Graphics Books

I really did enjoy this book.
I love this series and I can't wait until I buy the next book
it was so good. I liked the ending but I hoped that Aya and Toya would've
been together by the end of the book. The ending was very interesting
and surprising. I will defently order from amazon again and continue
to buy the books in this series.

this book was the first book that I have read backwards. Its about when toya quits working for the mikages. and when he starts not being himself. he actully kisses aya, his sister! I was grosed out. this has been the most exiting book, and amazing book that I have ever read. oh, and the 12th one ( I haven't read it yet) 2 main characters die. Don't know who.

this is one good of the series of Ceres Celestial legends, I even own it. It really keeps you in to it that you can't put it down once you start reading. but if you haven't read the first one yet..don't read this until you've read the four before!! it'll be spoiling the fun. it's really still a mystery to me, I've got the sixth book too and it really is the bomb!! This book rates to be one of my top five manga this year..i can't wait until the 7th one comes out..you should this if you haven't yet!!

The Ceres: Celestial Legend manga series is a wonderful version of the traditonal "Swan Maiden" fairytales. An enraged maiden has possessed the body of her descendant, with the aim of getting her heavenly robe back and getting revenge on the man who hid it centuries ago and forced her to marry him. (It's beyond me how a tale, basically, about abduction and rape could have become the romanticized fairytale that it is, now meant for children. But I guess that's the nature of the patriarchy we live in. I'm grateful to the author for giving this a more realistic twist.) Anyway, this is a very entertaining series and this volume is the best one I've read so far. Yu Watase manages to make the same scene horrifying, funny, and sexy all at the same time. THAT is talent.

I read the entire manga series of Ceres and all the volumes in order. This was a great volume of Ceres. In this volume, Tooya, Aya's boyfriend, reveals to Aya that he chooses her over his past, his memories and his job. That scene is so touching and filled with emotion. Aya is touched and promises to meet Tooya. Tooya telsl aki about his plans to escape, but Aki's former self is beginning to take over him and beginning to develop feelings toward Aya. Tooya escapes and meets Aya. Aya is so happy to reunite with her boyfriend, Tooya. She takes him home and cares for him. Aya kisses Tooya. They spend tiem together and Yuuhi accepts this. Tooya is very happy to be back. Later, he must leave and Aya meets him outside. Ceres is still inside Aya, but Aya is learning to control Ceres so she can be with Tooya. They embrace and Aki- rather, Shiso, sees this and grabs Aya, kissing her. Aya realizes that this is not Aki and is terrified of the transformation he's undergone. Find out what happens in thsi emotional volume of Ceres.

I bought this book for Computer Graphic Course for Animator class, and I found it really valuable because I wanted to learn much about history of computer softwares like painter, photoshop,and Maya. Anyways, this book is superb! This book is highly recommended for anyone who is interested in working in Entertainment industry.

Superficially subdued by a bland title that reads like a basic, frills-free "Introduction to Computer Graphics" course, Terrence Masson's CG 101: A Computer Graphics Industry Reference, by New Riders Publishing, nevertheless dispatches preconceived notions with its exquisitely detailed history of digital art production. A visual effects director and the founder of Digital Fauxtography, the author has spent at least two stints with Industrial Light & Magic and once served as a technical director at Digital Domain.

An amalgam of CG terminology (pp. 1-209), impactful corporate industry presences (pp. 210-347), programming and mathematics terms (pp. 348-361), fundamental and miscellaneous terms (pp. 362-385), a computer graphics timeline (pp. 385-437) and other mini-sections on CG FAQ (pp. 438-451), job descriptions (pp. 452-461), previsualization (pp. 462-467) and the analog computer era (pp. 468-476), this unique text probably represents the definitive chronology of computer graphics' evolution. The resource's 500 pages belie the mundane name and cover by chronicling numerous advances marking the historic progression of computer graphics-from the pre-mechanical days of the 1940s to the archaic, punch card-based leviathan units of the 1950s and `60s, to the sleek and potent desktop workstations of the late `90s. (The book was published in 1999.)

