www.86thfloor.com     PREVIEWS VOL. XVIX #7 July 2009  

BOOKS SECTION

ANIMATION

THE 100 GREATEST LOONEY TUNES CARTOONS HC
(W) Jerry Beck
In a world of sarcastic rabbits, megalomaniacal ducks, stuttering pigs, and dancing frogs, what defines greatness? The question was posed to thousands of cartoon fans, historians, and animators who were asked to elect the greatest Looney Tunes episodes of all time based on historical significance, biggest laughs, best animation, and important milestones. Looney Tunes’ most recognizable shorts and faces are gathered for the first time in a single volume. Featuring more than 300 color illustrations from private collectors and the Warner Bros. archives, the book is a compulsively readable reference for any animation fan. (570/1-933784-95-4) (C: 0-1-2)
HC, 9x7, 240pgs, FC SRP: $24.95

THE ART OF PRINCESS AND THE FROG HC
(W/A) Kurtti
From the creative minds of directors John Musker and Ron Clements (The Little Mermaid, Aladdin) comes an American fairy tale and musical set in the heart of New Orleans during the Jazz Age. This unforgettable tale of love, enchantment, and discovery features Tiana, a young girl with big dreams who is working hard to achieve them amid the elegance and grandeur of the fabled French Quarter. The Art of The Princess and the Frog showcases the lush concept art of this sure-to-be-classic The Walt Disney Animation Studios movie, including sketches, character designs, lighting studies and storyboards, alongside inspiring quotes from the directors, producers, artists, and designers, including veteran hand-drawn animators that brought you many of Disney's most classic and unforgettable characters. (334/0-8118-6635-1) (C: 0-1-2)
HC, 11x9, 160pgs, FC SRP: $40.00

PEANUTS: A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS TREE KIT
(W/A) Charles M. Schulz
Celebrate the holiday season with Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang by displaying your very own Christmas tree! Complete with a shiny ornament to dangle from its branches and Linus’s blanket to wrap around the base, this little tree and storybook will inspire all to remember the true meaning of Christmas. (246/0-7624-3599-2) (C: 0-1-2)
Kit, SC, 5x4x8, 48pgs, FC SRP: $14.95

THE SIMPSONS: AN UNCENSORED, UNAUTHORIZED HISTORY HC
(W) John Ortved
The Simpsons is one of the most successful shows to ever run on television. From its first moment on air, the series's rich characters, subversive themes, and layered humor resounded deeply with audiences both young and old who wanted more from their entertainment than what was being meted out at the time by the likes of Full House, Growing Pains, and Family Matters. Spawned as an animated short on The Tracy Ullman Show — mere filler on the way to commercial breaks — the series grew from a controversial cult favorite to a mainstream powerhouse, and after nineteen years the residents of Springfield no longer simply hold up a mirror to our way of life: they have ingrained themselves into it. John Ortved's oral history offers the first-ever look behind the scenes at the creation and day-to-day running of The Simpsons, as told by many of the people who made it: among them writers, animators, producers, and network executives. (256/0-8654-7988-7) (C: 0-1-2)
MATURE THEMES
HC, 6x9, 432pgs SRP: $27.00

THE SOUTH PARK OFFICIAL EPISODE GUIDE SC
(W) Sam Stall
Since its debut in 1997, South Park has been one of the best loved, most watched, and intensely controversial shows on television. The animated series about four 4th graders — Cartman, Stan, Kyle, and Kenny — has perennially been a critical triumph and a regular ratings monster. Inside you’ll find entertaining, informative, and colorful descriptions of each episode of South Park from Season 1 through 5, each presented on a full-color spread featuring detailed plot descriptions, character sketches, celebrity-guest rundowns, dead-body counts, and much more. (246/0-7624-3561-5) (C: 1-1-2) NOTE: Available only in the United States, Canada, and U.S. Territories.
SC, 8x9, 176pgs, FC SRP: $16.95

SOUTH PARK KIT
Dude, Sweet! Featuring cool components and iconic images from Comedy Central's animated ratings giant, this official South Park Kit comes complete with a Goth Kids coffee mug, a Towelie microfiber computer cloth, a Terrance and Philip movie poster, a "Warning: Manbearpig!" poster, "Vote Douche" and "Vote Turd" campaign pins, a South Park Word Magnet, and The Ultimate South Park Fan Trivia Quiz Book. (246/0-7624-3682-4) (C: 0-1-2)
Kit, SC, 5x4x8, 16pgs, FC SRP: $14.95

