Billy Batson discovers a secret in a forgotten subway tunnel. There the young man meets a wizard who offers a precious gift: a magic word that will transform the newsboy into a hero. When Billy says, ""Shazam!,"" he becomes Captain Marvel, the World's Mightiest Mortal, one of the most popular comic book characters of the 1940s. This book tells the story of that hero and the writers and artists who created his magical adventures. The saga of Captain Marvel is also that of artist C. C. Beck and writer Otto Binder, one of the most innovative and prolific creative teams working during the Golden Age of comics in the United States. While Beck was the technician and meticulous craftsman, Binder contributed the still, human voice at the heart of Billy's adventures. Later in his career, Beck, like his friend and colleague Will Eisner, developed a theory of comic art expressed in numerous articles, essays, and interviews. A decade after Fawcett Publications settled a copyright infringement lawsuit with Superman's publisher, Beck and Binder became legendary, celebrated figures in comic book fandom of the 1960s. What Beck, Binder, and their readers share in common is a fascination with nostalgia, which has shaped the history of comics and comics scholarship in the United States. Billy Batson's America, with its cartoon villains and talking tigers, remains a living archive of childhood memories, so precious but elusive, as strange and mysterious as the boy's first visit to the subway tunnel. Taking cues from Beck's theories of art and from the growing field of memory studies, Captain Marvel and the Art of Nostalgia explains why we read comics and, more significantly, how we remember them and the America that dreamed them up in the first place.

The Art of The Penguins of Madagascar takes a deep dive into the making of the animated film, featuring everything from concept art, character backstories, and design inspirations, to interviews with key animation talent. Offering an exclusive behind-the-scenes peek at the creation of the remarkable film, this must-have book tells the story behind The Penguins of Madagascar.

For decades, Marvel Comics' superhero group the Avengers have captured the imagination of millions, whether in comics, multi-billion dollar grossing films or video games. Similar to the chronology of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Avengers video games first started with titles driven by single characters, like Iron Man, the Hulk, Thor and Captain America. Over time, the games grew to include more and more heroes, culminating in playing experiences that featured the Avengers assembled. This is the first-ever book assessing the video games starring "Earth's Mightiest Heroes." Featured games span consoles and platforms, from popular PlayStation and Xbox titles to an arcade game in danger of being lost to time. All video games are covered in depth, with each entry including game background and a detailed review from the author. Some game entries also include behind-the-scenes knowledge from the developers themselves, providing exclusive details on the Marvel video game universe.

The marvelous recovery of neglected black artists and their awesome body of comics creativity. Syndicated cartoonist and illustrator Tim Jackson offers an unprecedented look at the rich yet largely untold story of African American cartoon artists. This book provides a historical record of the men and women who created seventy-plus comic strips, many editorial cartoons, and illustrations for articles. The volume covers the mid-1880s, the early years of the self-proclaimed black press, to 1968, when African American cartoon artists were accepted in the so-called mainstream. When the cartoon world was preparing to celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of the American comic strip, Jackson anticipated that books and articles published upon the anniversary would either exclude African American artists or feature only the three whose work appeared in mainstream newspapers after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination in 1968. Jackson was determined to make it impossible for critics and scholars to plead an ignorance of black cartoonists or to claim that there is no information on them. He began in 1997 cataloging biographies of African American cartoonists, illustrators, and graphic designers, and showing samples of their work. His research involved searching historic newspapers and magazines as well as books and ""Who's Who"" directories. This project strives not only to record the contributions of African American artists, but also to place them in full historical context. Revealed chronologically, these cartoons offer an invaluable perspective on American history of the black community during pivotal moments, including the Great Migration, race riots, the Great Depression, and both World Wars. Many of the greatest creators have already died, so Jackson recognizes the stakes in remembering them before this hidden yet vivid history is irretrievably lost.

A visual exploration of the weapons, armour, and technology of the Marvel comics, delving into their creation and history

Who is Iron Man without his armour, or Thor without his hammer? Learn about the mightiest weapons ever made!

