WILLIAM SCHOELL is the author of many books on pop culture, film and the performing arts, as well as biographies. His film and pop culture books include Comic Book Heroes of the Screen; The Nightmare Never Ends: The Official History of Freddy Kruger and the 'Nightmare on Elm Street' Films; Creature Features: Nature Turned Nasty in the Movies and Stay Out of the Shower, the first book to look at Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho" and its influence. His biographies include the natonal bestseller The Rat Pack: Neon Nights with the Kings of Cool; Martini Man: The Life of Dean Martin and The Sundance Kid: The Life of Robert Redford. as well as studies of such figures as Jules Verne, Edgar Allan Poe, Giuseppi Verdi, H. P. Lovecraft, Dorothy Dandridge, and Sammy Davis Jr. for young adults. His novels include Fatal Beauty, The Pact, The Dragon, Late at Night and Saurian. Schoell is a native New Yorker.

"A spectre is haunting Europe - the spectre of communism. All the powers of old Europe have entered into a holy alliance to exorcise this spectre: Pope and Tsar, Metternich and Guizot, French Radicals and German police-spies..."A spectre toils silently in sun-baked fields. It shuffles through dusty village squares. It slaves amidst the grime and drudgery of factory floors. It picks through the garbage of shanty-town alleys. It floats over office-tower cubicles row upon row. Wherever capitalism has had its parade our spectre follows quietly. It settles amongst the alienated, the impoverished, the exploited. It bears witness to millions of silent screams. More and more, we glimpse that ghost. But why a graphic edition? Put simply, in order to reanimate the text. To make it available to a new audience. To help us better understand our innate yearning for the promise of a better tomorrow and to re-acquaint us with a political pamphlet that forged the ideological foundations for one of the most idealistic yet repressive eras of human history.

This is a comprehensive A-Z sourcebook of everything you ever wanted to know about the Man of Steel, including entries on Lex Luthor, Lois Lane, Lana Lang, Supergirl, and Doomsday. Plus, complete details of Superman's origins, and biographies of every character in his universe. It is illustrated with hundreds of black and white comic book images throughout, and two 16-page colour inserts.

Daniel Clowes (b. 1961) emerged from the "alternative comics" boom of the 1980s as one of the most significant cartoonists and most distinctive voices in the development of the graphic novel. His serialized "Eightball" comics, collected in such books as "David Boring," "Ice Haven," and "Like a Velvet Glove Cast in Iron," helped to set the standards of sophistication and complexity for the medium. The screenplay for "Ghost World," which Clowes co-adapted (with Terry Zwigoff) from his graphic novel of the same name, was nominated for an Academy Award.

Since his early, edgy "Lloyd Llewellyn" and "Eightball" comics, Clowes has developed along with the medium, from a satirical and sometimes vituperative surrealist to an unmatched observer of psychological and social subtleties. In this collection of interviews reaching from 1988 to 2009, the cartoonist discusses his earliest experiences reading superhero comics, his time at the Pratt Institute, his groundbreaking comics career, and his screenplays for "Ghost World" and "Art School Confidential." Several of these pieces are drawn from rare small-press or self-published zines, including Clowes's first published interview. He talks at length about the creative process, from the earliest traces of a story, to his technical approaches to layout, drawing, inking, lettering, and coloring. The volume concludes with a 2009 interview conducted specifically for this book.

Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series is a literary sensation, thanks to its strong female hero, well-fleshed (both literally and literarily) characters and unabashed attitude toward sex. The world Hamilton has created is powerfully compelling and stunningly complex and it gets deeper, richer and more perilous, with every book. Straddling the series' dominant themes of sex and power, Ardeur gives Anita fans a deeper look into the dynamics, both personal political, that have kept readers fascinated throughout the run of the series. Why is the ardeur the very best thing that could have happened to Anita, personally (aside from all the sex it requires her to have with hot men)? How is Anita's alternate United States a logical legal extension of our own? And as the series continues, what other bargains might Anita have to make with herself and others in order to keep the people she loves safe from harm? The collection includes essay introductions by Hamilton, giving context and extra insight into each essay's subject.

