BARACK OBAMA Comic Book
July 30, 2008
Inspiration is abound. Hollywood is cashing in comic book related movies with this summer’s bonanza box office receipts. So what are comics to do? They look to politics for the newest pool of ideas. When you look at it, American politics is greater than life. Heroes are built and destroyed by the media. Scrutinized on a daily basis. Their lives belong to all. Why not create comic books about them. IDW Publishing is publishing the stories of both BARACK OBAMA and JOHN MCCAIN. This idea is not so far fetched as you might think. Marvel Comics sold copies of the life story of John Paul II in the 80’s.
The Presidential Material comic book biographies or ?Graphic Novellas,? provide a straight and unbiased look at the two presumptive party nominees. Each book is thoroughly researched from the public record. Additionally each book will contain a list of annotations citing the author?s sources. The PRESIDENTIAL MATERIAL books are written by Andrew Helfer & drawn by Stephen Thompson (McCain) and Jeff Mariotte & Tom Morgan (Obama). The covers are by J. Scott Campbell.
Santa vs. Satan: The Official Compendium of Imaginary Fights
July 13, 2008
More speculative than anything, Santa vs. Satan, is sort of a "Celebrity Death-match" of intellectual proportions. The book asks what it would be like if certain Pop Culture persons real or imagined would be like if they went head to head. Who would be the winner in the battle of wits. Santa vs. Satan is a quick and fun read for the summer. Here are thoughts that many people pondered at one time.
Han Solo vs. Indiana Jones
Adam vs. Charles Darwin
Drunk vs. Stoner
Conspiracy Theorists vs. Conspirators
Muhammad Ali vs. Bruce Lee
The Stork vs. The Grim Reaper
Metrosexual vs. Eunuch
Michael Corleone vs. Tony Montana
Small Man with Breasts vs. Large Balding Woman
Artist vs. Critic
The Constipated vs. The Incontinent
Gandalf vs. Obi-Wan Kenobi
Adam vs. Charles Darwin
Drunk vs. Stoner
Conspiracy Theorists vs. Conspirators
Muhammad Ali vs. Bruce Lee
The Stork vs. The Grim Reaper
Metrosexual vs. Eunuch
Michael Corleone vs. Tony Montana
Small Man with Breasts vs. Large Balding Woman
Artist vs. Critic
The Constipated vs. The Incontinent
Gandalf vs. Obi-Wan Kenobi
From Jake Kalish, five-star general of the Imaginary Battlefield, emerges Santa vs. Satan, a tome that offers far more than idle speculation, culling expert analysis from martial arts masters, scientists, social theorists, and pop-culture philosophers, providing in-depth detail of the strengths and vulnerabilities of the combatants, and making bold predictions. Warriors are profiled and winners are declared in this seminal list of throw downs that never were but should have been.
Anna Smudge: Professional Shrink
June 11, 2008
With the advent of summer holidays and school winding down. Kids are under the impression that learning is out the window. No more books, perish the thought. There are many books out there that will keep those little bright eyes glued to some exciting adventures. Some publishers are taking a clue from comic books and creating exciting stories laced in comic book themed ideas. Anna Smudge is the newest girl in town that will make reading exciting for many. Mac is the newest author from Popular Science Magazine and she chronicles the further adventures of Anna Smudge and her cast of "Professionals" in an ongoing series of exciting fresh plots. Not since Lucy from Peanuts that an eleven year old shrink can be a cool thing to read. Taking clue from the likes of Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Encyclopedia Brown and all the sleuths before her, Anna Smudge is full of promise as the next new series that will lure your kids like little fish to bait. Glenn Fabry a well known artist in the comic book industry fills out the book with his spot illustrations. This book will be the sleeper of the summer for kids nine and older.
A DANGEROUS ESCAPED HITMAN
AN ART TEACHER WHO HAS LOST HER MIND
A NAKED MAN COVERED IN SEAWEED AND TALKING IN RHYMES
BUT WHAT DOES IT ALL HAVE TO DO WITH THE CRIMINAL MASTERMIND MR. WHO?