ART BOOKS

NIGHT SONG VOLUME 1 SC
(A) Various
Is it the tragic spendor of eternal youth spent in endless nights that makes these women so beautifully dangerous? Twilight was never so inviting as these alluring and tempting portraits of vampire vixens as rendered by the likes of Arantza, Steve Fastner and Rich Larson, James Hottinger, David Dunstan, Inaki, Maraschi, Sosa, Ossio, and Pelaez. (232/0-86562-196-9) (C: 0-1-2)
MATURE THEMES
SC, 9x12, 64pgs, FC SRP: $19.95

THE VADEBONCOEUR COLLECTION OF IMAGES #11
Vadeboncoeur, the magazine of illustration art, introduces nearly 50 full-page, full-color reproductions from the Golden Age of Classic Illustration. This special issue features images culled from the collection of Susan and Eric Goldberg, with 30 from originals: including pieces from Pogany's "Ancient Mariner," Dulac's "Rubáiyát," Kay Nielsen's "In Powder and Crinoline," unpublished Leyendecker, Lawson Wood's monkeys, George Studdy's Bonzo, Rountree's animals, and much more. (5563) (C: 0-1-2)
SC, 9x12, 40pgs, FC MSRP: $25.00

COMICS

THE BATMAN VAULT: A MUSEUM-IN-A-BOOK SPIRAL HC
(W) Robert Greenberger, Matthew K. Manning
Featuring an Introduction by Jerry Robinson! Over the decades since his first appearance in the 1939, Batman and his alter-ego Bruce Wayne have thrilled readers with their adventures, close calls, dramatic storylines, and even death! Jump in the Batmobile and get ready for a wild ride with this is complete and in-depth look at the development of America's most popular super hero. From his vigilante days to his television stardom, from Dark Knight to mentor, this memorabilia and anecdote-packed collection follows the masked man on his crime-fighting career, and charts the history of the comics and movies that bear his name. With removable artifacts and never-before-seen sketches, notes, and plans, The Batman Vault is the perfect gift for Bat-fan's of all ages. (246/0-7624-3663-8) (C: 0-1-2)
HC, 10x13, 192pgs, FC SRP: $49.95

DR. SEUSS & CO. GO TO WAR HC
(W) Andre Schiffrin
Dr. Seuss & Co. Go to War presents a new trove of close to four-hundred discoveries from the PM World War II archives, including over one-hundred cartoons by Seuss, fifty cartoons by the New Yorker’s Saul Steinberg, and works by the leading cartoonists of the time, such as Al Hirschfeld, caricaturist for the New York Times; Polish-born American artist Arthur Szyk; and future New Yorker cartoonists Carl Rose and Mischa Richter. The cartoons and commentary in this handsome volume cover the five years of the war, illustrating changing attitudes and providing a complex picture of the issues that concerned Americans. (4908/1-59558-470-6) (C: 1-1-2) NOTE: Not available in Germany.
HC, 9x9, 272pgs, B&W SRP: $29.95

MARVEL ENCYCLOPEDIA 70TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION HC
Featuring an updated foreword by Stan Lee! Celebrate 70 years of Marvel Comics with The Marvel Encyclopedia! Fully updated with new images and text, this encyclopedia contains more than 1,000 of Marvel's greatest — from well-known characters such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, and Wolverine to lesser-known heroes and villains — complete with artwork, stats, and history for every character in the Marvel Universe. Updates on characters include information from the story arcs of Civil War and Annihilation, and brings fans up to date with the aftermath of Secret Invasion. (4309) (C: 1-1-2) NOTE: Available only within the United States and U.S. Territories.
STANDARD EDITION (0-7566-5530-7)—HC, 10x12, 400pgs, FC SRP: $40.00
LIMITED BOXED SET (0-7566-5725-3)—HC, 10x12, 400pgs, FC SRP: $100.00

MARVEL: THE EXPANDING UNIVERSE WALL CHART
(W) Michael Mallory
The Marvel universe — that amazing, multiplanar realm inhabited by Spider-Man, Captain America, the X-Men, and other legendary Marvel Comics characters — has until now existed solely in a metaphoric state. For the first time, the scope and breadth of the entire Marvel universe is visible in a one-of-a-kind graphic representation. Part decorative poster, part insightful history, part reference work, and part interactive fun, Marvel: The Expanding Universe Wall Chart creates a pictorial tapestry of more than 300 Marvel Comics characters, and features contributions from the finest comic book artists of the last two centuries. (235/0-7893-9964-4) (C: 0-1-2)
HC, 5x8, 10pgs, FC SRP: $45.00