With the ambitious aid of 97 other industry sources, Masson begins the book by defining "color and light," "painting and graphic design," "modeling," "animation," "rendering," "compositing" and "input & output" terms alphabetically, per section. Processes, programs, properties, rules, companies and more are clearly defined during this first section, accompanied by applicable screenshots, diagrams, quotes and informational tidbits. For the purely artistic members of the digital art community, this material doubtless will prove dry and unpalatable. But for those having more of a technical and scientific bent, this comprehensive industry reference is a fascinating excursion into the intricacies that help materialize the eventual pretty, pixelated pictures so many of us enjoy producing and admiring. Learn what "pixel" denotes ... who invented the Phong shading method ... what "pixmap" means ... the origin of the omnipresent teapot icon ... the beginnings of morphing ... who started Atari ... the conception of ILM ... the significance of SuperPaint ... and much more. It's all here.

Section 8, "Historically Significant Companies," really is the beginning of the salivating learning experience, though, introducing readers to pioneering companies and people whose prosperous contributions have nursed CG through its proverbial growing pains. Some of today's popular and recognized field leaders appear, such as Industrial Light & Magic and Robert Greenberg and Associates, and they're graced by numerous lesser-known but equally essential precursors. Remember the 1979 feature film The Black Hole? Think Abel Image Research and Robert Abel & Associates. Recall 1984's The Last Starfighter? Think Digital Productions. The list and sundry, voluminous details are phenomenal.

The second portion comprising stellar, historically intensive reading, Section 11, "Computer Graphics Timeline," lists and delineates all key advances in the industry, throughout the 20th Century's final half.

On the downside, some of the quotes by CG experts seem to ramble, are inapplicable or just plain too long, but they appear to represent Masson's method for best expressing these individuals' contributions to the digital art community-or just relating arguably interesting events. (Besides, art often is about storytelling, anyway.) The text also is somewhat outdated, having been printed three years ago. But this does not diminish the paperback's essential overall value.

As for the seemingly innumerable industry term definitions, these provide industry professionals -and interested hobbyists-with a valuable reference resource. They also remind the reader that, despite all the creativity involved in generating digital art, CG's undergarments are math and science. It's always technicality before imagination.

Quite simply, if you're genuinely interested in computer graphics as an artistic medium, and you value the learning experience, CG 101: A Computer Graphics Industry Reference is a must-read. All told, this undoubtedly is among the most interesting titles-of any kind-this reviewer has ever read. (No kidding.) Assuming you possess the technical interest in these details, you'll find yourself perusing this gem night after night, until you've marked your last highlight with a neon felt tip and a corner page fold. (I tallied 14 page folds and 39 blue highlight markings in my copy.)

It's not as full featured about technique and practice as I had hoped, but certainly a fantastic reference for the terminology, and techology employed in Digital Production today. By far my favorite parts of the book are the historical references that help really put my daily work into perspective.

CG 101: A computer Graphics Industry Reference Terrence Masson: PUBLISHER: New Riders REVIEWED BY: Barbara Rhoades

BOOK REVIEW: CG 101 is a great reference guide. Forgotten what a particular term means? No problem! Just Open CG 101 and look it up. The first 208 pages and a few more inbetween are jam-packed with terminology and what they mean. There are side bar "blurbs" that contain factoids and quotes. This provides great bits of trivia.

The next 148 pages tell about the history of the graphics industry and how it has progressed from the start to what we know today. CG 101 tells about the companies and the people who use computer graphics to provide us with entertainment in movies and much more.

The 22-page index provides an easy way to find items, people and companies you want to know about. And just in case you wanted to know more than the book has to offer, there are URLs and telephone numbers to give you added places to glean information.

This book covers the bases quite well. Not only is it useful to industry veterans, but more importantly I feel that it's essential reading for people starting out a career in computer graphics. It gives a very detailed background of not only the history of CG production, but also the innovators, movers and shakers, to include production houses and developers. The glossary is very helpful too.

