Cartooning Books

The most fully illustrated book on every Looney Tunes cartoon to date.Every single Warner Bros. cartoon from 1930 to 1989.

Highly recommended!

This book is a great resource to read about these classic Warner Brothers cartoons. It would have been nice if the book had included more groupings by characters in the index. The book is 390 pages long, so it seems that they could have included a few extra pages to list all of the appearances of Elmer Fudd or Yosemite Sam.

Here is an illustated guide to the Warner Bros. cartoons commonly known as LOONEY TUNES AND MERRIE MELODIES. Every cartoon was either a Looney Tune or Merrie Melodie. These include both the short subjects and feature films. One of WB's biggest cartoon stars,Bugs Bunny appeared in tens of cartoons in a 25 year period,1940 to 1964. Bugs' first official appearance was in 1940's A WILD HARE. A few earlier cartoons such as PRESTO CHANGE-O,HARE-UM SCARE-UM and ELMER'S CANDID CAMERA(featuring Elmer Fudd) featured a similar-looking prototype. WB's other big stars include Daffy Duck who debuted in or around 1938. The star's name appeared in some titles of his cartoons such as DAFFY DUCK & EGGHEAD,DAFFY DUCK IN HOLLYWOOD and DAFFY DUCK AND THE DINOSAUR. Same thing with Bugs Bunny(BUGS BUNNY AND THE THREE BEARS,BASEBALL BUGS,BUGS BUNNY RIDES AGAIN and BUGS BUNNY GETS THE BOID). Also Elmer Fudd(ELMER'S CANDID CAMERA,ELMER'S PET RABBIT and GOODNIGHT ELMER). Other big stars are Sylvester,a mean-spirited cat always wanting to kill sweet little canary Tweety. Later stars include Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote,Speedy Gonzales and Foghorn Leghorn(Foghorn first appeared in the 40's). There's also Porky Pig who first appeared in the 1935 Merrie Melodie I HAVEN'T GOT A HAT. Porky starred in many black and white Looney Tunes since that cartoon. This book lists synopses for every cartoon produced by WB. It also gives release dates and production credits with directors. I like the awesome concept of the variously colored rings bordering the beginning and end title cards. Over the years,they changed colors. The sizes changed also as did the studio logo(the original light blue changed to red). Some cartoons made between 1937 and 1940 featured multi-colored rings. WB still produces short subject cartoons occasionally but does more feature films today. This book went to press before the 1996 release of SPACE JAM,a semi-animated film starring basketball great Michael Jordan and featuring WB's cartoon stars. I dedicate the book to the memories of longtime director Chuck Jones,actor-director tex Avery(Jones and Avery later went to MGM),Mel Blanc(voice of Bugs Bunny) and actress Bea Benaderet who later appeared on TV's The Beverly Hillbillies and starred on Petticoat Junction.

I have had a quest to see(and act out)all of the cartoons of Wile E. Coyote and Sylvester. But some episodes appeared on cable networks more than others, and others I saw, but missed the episode name. So I purchased this book to find out which cartoons I've actually seen. It describes the episodes with details such as the ACME products in each episode, the methods the villain uses, and other interesting facts. Buy it if you wish to see all the Warner Bros. cartoons of all or one of the characters!

It's easy to sit back and watch the re-runs of Warner Brothers cartoons and just let them wash over us, but that would ignore all of the work that went into them. We would not get an appreciation of the sheer number of cartoons produced. Luckily Beck and Friedwald were obsessed enough to pull them all together in one volume. Going on a year by year basis, from Bosko cartoons of 1930 to the last gasps of 1969 (and the reawakening in the 80's) the authors provide a landmark reference showing the premiere date, the credits given in the openings, and a thorough synopsis of the action. But of course any reference like this would be an oddity if it was just a listing. But we are provided with two ways to find information - a title index showing the entry (all purpose for grabbing when watching that cartoon), and an index based upon appearances of 15 of the most popular characters. Want to find out when did Marvin the Martian appear? It's here. (1948 - Haredeveil Hare). Wonder how many cartoons starred Daffy Duck - count 'em up. (a whole lot) Just sitting back and reading synopses shows the breadth of jokes and settings that the artists were able to take advantage of. You can also see the repetition that occured when the writers fell into a rut. Just a great book to have on the shelf to pull down when you want and a great guilty pleasure!

I bought a book in the Mecha Mania series on how to draw warrior Robots and spaceships for a grandchild for Christmas.This book is wonderful for either an adult or a child who wants to draw the new anamie cartoons. The step by step drawings showing how to use basic shapes to make incredible robots and spaceships allow anyone to explore their creativity.

I BOUGHT SEVERAL OF THESE TYPES OF SKETCH BOOKS FOR MY SON. HE IS TAKING ART IN SCHOOL AND HE LOVES THE HELP THE BOOKS GIVE HIM IN HIS DRAWINGS. HE HAS LEARNED ALOT FROM THE BOOKS ALONE. WE ARE VERY PLEASED!!

