Graphics Books

Mr. Simmons has done it, an action hero in the 1930's who is an African American. The book captures everything a good action book should and is a nessesity in any good collection

Someone please make this into a film right now!

What I love about Blackjack is the character. Blackjack is a wealthy, well educated, world-travelled black man at a time (the 1930's) when many people felt that wasn't a good thing to be. He is a complicated man--and no, he's not Shaft, and he's not Indiana Jones, he's a complex, three-dimensional character who I find utterly fascinating. Another plus is that the writer's historical settings are so accurate it almost feels like you're reading a true story about a person the history books forgot. A great book for anyone who loves well-written, well-drawn adventure in the grand tradition.

My comic book days are about over, but I remember them fondly. I remember some of my enduring favorites. The Spirit; The Green Lantern; The Blackhawks, to name a few. Now, my friend Alex has brought forth one who fills a deep void in the pantheon of world class heroes pitted against an evil force. BlackJack is one on a par with The Blackhawks, full of daring adventure in exotic places in the world. Bravo!

--- Morgan Freeman, actor and film star ---

Alex Simmons's "Blackjack: Blood and Honor" is fresh and exciting, thoughtful and informative, and incredibly well-written. Yes, this is a graphic novel, and you are thinking, "I'm only into real books, man." Here's the bottom line, pal: This is a real book, just done in a fresh, thrilling way.

Blackjack is an adventurer-for-hire, who takes a contract to protect a Japanese official opposed to the pre-World War II build up in Japan, circa 1938. I never even knew any leading Japanese were opposed the war! I found it great to learn something new while reading a strong action tale.

Simmons writes more words than usually show up in graphic novels, and does it in such a way that this is, indeed, a very good thing. I forwarded my copy to a friend who commented that he didn't need the visuals to follow this tale; that is how clearly Simmons spins his yarns.

But the art is wonderful to behold as well. From the intense cover painting to the frequent action sequences, the illustrations deliver the back up punch to the intelligent, intriguing prose. And additional pages such as "Shades of History" serve as exquisite desert to this hefty reading meal.

So pick order it, sit on down, enjoy, and bon apetite!

this transaction was completed very nicely and we are happy with the book

What can i say about this wonderful masterpiece that have not been said by me in other reviews or by other fans? First for those who do not know about the history (others bear with me). Rin is a young girl who is looking to avenge the murder of her family at the hands of a rival sword school; she meets Manji, a samurai cursed with inmortality until he kills a thousand evil guys. What follows could have been a cheesy samurai opera where, in every chapter Manji kills an "evil" guy until they find the boss of all the minions and kill him after a dramatic battle. Well, that is not the case for this series. Mr. Samura manages to make the best story i have read so far by playing with the meaning of good and bad masterfully, the first books had its compliment of gore, but from the third book so far, each fight gets harder not because of the physical might or swordmanship but for the moral reasons to pursue vengeance, at every corner Rin must face real flesh and blood adversaries, not just plain evil antagonists, each with a reason for what they did. This is the second part of a story that centers around Rin, we finally find out what she really thinks, and specially how she feels, about what she is doing. She and Manji find one of the guys responsible for the death of her family, he is now a mask maker with a little boy under his care. Instead of blindingly killing him, Rin tries to figure out if he really has reformed or if it is just another mask he is wearing now . And she also has to solve the dilemma that by killing him she would make an innocent boy a vengeance filled monster just like her. The ending is great and you really begin to ask yourself if you could keep going after all, even with such good reasons as the one Rin has

The night her parents were murdered before Rin's eyes, Kawakami Araya raped her mother. Now she meets him again, but has he changed that much since that night?

Samura delivers the followup to another bloody story of revenge, as Rin seeks out the men who killed her parents. With the help of Manji, an immortal ronin, she might just accomplish her task.

As usual, Samura delivers magnificent artwork, interesting characters which I cared about, and unrivaled drama that I love in Blade of the Immortal. With an excellent translation to increase the quality of the manga, On Silent Wings II will not disappoint any fans of the series, or any new comers to the manga.

(Readers please not that this is a review of the second part of this two volume series. I am making every effort to avoid any spoilers, but it is impossible not to give away some information. Please keep that in mind if you read this review before actually reading Part One)

This volume opens with a very dark episode recalling the rape and murder of Rin's mother. While this story has been told before (see 'Blood of a Thousand') the focus is quite different. For at the end of this grim vision we find Rin in the house of mask maker Kawakami Araya, one of the worst of the killers. Recalling her grandfather's warning about the price of vengeance Rin has decided to try something different. She demands an apology rather than the artist's life. Kawakami, frightened at the possibility of exposure and the effect on his young son, rejects her offer, and at first it looks like history might repeat itself. Manji intervenes, and the usual titanic struggle ensues. The artist has a fighting style all his own, which provides an interesting variation on the usual mayhem worked on Manji's immortal body.