My dad and Charlie were in business during their undergraduate days at UPenn. Dad would go out and take orders and Charlie would draw custom Christmas "and other special occasion" cards. I thought this was pretty neat. Nearing his deathbed, my dad finally confessed the he'd go out and take very specific instructions, gather photos, descriptions, etc. and bring other sordid details back to Charlie, who would then draw "pornographic" cards based on those orders. That revelation got me looking at Wednesday in a whole new light! It was enjoyable to read that Charlie was like that all his life.

One of the most commonly asked questions of cartoonists is, "Where do you get your ideas?"

And of course when the cartoonist is Charles Addams, this question leads to unrivaled speculation and disinformation, which over the years created its own brand of peculiar mythology.

Now comes an impressive new biography by Linda H. Davis. In "Charles Addams: A Cartoonist's Life" Davis takes on the stories that Addams slept in a coffin and drank martinis with eyeballs in them. Instead, what emerges is a surprising portrait of an amazing artist who led a full and colorful life.

Yes, Addams certainly had quirks and odd obsessions. But he was also universally loved, and so charming that he dated the likes of such luminaries of his time as Greta Garbo, Joan Fontaine and Jackie Kennedy Onassis (along with untold numbers of others). He drank hard, raced cars, and no party or social gathering was considered complete without him. His fan base ran the gamut from the criminally insane to Sean Connery and Alfred Hitchcock.

In this first ever biography of the subject, Davis charts Addams' meteoric rise and more than 50-year career as the most esteemed cartoonist at The New Yorker. With his cartoons, Addams became a significant cultural force by combining horror and humor, a genre that continues to flourish today. His impact and influence on generations of cartoonists is impossible to calculate, but it's fair to say that Gary Larson's Far Side would not have existed without him.

Addams' own unique creation of The Addams Family began as print cartoons which went on to inspire a popular TV series, animated cartoons and two Hollywood feature films. With these characters, Addams provided role models for eccentrics and nonconformists everywhere. The message of the Addams Family was simple: Namely that love and laughter can--and does-- flourish everywhere, even within families and social groups that seem outside society's norms.

An esteemed biographer whose previous subjects have included Stephen Crane and Katherine White, Davis spent over six years on this book and interviewed more than 130 persons who knew Addams well, or as well as anyone could. Although Addams died in 1988, Davis had exclusive access to his personal effects and papers that had been in the possession of his wife Tee until her death in 2004. Addams' two other wives also participated in helping Davis to define the man nicknamed "Chill" by his friends.

Davis provides a wealth of detail, but wisely avoids drawing hard conclusions or offering up pseudo-psychoanalysis. Instead, the dichotomy between the artist's urbane and cheerful public persona and his morbidly dark humor are presented in a way that leaves the reader, if nothing else, even more appreciative of Addams' depth, genius and mystery.

With this approach Davis reframes the question of "where" Addams got his ideas to that of "why." Addams was unlike anyone else, and so it is only natural that his ideas would be unlike those of others. As for why he was the way he was, that's a question Addams seems to have taken to the grave with him. In "A Cartoonist's Life" we see that just as one question is put to rest, another rises up - a conclusion that Addams himself would have no doubt enjoyed.

Who was Chas (Charles) Adams? While you won't know by the time you finish this revealing biography, you'll certainly expand beyond the line sketch you probably have now of his life. If you are a New Yorker fan, you'll know him from his hundreds of cartoons and dozens of covers that expressed a most unique and other worldly perspective. If you are a fan of celebrities, you may know more about him as someone who drove classic cars, dated high-profile women, and favored allusions to death and dying. If you are a classic television fan, you'll know that his cartoon characters were the foundation for The Addams Family. If you favor camp, you know about his armor collection, his preferences for cross-bows, and other lethal items which he liked to display in public.

The biography also reveals a kindly man who was patient with everyone, including those he didn't particularly like. You'll also learn of his fascination with the Morticia appearance (based on having married two women who met the bill). More surprisingly, you'll find him to have been victimized by his second wife . . . even long after they were no longer married. The book also portrays a heterosexual version of Truman Capote who fascinated many of the most desirable women.