I liked it pretty well. But I think it falls into the category "this is how you draw something. period." books. I think it should show you different kinds of guns for mecha, different joint types, head types, torso types, armor types, leg types, weapons in general types, shield types, jet pack/wing types and stuff. I don't think that there is enough things to inspire the mind for drawing original mecha. Instead, it tells you how to draw some limited robot examples.
So why did I give it a 4 if I'm being so negative?! Because as soon as I had merely READ it, without drawing any of the examples, was a ton better at drawing mecha. It also has some things to think about while drawing mecha that will help your drawings quit a bit. It has a little about special effects, which was nice. It tells you how to draw female cyborgs, which I thought most of which was garbage. It did have an interview with some guy from the creators of MechWarrior, which was pretty good. The book is worth the money, I think.

What is the point of this book? Each of the drawings gives just three steps, and the beginning step is very complex--there is no help in figuring out what basic shapes go into it, and it seems like the only thing you can do is copy exactly what the author has done. I wanted something that would teach me to draw this type of character, and instead I just got a book showing off the author's drawings. If it is supposed to be just a showcase, it should be called that--don't try to fool people into thinking it is a way to learn anything.

There are lots of "how-to-draw" robots/mecha books. IMHO this book simply follows the formula of breaking down the title subject into component simple shapes and embellishing with more detail. This is the formula of most how-to-draw books. It's fine to include this if your "mecha how-to" book has more about drawing aspects unique to mecha.

An astute earlier reviewer pointed out that Hart drew none of the examples in the book. How can he discuss a thought and design process that he didn't even contribute to in his own book?!? The art in the book is rarely inspired and in many cases rendered by artists who don't appear particularly interested in mecha.

To its credit, it's fun to read some of the text. Younger readers may enjoy the book as it may be helpful to beginning artists. The best pictures are from the Fasa interview in the back.

For those who want something more advanced, I'd recommend the excellent books by Sherard Jackson of Antarctic Press. He briefly covers the beginning steps of drawing mecha, but gives a meatier discussion on the unique aspects of drawing anime machines. The art definitely has a higher "coolness" quotient and he drew his own pictures!

This is such a great book with great information about the disney company and of course mickey! and lots of great pictures!

If you love animations from Disney, or the Disney success story, this is a must buy. My Wife loves this.

This is not just a book for Disney art lovers -- it is a terrific background on the Disney Company as a whole and the process in the art of animation. It goes into detail as to the extent of Walt's genius and leadership abilities. Never the less, the art in this collection is phenomenal!! I personally love the preliminary sketches and the process that eventually become what you see on the screen. There is also a chapter on the role the Disney Studios played during WWII. I will cherish this edition for many years to come.

This book goes through the entire Disney legacy, in what is supposed to be art criticism. As far as it goes, the text is pretty good, but they are mere accompaniments to the photos, which is the bane of many art/design books. Finch makes an effort at being comprehensive, though ultimately - if you read through the whole thing - it comes off as a vanilla milk shake, with virtually no depth and ultimately flattering to just about everything Disney.

Moreover, the beginning of the text is far stronger than the end, reflecting hte fact that this is an update. As such, the author worked much harder and dug deeper on the sections that covered Walt Disney's work and ideas directly - the subject of the first edition and far more interesting than later work - and then feels the rest is pasted on to update it. To cover the post-Walt Disney things, many of which represent great art in and of themselves - would merit an independent work like the first volume.

Futhermore, by separating the book into discrete sections devoted to film, TV, parks, etc., the author misses one of the most important aspects of the Disney company: its work is self-reinforcing through all the media. Thus, though the early TV shows did not get enough commercial sponsorship and hence lost money, Walt Disney viewed the shows as the ultimate tool to implant his brand in the minds of the young. Even the toys were part of this, though they are almost entirely neglected in this book. It all fits together, each part morphing into the others, which Finch fails to see.

The worst failing of this book, though, is its utter lack of analysis beyond crude evocations of historical context. Though purporting to be a critic, Finch does not ponder any of the company's impact on, or as a reflection of, American culture, particularly the dark side. Why do many people (myself not among them as I essentially love the DIsney legacy) despise the way the company transforms culture into its own immediately recognizable brand? What does it say about the American predilection to recreate realities, such as a mock European village, rather than seeking out the real thing (even at similar cost)? These are tough questions.

In the end, this reads like something directly out of a PR department. I enjoyed the images and some of the reconstrctions of the films. But this offers little in the way of true criticism.

This book gives good insight into the story of the Disney company. It was nice to hear an honest account of whether each movie was a success or failure with critics and audiences, though I feel some were a little shortchanged. A book of this size should have had a chapter (or at least a full page) dedicated to each movie. And while it is heavily illustrated, the text does not in any way rely on the pictures. I guess screen shots from the movies or brochure style pictures of the parks are "art" but based on the title I was expecting more unique in depth imagery like preproduction and concept art, storyboards, construction photos (from the parks).