It’s up to Anna Smudge to find out. But Anna’s no ordinary eleven-year-old. She’s the top shrink in Manhattan, holding therapy sessions in a cramped storage closet in the lobby of her apartment building. And hordes of nutty New Yorkers are nearly kicking down her door, desperate to schedule an appointment. But Anna’s got major issues of her own: a mysterious blackmailer, a violent new patient, and more homework than a tenth grader. Oh, and she has to catch Mr. Who, the most horrendous criminal mastermind the world has ever known. Her father’s life depends on it.
Teaming up with a motley crew of friends, Anna embarks on an adventure that spans the landmarks of New York City. But how do you find a man when no one has ever seen his face? Does Mr. Who even exist? And if so, who is he?
Cherise the Niece
June 8, 2008
If you cherish Edward Gorey, Charles Addams, and Tim Burton and have a bent for black humor, then Jim Benton is your man. His new collection of prose illustrated gore and more is in the tradition of Edward Gorey?s The Gashlycrumb Tinies. These cleverly rhymed lines of wit is not exactly for kids under 14, and some adults will squirm. These books are all in jest as are the previous insperation works of past cartoonists. It’s great to see that Jim Benton is carrying the torch of a genre that teeters on the edge of horror and comedy.
?She was orphaned quite young In a mysterious way, Her parents just up and vanished one day.?
The bloody footprints leading out of Cherise?s bedroom are the first clue that perhaps the little darling with the bow in her hair is not an angel. As Cherise is shuttled from one aunt?s home to another, her aunts vanish, meeting inventive and hysterical ends. With a killer punch line on its final page, Jim Benton?s Cherise the Niece will leave readers laughing.
The bloody footprints leading out of Cherise?s bedroom are the first clue that perhaps the little darling with the bow in her hair is not an angel. As Cherise is shuttled from one aunt?s home to another, her aunts vanish, meeting inventive and hysterical ends. With a killer punch line on its final page, Jim Benton?s Cherise the Niece will leave readers laughing.
Al Jaffee’s Tall Tales
June 4, 2008
?Al Jaffee is the cartoonist?s cartoonist. He?s a pioneer in every field, from comic books to book illustration to magazine cartoons. The worst thing about Jaffee is that every time I do a drawing, I find out he?s done it before . . . and better.??Sergio Aragon?s, cartoonist
?This collection proves that not only has Al Jaffee always been funny, he?s always been disturbed.? ? Stephen Colbert, from his introduction
Disney’s Kingdom Comics
May 29, 2008
Kingdom Comics is the newest imprint to hit the stands to exploit the Disney vault of past nuggets in the company. A constant staple for many generations, many characters are just gathering dust and relegated to grown adults dressed as the mascots of the Disney world parks. It only makes sense to bring back those characters in a new line of old and new strips. The formula works great in Europe and in other countries where Disney characters enjoy a wealth of fame in the printed form. Seems in the North American market the characters were sentenced to Golden Books or clones of that formula for early childhood to be exposed to the characters. This market was already flooded by Gladstone Comics in the past, but will it work with this new Kingdom imprint. If it comes down to anything, no matter what age, people what something well written and drawn to satisfy the masses. It is a mighty task, with the proper resources and muscle that Disney has and if exploited right this could be a winning formula all.
In the past, a series of Disney comics were published based on cartoon characters, but now Walt Disney Studios has formed Kingdom Comics with one of the goals being to ?re-imagine and rejuvenate movies from the Disney ?vault,? the company?s library of live action films,?
Tove Jansson’s The Summer Book
May 21, 2008
No man is an island some might say. There was no mention of a woman. Tove Jansson is the woman in question, she is gone now and left us a treasure to be found once again by new fans. Drawn and Quarterly, Montreal’s premiere graphic novel printer led the way with the reprinting of her Moomin illustrated yarns and the spillage is now overflowing with a new re-polished reprint of her newest old book called The Summer Book. This little trove is a story of a six year old girl and her grandmother.