THE SUPERGIRLS: FASHION, FEMINISM, FANTASY, AND THE HISTORY OF COMIC BOOK HEROINES SC
(W) Mike Madrid
Offering an entertaining and informative look at these modern-day icons, The Supergirls details the much-needed alternative history of American comic book superheroines — from Wonder Woman to Supergirl and beyond — where they fit in popular culture and why, and what these crime-fighting females say about the role of women in American society from their creation to now, and into the future. (9321/1-935259-03-2) (C: 0-1-2)
SC, 6x9, 334pgs SRP: $16.95

FANTASY/SCI-FI

BROM'S THE CHILD THIEF HC
(W/A) Brom
Award-winning artist Brom takes us on a haunting look at the true world of Peter Pan in this, his first full-length novel! From modern day New York to the dying land of Faerie, The Child Thief reveals the world of Peter Pan through the eyes of an insecure runaway who is seduced by Peter's charm. But any dreams of a fairy wonderland are quickly replaced by the reality of life and death survival as Peter's recruits are forced into a lethal battle in which the line between good and evil is blurred. Features an 8-page color insert and b&w illustrations throughout. (120/0-06-167133-9) (C: 0-1-2)
HC, 7x10, 480pgs, PC SRP: $26.99

THE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY PART 6: AND ANOTHER THING... HC
(W) Eoin Colfer
From Eoin Colfer, author of the blockbuster Artemis Fowl children's series, comes the sixth installment in Douglas Adams' legendary Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams has long been considered required reading for satire and science fiction fans. During the writing of the sixth book in the series, Adams suffered a heart attack and died at the age of 49. Eoin Colfer continues the legacy in what will surely be the international publishing event of the year! (120/1-4013-2358-8) (C: 0-1-2)
HC, 6x9, 272pgs SRP: $25.99

NOISY OUTLAWS, UNFRIENDLY BLOBS, AND SOME OTHER THINGS... SC
(E) Ted Thompson with Eli Horowitz
This collection of stories for wise young people and immature old people features previously unpublished children’s stories from the likes of Jonathan Safran Foer (Everything Is Illuminated), Nick Hornby (High Fidelity), Neil Gaiman (Sandman), George Saunders (CivilWarLand in Bad Decline), Kell Link (Stranger Things Happen), and Jon Scieskza (The Stinky Cheese Man), complemented with full-color illustrations by Barry Blitt, Lane Smith, David Heatley, and Marcel Dzama. (235/0-385-73747-5) (C: 0-1-2)
SC, 5x8, 209pgs, FC SRP: $12.99

HORROR

DRACULA: THE UN-DEAD HC
(W) Dacre Stoker, Ian Holt
At last, the first Stoker family-supported sequel to one of the best-selling and most influential novels of all time — Dracula. Written by a direct descendant of Bram Stoker and a well-known Dracula historian, Dracula: The Un-Dead is a bone-chilling sequel based on Bram Stoker's own handwritten notes for characters and plot threads excised from the original edition. Set in 1912, 25-years after Dracula "crumbled to dust," Van Helsing's protege, Dr. Seward, is now a disgraced morphine addict obsessed with stamping out evil across Europe. Meanwhile, an unknowing Quincey Harker, son of Jonathon and Mina, leaves law school for the stage, only to stumble upon the troubled production of Dracula, directed and produced by Bram Stoker himself! The play plunges Quincey into the world of his parents' terrible secrets, but before he can confront them he experiences evil in a way he had never imagined, as one by one, the band of heroes that defeated Dracula a quarter-century ago is being hunted down! Could it be that Dracula somehow survived their attack and is seeking revenge? Or, is there another, far more sinister force at work whose relentless purpose is to destroy anything and anyone associated with Dracula? (230/0-525-95129-6) (C: 0-1-2)
HC, 6x9, 416pgs, FC SRP: $26.95