There is nothing more boring than a trip to the museum to look at a bunch of old scraps of paper! Or is there? Join Danny as he meets a mysterious stranger in the museum who takes him on a wild ride through the history, legend, and prophecy of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Alexander the Great! Angels and demons! Heavenly battles! Roman battalions! Djinnis! Espionage! It's all about the Scrolls! Where did they come from? When were they written? Who made them and why? Where were they found? What are they worth? This exciting adventure of the Dead Sea Scrolls tells you all this and more! Includes an excerpt from HEBREW HEROES: THE MACCABEAN REVOLT.

Licensable BearTM is a little fella who just wants to be licensed for products. (It's what most cartoon characters exist for, he's just the only one who's honest about it.) Here are dozens of stories featuring the li'l critter, plus guest cameos from heroes Mister U.S. and Liberty Girl, and the very first comic book appearance by Barack Obama! This volume includes all of the stories from the Licensable BearTM comic book series, plus stories created for Many Happy Returns, Wild About Comics, and Liberty Comics. Plus, there are Licensable BearTM's Intellectual Property Insights columns, Licensable BearTM ads, and even the one-and-only Su-do-Licensable BearTM puzzle.

"Story hook, tragic moment, poster, or outrageous character, the covers lured us in." - Paul Levitz, president of DC Comics 2002-2009 From the trailblazing works of Bob Kane, to the photorealistic stylings of Adam Hughes and quirky humour of Amanda Conner, DC Comics Cover Art is a collection of the most iconic covers in DC's history. Stunning artwork is accompanied by expert commentary exploring the significance of each cover, while artist profiles shed light on their creators. Discover the most striking covers from more than 85 years of DC Comics. All DC characters and elements (c) & (TM) DC Comics. (s20)

This book offers: The latest information on a field of interest Training and educational requirements for each career Salary statistics for different positions within each field Up-to-date professional and Internet resources

Contributions by Joshua T. Anderson, Chad A. Barbour, Susan Bernardin, Mike Borkent, Jeremy M. Carnes, Philip Cass, Jordan Clapper, James J. Donahue, Dennin Ellis, Jessica Fontaine, Jonathan Ford, Lee Francis IV, Enrique Garcia, Javier Garcia Liendo, Brenna Clarke Gray, Brian Montes, Arij Ouweneel, Kevin Patrick, Candida Rifkind, Jessica Rutherford, and Jorge Santos Cultural works by and about Indigenous identities, histories, and experiences circulate far and wide. However, not all films, animation, television shows, and comic books lead to a nuanced understanding of Indigenous realities. Acclaimed comics scholar Frederick Luis Aldama shines light on how mainstream comics have clumsily distilled and reconstructed Indigenous identities and experiences. He and contributors emphasize how Indigenous comic artists are themselves clearing new visual-verbal narrative spaces for articulating more complex histories, cultures, experiences, and narratives of self. To that end, Aldama brings together scholarship that explores both the representation and misrepresentation of Indigenous subjects and experiences as well as research that analyzes and highlights the extraordinary work of Indigenous comic artists. Among others, the book examines Daniel Parada's Zotz, Puerto Rican comics Turey el Taino and La Borinquena, and Moonshot: The Indigenous Comics Collection. This volume's wide-armed embrace of comics by and about Indigenous peoples of the Americas and Australasia is a first step to understanding how the histories of colonial and imperial domination connect the violent wounds that still haunt across continents. Aldama and contributors resound this message: Indigeneity in comics is an important, powerful force within our visual-verbal narrative arts writ large.

