Cartooning Books

My 10-year-old son requested this as a Christmas gift and he really likes it.

Spend your year with the Simpsons like you should be. The centerfolds in the calendars make nice posters, if you're into that kind of thing. I've been using the Simpsons Fun calendar for about 4 years now, and I'm never disappointed. This year's theme is travel, so the pictures are scenes from episodes, unlike previous calendars which were made up for the most part.

I buy this every year for my teenage son. It's becaome tradition and each year it is hung on the wall and used. He loves it because he loves the Simpsons. There are birthdays listed of celebrities although I'm not sure he cares too much about that. The calendar is usually funny and colorful.

This calendar is just what i expected - fun, colourful and entertaining.

Another year, another great Simpsons calendar. With the impending arrival of 2002, Matt Groening and the creators of the Simpsons treat us to twelve months of memorable Simpsons' moments. Extracting scenes from the show's many seasons, the "2003 Simpsons Fun Calendar" provides the user with colorful, glossy pictures that not only catch one's attention, but also captures the zany, fun spirit of Springfield's many denizens. If you are a Simpsons fan or know of one, this calendar will make a great gift during this upcoming holiday season.

This book is a just a page turn and a smile in every aspect of production. It's unique and even the most die hard fan will learn something or appreciate the way its presented in this context. I was sad there wasn't more pages to read. But I can always read it again and have a second round of belly laugh's :) Good Buy and the money goes to charity if you buy the full priced version, great idea and well executed !

Weird but true is a great book, and yeah it is very cheap although I had to pay more I got it in a book store. This books gives you many cool pictures and facts that you don't know about cartoons. They give you quickies, there are no full articles in this book, just quick facts maybe a sentence or two. Heres one, did you know KISS had blood take from them to mix into their comic book? Heres an amazing fact I liked, fulfilling marvel comics write Mark Gruenwald's dying wish, the ashes of his cremated corpse were mixed into the ink used to print the Squadron Supreme comic book ! Talk about ghost writers! This is a cool book and fun to read for an hour. But there are no colored pictures in this book, everything is black and white, I wouldn't suggest giving this to a kid either it's not suitable for a child!

zany, crazy , wacky, funny, surprising, sexy, educational, politically incorrect. and WEIRD!

I've never seen such a thorough search of background information about cartoons and comix! This thoughtful and obviously painstaking task of compiling such detail is mindboggling. If you love toons, you can't miss this book! If you WANT to love toons, you should read this book! You won't be able to put it down. This collection of fun and weird factoids is a literary bag of potato chips.

I loved this book and if you're any sort of a cartoon fan, so will you. It's one of the few books on animated cartoons and comics that I've seen that actually evokes the fun of the artform. Lots of great drawings (many unpublished and rare) and lots of totally useless cartoon trivia to amuse your friends. Plus, it's just so darn cheap. This book is hard to find in stores but I hope it's successful so we can see the second planned edition come to life.

The best World's most Comprehensive and Up-to-Date Guide to Broadcasting.

This is a must have for Shortwave Listening. A wealth of information.

for anybody who have a problem to verify listening of the radio.
It is like litle cook book which you must have altough he know to cook.

Localy not so precise (maybe for litle cauntrys)

All you need to make DXing: info about countries, local & international radiostations of LW, MW & SW; interesting lists, ecc.

As a long time and long distance radio listener, I find this invaluable
to identify radio signals, where they are from and the language being
used.
Leo

Carmine Infantino created the Silver Age Flash. This is his story with tons of illustrations.

The World according to Carmine Infantino is a deep, look into one of the industries giants. Full of clever writing, and lots of historic analogies and tidbits of life in the times.

Reviews Carmine's career from day 1 (birth) all the way to modern time. When you read this and see what this man has brought to field of Art, you immediately want to go grab up everything you have orcan get by him just to see in more detail what has gone on in the background of these pulp paper gems of art history.

Cleverly done, the book appears as if it could have been part of a series of treatises on the men who made comics what they are today.

Very enjoyable, one of those you cant put it down til your done type of books, that you will have no regrets purchasing.

This wonderful book tells the story of Carmine Infantino- one of the true legends of the comic's biz. In addition to being one of the most prolific cover artists of DC's Silver Age, Infantino is credited with a host of distinctions. He drew Green Lantern and the Flash during the Golden Age and co-created Black Canary. He designed the look for Barry Allen and as such is the very first artist to draw the Silver Age Flash for Show Case #4- credited with launching the Silver Age of Comics. His artwork is generally regarded as the very best to ever grace the covers and pages of the Flash. His work on Adam Strange outsold all other Sci-Fi comics before or since with the exception of one title- Star Wars (and it was Infantino himself who, as the artist drawing the early Star Wars comics for Marvel, helped the series beat his own record on Mystery in Space). He also designed and was the first artist to draw Barbara Gordon as Batgirl, creating the Silver Age character that would go on to appear in the hugely popular Adam West and Burt Ward TV show. He also created a new Batman villain, Poison Ivy. His other credits include Airboy, the JLA, Spider-Woman, Suberboy, Charlie Chan, and other titles too numerous to list. Perhaps most importantly Infantino is credited with saving the Batman line of comics from cancellation with his "new look" Batman, re-designed Batmobile and other Bat gadgets. He became editor, publisher, and ultimately president of DC Comics. "The Amazing World of Carmine Infantino" is a true must buy for any comics fan!