If you have the older Concise edition of this book, then I don't think this one is necessary. So there are stills from a few more movies, but all the classics up to Fantasia 2000 are covered in the smaller book. Besides, the best of the new movies covered is Finding Nemo, and who doesn't have that on tape or DVD? Don't spend this much money on a few screen shots, just watch your movie. And I was particularly interested in seeing some of the new parks that weren't in the other book (California Adventure and Tokyo DisneySea) but alas they accounted for about 3 pages. Just a warning because the annoying shrink wrap prevents anyone from flipping through to decide based on the contents whether or not to fork over that much money (and the cover is so enticing...).

If you have never read anything about Disney this is a great place to start, but if you already have a collection of Disney books (especially this one's concise ed.) then this one doesn't have much more to offer. And if your true passion is in the theme parks, don't let this deceptive title make you believe that equal emphasis is given to the "Magic Kingdoms". There are way better (and cheaper) books on that subject that will give you much more insight.

I got this as a gift. A great book. The author's funny, honest, inspiring. I'm not a great artist, but this book showed me how to make the most of what I CAN do.

As a beginning-intermediate cartoonist, there is absolutely nothing to learn in this book that hasn't been done 100 times better somewhere else. Half the time, the writer seemed more interested in cartooning himself in joke (?) situations. Crude drawings compared to others. Don't waste your money, stick with C. Hart books instead. I so disappointed with this book, I am returning it.

I have absolutely no talent for drawing, but I write books for my first graders and was tired of cut and paste stuff. I found this book about cartooning, and since I felt that the only thing I could possibly do was something very basic, I decided to try it. I have been drawing now for about 6 months and am really thrilled at my progress with cartoons. Best of all, the kids love the stories and the stupid little cartoons I draw! Okay, Bob Books, move over!

This is a great book for beginning cartoonists. Mark Heath's "Drawing Cartoons" is the first "how to draw" book to help me learn how to "think like a cartoonist." Most drawing books I've seen in the past give the reader step-by-step line drawings to copy. While this approach often results in a flashy finished-product for the reader, the beginning cartoonist is left without the "tools" for creating drawings from scratch, on his or her own. Mark's emphasis, in contrast, is on arming the beginning artist with the means to create his or her own cartoons from the ground up. For example, he advises, "cartoons don't perfect detail, but rather, suggest detail." Advice like this helps the budding cartoonist think like a professional. In addition, Mark's warm and witty sense of humor make for a enjoyable first, second, and third-time "reads." I really like it!

The book is only worth about $5. It has only a hundred or so pages that are more of the author's cartoons than any practical advice. On the last page of the book, the author points out all the mistakes he made in the book but decided to leave in so that he could point them out to us. I'm interested in cartooning/comic strips and I feel that I am no closer to being able to do that than I was before I read the book. I don't understand how this book got all great reviews. Don't be fooled like I was!

Thoroughly enjoyed this, the art work was amazing and the information great as I am not a big comic reader and only know most from cartoons or movies so this filled in allot of holes for me.

"Marvel Universe" is the companion volume to "Marvel: Five Fabulous Decades of the World's Greatest Comics," but I did not read that volume so I am looking at the volume introducing the superheroes and supervillains of Marvel Comics. Unlike the other volume, which looked at the history of Marvel Comics decade by decade, author Peter Sanderson takes a more thematic approach, although there is a semblance of chronology involved in the order, beginning with the Fantastic Four, the comic book that effectively created Marvel Comics, and ending with the X-Men, the most popular series of today (comics like "Conan the Barbarian" therefore fall outside the scope of the "Mravel Universe"). Specifically the eight chapters divide the Marvel Universe as follows:

1. The Fantastic Four: Marvel's First Family, begins with the working relationship of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, relates the origin of the FF, focuses on the compelling character drama of the Thing, and the group's main villain Dr. Doom. After covering some of the FF's epic adventures, including the first confrontation with Galactus and the Silver Surfer, the chapter looks at some of the heroes that were created in the comic such as the Black Panther and the Inhumans.

2. The Antiheroes: Human Torch, Sub-Mariner, and Hulk looks at how two Silver Age heroes were updated for the modern era but focuses primarily on old Greenskin, including the pivotal issue #140 written by Harlan Ellison.

3. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man looks at Marvel's most popular superhero, drawn originally by Steve Ditko. This chapter covers the problems of a teenage superhero, his remorse over Uncle Ben's death, and the supporting cast, as well as the darker vision of Spider-Man brought to the comic by Todd McFarlane. Special consideration is given to the "Kraven's Last Hunt" storyline and "The Death of Aunt May" issue.

4. Avengers Assemble! covers not only Marvel's answer to the Justice League of America as a group, but the individual comic books of Captain America, Henry Pym and the Wasp, Iron Man, Hawkeye and the Black Widow, the Mighty Thor, the Vision, Wonder Man, and even the Black Knight (so you know they have covered pretty much everybody).

5. Strange Tales: Heroes of the Supernatural covers a lot of ground as well with Doctor Strange, Dracula, The Man-Thing, Howard the Duck, Ghost Rider, and other Marvel monsters.

6. Protectors of the Universe is mostly about aliens such as Captain Mar-vel, the Silver Surfer, Adam Warlock, and Nova. Also covered are such diverse comics as "Power Pack," Don McGregor and P. Craig Russell's "Killraven," and Jack Kirby's last comic creations.