Most pleasingly, Ms. Davis does a delightful job of portraying the development of his cartooning style and art . . . including dozens of prime examples that are well reproduced. Even when there's no reproduction, Ms. Davis is good at capturing the essence of an image in a few words. She also provides a history of 20th century New Yorker cartooning, including how many of the final cartoons represented the influences of many people other than the artist who signed the final version.

While each of those aspects is well and thoroughly portrayed, the core of the man doesn't quite make it through. Addams seems like a case of arrested development in many ways, but his willingness to be kind and considerate of others displays greater maturity than his preferences for self-indulgence and his cartooning approach suggest. In today's world, he would clearly be just another clever self-promoter . . . except that his stunts seemed aimed at creating joy rather than a higher income. Clearly, he didn't take himself too seriously, yet he did take his work seriously. Ms. Davis has, however, done readers and cartoon fans a great service by writing this biography which will undoubtedly stir up other sources and perspectives to flesh out the man who shortened his first name because it looked better that way on a cartoon.

Addams has always been my favorite cartoonist and I snatched a copy of this book as soon as I saw it. Reading this book led me to have even more admiration for this man, who had a rather energetic personal life (although not of the sort some might imagine) and who also served in the Army as, what else, an illustrator.

A must-have for anyone interested in Addams' work and a damn good read even if you aren't. Also, I thought the cartoons picked to illustrate the book were a perfect for this work.

"Charles Addams: A Cartoonist's Life" is a warm and tenderly written biography in which the essence of the man behind the dark side of his cartoons is gently exposed. Author Linda H. Davis has offered a comprehensive look into Charles Addams's life and it has a few surprises.

Addams, born into relative prosperity in Westfield, New Jersey just prior to World War I, could have lived a rarefied life (and in some ways he did) were it not for his penchant for seeing the world in a different way from most of us. Davis points out that Addams, although never admitting to liking children and never having any of his own, nonetheless gravitated toward children at parties and visits to friends' homes. He was wildly popular with the children he got to know and that childlike quality is evident in the cartoons he drew. He disliked the word "macabre" in describing his work and as the author points out there is never any outward blood and gore in his cartoons. The ghoulishness is implied and having been treated to several of Addams's cartoons in this book I would agree with Addams himself....his best cartoons are uncaptioned.

Charles Addams's personal life was another matter. Married three times, his second wife, Barbara Colyton, had the most and longest lasting effect on him. Control and money were her issues and she dominated the cartoonist for years after their divorce. Yet as Davis points out, Addams never had too much of an axe to grind with her or other women in his life. Indeed, he had many women as confidants...something most men eschew.

It is surprising to see how little money Addams made in his life, relatively speaking. He seemed to care about other things and one of the great loves of his life was his dog, Alice. Remarkably, too, Addams lived in an age where, at the New Yorker at least, cartoonists were mostly given ideas from which to draw something. It appears that his originality came later rather than earlier in his career.

Linda Davis has done a fine job in taking us through the life of this wonderfully warm, if complicated man. As his friend, the writer Philip Hamburger remarked on Addams's death in 1988, "Charles Addams was 'sui generis'". Without a doubt he must have been. I think Addams would have been a lovely dinner guest, replete with humor and full of attentive, quiet listening to his fellow guests. I wish I had met him.

Not to be cheesy but this was the most arousing and dare I say gyrating read of my life. I thought I knew my cheeses but I found out that my cheeses know me, oh yeah, they know me. The cheese bible is the finest piece of theology ive read and has opened me up spritually to world of cheese and its various manifestations. My girlfriend loves the cheese that I prepare for her. This book is useful for people who do not know their cheddar from their cheddar. When i showed my girl my cream cheese (from this book) she lapped it all up like a savage. When I finished this book I said to my partner - "e-DAM this is good!". May the cheese be with you.