These episodes are exceptionally thoughtful. Rin is beginning to see through her own illusions and question not only whether vengeance will heal her own hurts, but also whether it offers any hope of closure either. As such, she is maturing, not just becoming a woman, but developing wisdom as well. Even though there can be no real end to the violence as long as the itto-ryu swordsmen seek the lives of both Rin and Manji. Surprisingly Manji, who normally plays the cold-hearted killer, shows surprising thoughtfulness and sensitivity to the young woman's internal crisis. Writer/artist Hiroaki Samura brings home the essentially tragic nature of violence while retaining the basic context and theme of the overall manga.

As is always the case, the artwork and imagination seem to step completely beyond the bounds of the simple, black and white media. The dark fight sequence and its aftermath underline what is happening in the story line. This fine artwork and the stories willingness to question its own meaning are two of the things that set this series apart from the typical historical manga.

community-help@amazon.com.

I stumbled onto "Blade of the Immortal" translations in comic book format. Attracted by the art, and the unusually deep dialogue between the opponents (as dramatic as Kazou Kioke's "Lone Wolf and Cub", but much more up-to-date in sensibility and subject matter) I immediately began looking for back issues, which was difficult. Many retailers don't seem to order many issues of this book. Fortunately the trade paperbacks started coming out soon after.

"Blade of the Immortal" starts off as a fairly typical samurai revenge story, with some unusual horror movie twists. We meet Manji, a guilt-ridden outlaw and expert swordsman, who is cursed with an odd form of immortality. No matter how grievously he is injured, he cannot die. Manji makes a deal with a magical buddhist nun. He will gain the release of death, if he slays 1000 evil men. Soon we meet Rin, a young girl, the daughter of a swordsmanship teacher who witnessed the horrific murder of her parents at the hands of the Itto-Ryu, a renegade sword school. Tortured by nightmares, she seeks revenge, but realizing she has no hope of surviving a direct confrontation with even one Itto-Ryu swordsman, she convinces Manji to serve as her bodyguard and stand in. Taking up Rin's quest seems a perfect confluence of both of their desires: her need to put her parents memory to rest, his to earn his redemption.

The stories take you through dramatic encounters with various members of the sword school. All are dangerous swordsmen with unique styles of combat. Some are quite literally monsters. Each has a unique story, an unique reason for having become a renegade, and this becomes the source of much thought provoking drama before, during and after the battles. All are memorable characters, in particular Shimuzu (Book Two: "Cry of the Worm"), a fellow immortal and Maki, a swordswoman forced into prostitution who fights like the wind (Book 3: "Dreamsong").

Harioki Samura has great timing, the panel layouts make the fight scenes breathtaking and exciting. Also wonderful is the developing relationship between Manji and Rin, a kind of older brother, little sister dynamic that lends the book much humor and necessary warmth (given the bloodiness of the battles).

Beginning with "Rins Bane" (Book 4) Rin's internal debate about the morality and human costs of her quest, takes center stage, and make this one of the deepest and most interesting books to cross the Pacific in years. There's still plenty of action, and the relationship between Rin and Manji continues to deepen, but it's the debates about the sanity of the bushido code, about memory, about filial duty, and hints of political intrigue to come, that make this book an thought provoking and engrossing read.

If you have any taste for the high drama and action, as well as the deeper issues running through comic books like "the Authority", you have to give "Blade" a try. This is the best dramatic manga translation I've read, and it compares favorably with "Lone Wolf & Cub" and "Neon Genesis Evangelion". I really don't think you will be disappointed.

"The Great Cow Race" picks up where "Out From Boneville" left off. It is the second volume in the nine volume Bone series. Written and drawn beautifully by Jeff Smith, it is an adventure filled with humor and mystery.

In this section of the story, Phoney Bone is trying to rig the betting on the great cow race by starting rumors about Rose (Thorn's Grandmother who always wins the race) being too old, and about a new incredibly fast mystery cow, which turns out to be Smiley Bone in a homemade cow suit. The main adventure story continues as well, as we learn more about Thorn through her dreams about a time she can't remember, and hints of an unusual past from comments by Rose and Lucius (the bar owner in Barrelhaven who has a long unspoken love for Rose).

This volume is heavier on the humorous stories, and as a result there is very little learned about the overall storyline of the series. For that reason, I rate it slightly lower than the first volume, but it is definitely worth reading.

jeff smith is one geat artist and writer we well iove bon

The Bone series is the greatest group of books that I have! "The Great Cow Race" contains fantasy, adventure, humor, mystery, and more! And it all comes in one book! I really recommend it!

