Ed Brubaker (b. 1966) has emerged as one of the most popular, significant figures in art comics since the 1990s. Most famous as the man who killed Captain America in 2007, Brubaker's work on company-owned properties such as Batman and Captain America and creator-owned series like Criminal and Fatale live up to the usual expectations for the superhero and crime genres. And yet, Brubaker layers his stories with a keen self-awareness, applying his expansive knowledge of American comic book history to invigorate his work and challenge the dividing line between popular entertainment and high art. This collection of interviews explores the sophisticated artist's work, drawing upon the entire length of the award-winning Brubaker's career. With his stints writing Catwoman, Gotham Central, and Daredevil, Brubaker advanced the work of crime comic book writers through superhero stories informed by hard-boiled detective fiction and film noir. During his time on Captain America and his series Sleeper and Incognito, Brubaker revisited the conventions of the espionage thriller. With double agents who lose themselves in their jobs, the stories expose the arbitrary superhero standards of good and evil. In his series Criminal, Brubaker offered complex crime stories and, with a clear sense of the complicated lost world before the Comics Code, rejected crusading critic Fredric Wertham's myth of the innocence of early comics. Overall, Brubaker demonstrates his self-conscious methodology in these often little-known and hard-to-find interviews, worthwhile conversations in their own right as well as objects of study for both scholars and researchers.

Throughout the ages, every culture has created myths and legends which recount the great deeds of its heroes and their epic struggles with larger-than-life forces. Designer Bookbinders 3rd International Competition, held at the Bodleian Library in 2017, brings to life this theme though the inventive structures and creative designs of bookbinders worldwide. This beautifully designed catalogue is not only a celebration of the winning entries, but also a lavishly illustrated record of all the entrants from a broad range of countries. Following on from Bound for Success in 2009, and Prize Volumes in 2013, Heroic Works is the third volume in the Bodleian Library's series of publications which have documented these prestigious competitions. In this book, great classics of world literature, alongside modern texts, are given a new look through the consummate skills, seductive materials, and boundless inventiveness of the craft of bookbinding which is thriving in the world today.

Today's graphic output makes use of a colossal number of fonts, compared to 20 years ago. So where is the evolution of type design headed? "Type Compass" answers these questions, showcasing designers from around the world, charting new routes in the field and providing a clear sign of where type might be headed in the future. The publication is innovative in format, too: conceived as a notebook, it encourages the reader to take notes, and to interact with the various topics, making it a handy tool for beginners and experts alike. Content is conveyed in short and direct tips, and dynamically arranged on the page, connecting themes in the fashion of hypertext to link influential typographers, details on today's most innovative typefaces, type foundries and typographic landmarks. "Type Compass" offers a fresh perspective on the subject, helping readers to find their bearings in the rich but intricate world of typography today.

Room after room and image after image, readers will discover how star stylist Colin King works his magic when arranging objects on coffee tables, mantels, bookshelves, bedside tables, windowsills, and more. Through a series of anecdotes and visual essays, Colin unpacks his intuitive and deeply personal process, meditating on scale, proportion, palette, texture, and more. As he shares, it s not about buying new things, but rather about dusting off old favourites and seeing them with fresh eyes looking beyond intended use to discover deeper meaning in the everyday. It s about being decisive in the moment while giving yourself permission to change your mind. And it s about trying new arrangements again and again, finding out what the moment isn t, until you find out what the moment is. There s always the element of chance. Styling, readers will discover, is a metaphor for life and a daily practice to be honed over time. The go-to stylist for many of the world s leading brands and publications, Colin King is a regular contributor to Architectural Digest, T, Ark, and Rum magazines. He collaborates regularly with West Elm, Anthropologie, Zara Home, Crate & Barrel, and Roman and Williams Guild, and has his own celebrated product lines with Beni Rugs and Menu, with more in the works.

When, how and why do clothes become fashion? Fashion is more than mere clothing. It is a moment of invention, a distillation of desire, a reflection of a zeitgeist. It is also a business relying on an intricate network of manufacture, marketing and retail.
Fashion is both medium and message but it does not explain itself. It requires language and images for its global mediation. It develops from the prescience of the designer and is dependent on acceptance by observers and wearers alike.
"When Clothes Become Fashion" explores the structures and strategies which underlie fashion innovation, how fashion is perceived and the point at which clothing is accepted or rejected as fashion. The book provides a clear theoretical framework for understanding the world of fashion -- its aesthetic premises, plurality of styles, performative impulses, social qualities and economic conditions.

The Cover Art of Blue Note Records is Graham Marsh and Glyn Callingham's classic collection of the unparalleled record sleeves produced by the celebrated Blue Note record label. Around January 1956 the photographer Francis Wolff and Alfred Lion of Blue Note Records met Reid Miles, a commercial artists and a devout classical music fan. After establishing a rapport, Reid Miles became the designer for the Blue Note label for the next eleven years creating wonderful graphic covers that were both unique and also retaining the indefinable Blue Note look. Featuring iconic covers for artists such as Herbie Hancock, Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins and Art Blakey, this anthology is an evocative piece of Jazz history. Alongside over 400 of the record label's best album covers is a selection of short essays written by leading industry figures. Both a comprehensive guide to an acclaimed label, and an insightful snapshot of graphic design history, The Cover Art of Blue Note Records is a must-have for all Jazz fans.