This is a long overdue book. From the Flash to Adam Strange, Infantino has (along with Jack Kirby) practically defined the look of the Silver Age of comics. Very nicely illustrated and with an intelligent text, you will not be disappointed. A "must buy!"

Do you feel a fondness in your heart for old black and white cartoons? Do you know that the original Tom and Jerry were not a cat and a mouse but two loopy guys? If you can answer yes to those questions you will like this book which was originally published way back then.
It's actually full of good information that is still relevant today. I own a number of animation how-to-do-it books and one thing about this book is that all its numerous illustrations are unique and different from any other book. And it covers a few things that I've never seen covered in any other book - like exactly how to draw all the frames for the smoke coming from the tailpipe of an old jalopy. The emphasis of this book is different from modern books and the tone is more bright-eyed and awestruck. It's refreshing to read something written at the very beginning of animation when it was still viewed with amazement.
If watching Betty Boop fills you with warm nostalgia then I think this book will do the same for you.

Maybe I will not read every word of this book, but just knowing it is on my shelf makes me give it 5 stars, being a landmark in the history of animation, also being the book Walt started out with...
For animators then, it was comparable to, what Frank & Ollie's 'The Illusion of Life' is now (if you are looking for THE book on animation, start here), or Preston Blair's book (when there only was one) when I started in animation in the 70's...

This book is the best place to start actually making animation. Equipment construction is explained well enough to start a professional studio. Techniques are clearly described and perfect for students of the art. Extras are the theory of what is funny and why, but mostly, the uses animation may serve in education. Many great old illustrations of walks pepper this volume. If you like to draw in ink, this book is for you.

Some clarification is needed here - this book is a reprint of a book from 1920, and although you might glean some tips on how to animate that are still relevant, this is NOT the book to buy if you're looking to learn the craft - it has been reprinted purely for historical interest. There's nothing here that is not outdated or superseded. If you want to learn animation, the books you really need are Tony White's 'Animator's Workbook', and Richard Williams's 'Animator's Survival Kit'. That said, if you're already a clued-up animator, or interested in the history of the craft, this is a fascinating book, representing as it does the state of the art just a few years before Disney appeared on the scene and set new standards. Historically - wonderful. Instructionally - look elsewhere.

From the poem Writing Magic:

Some writers choose just a scant few
to say a lifetime of feelings,

While other writers
gather thousands of words in a book
to paint a few days of one life...

Animated Objects is Linda D. Addison's debut offering. This is a mesmerizing mixture of poetry and short stories, fables and science fiction, enchanting fantasies and harsh realities. It will take you on a journey and touch you in places long forgotten or never experienced.

What makes this collection such a treasure is that Addison is such a skillful writer. She is able to be true to herself and her art form while turning the reader's interpretation into participation. Her words can be as gentle as a mother's hand, as sharp as a razor, as rough as a nail file and as blunt as a hammer.

This book has something for everybody without that being its purpose. A perfect example of the universal appeal of Animated Objects is the inclusion of bits and pieces of her personal journals that encompass twenty seven years of of hopes, trials and disasters.

Reading those snippets let's you see that which is usually hidden from the reader. You get to look past the writer as a person and instead get to look at the person as a writer. You get to peer into her world in a way that's as cryptic as the light of her Night Bird yet as forthcoming as the birth of one child and the miscarriage of another.

Joey Pinkney
C&B Books Reviewer
http://www.cbbooksdistribution.com/joeyreviews.html

This is a wonderful collection of poems and short stories; a truly beautiful book. The works are thought-provoking and sometimes disturbing, and always handled deftly. Ms. Addison is a very fine writer, and Animated Objects belongs in the collections of dark fantasy readers everywhere.

Author Addison masterfully manipulates words. Whether prose or poetry, the end result is a cut above the rest, in any genre. From her whimsical retelling of "Little Red Riding Hood" to her thought-provoking poetry, her words stay with you long after the book has been closed.

A true flight of fantasy! Abandon logic when you open this book and just 'let it flow.' You'll love it's creativity. Follow the progression in the illustrations too.

An extra plus is the authoress' personal journal; this should be a requirement in all books.