7. Vigilantes and Lawmen starts with Daredevil and the Electra Saga, continues with Nick Fury (both with his Holwing Commandos and as an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.), and ends with the Punisher.

8. Mutantis Mutandis: The X-Men begins with the original X-Men and Magneto, through the Second Genesis and the Dark Phoenix saga, the ascendancy of Wolverine, to the proliferation of mutants in Alpha Flight, Excalibur, X-Force, and Generation X. Artists Neal Adams, Bill Sienkiewicz, and Rob Liefeld are featured in this section.

My test case for evaluating this volume was the section of ýTomb of Draculaý (146-48) a minor cult hit all things considered but one of the best comic books I have ever read. Sanderson agrees with the verdict, praising writer Marv Wolfman, penciller Gene Colan, and inker Tom Palmer for their skilled delineation of character. After a concise description of the cast of characters and their complex relationships, there is a description of the choice story line where a character (purporting to be) Dracula, removed his vampire powers. I would have liked to have seen a reference of Dr. Sun, and the comicýs wonderful sense of pacing, but this was a decent synopsis.

The key thing to remember her is that Sanderson is juggling a lot of balls. He needs to not only describe the history of each comic book along with the key characters and villains, but also try to work in an appreciation of great artists from Jack Kirby and Jim Steranko to John Byrne and Todd McFarlane, along with some of the key issues and storylines. So I was quite impressed when Sanderson worked in ýDays of Future Pastý from X-Men #141 and the Silver Dagger story line in ýDoctor Strange.ý

For that matter, I was also impressed that Sanderson worked in some of the most memorable PANELS from these comics: Jack Kirby showing Doctor Doom stripping the Silver Surferýs powers from FF#57, Steve Ditkoýs Spider-Man struggling free in ASM#33, and John Byrneýs shot of Mangeto from X-Men #111. Yes, you can quibble over the details in terms of what was included and omitted, and certainly there is a better way to reproduce comic art than photocopying it or whatever, but Sanderson gets credit for covering a lot of ground and for showing a clear sense of appreciation and affection for these comic books. That is what tips the scales for me in the end.

The bottom line would be that ýMarvel Universeý constitutes a nice walk down memory lane for those who remember buying 10 cent copies of these comic books when they were called Marvel Pop Art as well as a nice history lesson for those who have come to the game when Marvel launched Volume 2 for all of its major titles.

Ultimate handbook for the Marvel Universe. Short biographies which list milestone issues allows new readers to pick up in mid-stream.

Sanderson provides great coverage of the essential Marvel characters and themes. The book does not go into depth on any team or character, but touches lightly on each, reviewing storylines, artists and writers who have contributed to weaving the wonderful tales surrounding the Marvel Universe. The book is a treat to read for any Marvel fan or someone curious about the Marvel Universe.

As an acknowledgement of reaching 50 reviews of warning YOU not to buy the worst things ever, I thought a change of pace was needed - so, five reviews then, urging you to buy some of the best things ever. Part four of five, then...

Whilst this sort of book, a run through of the Marvel Universe, would have been essential 10 years ago, with the onslaught of the internet it seems a little pointless. Yeah, it's always nice to have these things actually in your hand, but there are countless internet sites that have all this information, and those are updated, with new pics and facts and histories... another nail in the coffin for the humble book, I'm afraid.

But I'm not here to actually talk about THIS book per se. I'm here to talk about Marvel in particular, and why it's one of the five things that makes The Curmudgeon's world go round. I'd like to think of myself as a big comic book fan, but in reality I haven't even scratched the surface of a lot of work and titles out there. I suppose it's a bit like a Pop Idol fan - fairly ignorant except for what's put in front of them. Hell, I'd like to read more comics from outside the "mainstream", as it were, but it's all about the Benjamins, baby. I just can't afford it. Anyone wants to recommend a title The Curmudgeon really SHOULD take a look at, drop me a line.

Saying that, I think I'm pretty well versed on the Marvel Universe. And what a Universe it is; these characters are so rich, so varied and nowadays have such brilliant writers its impossible not to get sucked into it all. When you read just some of the genre defining characters that the likes of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko created, it boggles the mind..

The Hulk, Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, Punisher, Daredevil, Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Howard The Duck..

Ahem. Well, maybe not the last one. But seriously, the stories in the Marvel comics have given me so much enjoyment over the years its hard to put into words. DC are OK, and have a fair share of great characters (arguably more famous than Marvel's) but they lack the depth and style that Marvel have (really though, how BORING is Superman?)

As a side note, anyone wanting to maybe introduce themselves to the Marvel Universe but find themselves a bit swamped with all the history etc, try the Ultimate Marvel comics (especially Spider-Man). They take the characters back to square one, but give their origins etc a modern spin. The writing in these comics is some of the finest you'll see in ANY form.

The Curmudgeon THANKS you, Marvel. Excelsior!

Keep your eye out for the continuation of the limited series of positive Curmudgeon reviews!

The_Curmudgeon_Hates_You@yahoo.co.uk

3DS Max 4 In Depth is a book that I feel no serious artist working with 3DS Max should have -- even if they are working with a later version. While the tools shown in this book are refined and their locations moved, the descriptions of their use that you find within this book is priceless.