This is the greatest work of the greatest pulp artist. The masterful paintings of J. Allen St. John, the illustrator of "Tarzan", John Carter of "Mars", and many other pulp icons, inspired generations of later artists, including Frank Frazetta, Roy G. Krenkel, and Jeffrey Jones. "The Paintings of J. Allen St. John" presents the artist's full-colour fantasy and science-fiction paintings for novels and pulp magazine stories by famous authors, such as Edgar Rice Burroughs. Essays by today's top science-fiction writers, including Jack Williamson, illustrator, Vincent Di Fate and historian, Robert R. Barrett, make this book - Vanguard's second devoted to the art of St. John - essential for any fantasy collection. It includes more than 170 paintings of "Tarzan", John Carter of "Mars", and more - many shot from original paintings. It also features essays by top science fiction authors.

Since 1968, Garry Trudeau (b. 1948) has brought his brand of political satire to bear on public figures, movie stars, heads of state, and even on himself. Trudeau has also advocated for artists' rights and challenged industry norms while keeping a decidedly low profile. In Garry Trudeau: ""Doonesbury"" and the Aesthetics of Satire, Kerry D. Soper traces the contribution of this groundbreaking artist. Trudeau is arguably the premier American political and social satirist of the last forty years. Amazingly, he achieved this on the comics page, rather than the editorial page. By defying convention, Trudeau has established a hybrid form of popular satire that capitalizes on the narrative continuity and broad reach of the comic strip form, while operating according to the rules of combative political commentary. Garry Trudeau: ""Doonesbury"" and the Aesthetics of Satire is divided into chapters that offer a history of Doonesbury; an analysis of Trudeau's effective satiric methods; a discussion of the methods whereby he challenged the business practices of the comic strip industry; an examination of the aesthetics of Doonesbury; and a consideration of Trudeau's significance as a social chronicler through an analysis of his character construction, narrative practices, and documentation of the American zeitgeist. Garry Trudeau is a thorough assessment of one of America's most popular and controversial cartoonists.

Ten years after its initial successful publication, The MarvelVault is due for an update. New text and images chroniclehow Marvel has channelled its singular storytelling into ablockbuster movie studio, even as it has stayed true to itshallowed roots in the comics world. This updated editionfeatures 16 new pages that focus on Marvel's history andcore stories, plus an envelope containing removabledocuments.

Batman Unauthorized explores Batman's motivations and actions, as well as those of his foes. Batman is a creature of the night, more about vengeance than justice, more plagued by doubts than full of self-assurance, and more darkness than light. He has no superpowers, just skill, drive and a really well-made suit. One of the most recognized superheroes ever created, Batman has survived through campy TV shows and films, through actors such as Adam West, Michael Keaton and Christian Bale. Batman Unauthorized: Vigilantes, Jokers, and Heroes in Gotham City covers expansive territory ranging from the silly to the solemn. Why is the Joker so good at pushing Batman's buttons? What does Batman's technology say about the times? Why are Batman's villains crazier than average? And why is Batman the perfect, iconic American hero?

In Mexico, the confluence of the 1992 Quincentennial commemoration of Columbus's voyages and the neo-liberal "sexenio," or presidency, of Carlos Salinas de Gortari spurred artistic creations that capture the decade like no other source does. In the 1990s, Mexican artists produced an inordinate number of works that revise and rewrite the events of the sixteenth-century conquest and colonization. These works and their relationship to, indeed their mirroring of, the intellectual and cultural atmosphere in Mexico during the Salinas presidency are of paramount importance if we are to understand the subtle but deep shifts within Mexico's national identity that took place at the end of the last century.

Throughout the twentieth century, the post-revolutionary Mexican State had used "mestizaje" as a symbol of national unity and social integration. By the end of the millennium, however, Mexico had gone from a PRI-dominated, economically protectionist nation to a more democratic, economically globalizing one. More importantly, the homogenizing, mestizophile national identity that pervaded Mexico throughout the past century had given way to official admission of Mexico's ethnic and linguistic diversity--or 'pluriculture' according to President Salinas's 1992 constitutional revision.