HELLBOUND HEARTS SC
(W) Paul Kane, Marie O'Regan
This terrifying anthology based on Clive Barker's iconic horror novella The Hellbound Heart — the basis for the internationally acclaimed Hellraiser horror film series — features contributions from Clive Barker (Foreword and featured book cover artist for anthology), Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean (graphic short story "Wordsworth"), Christopher Golden, with illustrations by Mike Mignola (Hellboy), Steve Niles (30 Days of Night), and Doug Bradley (Hellraiser actor — "Pinhead" Cenobite). (248/1-439-14090-1) (C: 0-1-2)
MATURE THEMES
SC, 5x8, 256pgs SRP: $16.00

JOHN DIES AT THE END HC
(W) David Wong
It's a drug that promises an out-of-body experience with each hit. On the street they call it Soy Sauce, and users drift across time and dimensions. But some who come back are no longer human. Suddenly, a silent otherworldly invasion is underway, and mankind needs a hero. What it gets instead is John and David, a pair of college dropouts who can barely hold down jobs. Can these two stop the oncoming horror in time to save humanity? No. No, they can't. (256/0-312-55513-X) (C: 0-1-2)
HC, 6x9, 384pgs SRP: $24.99

MORBID CURIOSITY CURES THE BLUES SC
(W) Loren Rhoads
Morbid Curiosity was an underground magazine based in San Francisco that gained a devoted following for its collection of absurd, gross, and unusual tales — all true — from contributors around the country. The editor of the magazine, Loren Rhoads, has compiled the best stories from all ten issues (now out of print and in demand) for this anthology. Stories range from the outrageous — attending a black mass, fishing bodies out of San Francisco Bay, and making snuff films — to the more mundane — touring a museum of the dead in Mexico, tracking vampires through San Francisco, and growing up in the Mormon church. These are sometimes shocking, sometimes gruesome, but always fascinating stories from ordinary people about the darker side of life. (248/1-439-12466-3) (C: 0-1-2)
SC, 320pgs SRP: $14.95

ZOMBIES: A RECORD OF THE YEAR OF INFECTION SC
(W) Don Roff, (A) Chris Lane
The year is 2011, and what starts as a pervasive and inexplicable illness ends up as a zombie infestation that devastates the world's population. Taking the form of a biologist's illustrated journal found in the aftermath of the attack, this pulse-pounding, suspenseful tale of a zombie apocalypse follows the narrator as he flees from city to countryside and heads north to Canada, where — he hopes — the undead will be slowed by the colder climate. Encountering scattered humans and scores of the infected along the way, he fills his notebook with graphic drawings of the zombies and careful observations of their behavior, along with terrifying tales of survival. (334/0-8118-7100-2) (C: 0-1-2)
SC, 8x10, 144pgs, FC SRP: $19.95

HOW-TO

DRAW & PAINT FANTASY FEMALES SC
(W/A) Tom Fleming
Author, Tom Fleming has been an artist for DC Comis, Marvel Comics, and the World Wrestling Federation. In Draw & Paint Fantasy Females, he teaches readers how to draw and paint truly fabulous fantasy females with this practical and inspirational guide for improving artists. (143/1-60061-305-5) (C: 0-1-2)
SC, 9x10, 128pgs, FC SRP: $24.99

IMAGINATIVE REALISM: HOW TO PAINT WHAT DOESN'T EXIST SC
(W/A) James Gurney
An award-winning fantasy artist and the creator of Dinotopia, James Gurney instructs and inspires in Imaginative Realism: How to Paint What Doesn't Exist. Renowned for his uncanny ability to incorporate amazing detail and imagination into stunningly realistic fantasy settings, James Gurney teaches budding artists and fans of fantasy art step-by-step the techniques, and the practical methods for creating believable pictures of imaginary subjects, such as dinosaurs, ancient Romans, alien creatures, and distant worlds. (18/0-7407-8550-8) (C: 0-1-2)
SC, 9x10, 208pgs, PC SRP: $24.99

THE MANGA ARTIST'S WORKBOOK HC
(W/A) Christopher Hart
A sketchbook and art tutorial rolled into one portable journal, this workbook contains tracing paper, blank practice pages, and cartooning instruction and exercises by Christopher Hart. (235/0-307-46270-6) (C: 0-1-2)
SC, 6x7, 160pgs, PC SRP: $15.99