This is not a pleasure book, nor is it a "cookbook". You won't find the magic numbers that will create a low-poly character in here. What you will find is knowledge if you have the patience to read it. When I first learned 3D -- using 3DS Max 4 -- I began with this book, and I simply treated it as a textbook, reading measured amounts of it every day until I was done.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Even if you are an advanced user, it is likely that this book has something to tell you.

Im brand new to the 3d world. I had no clue how 3ds max 4 worked at all. I was clueless about what book to buy but for some reason i coose this one. I have only had it for a few weeks but it is so hard to follow its quite frustrating to use. Now it might just be a hard program to use but the book leads you though but you spend a lot of time looking for buttons, finding shapes and not really sure what the book wants you to do after you find it. I dont know if all the books are like this but i sure hope not. I just want to do fun stuff and it doesnt really look like the book even shows you how to. But im just in the begining so i have no ideas. Do you have an idea of a better book that wont take forever to lean? It looks quite exclusive in some of its progrmas. It needs to be shaped for the newbe in the beging of the book. I have spend hours with this book and got no were. You have to much dissifing to do.

If you're looking for specific tutorials to get the more out of specific tools in MAX this may not be the book for you. But if you are like me and just entering the 3D graphics field, this book is invaluable. In Depth has goes into the subtle nuance of 3DS MAX that you won't find in other books or tutorials. It explains the means to the end. Rather then teaching a specific goal, it gives you comprehensive knowledge of MAX that you can apply your 3d scenes. You may not end up with a nifty 'hey-look-at-what-can-be-made-in-max' scene, but you'll have an comprhensive understanding of the tools and how to apply it to any scene. Basically you learn what the hell all the features are and how the hell to use them. It gives you an 'in depth' comprehensive knowledge of said features to apply to a broad ranges of situations rather than a way to use whatever tool to apply to a situation you may never even encounter. I think it's my best peice of reference I have on my shelf, but if you already have a fairly good understanding of all the features of 3D with MAX it may not be worth the investment. I can almost gurantee you'll learn SOMETHING you didn't know, but if you're already very experienced it may not be worth the overhead. To sum it up, if you're new to 3D and to MAX this book will teach you all the skills you need to be cool, but people with a fairly extensive knowledge may want to look to more specialized book specific to your needs. However, if you've got the money to spare there's at least something in there for you.

I found this book tremendously useful when I first started out using 3ds max. Of course, that was in it's previous max 3 incarnation, but it's usefulness to me has not diminshed. I teach 3d modeling classes at a technical college and I recommend this text to students who are looking for something more extensive then thier provided textbook, 3ds max 4 Fundamental Coursewares. While that book is quite useful in the tutorial respect, this book gives a more textbook reference approach to the subject. The book begins with the basics, things such as primative modeling and transform modifiers and builds from there into polygonal modeling, patch modeling and NURBS. Sections are well planned out and useful to me as a reference and teaching aid. Also, I found the sections about materials and track animation superb. I recommend this book to anyone who is starting in 3ds max or even to those that have used it for a while as a reference.

If you're looking for specific tutorials to get the more out of specific tools in MAX this may not be the book for you. But if you are like me and just entering the 3D graphics field, this book is invaluable. In Depth has goes into the subtle nuance of 3DS MAX that you won't find in other books or tutorials. It explains the means to the end. Rather then teaching a specific goal, it gives you comprehensive knowledge of MAX that you can apply your 3d scenes. You may not end up with a nifty 'hey-look-at-what-can-be-made-in-max' scene, but you'll have an comprhensive understanding of the tools and how to apply it to any scene. Basically you learn what the hell all the features are and how the hell to use them. It gives you an 'in depth' comprehensive knowledge of said features to apply to a broad ranges of situations rather than a way to use whatever tool to apply to a situation you may never even encounter. I think it's my best peice of reference I have on my shelf, but if you already have a fairly good understanding of all the features of 3D with MAX it may not be worth the investment. I can almost gurantee you'll learn SOMETHING you didn't know, but if you're already very experienced it may not be worth the overhead. To sum it up, if you're new to 3D and to MAX this book will teach you all the skills you need to be cool, but people with a fairly extensive knowledge may want to look to more specialized book specific to your needs. However, if you've got the money to spare there's at least something in there for you.

This compilation, being the third in the series, is naturally the weakest of the lot, but it still contains some absolutely enchanting bits of morbidity, including The Blue Aspic, The Glorious Nosebleedand The Loathsome Couple.

The books in this series (Amphigorey, Amphigorey Too and this one) benefit from the warped wit of Gorey, but the size of the images is so small that it becomes difficult to make out the fine details. I like to read them to my kids (ages 9 and 12) but we have to be all scrunched together to make out the visuals.

AMPHIGOREY ALSO is another compendium of Edward Gorey's stories in the form of pen-and-ink drawings with pithy captions. While it doesn't contain his most notorious book--THE GASHLYCRUMB TINIES in the first AMPHIGOREY, I found this to be the most consistent amusing of his three anthologies.