Jeff Smith's "Bone" series is a critically acclaimed but criminally overlooked epic for a reason. Critics recognize Smith's masterful storytelling abilities and are drawn to his mix of all-ages humor and decidedly adult darkness, but the black and white art and lack of superheroes is anathema to most comic book readers, making it a hit only in the "underground" sense.

Smith combines the kind of classic storytelling perfected by the likes of the legendary Carl Barks and Bill Watterson - gleefully funny cartooning with outrageously expressive faces and gestures - with the epic and engaging plotting of a sweeping fairy tale. "Bone" walks a tightrope and walks it well, managing to be something fans of both Donald Duck and Bilbo Baggins can enjoy.

Timeless is every way, "Bone" is an expansive story about three "bone creatures" (you'd have to see them to understand) that find themselves in a valley peopled with an assortment of crazy and interesting characters. Looming over it all is the menace of a great evil, first glimpsed by the ferocious (and funny) rat creatures, but later revealed to be something much more disturbing.

Thank goodness for trade paperbacks, which have allowed new readers unaccustomed to weekly stops at the comic store to follow this marvelous, epic, enchanting series.

In this second volume (out of nine total), Smith ramps up the humor - the idea of an old lady racing a bunch of cows is hilarious - while slowly, deliberately dropping hints that all is not as it seems with some of the village folk, specifically grandma. "The Great Cow Race" continues to sparkle with humor and retains the light tone of the first volume, "Out From Boneville," while Smith offers us just enough looks at the larger tale to keep us going. A fine effort on his part.

"Bone" is essential reading that no lover of the comic artform should skip. Little doubt people will still be reading "Bone" 50 years from now. Broad in scope yet personal and quaint, this is a charming story in every way that will long outlast 90 percent of other comic works on the shelf.

Volume #2 of the 'Bone,' graphic novel series collects issues #7-11 originally released in 1992-1993. Those who enjoyed the first volume will surely enjoy this second collection even more, as the characters and storylines introduced in vol. #1 hit their full stride and become further fleshed out in fun and effortless fashion. Reading through the 'Bone,' series is reminiscent of listening to a well-crafted pop song in that there is seemingly little effort taking place to enjoy the work and moments later after you're done digesting it you suddenly realize what a rich and complex work the piece actually is, functioning on several unique layers. 'Bone,' works exactly in such a fashion and trust me when I say that you'll never have more fun while reading through a book and digesting the nuances afterward as you will with this series.

For anyone that uses Camtasia Studio, Daniel Park's Definitive Guide is just that. With an engaging and easy to digest style, Daniel leads you through pretty much every aspect of using this program suite to it's full potential.

Along the way, he also covers the intangible and often overlooked aspects of preperation, planning, and time saving tips and tricks that make it possible to produce a quality poduct with Camtasia.

Daniel Parks' book Camtasia Studio 3 is an excellent resource for those just beginning to learn the application or with a fair amount of knowledge about it. Although he doesn't delve into certain subjects as deeply as I would have liked (e.g., limitations with certain options), at 550+ pages you're still getting a good deal of information.

I've found one or two areas of the book I don't believe I agree with Parks on in how to manipulate the software, but maybe I'm just not reading his instructions in the way he intended.

If you've never used Camtasia but expect to need some of the lesser-used options, I highly recommend you buy this book when you buy the software. Good job, Daniel!

This book is my Camtasia "Bible." It's well-written and has answered a lot of questions I didn't even know I had. Now that Camtasia has moved to Version 4, I wonder if the book will undergo a revision to cover all the great new features.

If I could give 10 stars I would. THis book is the definitive guide to Camtasia and much, much more. The Camtasia part doesn't even start till Chapter 5. You spend the chapters before that learning about the how-to and why of 1) training, 2) marketing and 3) demo presentations. It's a Camtasia book and a How-To-Do-Great-Presentation book in one. And all done in an entertaining by the author's warm personable conversational style.
I wish the author would write more books. About Sony Vegas, about Serious Magic Ultra 2, about search engines. He is so good.

If you are serious about getting a proper understanding of Camtasia, then you definitely need this book. As far as I'm aware, it is the only such book available. Sure you can try using the Help material supplied with Camtasia, but it is difficult to learn well enough that way.

Camtasia Studio is a complex video recording and editing package, and there is a great deal of detail which is difficult to understand at first. Even with this book I'm needing to re-read whole chapters in order to get sufficient understanding of the suitable techniques to apply. The book isn't an easy read, but essential if you are to get maximum value from Camtasia.

The author, Daniel Park, has actually worked for the makers of Camtasia in the past, although he now works as a consultant. This gives him both an insiders and outsiders objective perspective, which allows a reader to get a fuller understanding of all the intricacies. The presentation is well-informed and conversational, although more attention could have been given to the learning needs of a naive user.

This is a very well written book and a very friendly to use format. I love picking it up to studying more about the XTi/400D camera. It's a great source of in depth knowledge to learn the capabilities of the camera. Much more user friendly than the original owner's manual. Nice diagrams and pictures to add some interest. Highly recommended!