From Iron Man's armour to Cap's shield, and Star-Lord blasters to Gamora's godslayer, the Marvel universe is filled with iconic weapons, armour, and technology. Wielded by some of the greatest heroes and villains ever created, many of these objects have histories just as compelling as the characters who use them. Some are hi-tech, futuristic creations, others have mystical origins. A few have destroyed worlds, or sent entire empires crashing into dust. This is their story.

Breaking box office records around the globe, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has achieved an unparalleled level of success and gripped the imaginations of fans across the world, raising the films to a higher level of narrative: myth. Using the field of religious studies, this is the first book to analyze the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a modern myth, comparing it to epics, symbols, rituals, and stories from multiple world religious traditions. By exploring how the characters and events of the MCU resemble religious themes and ancient mythic stories, this book places the exploits of Iron Man, Captain America, Black Panther, and the other stars of the Marvel films, alongside the legends of Achilles, Gilgamesh, Arjuna, the Buddha, and many others. It examines their origin stories and rites of passage, the monsters, shadow-selves, and familial conflicts they contend with, and the symbols of death and the battle against it that stalk them at every turn. As a result, we can appreciate how the films deal with timeless human dilemmas and questions, evoking an enduring sense of adventure and wonder common across world mythic traditions.

Drawing is not a crime! (TM) The bold and brash ARTtitude is back with another look at some of the most iconic and unusual artists of the moment. Representing countries as far-reaching and distinct as Colombia, Germany, Canada, Italy, France, and the U.S. (to name a few), the 36 international artists featured in this collection reveal the richness and diversity of contemporary graphic arts. The artists again pay tribute to the muses of their creativity, with appreciative nods to their predecessors and track lists of the music that inspires their work. ARTtitude 2 highlights some of the unique and diverse artists working today: Amanda Mocci, Jim Phillips, Conrad Roset, Cricket Press, Robert Proch, Ron Guyatt, T-Bone & Ajax, The Arcade Company, and many more.

Learn the insider secrets professional cartoonists use to turn regular cartoon animals into completely cute characters
Warm and fuzzy characters all have that "certain something" that makes them so memorable and darling. But what exactly is it? This sought-after, ultra-cute quality is based on specific techniques that, when applied to character design, result in irresistible cartoon animals. With "Cartoon Cute Animals," these are techniques that you can learn, too
Perfect for anyone interested in cartooning, from the aspiring animator looking for how-to instruction to the expert illustrator seeking inspiration, "Cartoon Cute Animals" covers the broadest possible spectrum of popular species as well as an array of more exotic animals such as the ferret, armadillo, meerkat, and porcupine.
Years of experience and expert knowledge have been distilled into one easy-to-follow guide that is full of simple instructions and visual examples to help you create the most adorable cuties ever put to paper

Leiji Matsumoto is one of Japan's most influential myth creators. Yet the huge scope of his work, spanning past, present and future in a constantly connecting multiverse, is largely unknown outside Japan. Matsumoto was the major creative force on Star Blazers, America's gateway drug for TV anime, and created Captain Harlock, a TV phenomenon in Europe. As well as space operas, he made manga on musicians from Bowie to Tchaikovsky, wrote the manga version of American cowboy show Laramie, and created dozens of girls' comics. He is a respected manga scholar, an expert on Japanese swords, a frustrated engineer and pilot who still wants to be a spaceman in his eighties. This collection of new essays-the first book on Matsumoto in English-covers his seven decades of comic creation, drawing on contemporary scholarship, artistic practice and fan studies to map Matsumoto's vast universe. The contributors-artists, creators, translators and scholars-mirror the range of his work and experience. From the bildungsroman to the importance of textual analysis for costume and performance, from early days in poverty to honors around the world, this volume offers previously unexplored biographical and bibliographic detail from a life story as thrilling as anything he created.