The works here are of several different styles. You have relatively substantial stories, such as THE BLUE ASPIC. This tells the tragic love of the deranged fan Jasper Ankle for the diva soprano Ortenzia Caviglia and is full of jokes that will delight opera cognoscenti while probably eluding all else. Also in this category is THE LOATHSOME COUPLE, a delightfully droll tale of a man and woman who fall in love and discover their mutual passion is murdering children, and THE GREEN BEADS where an impoverished child meets a madwoman who turns out to be his long-lost grandmother.

Another style is that of drawings on some theme. The first book in the anthology, THE UTTER ZOO, is such a work, a collection of twenty-six drawings of imaginary creatures somewhat in the vein of Borges' BOOK OF IMAGINARY BEINGS. Then there's THE BROKEN SPOKE, purporting to be a collection of postcards about cycling, which is wickedly funny.

One will also find writings of totally random humour that explain the rumour that Gorey hit the bottle pretty hard. These include THE PRUNE PEOPLE, a collection of drawings where people go about their daily business and the only off thing is that they have prunes on their necks instead of heads. Also in this vein is LES PASSEMENTERIES HORRIBLES, where various people concentrate on some task unsuspecting that a gigantic passementerie is sneaking up behind them.

This is probably the best anthology to start with in uncovering Gorey's work--although I feel THE OTHER STATUE available on its out from Harcourt is the best introduction to this droll author. This anthology is certainly no collection of dead weight, and the quality of the reproductions is higher than in the other two.

Edward Gorey is probably best known for the animations that precede Mystery, on PBS. His cartoons have appeared in a wide variety of magazines, and he has published a massive number of books. His Amphigorey series (Amphigorey, Amphigorey Too, Amphigorey Also) collects his works in omnibus form.

Amphigorey Also is the third in the series. It is a perfect introduction for those not familiar with Gorey's work. The book contains seventeen chapters, which are as follows:

The Utter Zoo
The Blue Aspic
The Epileptic Bicycle
The Sopping Thursday
The Grand Passion
Les Passementeries Horribles
The Eclectic Abecedarium
L'Heure bleue
The Broken Spoke
The Awdrey-Gore Legacy
The Glorious Nosebleed
The Loathsome Couple
The Green Beads
Les Urnes Utiles
The Stupid Joke
The Prune People
The Tuning Fork

Each section is comprised of Gorey's lovely, macabre and often startling cartoons, and his brilliantly clever captions. Gorey has a dark sense of humor. We are talking here about gallows humor. Death pervades his work. Subjects that run through his oeuvre are infanticide, madness, murder, death in general, rain, umbrellas, revenge, and endless word play.

Gorey seems obsessed with his own name. I find it fascinating that he constantly plays about with creating anagrams of Edward Gorey. A few that I counted in Amphigorey were: Dogear Wryde, G.E. Deadworry, Awdrey Gore, E.G. Deadworry, Waredo Dyrge, Deary Rewdgo. There are also near anagrams such as Regera Dowdy. But then, these shouldn't really count.

Gorey's word play builds itself into the structure of some of the chapters. Several chapters are odd alphabets. The first of these is "The Utter Zoo". Each panel and caption describes an animal, whose name begins with a successive letter of the alphabet. These animals exist only in the warped mind of our author. He has imagined animals much stranger than anything to be found in a real zoo. These creatures range from the neat Ampoo to the tragically extinct Zote.

The best of Gorey's alphabets is "The Glorious Nosebleed". Each caption contains a different adverb. The illustrations are glorious, dark, and sinister. The captions are often strikingly funny, and a bit weird: "The creature regarded them balefully", "He exposed himself lewdly", "It was in the trunk presumably". These little vignettes are beautiful, and stunning, as well as being likely to offend a large section of the public.

"The Prune People" is a strange little series of drawings, sans captions, which depict people who have prunes in place of their heads. I honestly can't think of more to say about except this: you will find yourself drawn back to these drawings again and again. I least, I was.

The best of the chapters is "The Loathsome Couple". In this macabre tale Harold and Mona kill children for amusement. The couple were both abused as children. They find each other as adults. They find themselves incapable of sexual relations, and instead turn to murdering children for recreation. This is not a tale for everyone. Most will find themselves deeply offended by this story. But, for those who can recognize the stark beauty, and the deeper meaning in Gorey's words, this is a gem. It is a story to rival anything from the Brothers Grimm (I speak here not of the sanitized fairy tales, but of the gore soaked original's). Gorey's drawings are at their best here. One panel depicts Harold luring a child to his doom. Gorey has no sympathy for any of the characters in this picture (of course, he does have sympathy for all of his characters, it is simply that he chooses not to portray it in this drawing). He creates them was worn, lined, ugly beings who are part of a dreadful and ugly world.

Another story of note is "The Blue Aspic". It is the story of Jasper Ankle. Jasper is an opera fan. Perhaps too much of a fan. He murders to place his favorite singer in a starring role. He ignores his responsibilities until he losses his job. He is placed in an asylum, where he has no access to a turntable on which to play his beloved opera records. As he escapes, his beautiful records are broken. It ends badly. We would expect no less. And, it rains a lot.