Quick Start to both beginning, intermediate and advanced practices.
Has it all: Abbreviated easy to understand instructions, color photos and a great index.
If you don't like probing in the dark, buy this book.

this is an excelant book. The manual that cme with the XTI 400D camera is lacking in explanation on features. This book helps to clarify the settings.I would recomend this book.

I am enjoying this book and glad I purchased it. One it's much easier on the old tired eyes to read than the small little thing that came with the camera, and colored pictures and all. Glad I made the purchase and this one seems to be the best one for the money from my checking out the others.

Unless one has tons of experience in photography, this book is a MUST HAVE. We converted from a point-and-shoot to the Rebel XTi just over 4 months ago and have been crippled by not having a source of reference. In my opinion, Canon should consider having this book as their user manual instead of the pocket-sized next to nothing that comes with the camera upon purchase.

Machiavelli is not the only one captivated by Cesare Borgia, it seems! What a delight to find a manga series that focuses on someone in the western world. So much of the manga I read is (rightly) based in Japan, with Japanese culture and customs that I don't understand. But to read about Cesare Borgia - who seemed a tedious character when we were forced to read "The Prince" in high school history class, but who has been explored in various historical fiction recently - really, what a great idea. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

Too bad Borgia wasn't contemporaneous with Catherine de Medici. What an awful, scheming, compelling couple they would have made...

I love the way miss You Higuri researches her work, it makes reading her books really interesting and exciting. The art is beautiful and the emotional aspects of the characters is well portrayed. I love all her works, she is very talented. Cantarella is one of her more provoking works, it contains some really cool plot developments and some very sexy content, plus some moral issues that will leave you wondering. Read all 5 volumes, it only gets better.

Thank you Ms. Higuri for writing and illustrating this series on the Borgias.
In this volume we get introduced to all the characters: Cesare, Pope Alexander, Vanozza Catanei; Juan, Lucrezia, Michelotto, Julia and the famous poison Cantarella. Cesare is not born of Vanozza, and is sacrificed by Rodrigo (Pope Alexander) to demons for the papal crown. We see his struggle to be loved by his father and his discovery of the secret of why his father fears him, a definite great start to an epic story. The illustrations are incredible with a lot of detail to the costumes and background I look forward to the rest of the volumes. It also seems like a set-up for some romance between Cesare and Michelotto as Higuri is mostly known for Gay manga. Intriguing...

I read the first three volumes of this manga only a couple of days ago and I can say that I am hooked. When I picked this book, I wasn't sure what to expect but I didn't regret buying it at all. This is my fourth Go! Comi manga. I used to read only Crossroad and Tenshi Ja Nai but I am glad that I gave Her Majesty's Dog and Cantarella a try. Move forward with the good work, Go! Comi.

It is amazing to see the way Cesare Borgia transformed from an innocent boy into one of the most legendry characters in history. How the evil consumed his body after his father sold his son's soul to Satan in exchange for being a pope.

His brother, Juan, hates him since they were kids. On the other hand, his sister, Lucrezia, worships him but this brotherly love has turned into a not so brotherly, forbidden love, as she grew up. She is looking at him as a desirable man and not her brother, which brings the story into an edge of excitment. I wonder what will happen between these two in the upcoming volumes. And what about Michelotto, his companion and best friend? It seems that there is quite an attraction between the two buddies but where will it lead to?

I never read about Cesare Borgia before, so it is a good chance for everyone to know about him. We have You Higuri and the Go! Team to thank for bringing us such a beautiful historical romance story. All my thanks for the Go! Team for keeping bringing us such good books and we will always be waiting for your new.

The first story I read by you higuri was "Ludwig II" that also had an historic context but couldn't bore me...
Higuri's mangas contain a lot of text and for normal readers it can take up to 45mins of read (I take 20mins to read a "normal manga )so if you like spending a lot of time wiht your manga; you won't be deceived!

her art is gorgeous, you could just keep staring at the pages (which could explain the 45-60minutes of read ^^;; )flipping them back and forward endless of times.
The emotion of her characters are really well drawn, they evolve as the story evolve (they aren't flat characters unlike some cliché manga...)and keep on surprising you with some of their acts.

well to get back at the point; "Cantarella" is wonderful.
but what's Cantarella exactly about?

**first of all; if you want to keep the story interesting; don't search for too much information because you could end up on non-desired spoilers that could just totally ruin the story.**

In the first volume you meet with Cesare Borgia from the Borgia family (doh!) that are well known for their poison.
You've got his brother Juan (which is favorised by the father) and his sister Lucrecia, who will later become an important character. If I remember right, Cesare is the pope (well at that time not yet...)'s illegitimate child.
his mother gets struck by lightening I think, but Cesare survives while his mother dies.
what happened in fact is that Cesare was sold to demons by his father so he could become pope.