The two polarities in age discover the basic themes of life in different perspectives pertaining to the generational divide and come to understand new things with each others eyes as though they were looking from inside out of each other. Sometimes the most basic relationships and the heart strings that attach us to a sentiment or thought of a captured moment in our youth will stick to us till our death. Tove Jansson is a classic writer and illustrator left unturned for many years, and most of us outside her native Finland are now discovering her work as a new experience.
In the global village of thought, it is an amazing thing to comb through books forgotten such as this one. Truly Tove Jansson’s The Summer Book will be the advent to this summer which breams with new ideas. The quick page turner will put a smile and a little wonderment at the same time.
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The Ugly Guide to the Uglyverse
May 14, 2008
Look who reared its ugly head. Uglydolls found their way to Random House with two guides to the Uglyverse. These dolls have in the past few years developed a loyal following and grew each year with new ones. The idea behind these characters created by David Horvath and Sun-Min Kim fancy the imagination for all. In this safe universe where ugly is cute in a superlative way is a fresh beacon to the usual gore-fest out there from other individuals who thrive in creating truly horrific characters. The stuffed animals are a hit all over the world and these guides will help you discover David’s and Sun-Min’s world of fun.
The Uglydolls have taken our world by storm with their adorable uglyness and hilarious personalities. And now, Uglydoll lovers everywhere can get their first-ever glimpse into the mysteries of the Uglyverse! Join Wage, Babo, and the rest of the Uglydolls? quirky characters on a tour of Ugly Town. In Ugly Guide to the Uglyverse, you?ll dine in Ugly Town?s fine (and not-so-fine) restaurants, go on a tour of the Ugly History Museum, check in to the Ugly Hospital, vacation at the Ugly Beach, and learn even more about Ugly Town and the Uglydolls themselves, including what Jeero really does all day and what Big Toe wants to be when he grows up. Ugly Guide
The Uglydolls have taken our world by storm with their adorable uglyness and hilarious personalities. And now, Uglydoll lovers everywhere can get their first-ever glimpse into the mysteries of the Uglyverse! Join Wage, Babo, and the rest of the Uglydolls? quirky characters on a tour of Ugly Town. In Ugly Guide to the Uglyverse, you?ll dine in Ugly Town?s fine (and not-so-fine) restaurants, go on a tour of the Ugly History Museum, check in to the Ugly Hospital, vacation at the Ugly Beach, and learn even more about Ugly Town and the Uglydolls themselves, including what Jeero really does all day and what Big Toe wants to be when he grows up. Ugly Guide
The Big Book of Illustration Ideas 2
May 6, 2008
The Big Book of Illustration Ideas 2
What if you need someone to draw salad on a plate with a glass of wine next to it? You could go through the above processes, and?after a while?you’d probably find someone to draw or paint it in the style you wanted. Or you could simply pick up The Big Book of Illustration Ideas 2 flip to the section marked "Food and Still Life," and find pages and pages of illustrators who can draw all kinds of food in all kinds of styles: pencil, crayon, watercolor, collage, and so on, and so on. It’s a smorgasbord of illustration ideas. In fact, within these pages are the best illustrators from all over the world, found together in one place along with all their contact information.
For ease of reference, illustrators’ work is cataloged by theme: People; Portraits; Food and Still Life; Buildings; Landscapes; Abstract Concepts; Diagrams; and Miscellaneous.
Speed Racer: Mach Go Go Go
April 25, 2008
Manga comes in all shapes and sizes and genres. Nostalgic of just part of the hype machine of the new Speed Racer movie, we are treated to an exciting new duo collection of Manga based on the series in this sleeved set.
DMP celebrates Speed Racer’s 40th anniversary with a 2-volume hardcover collector’s set. Speed Racer: Mach Go Go Go Box Set is the complete, unabridged version and contains episodes available in the United States for the first time. Join Speed Racer, Racer X, Trixie, Spritle and Chim Chim in this fast-paced thriller of action and intrigue!