Those are the only hints I will provide. I fear that I may be spoiling the stories that I have discussed, and do not wish to spoil the rest. This is a book that must be discovered page, by lovely page. Gorey manages to amaze, surprise, and shock again and again. Most people will, I fear, close this book after the first few pages. They will shudder, restrain revulsion, and try to wipe it from their memories. But for a select few of us, this book will delight for years.

I highly recommend Amphigorey Also. However, I offer this caveat: those with weak stomachs, puritanical outlooks, prudish demeanors, and easily offended sensibilities should beware. If you can't laugh at death, then don't bother* You have been warned.

The much-lamented Edward Gorey specialized in intricate, ominous pen-and-ink drawings. Doomed Victorian opera singers, alligators, time-bending bicycles, and plenty of creatures strange and grotesque fill "Amphigorey Also," a collection of Gorey's quirky work.

Included is the cute "Utter Zoo" ("The Ippagoggy has a taste/for every kind of glue and paste"), the tragic "Blue Aspic" (a crazed, impoverished man stalks an opera diva), the amusing "Sopping Thursday" (Bruno the dog looks for his master's umbrella), and the delicious revenge fairy tale "The Tuning Fork." The highlight is the "Awdrey Gore Legacy," a deliciously warped murder mystery.

Some of the offerings are kind of befuddling, like the disjointed conversation between a mustachioed man and a woman with a geisha hairdo, or the "Eclectic Abcedarium" with its too tiny pictures. But most of them, like "Les Passementeries Horribles" (in which embroidery and tassels act ominous) or "The Prune People" (which is pictures of people with prunes for heads) are amusing even if they make no sense.

Edward Gorey's delicate pen-and-ink illustrations would be fun even if he didn't possess the morbid whimsy that fills almost every story. Okay, if you are easily offended, then the "Loathsome Couple" will offend you with a pair of crazy killers lure, photograph and murder small children ("They spent the better part of the night murdering the child in various ways"). But he did so in the best of bad taste.

His slightly warped sensibilities were also shown in the chilly skies and barren-looking outdoors, cute children and haughty adults in Victorian attire. There are occasional splashes of color (like the blue backdrops of "L'heure Bleue"), but even then it tends to be a bit eerie and faded like old photographs.

The eerie whimsy of Edward Gorey's work is alive and well in "Amphigorey Also." A few of the works are duds, but overall it's a strange and wonderful ride.

I bought this for my 10 year old. This is a great book. Easily understandable and lots of illustrations of how to. I'm sure he will be able to use this right from the get go.

"Cartooning For The Beginner", is a great resource for beginners like me (no art or drawing experience at all). It would have received a 5 star if I had not purchased the "Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Cartooning" book as well.

The instruction is good, the tips are relevent, but in comparison to E.Y.E.W.T.K.A.C.B.W.A.T.D it doesn't have the same "Snap" to it. I recommend getting both books but if you have to choose get the Best Seller.

I have to say I will purchase more of this author's books. Thanks

Christopher Hart's books are really good. I had borrowed the one for Comic Strips (How to Draw Cartoons for Comic Strips) and I like that one better, but this one is also good. It has a lot of drawings and it's easy to understand.

i llllllllloooooooooooooooovvvvvvvvvvvv
his books they are great i have stated my own collection this one is a great addtion

I am an elementary school art teacher and my students love Chris' books. Their favorite is "Cartoon Cool", and this one is a close second. As a teacher, I like this book because it reinforces many of the basic principles I teach about drawing portraits and figures. Chris' simple step-by-step instructions make it easier for kids to understand how to create cartoon characters; many other cartooning books have so many steps that budding artists get frustated and give up. I'll be adding several of Chris' "Kids Draw" books to my art room library this semester, and I'm sure they'll be a big hit. Keep up the good work, Chris!

There is no truth in advertising here: This book will NOT show you how to color for comics. It will not tell you how to color ANYTHING. It will only vaguely explain the theory of color, the concept of "Computers" used for modern coloring but will show you NOTHING about technique. It's like a round-a-bout way of saying "Here's what comics look like, do THAT" without ever telling you HOW to actually DO anything.
I was sorely disappointed with the content here.
The lettering sections are competent I suppose, although my disbelief with the coloring "content" made it hard for me to concentrate.

This book has proved valuable to me, both in my comic-book work and my teaching. I rate it just as highly as the other two excellent DC books on penciling and inking by Klaus Janson. This one is a marvel of economy, giving the reader a grounding in two fairly technical (and not widely appreciated) areas of comic-book production in the briefest form imaginable.

Most of it is a how-to, but there is some spot-on coaching on matters esthetic and expressive.

As for the how-to aspect, when I wanted to find out how, for example, to letter in Illustrator, Klein's section walked me through it, right down to making the balloon pointers pointed.

Chiarello's well-illustrated section walks you briskly through the four or so main styles of coloring gives a bit of guidance as to why you might choose each, and tells you how to do them.