You also meet with Chiaro (aka; michaelotto) who frequently pays a visit to his father who's in prison.
They've got a mask in the family and when putting it on; it's as if they change and become very skilled assasins; that way the legendary assasin michaelotto could survive for years and years...
Chiaro will become very close to Cesare, following him around everywhere until the later volumes where they will eventually part for a while because of some circumstances

-> spoiler <-
(Higuri is known for her stories involving homosexual characters - Ludwig II, various oneshots such as "boyfriend", Gakuen heaven, etc...- so it's only obvious that all the squaling fangirls will get some slash as well...(which pleased me a lot anyways) BUT! if you can't stand such stuff, don't back down to buy it; apart of the hints, the story is worth it!

if you have any questions about the story, you can always ask me.
hope this helped^^

I love this book! I may buy more for friends. It arrived on time in excellent condition.

Alas, Bernard "Hap" Kliban is gone, but his genius lives on in "Cat", a book of cartoons that captures the personality of the cat as seen by cat lovers. Strangely enough, Kliban was a cartoonist for "Playboy", contributing cartoons for that publication until his death. The cat cartoons were discovered by a "Playboy" editor and the 1975 book "Cat" was born.

Kliban's cats are rotund bug-eyed creatures with a smile on their faces that says the joke is on you. The cartoons include the cats doing nonsensical things as well as performing deeds that you always suspected they might be guilty of as they interact with dogs, mice, people, and in some cases impersonate people. Included among the cartoons is a cat playing a banjo singing a tune of his own making with the lyrics "Love to eat them mousies. Mousie's what I love to eat...". For those that can remember the days when a television was a heat emanating device that invariably attracted napping cats there is a cartoon of a couple sitting in front of a television with a transparent cat standing in front of the screen. Their comments: "We enjoy the television set now that we got ourselves a transparent cat!". Interspersed among the "Kliban cats" are truly beautiful and elegant drawings of Kliban's own real-life cats, to whom he dedicated this book.

If you enjoyed Gary Larson's "Far Side" series and you are a cat lover I'm sure you'll enjoy this book. I highly recommend it.

ENGAGEMENT CALENDAR
"Get ready for a year of Cat gluttony and sloth, mayhem and misadventure, and--as always--a fine disregard for the law. (Laws governing physics and animal behavior come in for especially vigorous abuse from these feckless felines, as well as the law Thou Shalt Not Swipe Thy Neighbor's Sushi and that other law, Don't Juggle With Kittens.) ¶ Now in their third decade of worldwide popularity, the Cats show not the slightest sign of starting to behave like adults. Or like small-c cats, either. They will do whatever it takes to send you through 2006 with a smile on your face. Even if it means hugging a big, smug fish. Even if it means taking a bath. Even if it means missing a meal. Well, perhaps not that last one. ¶ 112 page, spiral-bound weekly engagement calendar with 53 reproductions, and clear plastic covers. Size: 6 5/8 by 8". Calendar features 53 weekly grids and full-page 2006 and 2007 yearly grids. Includes international holidays and a page for notes. ISBN 0-7649-3049-4 . . . Other calendars: wall, mini-wall, and 365-day. Additional publications available in our Kliban Gallery."--© Pomegranate

WALL CALENDAR
"The debauch continues. Cats have a go at Abstract Expressionism (and simultaneous inadvertent body art), feed a wild variety of birds from a park bench with nary a thought to their own nominally predatory nature, doze in the soporific vapors of a plate of pasta, and pop furtively and in sizeable numbers from the tall grass at the rustle of a sandwich being unwrapped. Other hi- and low-jinx take place as well. ¶ 13 x 12" wall calendar (opens to 13 x 24") with twelve full-color reproductions. ISBN: 0-7649-3053-2 . . . Other calendars: weekly engagement, mini-wall, and 365-day.Related items available in Kliban Cat Gallery."--© Pomegranate

I bought this book by accident. Well, not really, but I allowed another reviewer to seduce me into buying the new Kliban Cat Calendar and I saw this book listed as well on the calendar's detail page. I saw the words 'anniversary edition' and decided to order it. It was only after I received it that I discovered that seventeenth anniversary of "Cat" was in 1992, two years after Kliban's death. So 2002 is really the 27th anniversary. All that being said, I want to state that this little book would be fantastic no matter what it's age is, or what the age of it's reader is either. I love this book.

There, I've said it, this crusty old man goes all soft hearted when he leafs through a 25 year old book of cat cartoons. As well he should! Kliban captures something entirely different from other feline cartoonists. They aren't kitten cute, nor are they wicked Garfields, as Art Spiegelman points out in his introduction. Instead they are the light hearted chubby denizens of a world of whimsical, good natured self-interest. They relax at the beach, dream of the stars, and steal cheese sandwiched with equal aplomb. They exchange traditional concepts of cat beauty for an enticing comfyness which only a cat lover could understand.