Epic battles, hideous monsters and a host of petty gods--the world of Classical mythology continues to fascinate and inspire. Heroes like Herakles, Achilles and Perseus have influenced Western art and literature for centuries, and today are reinvented in the modern superhero. What does Iron Man have to do with the Homeric hero Odysseus? How does the African warrior Memnon compare with Marvel's Black Panther? Do DC's Wonder Woman and Xena the Warrior Princess reflect the tradition of Amazon women such as Penthesileia? How does the modern superhero's journey echo that of the epic warrior? With fresh insight into ancient Greek texts and historical art, this book examines modern superhero archetypes and iconography in film as the crystallization of the hero's journey in the modern imagination.

Peter David, award-winning writer of comic books, novels, television, films and video games, has boatloads of stories to tell about his 30-year career. Whether it was attending George Takei's wedding, being described as Will Smith's bodyguard, or wandering around on the set of Babylon 5, David has been telling anecdotes of his life for years. Here they are all in one place, along with the story of a career that has taken him from writing Marvel Comics' Incredible Hulk for twelve years to adventures in the Star Trek universe to the New York Times bestseller list.

teNeues NYC Stationery is proud to share our newest offering, classic Playing Cards with our signature style curated from museum art and illustrations from our favourite artists around the world printed on embossed, premium blue-core card stock in a gift box with flip-top magnetic closure. Red Cardinal by Allyn Howard is a charming rendition of a beloved back-yard bird, a favourite among all ages. Our little portable box is giftable and great for travel, fits in any bag and the magnetic closure keeps the cards together between games. Standard deck of 54 playing cards including 2x joker cards Full-colour, richly -printed artwork on embossed, blue-core card stock Giftable flip-top box with magnetic closure Box measures: 69 x 95 x 25 mm Allyn Howard is a painter and illustrator based in Brooklyn, New York. Inspired by her childhood, her work reflects an interest in nature, often from the vantage point of small curious animals. Allyn uses water-based acrylics on wood, paper, and canvas, merging a decorative style with a colourful, painterly one.

The Art of Ni no Kuni (TM)II: REVENANT KINGDOM is a lavish full-color book showcasing the best art from the highly anticipated roleplaying game. Developed by Level-5 and with collaboration from legendary Studio Ghibli animator Yoshiyuki Momose, Ni no Kuni (TM)II: REVENANT KINGDOM is a beautiful, characterful and exciting game. This book is the ultimate fan resource, showcasing the development of the amazing characters, monsters, vehicles and locations from initial concept sketches through to the finished artworks.

"Carrying ahead the project of cultural criminology, Phillips and Strobl dare to take seriously that which amuses and entertains us--and to find in it the most significant of themes. Audiences, images, ideologies of justice and injustice--all populate the pages of Comic Book Crime. The result is an analysis as colorful as a good comic, and as sharp as the point on a superhero's sword."--Jeff Ferrell, author of Empire of Scrounge Superman, Batman, Daredevil, and Wonder Woman are iconic cultural figures that embody values of order, fairness, justice, and retribution. Comic Book Crime digs deep into these and other celebrated characters, providing a comprehensive understanding of crime and justice in contemporary American comic books. This is a world where justice is delivered, where heroes save ordinary citizens from certain doom, where evil is easily identified and thwarted by powers far greater than mere mortals could possess. Nickie Phillips and Staci Strobl explore these representations and show that comic books, as a historically important American cultural medium, participate in both reflecting and shaping an American ideological identity that is often focused on ideas of the apocalypse, utopia, retribution, and nationalism. Through an analysis of approximately 200 comic books sold from 2002 to 2010, as well as several years of immersion in comic book fan culture, Phillips and Strobl reveal the kinds of themes and plots popular comics feature in a post-9/11 context. They discuss heroes' calculations of "deathworthiness," or who should be killed in meting out justice, and how these judgments have as much to do with the hero's character as they do with the actions of the villains. This fascinating volume also analyzes how class, race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation are used to construct difference for both the heroes and the villains in ways that are both conservative and progressive. Engaging, sharp, and insightful, Comic Book Crime is a fresh take on the very meaning of truth, justice, and the American way.Nickie D. Phillipsis Associate Professor in the Sociology and Criminal Justice Department at St. Francis College in Brooklyn, NY.Staci Stroblis Associate Professor in the Department of Law, Police Science and Criminal Justice Administration at John Jay College of Criminal Justice.In theAlternative Criminologyseries