I think that just about anything is better with cheese, so this book is right up my alley. Even if you aren't a cheese addict, you will find this book to be an interesting and useful resource. The book is divided into two basic parts: an encyclopedia of cheese types and recipes with cheese as a principal ingredient. The encyclopedia is amazingly thorough - both in the varieties of cheese discussed and in their analysis of the history and processes behind them. I particularly liked that the authors organized their presentation of cheeses into categories and subcategories of similar cheeses. Very useful. Also, it was nice that they included some of the more pedestrian cheese varities. Too often books like this focus exclusively on varities that are rare and exotic - these specialties are fun for special occassions and to read about, but they are frequently hard to find and not always practical for everyday cooking. Even though the recipes are not particularly flashy, they are well-designed to showcase special characteristics of the applicable cheeses. A lot of effort clearly went into this book, and it pays off. Oh, and lots of nice color pictures to browse through.

This book is amazing, it has changed my life in many ways, people now want me Mr Ian Fry to start my own religion, and they want me to read from this bible for the sermons. Buy this book and become a slave to the cheese!! Go on spoil yourself!! i did!!

As my two standard cheese reference books were in dire need of updating, I went in search of the perfect replacement. This is it. It's structure is an introduction to cheese making and regulation in general; followed by a cheese encyclopedia dealing with the making of a family of cheeses for which an astoundingly broad range of varients are described; this is followed by a chapter on buying, storing, cutting etc ... i.e. everything you need to know about handling cheese. This is followed by about 100 pages of recipes using cheese. The book is lavishly illustrated, enabling you to identify and check the quality of nearly all cheeses.

The structure of cheese families and their many variants makes it easy to relate the information about cheeses in general to the handcrafted cheeses available in your region. It contains the most comprehensive list of cheeses I have ever seen. There is an index in back for the encyclopedia and the cheese names are in boldface type, but it still my take a bit to find a cheese in which you are interested in the text.

The illustrations in addition to providing illustrations of a particular cheese often show the cheese in various stages of aging. This is of particular use for cheeses whose use changes with age or whose peak stage of aging is of limited duration.

This book may be intimidating to someone with no previous experience in cheeses outside the two or three American standards. But for anyone who has broadened their tastes into imported or handcrafted cheeses, this is a perfect volume.

If you love cheese, this book is for you. As more and more restaurants offer quality cheese courses, it is worthwhile to have this book around so you know what is and is not worth trying. Even seasoned tasters will enjoy the tone of the text and the content. The recipes are simple and clear, with a structure that should appeal to even amateur home chefs.

I must confess- I didn't follow the chelsea boys saga before I got this Book; Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down!
I caught myself Laughing out loud late at night like a lunatic.
The characters are beautifully illustrated and developed. I feel like my friends and I have traits from all the characters, Which makes it more fun, sometimes scary.
To ME is like a GAY- SEX AND THE CITY.
KUDOS to Glenn and Allan's talent.
I Can't wait for this wonder duo's new book.
Again, this one is a perfect gift for any Occasion (Im getting a few books for those last minute emergency gifts)
Buy this book and give it away, anyone could use a bit of laughter this days.

Chelsea Boys is a very funny tale of 3 main characters that defies the norm we're used to seeing in the gay community. Rather than limit themselves to dating and sex(fun things never the less),the authors have tackled loss of parents, gay parenting and racial issues.This isn't your grandma's strip. Even though this format is known as a comic strip, I like to think of it as a complete story. Every strip follows the characters as they negotiate life with each other and with the greater community at large. Where else do we see such diversity in the gay community. Blonde and buff, short and jewish, black and sassy. On the surface, these may seem like stereotypes but if you read into their stories, they have to face many complex issues in their lives. Even though the story takes place in the neighborhood of Chelsea, it really represents all of Manhattan with it's wit and humanity.

I have been following the Chelsea Boys for years and am thrilled to see that they have finally gotten their stories together in a book. In my opinion, this is the only strip out there in which the characters open themselves enough to expose the reasons for who they are. The boys deal with real issues that face all of us (and I mean all of us - gay or straight) in real life and gives depth and "realness" to gay people.

The writing by Allan Neuwirth is insightful and poignant. And, as always, Glen Hanson's illustrations are brilliant. I look forward to future additions to the Chelsea Boys library.