Love is an important and operative word in this little volume. Not one of Kliban's cartoons is made at the expense of cats. Instead, each opens a door to the essential nature of our furry friends, and the non-judgmental affection that they display to those in their circle of trust. A snarl turns into a lick, a meow into a purr and then all is well. Kliban is the only artist I know who has managed to really capture the feline Mona Lisa smile. You know, the one that cats use to melt their owners. Cats forgive with a grace from which us humans could learn a great deal. And Kliban captures it all. Many of the cartoons are not really cartoons, but innocent studies of the artists own cats, drawn with genuine affection.

Art Spiegelmann, artist and author of MAUS, provides a short and delightful introduction to the anniversary edition, and there are 16 pages of Kliban's color work for our further delectation. Everyone who likes cats needs to have this book around. Placed somewhere so that it will fall to hand in those irritating moments when we need to look at cats in order to remember what it is to be human.

This book is my absolute favorite, I have recently decided. My B. Kliban legacy goes back, way back, to my grandmother (we call her "Darling") who fell in love with the Qats back in the seventies (now keep in mind this is not some frumpy old lady. At the time she was the coolest little activist hippie this side of South Street.) Then there's my mother, who, out in San Fransisco around the same time used to roll with laughter at the Cat cartoons with her zany friend.
Enter me. As a kid, I never really understood Kliban--I also didn't have a cat yet. Then I did--first came Serena, then Zubi, and finally Torquil Hevoir James (AKA Booboo Kitty.) And so I loved B. Kliban. And this book is the most hilarious thing I've ever seen. Now that I'm going off to college, I think I'll frame some pages for my dorm room. And place them randomly around the campus. Most people I know who don't have cats really don't get it, but that's okay. I mean, the drawings are beautiful and whacky enough to get anyone. And the concepts--what was this guy on? Catnip, I believe. Whatever the inspiration, Cat is definitely the besties and the greaties.
P.S. I don't actually have this particular edition of the book; I didn't even know it was still in print. I have Darling's hardcover copy from 1976, and I love the cover: "Cat" in huge red letters with two of Kliban's pen-and-ink cats looking at it from below. Beautiful, beautiful.

Perhaps it's just in my nature, or simply just the way I was brought up (I'm always looking for a bargain)... but I didn't learn anything new from reading this book.

Having said that, Cheap Web Tricks! Build and Promote a Successful Web Site Without Spending a Dime is a book that covers a lot of ground making it a good point of reference for anyone wanting a site starting out from scratch. In fact, the first part of the book takes you through the process of getting a site online without dealing with all the unnecessary details that inevitably get in the way.

Needless to say, this was not what I was expecting when I first opened the book. I guess I was just blind to fact that the word "build" was in the title but I was hoping for a lot more pages on the promotion side of things, so that I could pick up a few new ideas on the way.

One nice surprise was the section on making money from your site as it wasn't something I was expecting. Not only does it give you an overview of the various different ways you can make money from a web site, but also realistic with describing the results you can expect.

This has to be the reason why I'd still recommend it for the complete beginner. Of course, the book simply isn't big enough to go into all the details, nor does it claim to, but it goes a long way to giving an overview of what's involved in owning a web site. For many beginners, this is exactly what they need to know before starting out!

I thought I was a web genius until I read this book. It is absolutely amazing. The author Anne, even responded to a question I had within the hour by email. If you want to build a succesfull website you have to get this book.

Never thought it could happen, but with the help of Cheap Web Tricks this formerly computer illiterate senior has created a dynamite website. And am actually getting inquiries already about the talents I apparently convinced the folk I can offer. Now I just want to get that money rolling in!

This one is worth every penny. If you are looking to see how the whole website experience goes together from planning the site, building the site, promoting the site and tracking the site then look no further. Martinez tells you how to do this and for free, in most cases.

As a webmaster myself I can say that "FREE" when used in webspeak translates to either limited or restricted or both but nothing comes closer than pointing you in the right direction than Cheap Web Tricks.

Some parts of the book may not be as in-depth as you would want but at least you don't have to go slogging through 10 or 20 different sources either. 5 stars for Martinez. Well done!

An amazingly thorough examination of just about everything you need to know about websites. I feared the book would be boring and a rehash of things I knew; that was not the case. The information builds nicely and there are many great tips. Even if you don't utilize the "cheap" techniques(which are excellent I might add) there is a lot of useful information. Hats off to this author!