This book is the first interdisciplinary study of literary, cinematic, and graphic images of Mexican national identity in the 1980s and '90s. Discussing, in depth, writings, films, and cartoons from a vast array of contemporary sources, Carrie C. Chorba creates a social history of this important shift.

In Mexico, the confluence of the 1992 Quincentennial commemoration of Columbus's voyages and the neo-liberal "sexenio," or presidency, of Carlos Salinas de Gortari spurred artistic creations that capture the decade like no other source does. In the 1990s, Mexican artists produced an inordinate number of works that revise and rewrite the events of the sixteenth-century conquest and colonization. These works and their relationship to, indeed their mirroring of, the intellectual and cultural atmosphere in Mexico during the Salinas presidency are of paramount importance if we are to understand the subtle but deep shifts within Mexico's national identity that took place at the end of the last century.

Throughout the twentieth century, the post-revolutionary Mexican State had used "mestizaje" as a symbol of national unity and social integration. By the end of the millennium, however, Mexico had gone from a PRI-dominated, economically protectionist nation to a more democratic, economically globalizing one. More importantly, the homogenizing, mestizophile national identity that pervaded Mexico throughout the past century had given way to official admission of Mexico's ethnic and linguistic diversity--or 'pluriculture' according to President Salinas's 1992 constitutional revision.

This book is the first interdisciplinary study of literary, cinematic, and graphic images of Mexican national identity in the 1980s and '90s. Discussing, in depth, writings, films, and cartoons from a vast array of contemporary sources, Carrie C. Chorba creates a social history of this important shift.

Animated by the stories of some of the last century's most charismatic and conniving artists, writers, and businessmen, Men of Tomorrow brilliantly demonstrates how the creators of the superheroes gained their cultural power and established a crucial place in the modern imagination. "This history of the birth of superhero comics highlights three pivotal figures. The story begins early in the last century, on the Lower East Side, where Harry Donenfeld rises from the streets to become the king of the 'smooshes'-soft-core magazines with titles like French Humor and Hot Tales. Later, two high school friends in Cleveland, Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel, become avid fans of 'scientifiction,' the new kind of literature promoted by their favorite pulp magazines. The disparate worlds of the wise guy and the geeks collide in 1938, and the result is Action Comics #1, the debut of Superman. For Donenfeld, the comics were a way to sidestep the censors. For Shuster and Siegel, they were both a calling and an eventual source of misery: the pair waged a lifelong campaign for credit and appropriate compensation." -The New Yorker

Filled with colourful illustrations and step-by-step explanations, How to Draw an Object is a foolproof introduction to the art of sketching. Equal parts inspiration and tutorial, the delightful drawings are sure to have even the shyest artists reaching for a sketchbook. The book begins with simple explanations of drawing fundamentals - how to use perspective and draw basic shapes like cubes, cylinders, and cones. From there newly minted sketch artists will learn how to transform those simple components into realistic drawings. A cylinder becomes a many layered wedding cake festooned with frosting while a cone is transformed into a martini, a butterfly net, or a sea shell. Soon readers will see that even the most complicated drawing is really only a collection of basic shapes. The book also includes a range of more specific tips and tricks, such as how to mimic the drape of fabric when drawing clothes or add texture. How to Draw an Object will give anyone who's ever wanted to learn to draw the confidence to pick up a pencil and begin!

This book opens with a foreword by special effects pioneer Ray Harryhausen (The 7th Voyage of Sinbad) and a biographical essay on Knight by William Stout (The New Dinosaurs). The autobiographical pieces feature illustrations by Mark Schultz (Xenozoic Tales). To round out the volume, it closes with memories from his granddaughter Rhoda Knight Kalt and appreciations from prominent names in the arts and sciences, from Ray Bradbury to Ian Tattersall. Though Knight once said "No one interests me less than Charles Knight," find out why artists such as Frank Frazetta, Mark Hallett, Doug Henderson, Joe Kubert, Al Williamson, and Bernie Wrightson have said that no one interests them more!