Neuwirth and Hanson use the lighthearted medium of a comic strip to deliver deeper and more serious messages about the reality of being a modern gay man. Every strip has a lesson to ponder and the authors smash sterotypes wide open. Ironic indeed that the strip is named Chelsea Boys given the author's overwhelming proven point that sterotypes are rather silly given the fact that noone indeed ever lives up to the expected ideal.

Neuwirth and Hanson add a work of great relivance and importance to the cannon of gay literature. This is a must have for every gay man's libray! A great gift for friends too!

Hanson and Neuwirth have created warm, acerbic, witty, and utterly human characters who totally defy the Chelsea Boy stereotype. So don't let the strip's title fool you. These guys are universal-just like gay men from Pasadena to Poughkeepsie. This is a great collection, both for the terrific drawings and the wonderfully inclusive stories about these three gay roommates and people of ages, races, and sexual orientations in their lives.

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.

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.

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.

`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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

I got this for my fiance--she had a few of the original issues and wanted the whole set. It's a lot of fun if you don't mind the almost idiotic amount of scenes stolen directly from movies and other comics. Nothing original (except maybe in it's frenetic rush to cram every James Bond and Indiana Jones and Captain America story ever all together at once) but it certainly is entertaining. Note: Not recommended for guys with jealous girlfriends (lots of gratuitous eye candy in this thing).

But the attitude, dialog, and art in this series truly wins me over in a way that no other graphic novel has. I'll admit to not at all being a comic book junkie, but I do have a collection of close to fifty. I've never read a comic that sucked me in as fast as this one does. The vibrant coloring, extremely cliche and lame one-liners, and incredibly gorgeous women make this a very fun, very enjoyable read for any kid over 13.

I'd definitely rate the content of this book a PG-13 though, because there are a LOT of shots which show off 98% of the girl's bodies. Truth be told, those shots weren't really necessary for me because I enjoyed it for the action and humor, but I suppose there had to be a draw for the average, acne-ridden, comic book reading teenager that they wouldn't get from other comic books. And Abbey and the girls definitely do not disappoint in this area.

As a fan of a like-minded TV show called She Spies, I love this comic and would recommend it to anyone I know to be a fan of light fun reading. The action and humor is none-stop in this book. The only thing I didn't really like was the sub-plot involving "mysterious" male character "Zero". He really WAS a "zero" in my book as I couldn't bring myself to give a crap about him.

Anyway, if you ask me, this series is begging to be turned into a summer blockbuster film and I've actually begun writing a script for it. Probably doesn't mean squat since I'm not at all affiliated with hollywood, but the fact remains that I'd really like to see this series get the big-screen treatment.

To me, this graphic novel perfectly embodies what comics are meant to do. It pulls the viewer into a whole other world for the span of about an hour.

What's included:

Introduction by "Evil Dead" Star Bruce Campbell
Introduction by Danger Girl Creator/Artist J. Scott Campbell
Danger Girl Preview
Danger Girl 1-7
Cover Gallery containing all regular and variant covers
5 Page Danger Girl Sketchbook

Danger Girl is a wonderful world of action and adventure told through beautiful artwork and a story that is just plain fun. It follows adventurer Abby Chase as she is recruited into the female secret agent team known as Team Danger Girl in their attempts to stop an evil terrorist threat to the world from a neo-fascist organization called The Hammer Empire. This trade collects the first and really only good Danger Girl story as most of the one-shots that followed where done by different artists and were not up to par.

Like all the Image books of the 90's, most people paid attention to Danger Girl because of J. Scott Campbell's artwork as he was already famous from the comic Gen 13. But unlike previous Image comics that relied on art, Danger Girl and the other Cliffhanger Comics, Battle Chasers and Crimson, actually had a story that was bearable to read.

Danger Girl is heavily influenced by Campbell's love for the movies, and fortunately his love for downright entertaining movies such as Indiana Jones and Back to the Future. While the story resembles Charlie's Angels, True Lies, or a James Bond film more, it holds the feel of all those entertaining and fun adventure and spy movies by not taking itself too seriously.