(As a side note to colorists, I'm not sure Chiarello's method of backing up the blacks is necessary: I believe Photoshop does this automatically, to a degree that's determined by one's color settings.)

This is a great guide for those who would like to get into coloring or lettering comics, but have no idea where to start. In this volume, you'll learn a little about the theory of coloring comics--how to use color to create a dynamic mood without making the art look clutter. Dozens of full color examples are provided to show the contrast between good color jobs and bad color jobs. Also it provides info on how to create your own fonts for use in lettering. It also provides information on which tools would be useful for computer coloring and lettering. Most of this is done on computers these days, so the appropriate software is recommended. If you already have an idea of which tools you would like to use, it may be better to go ahead a get a guide on the specific software you are going to use if you would like more on the side of technique. If you're just getting started in the field of comics coloring, this is a great volume to begin with.

This book gives you a insight on how the pro's are coloring and how you should get started also. The artwork and examples are great for comic D.C. comic fans.

It's a good and informative book, but be aware that the authors assume you already know how to use the equipment needed (including ink, pens, computers, software, etc).

Unfortunately, I found this book to be somewhat unsatisfying, mostly because of the kinds of assumptions Schodt uses, and the kind of data that he uses to support his theories of a kind of "inherent" [insert descriptive noun here] of Japan...

Schodt makes many generalizations and uses rather fluffy, meaningless language like:

" Reading manga is like peering into the unvarnished, unretouched reality of the Japanese mind."

This statement assumes that the "Japanese mind" is something that CAN be peered into, as if it was some kind of definable idea or way of thinking, where I think that in reality, you can't really say that about any nation, as they are comprised of different individuals...

In addition to this, there are some classic graphs comparing the amount (per 10,000 people) of murders, rapes, and comics sold in the US to Japan, and he uses these as proof of Japan's "inherent stability."

Anyway, as an academic source, I really don't think that this is something that you should invest in.

But I guess if you don't mind the fact that he drills the fact that HE MET TEZUKA! into you throughout the chapter on Tezuka, and all kinds of generalizations about Japan that could lead to misconceptions/ideas about Japan (as well as the idea of the identifiable/describable country)...

I have yet to read Manga! Manga!- this was what I was able to get my hands on first, but with enough background info, it is a great read. And as Schodt says in his intro, one can read Dreamland without Manga!Manga! but it is meant to be a sequel of sorts. The most useful part of the book, as a researcher, was the section with descriptions of individual artists and their works. Basically, Schodt takes you through the world around manga, the different kinds of publications, then the individual artists within those publications, and then on top of that, leaves you with some thoughts on manga in the context of art and literature in both Japan and the US. The most useful part of the book is in the back where Schodt offers some helpful resources for the English reader of manga as well as internet resources (although, no fault of the author, many of these sites are changing all the time!). All in all, a worthwhile read for many different purposes.

I have yet to read Manga! Manga!- this was what I was able to get my hands on first, but with enough background info, it is a great read. And as Schodt says in his intro, one can read Dreamland without Manga!Manga! but it is meant to be a sequel of sorts. The most useful part of the book, as a researcher, was the section with descriptions of individual artists and their works. Basically, Schodt takes you through the world around manga, the different kinds of publications, then the individual artists within those publications, and then on top of that, leaves you with some thoughts on manga in the context of art and literature in both Japan and the US. The most useful part of the book is in the back where Schodt offers some helpful resources for the English reader of manga as well as internet resources (although, no fault of the author, many of these sites are changing all the time!). All in all, a worthwhile read for many different purposes.

In some ways this book was even better than Manga, Manga, although I missed the manga chapters from the first book, and most of his recommended mangaka's stories are out of print. But over all it was more informative than the first book.

The dean of English-language work on Japanese manga, Frederik Schodt has followed up his classic, Manga! Manga! The World of Japanese Comics, in brilliant form. Dreamland is a series of essays that outline just what manga is, the otaku phenomenon, notable magazines, a who's who of individual artists and their work, and a lengthy chapter on Osamu Tezuka.
Japan is, as the author notes, a country "awash in manga." Of all the books and magazines sold in Japan in 1995, manga accounted for a stunning 40%, or some 2.3 billion (that's 15 for every Japanese person). In dollars, the industry's annual worth is in the neighborhood of $7-9 billion. At some of Japan's prestigious publishing houses, manga are subsidizing the more serious art and literature they put out.
Yet, the real triumph of manga "lies in their celebration of the ordinary." As a US comic artist notes, in the US comics are a caricature, while in Japan "it seems like most popular comics are...of normal people doing normal things." Schodt goes further: manga are "an articulation of the dream world. Reading manga is like peering into the unvarnished, unretouched reality of the Japanese mind." He concedes, though, that one must question what the overall effect of having so much information transmitted via the medium of a comic book-"that deliberately emphasizes deformation and exaggeration-has on a people.
Schodt's understanding of his theme and of Japan are breathtaking. His section on Tezuka, the originator of Kimba the White Lion and Astro Boy and many more titles, is especially well done. The God of Manga, for whom a museum has been constructed, was a friend of the author and contains many insights into a revered figure in Japan. Highly recommended-for manga and non-manga fans alike.