the erotica in this book. It is perhaps more explicit than almost any other yaoi manga -- leaving little to the imagination. But even so, every such scene serves only to draw the readers deeper into the emotional bond between the two characters. A hint of comedy and a sprinkle of "fan service" make this a classic. So don't hesitate. Just get it. Trust me...you'll love it.

I just read the second volume in the Fake series and I'm just as thrilled by it as I was by the first volume. As I'm anxious about reading the third book in the series, this will only be a short review. ;)

In the first story Ryo and Dee are on holiday in England, but a mysterious series of murders threatens their well-deserved vacation. In the second story we learn about Dee's youth as an orphan. And the last story is again a short story with Bikky and Carol.

Again Dee tries to get cozy with Ryo and again succeedes only a little bit more. ;)

Book Description:
Our two favorite cops, Ryo and Dee finally get a long deserved vacation in a nice country setting. Ryo wants rest and relaxation and Dee is on the hunt for Ryo's heart. The plot takes a turn when it looks like one of our heroes is the next target in a chain of grisly murders. Ryo glimpses a side of Dee he did not know existed when Dee introduces him to his Mother. Can our heroes stop a land hungry corporation from destroying his childhood home with the current occupants in it? Add in the introduction of a new boss (Berkley Rose) with an agenda of his own and a old flame of Dees (JJ) and it all adds up to a fast paced fun fill read.
My Review:
This book is a must for yaoi lovers. What more can you ask for 2 cops; one with a heart of gold and the other with a heart of passion for his partner. The story line is full of plots each chapter ties in well with the next. As the pages turn, the storyline grows-a nice variety of supporting characters are added in the mix to spice things up. And a wonderful selection of antagonists and triangle love interests (new and old) pop up. All which cause the main boys woes and worries, misunderstanding abound which lead to those wonderful kissing scenes we all love. The art work is good and the imagery is detailed. Ryo's mixed personality of innocent vs. seriousness charms you right off and Dee's devilish side enthralls while the sideline commentary makes you giggle.

Other Great Series/Manga by Sanami Matoh
By the Sword
Tenryu: The Dragon Cycle
Until the Full Moon
RA-I
TRASH

For those who like this series I recommend checking out "Yellow" by Makoto Tateno

This is my all time favorite series - even though it's only Shonen Ai it is the greatest Manga Series out there. The art is great and the story is funny and sweet in a lot of places, especially when it reveals how much the two main characters care for one another. It focuses on Dee Laytner and his persistence to get into the pants of his new partner Ryo Maclean, your average uke not knowing what to make of Dee's advances and Dee isn't the only one after Ryo, their new boss Berkley Rose is and Dee has his own admirers including one hyperactive jealous JJ, who hates Ryo. This is a must have series for any Yaoi or Shonen Ai Fan!

The first time I read this manga was way back when in highschool when my Japanese language teacher gave us manga for us to practice reading with.It was actually in Japanese and it really got me hooked on Japanese manga, especially the Shounen Ai genre. It wasn't really smart for her to bring in some yaoi manga books, but hey, it was awesome. Though the translation really varies...and Tokyopop has a reputation for screwing up some mangas. All in all, the second book is awesome. There's mystery, action, adventure (...). The characters aren't that bad looking either. Sanami Matoh's art is awesome, though her child characters look mighty freaky with weird glass like eyes. There's a lot of humor and Sanami Matoh portrayed NY people perfectly! Although in the second book it goes on to the supernatural realm...ghosts and such, Matoh-san didn't overdo it. I strongly urge any Shounen Ai manga fans to buy this book. It's one of the most popular shounen Ai mangas out there.

Dear god, I love this series! It looks like Sanami Matoh refined her drawing style between the first and second books. A big improvement, if you ask me. The only thing I tend to not like about this volume is that it tended to get riciculous at times, but that's more than made up for by great kissing scenes. ;D

Just wait 'til volume 7... *snicker*