A particularly enjoyable element to the comic is the "Previously in the pages of Danger Girl" page that begins each issue of Danger Girl. In just one page, the creators recap the last issue, throw in some funny captions, and always use a "cliffhanger" by warning of our heroes' "apparent DOOM!" These recaps have the campy feel of old TV shows like Bullwinkle and the Adam West Batman when they would preview the next episode.

What adds to the story-telling is Campbell's artistic style that is influenced by animation which gives the characters movement and expression rather than just magazine poses. Campbell also uses many widescreen panels along with well-timed close ups to show that he really had the cinematography of the story in mind when creating Danger Girl to make it feel like an action movie.

The weakest part of Danger Girl: The Ultimate Collection is the 5 page sketchbook in the back. It is interesting to see some inner-workings of Campbell's art, but it is not nearly enough for fans of his work. These sketches and many others can be found in "J. Scott Campbell's Danger Girl Sketchbook."

All in all, Danger Girl is a fun comic that strays away from the superhero theme and actually puts a little comedy into a "comic" book. The art is great and the story is entertaining. Take Danger Girl for what it is and don't take it too serious because it doesn't take itself that serious.

The tone of Danger Girl falls somewhere between a wry pastiche and loving celebration of all things 'spy' - at once ultra-cool, and uber-camp, spectacular and cliche, tantalisingly sexy and good clean fun. The stylised, gorgeously colorful pages positively ooze action, and the cinamatic layout draws you the delightfully exciting and improbable world of Abbey Chase, renowned explorer and rogue. Like any Bond film worth it's salt, the plot kicks off with a (literally) explosive opening sequence in which Abbey, with Indiana Jones' determination (and Lara Croft's bosom) chases down a lost artifact and is introduced to covert crime-busting team, the Danger Girls - fronted by the mysterious 'Deuce' (a witty and adroit caricature of Sean Connery).

It seems as if every page that follows is riddled with references to other spy and action thrillers, from shiny gadgets to pithy one-liners (usually delivered mid-battle, or following a sticky demise) and constantly treads the line between gentle ribbing and heartfelt admiration - it seems pretty clear that this is the world that J. Scott Campbell would inhabit if he could (probably with his own island fortress and buxom bodyguards). Its hard not to grin at the pure exhilarating pace, peppered with set pieces that would honor any summer blockbuster, and I frequently chuckled with delight at the plot-refreshers between each chapter (in my head they were narrated by James Earl Jones, and prefixed with 'Previously, on DAAAANGER GIRL!).

Having been indoctrinated into the team, we chase Abbey and her Danger Girl chums as they battle across Europe in defiance of the evil Hammer Empire - a neo-fascist regime with dreams of world-domination (seriously, are there any neo-fascists out there content to just read the paper and watch Jeopardy?). Cue car chases, romantic interludes, gun, knife and fist fights and of course plenty of heaving chests crammed into leather catsuits. Every frame is furiously detailed and, as I mentioned earlier there is sufficient skin on display to induce the loosening of collars - though in a James Bond-ish, PG13 kinda way. Aside from the pneumatic qualities of its Heroines, the artwork is simply superb, and its gratifying that every page is treated with the same glamor and sharpness.

In keeping with its big-budget movie cousins, the plot really isn't that unique, and the twists and turns didn't leaving me shaking my head. Still, it all fits perfectly as a 90 minute popcorn-munching ride, and this edition features some bonus artwork (cover art, conceptual sketches etc), plus a forward by Bruce 'Evil Dead' Campbell which sets the tone nicely.

If this was a film it would be produced by the Wachowski brothers, Directed by John Woo and star Jenna Jameson and Angelina Jolie. As a graphic novel, I heartily recommend it to comic-fans, newcomers alike, and anyone else who could use a bit of Danger in their lives.

What are the differences between this Danger Girl title and the upcoming one: Absolute Danger Girl, except the price? In other words will the latter feature everything or nearly everything that this collection offers? So that it follows, is it worth buying both titles? Please note that I have taken into consideration the exorbitant price of Absolute Danger Girl and I still wish to own it if it happens to have mostly new material that can not be found in Danger Girl: The Ultimate Collection.