Wonder Woman, Harley Quinn, Shuri, and Black Widow. These four characters portray very different versions of women: the superheroine, the abuse victim, the fourth wave princess, and the spy, respectively. In this in-depth analysis of female characters in superhero media, the authors begin by identifying ten eras of superhero media defined by the way they portray women. Following this, the various archetypes of superheroines are classified into four categories: boundary crossers, good girls, outcasts, and those that reclaim power. Modern superheroines fall under any of the categories and with the push from the feminist movement, superheroines are becoming more powerful and independent.

Focusing on the dramatic character friendships (and sometimes rivalries) that are central to any manga narrative, Best Friends Forever teaches readers how to draw characters at slumber parties, school, and parties together, as well as combining character types that complement each other. After an introduction to these elements, readers will have a chance to follow along Hart's in-depth step-by-steps, and will even be invited to draw on their own, right in the book's pages.

Megan Hess: The Shoe is an illustrated love story about the most coveted accessory of any designer wardrobe, from internationally renowned fashion illustrator Megan Hess. A piece of fashion is so much more than an object. To the designer who creates it, the muse who inspires it or the fashion lover who lusts after it, that piece is part of a story. Nothing quite says style like an incredible pair of shoes. The red sole of a Louboutin, the jewelled buckle of a Manolo Blahnik, the simple perfection of a Chanel slingback, or the incredible finishes on a Jimmy Choo - these are the details that complete an outfit and define timeless elegance. Megan Hess: The Shoe is the latest in the Ultimate Fashion Wardrobe series, filled with fascinating information and stunning illustrations and packaged up in a beautiful hardback: the ideal accessory for any creative life.

Up Against the Wall: Art, Activism, and the AIDS Poster offers nearly 200 examples of visually arresting and socially meaningful posters. Taken from more than 8,000 held in the collection in the University of Rochester's River Campus Libraries' Department of Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation. The collection, one of the largest of its kind in the world, was donated to the University of Rochester by Dr. Edward Atwater. The book accompanies an exhibition of AIDS education posters displayed at the Memorial Art Gallery of the University of Rochester, Rochester, NY. The posters, spanning the years from 1982 to the present, show how social, religious, civic, and public health agencies have addressed the controversial, often contested terrain of the HIV/AIDS pandemic within the public realm. Organizations and creators tailored their messages to audiences, both broad and very specific, and used a wide array of strategies, employing humor, emotion, scare tactics, simple scientific explanations, sexual imagery, and many other methods to communicate powerfully and effectively.

Featuring the complete Zits comics from 2020, the newest treasury by award-winning duo Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman is filled with zaniness, wit, and relatable comedic truths about being - and raising - a teenager. Featuring the award-winning combination of Jerry Scott's trademark humor and Jim Borgman's brilliant line art, Zits is the perfect comic for anyone parenting a teenager, or who remembers the days of sleeping in until noon, subsisting entirely on pizza, and rehearsing for an arena rock tour from the cozy confines of the garage. This fantastic Zits treasury presents the timeless teenage antics of Jeremy and friends and the trials of his Baby Boomer parents. Filled with lessons about growing up and growing older, this book contains so many laughs it will make your sides hurt.

Embark on a foodie's journey through the world of anime and learn to recreate delicious dishes from your favourite anime series. Japanese animation has beautiful designs, fleshed out characters, and engaging storylines-and it's also overflowing with so many scrumptiously rendered meals! Do you ever watch your favorite anime series and start craving the crunch of crispy seafood or the warmth of delicious noodles and broth or the fluffiness of soft, airy cakes? Now, you can make your cravings a reality with Cook Anime! Join an otaku on her tour through anime food and find out what your favorite characters are savoring and sharing-from bento to yakisoba-and then learn to make it at home! Along with each recipe, you will discover facts behind the food, such as history, culture, tips, and more. Perfect for foodies and anime-lovers alike, Cook Anime is the all-inclusive guide to making the meals of this Japanese artform.