When I was just a boy (many years ago), for a treat to myself, I bought the Classics Illustrated comics. The art work and plot were so engaging that I still carry some of those images around in my mind. Jules Verne's "Mysterious Island" and Dana's "Two Years Before the Mast" and many others were indelibly imprinted on my brain so that they could never be forgotten. Little did I realize that these illustrated novels were real literature, that they would lead many years later to actually reading those works. When I spied the life-sized book "Classics Illustrated: A Cultural History with Illustrations," I could not resist buying this book. When it arrived, I began reading a serious history of the Classics Illustrated publications, their awkward beginning and about the lives of their illustrators, and how the U.S. Postal Service effectively drove Classics Illustrated out of business. (It seems that the post office considered this comic a book and not a periodical.) Colorful images taken from the book abound throughout this edition. It's ironic that this very volume of literature is in danger of becoming a classic itself.

CLASSSICS ILLUSTRATED comprised such a crucial, influential, and above all, entertaining part of my youth that they have never entirely left me, and in fact I still have my entire childhood collection, and then some. The author of this book, William B. Jones, notes that his approach to the subject is meant to be objective in nature; but of course anyone raised on CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED can never be completely objective about them, and time and again Jones' understandable passion for these books seeps through. Nor is it simply nostalgia: when I go back to reread old issues it is mainly for the inherent richness of the storytelling and artwork they contain. Where in all comic book history is there a work so profound and moving as the Norman Nodel-illustrated LES MISERABLES, or as sad and tragic as the Angelo Torres-illustrated TOILERS OF THE SEA? Where is the comic book art that can excel, for its sense of historical time and place and fine drawing, John Severin's treatment of the Alamo and the Mexican War in BLAZING THE TRAILS WEST? Has there ever been a swashbuckling comic book so superbly ALIVE as George Evans' treatment of THE THREE MUSKETEERS? As for THE WAR OF THE WORLDS, I wholly agree with the author that it was never adapted so effectively, in any medium, as it was in CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED. I could go on. This is not to say that there weren't issues that were pretty bad, especially in the early days, and Mr. Jones freely admits this. But for those who are already familiar with this series, and especially for those who aren't, I cheerfully recommend this book as a kind of bible to CI and its several related series. I learned so much that was new to me about the issues, the artists, the editors, and the evolution and ultimate decline of the publishing house, Gilberton Company. The packaging and layout and paper quality of the book is a delight. Bravo, Mr. Jones! And bravo, CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED!

Ever said that line? Then you'll love this beautifully written and lovingly researched book about the history of Classics Illustrated.

Jones manages to evoke the characters of the men and women who contributed to this fascinating niche of Americana: illustrators, editors, publishers, and even its detractors. Interviews were obviously thorough, chapters are meticulously footnoted, and yet it reads like ...well, like an engrossing classic tale of adventure! Pick a chapter at random or read from cover-to-cover... it's consistently a winner.

While occasionally too ready with a disavowal of nostalgia, Jones does not hesitate to reveal his personal lifelong love of the comic book series. Truly, the best works of fandom itself can be so endearing, so contagious with admiration and awe. This book is no exception. Like myself, Jones loved the comics when he was a kid. Just as publisher Albert Kanter intended, as an adult I've managed to read every word of the real Count of Montecristo and War of the Worlds and The Moonstone, but I first learned these vivid and amazing tales by reading the Classics versions. Jones augments my personal appreciation and gratitude in this excellent book.

His work was in-depth and, while certainly using a critic's eye, relatively even-handed when it comes to the series' contributors. Now, reading the book, Jones has even made me appreciate the work of Classics artists whose pages I'd previously disliked.

Excellent illustrations, particularly of rare pages and covers, fill the book. Nice personal photos of the artists and editors are a great touch, seeing as this is a book of both down-to-earth and scholarly sensibilities.

Only fault I can find is that the text sometimes refers to a page or panel or other artwork which is not actually reprinted in the book. It can be maddening, at times, because we want to see exactly what he's talking about. My family's incomplete collection lies in another continent, otherwise it would be nice to have it at hand for referencing these things. Keep yours at hand. The book, I suppose, would be gargantuan if Jones did include these bits. So, by rights, it is an excellent book, and I did enjoy reading it.

The thing I appreciate most about this book is the soberness (with no lapses into pretentiousness or portentousness) the author brings to his subject. A survey of Classics Illustrated, to be sure, could have very easily elicited yet another visually engaging pretty-picture book saddled with a stridently jokey, throwaway text --ala Chronicle Books. We can be thankful that the tone here is intelligent, the level of detail scholarly, and very few, if any, stones are left unturned. The author has done all his homework, giving all known writers, editors, artists of the series coverage commensurate with their contribution.

This is a thoughtful, caring volume that is so much more than a tribute to a long-gone comic series, although it could be read as that too. One can't help but feel this is a primer on the way more books about popular culture really ought to be written.