I read this book over a decade ago and it was full of practical tips to help me realise my dream of making a living by drawing cartoons. It stops you from making a lot of common mistakes. I'm now syndicated, drawing Arctic Circle for King Features and even though I've been a full time cartoonist for 9 years, I have still referred back to this book often.

Mort Gerberg, longtime New Yorker cartoonist, has created the reference book to beat all reference books. Notice I said "reference book" and not "instruction book"--those wishing to learn how to draw cartoons will be disappointed here.

Originally published under the title "The Arbor House Book of Cartooning", Gerberg's book aims for aspiring professionals, those who are serious about pursuing cartooning. He is brutally honest about the pitfalls of the business, yet avoids the "sour grapes" approach of other cartooning-book authors such as Ken Muse (in other words, the "this business is tough and the editors are idiots, so it's hardly worth bothering" attitude).

Unlike authors of similar books, Gerberg lets the reader know that there are more markets for cartoonists than just comic books and comic strips. He not only covers the aforementioned subjects but delves into greeting card production, spot illustration, and magazine gags.

Gerberg is one of the few to write at length about gag writing for comic strips and magazine panels, and makes good use of his vast experience in both fields to examine the anatomy of the gag. The section on comic-strip creation is filled with common-sense knowledge that took me some twenty years to discover on my own. Gerberg even goes so far as to discuss the making of a winning comic character without descending into vague generalities. He compares today's comic characters (such as Garfield, Dilbert, and Beetle Bailey) to radio and TV comedians of the past. The best such characters, he says, were those with clearly defined comic personas (such as Jack Benny). Older readers can probably remember Benny's reaction when told by a robber, "Your money or your life!" The line was not funny in and of itself, says Gerberg, but if you understood Benny's comic persona, it was hilarious. (You Gen-X and Gen-Y folks might want to rent a few tapes to understand references like the above.)

At the rear are addresses of greeting-card companies, comic-book publishers, and comic-strip syndicates, but be warned--even the latest version is full of out-of-date information. Those wishing to find addresses are better off consulting Artist's Market.

If you're an aspiring cartoonist, keep this book within arm's reach. Gerberg even had the foresight in the paperback edition to underline those passages he felt noteworthy, so the reader can examine important points at a glance. My own copy, sadly lost now, was well worn after several years' use. My suspicion is, yours will be too.

I checked this book out of the Library and once I read it I had to have it in my collection!

Gerberg pulls no punches in writing about the difficulities of breaking into cartooning. But he also writes about the pleasure and satisfaction of this deceptively simple art form. From cartoonists' tools to how to generate ideas, from comic books to greeting cards and editorial cartooning, this one book probably answered all my questions about the profession. Lots of cartoons from a smorgasbord of cartoonists are a treat to study -- and chuckle over. Thanks, Mort.

Bernard Krigstein is most famous as one of the pantheon of extraordinary artists working for EC comics in the Fifties. However, this volume shows that EC was just one facet of this comics genius. This is a thorough biography, plus a wonderful analysis of Krigstein's life's work. This book, along with the companion volume "B.Krigstein: Comics," belongs on the shelf of anyone interested in comics history and sequential art.

Greg Sadowski's biography of Bernard Krigstein, who possessed one of the most innovative minds---and pens---in comic book history, is a labor of love that is revealed as such on every page. From the high quality of the paper to the superb graphic design, from the sharp reproductions to the text that details his life, career, and reputation, B. KRIGSTEIN is a book that would grace any library. But it covers not only his comic book work. For here are also his many book illustrations, his World War II field sketches and paintings, his canvases and gallery works (among them portraits of his wife and family), urban vignettes and rural landscapes, even greeting cards, gum cards,
and advertising art. He was truly a modern-day Renaissance man, fully deserving of this highly focused, incredibly beautiful tribute. There have been many innovators in comic art over the decades (George Herriman and Art Spiegelman, to name just two), but none of them had Krigstein's range of powers and depth of creativity. His was a name that the centuries will remember.

This book will show you all the reasons for my title. Mr.Krigstein was truly a master at pacing and design on the comic page.
His art speaks far better than I can write so I'll just tell you if you buy this book you will not be disapointed.
The comic Master Race alone is worth the price of this book.

the world was not ready for the work of bernie krigstein when he hit his stride in comics in the early 50's. a fine artist at heart, he became obsessed with the art form of comics and the possibilities that it held. few were attempting to take comics so seriously and in those days, they were just above pornography as far as respectability goes. he produced some brilliant works, but the book reveals just how much of a struggle it was to get these masterworks in print. the artwork speaks for itself, but i was really drawn into the text which details the inner workings of the comics machine of the 1940's-50's and how ridiculously it was run. although he begged and pleaded with management, he was never able to bring a story out further than 9 pages, and had to threaten leaving in order to even ink his own work rather than have it butchered by someone else. considering the roadblocks that constantly stood in front of him, it was amazing that he was able to experiment as much as he did.