From 1941-71 Classics Illustrated comics introduced millions to abridged, comics-style version of literary masterpieces. Classics Illustrated tells of the birth of this popular medium, founded by Russian Jewish immigrant Kanter whose operations saw both the heyday and decline of the golden age of comics. The focuses on artists' creations is particularly involving.

Physics is a science that deals with matter and energy. Physics includes light, prisms, luminosity and color. In his book, Color Theory, Jose Parramon discusses the primary colors of light and the primary colors of pigments. Parramon's primary pigment colors are correct according to the laws of physics. The harmonization, contrast and shadows of color are intriguing topics. The Uses and Abuses of Black and White are worthy of notation. Parramon uses prussian blue, a fugitive color that disappears when paintings are stored in the dark. The Impressionists substituted transparent cobalt blue to replace transparent prussian blue. This book has excellence. Use Parramon's Color Theory as a reference for further study.

Pocas veces se encuentra un libro sobre teoría del color tan sencillo y práctico como este, tiene la teoría básica del color luz y color pigmento así como la teoría de los complementarios, y también ejemplos que pueden llegar a ser ejercicios de aplicación

I paint landscapes in oil for a hobby. The other day, while cleaning all my paint tubes, and while looking at the names of the colors, I began thinking about them. I then found I had José's wonderful book on my shelf for several years, still unread. I picked it up, and found I literally could not put it down. For an artist, this book reads like a "thriller!"

One of the things I liked best about the book is that it is not necessary to read it in order, from beginning to end. I turned first to the section on shadows, as shadows are an area I am currently having problems with. José explains EVERYTHING SO WELL, and CLEARLY. When he refers to matter already covered in an earlier section of the book, he clearly states the page number, where you can go back and refer to that section. His treatment of shadows is typical of how he addresses each subject in his little book.

José opens the chapter with a brief discussion of what Van Gogh once said about shadows, and discusses how artists currently view shadows as blue; whereas, at one time, they were viewed as similar to Van Dyck brown, or burnt umber. He explains how the post-impressionists discovered that the basic color of shadows is blue, and he devotes an entire lesson to actually showing us how that is so. Next, he devotes a second lesson to understanding the local color in darker tones, which he also points out is somewhat reminiscent of an old master's painting. In the first lesson, he gives us a sample still life painting, all in shades of blue. In the second lesson, we see the same still life painting, where the shadows are not made with blue, but only by using darker tones of the local colors. The third lesson deals with the complementary color of the local color. Here, we are given a third example of the still life, painted this time in complementary colors, which are used as shadows. José also points out that the still life now looks very much like the style of some paintings by Toulouse-Lautrec, Cézanne, and especially Van Gogh, with the contrast originating from the juxtaposition of the most opposed colors, of highest contrast. He is not advising us to paint like this, only to help us understand. The fourth lesson in the chapter deals with the finished painting. We now see the same still life painted correctly, with proper use three types of colors in the shadows: blue, the local color in darker tones, and the complementary of the local color. As José carefullly guides our eye through each step of the process, we now really understand what he wants us to see!

I then read the other chapters, in order from the beginning. One of the best discussions dealt with looking at various landscape scenes (shown in photographs) and how each painter asks himself, "What color is it, actually?" He then takes us through a whole lesson, showing us his own thoughts (and sometimes, confusion) as he paints the landscape, trying to decide what color each thing is. This really helped me see that every painter is going throught the same thought processes, and having the same problems that I am.

I have several unfinished paintings I am still working on, and yet, after several years, was unable to determine, by looking, just what the problem was. After reading two-thirds of this book yesterday, I looked at my paintings this morning, and can see the solutions immediately! Now I finally know what to do. If only I had found this wonderful book sooner!

I was pleased to look on the back cover and find that José, himself, has written a number of other art books in this series, dealing with many other topics. So often in a series, each book is written by a different author. José is such a wonderful art teacher that I am delighted to see HE has written all of them. I intend to purchase several more of his books, as soon as I am able.

Although oriented toward oil painters, Jose Parramon's color theory book is enlightening and informative for anyone who wishes to understand color. He explains the theory very simply and clearly, illustrating concepts with pertinent color examples from oil painting.

As a photoshop instructor helping my students understand color both on screen (made with light) and in print, and as a photographer seeking to capture harmonious images, I found the book to be very helpful in clarifying my understanding of color. I was pleased also to learn about the color of shadows, and how colors cast their complementary color onto neighboring objects - knowledge that helps not only with painting but also in regard to touching up photographs.

Unlike some of the past reviewers, I liked the use of the more technical CMYK colors as the primary rather than the RGB. I especially enjoyed the discussion of additive color changes and subtractive color changes. I work in stained glass and thus work with both methods of altering colors. It is important to me both how the glass will look when looked at directly and also how the colors will look when it is as transmitted light casting colors onto the surrounding room. Highly recommended.