among his more famous experiments was panel subdivision, breaking away from the standard 6-9 panels per page and, in one instance, producing some 75 panels in 6 pages. this brought an entirely new dimension to comics, introducing the break down of time and space within the page. he also brought a style of cinematography that was never thought of in comics before that must have influenced filmmakers years down the road.

greg sadowski has assembled a truly staggering biography. he had direct access to the artists collection and publishes for the first time many works that have never seen the light of day. rare artist photostats of pencil artwork that went on to be mutiliated by someone else's inks. original panels that were ordered by management to be covered up with different artwork. exhaustive research with coworkers, friends and family, as well as unbelievably wise words from the artist himself given in various interviews many years ago that gives a definitive look into the workings of this man's artistic mind.

it must [stink] being the pioneer, you never get to see the fruits of your labor. but all who charged through the door that b krigstein kicked down acknowledge him as the man who started it all.

THIS BOOK IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL FOR ANY COMIC ART FAN, AS WELL AS ANY ARTIST OF ANY TYPE. IT IS VERY INSPIRING AND IS A GREAT READ.

Each (color!)strip is so beautifully mesmerizing. Its the perfect example of what can be accomplished in the comic industry. Windsor McCay was a genius!

Anyone who's read a history of comic books, comic strips, and other sequential art has heard of Little Nemo, but few have seen it in detail. This is a beautiful collection of Little Nemo strips that demonstrate author Winsor McCay's use of plot, characters, and sequential art in ways that decades later others would be heralded for "pioneering". The strips are beautiful, elegant, witty, and fascinating. A must for any fan of sequential art.

This book is an absolute treasure. Every cartoonist should buy and study this book with a magnifying glass for a few hours a week. Winsor McCay is maybe the most dedicated, hard-working cartoonist to date. He was certainly before his time, and he has still carries more weight than most artists of today. His strips are lavish and generous. You can believe that I will be studying this book for years to come.

If one cannot purchase the 6 vol set of the *complete* Little Nemo, this will have to do. (sigh) Any collection of McCay is worth having. All one can do is *cry* over the lack of skill when comparing this with modern strips. It is not impossible to have good story line AND good draftsmanship. Buy it, you will not be dissapointed!

This book of Blake's illustrations -- both color and detail black & white -- of his interpretation of the Book of Job is such a beautiful treasure.

`Blake's Illustrations for the Book of Job' by the great 18th century illustrator and poet, William Blake, is a superior source of inexpensive copies of these works, which the publisher characterizes as `among the artist's greatest achievements'.
The best feature of the volume, aside from its reasonable price, is the size of the illustrations. As long as one is willing to stress the spine of the book a bit, it is very easy to make excellent scans of the illustrations. And, if one needs especially high quality scans of the large color reproductions, you can cut out the page(s) to insure that they lay flat on the scanning bed with no shadow creeping in along the edges. Since the list price of the book is less than $10, it is virtually no hardship to buy two copies of the book to have one intact on your shelves while the second copy gives up its pages for your presentations.
For those unfamiliar with Blake's work, it's important to know that he did not one, but at least two full series of illustrations, both of which are in this volume. The first is a series of 21 black and white engravings, with borders including English and Hebrew writings relevant to the scene depicted. The second is a series of 21 larger color engravings, the Linnell set, made by manually applying watercolor to the black line image made by an engraving reproduction. Supplementing the color engravings are two additional sets (not of the full set of 21) called the Butts Set and the New Zealand set. There are some small variations in coloring and in line detail between the parallel images in the New Zealand set compared to the Linnell set reproductions. One advantage of the New Zealand set is that they are smaller, so they may be less difficult to scan and embed in a document.
Blake's Job illustrations are a terrific find for those who wish to do a Bible study of the Book of Job, as it reinforces the sense that this is one of the most powerfully written pieces of literature in the whole of Judeo-Christian scriptures.

Blake's Illustrations for the Book of Job makes me want to take a Bible study course, just to learn as much as I can about the compelling sketches so beautifully printed on the pages of this eye-catching book. Each lovely oversized page of this book depicts a Scripture episode found the Biblical Book of Job, all of them worth meditating on. I am particularly impressed by the images Blake paints of God, who appears consistently benevolent even in the face of Satan. This book creates fascinating imagery, painted by a man whose life was, apparently, somewhat fixated on this particular subject. Blake painted these images sometime in the early 19th century, but they are still contemporary and memorable. I really love this book for its artistic interest and as a subject for an art history course.

I was shown a copy of this book 25 years ago. Blake's art transformed my world. I have been a student of Blake ever since. I still go back to this book often. This book, in a few pages, gave me an entry into Blake's system.