MASTER DIGITAL COLOR SC WITH DVD
(W) Brian & Kristy Miller
In this insightful book and DVD teaching tool, authors Brian and Kristy Miller — owners of Hi-Fi Colour Design, which employs dozens of colorists to work with all the major comics and entertainment publishers, including DC, Marvel, Disney, Wizard, Lucasfilm, and many others — assist readers in learning digital coloring from the pros. Each chapter features a unique coloring style — Disney-esque, superhero, sci-fi, pin-up, anime/manga, and alternative — and builds on techniques introduced in Hi-Fi Color for Comics. (143/1-60061-759-X) (C: 0-1-2)
SC, 8x11, 160pgs, FC SRP: $26.99

SCREAM! DRAW CLASSIC VAMPIRES, WEREWOLVES, ZOMBIES & MORE SC
(W/A) Steve Ellis
From basic instruction covering shapes, lighting, and gesture, to texture, facial features, and anatomy and much more, Scream features more than 23 demonstrations for the creation of various classic characters and settings, from starting sketches to finished colored art — including a variety of vampires, witches, Frankenstein's mother, zombies, werewolves, ghosts, and more. (143/1-60061-179-6) (C: 0-1-2)
SC, 8x11, 128pgs, FC SRP: $22.99

SHOUJO ART STUDIO HC
(W/A) Yishan Li
Shoujo Art Studio demonstrates the myriad ways that manga characters and background scenes can be personalized, adapted, and customized, and reveals the secrets of manga storytelling, pacing, and panel-to-page composition. (235/0-8230-9973-3) (C: 0-1-2)
SC, 6x7, 128pgs, PC SRP: $25.99

HUMOR

BERKELEY BREATHED: FLAWED DOGS — THE SHOCKING RAID ON WESTMINSTER HC
(W/A) Berkeley Breathed
From Pulitzer Prize-winning and New York Times bestselling author Berkeley Breathed (Bloom County, Outland) comes his first illustrated novel — a heartwarming and humorous ode to the unconditional and lasting love we and our pets share. Sam the Lion is actually a priceless dachshund, bred to be a show dog. More important, he's Heidy's best friend — and she needs one like never before. Living with her reclusive uncle is hard, but Sam has a way of making her feel soft and whole. Until the day Sam is framed by the jealous poodle Cassius, and is cast out by Heidi's uncle, alone on the wild streets, where he is roughed up by a world he wasn't bred for. Unfettered, Sam befriends other abandoned dogs as he journeys all the way to the Westminster Dog Show — and Heidi! (230/0-399-25218-5) (C: 0-1-2)
HC, 5x8, 240pgs, FC SRP: $16.99

F*CK: A HISTORY OF THE WORLD IN 67 UNFORTUNATE INCIDENTS HC
(W/A) Martin Rowson
Everything has a downside, if only you looked at it the right way. Award-winning cartoonist Martin Rowson tells the story of Earth, from start to finish, in sixty-seven savagely witty, splendidly satirical vignettes. Each image features a one-word speech bubble proving that almost every milestone in history had its downside and can therefore be summed up in one succinct, withering, mood-deflating expletive. Every historical turning point is satirically savaged — the emergence of life, the death of the dinosaurs, the Crucifixion, the discovery of America, the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, Communism, the War on Terror — all the way to the end of the world. (235/0-7893-2057-6) (C: 0-1-2)
MATURE THEMES
HC, 8x6, 144pgs, FC SRP: $14.95

LIO'S ASTONISHING TALES: FROM THE HAUNTED CRYPT OF UNKNOWN HORRORS TP
(W/A) Mark Tatulli
From bumps in the night to things lurking under the bed, cartoonist Mark Tatulli (Heart of the City) unleashes a boy's vivid imagination in Lio's Astonishing Tales! This collection features strips gathered from two previous collections: Lio, Happiness is a Squishy Cephalopod and Silent But Deadly. (18/0-7407-8541-9) (C: 0-1-2)
SC, 8x11, 224pgs, B&W SRP: $16.99

THE NEW VAMPIRE'S HANDBOOK SC
(W) Joe Garden
While it only takes a single bite to become a vampire, the newly undead soon find it isn't all capes and carnal desires. Synthesizing all the various iterations of vampire lore — from Stoker to Lugosi to Twilight — this hilarious illustrated guide to the issues facing recently turned Creatures of the Night serves as an essential resource for vampires and those who love them. (235/0-345-50856-4) (C: 0-1-2)
SC, 5x8, 176pgs, FC SRP: $13.00

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES DELUXE HC
(W) Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith
Now with 30% MORE ZOMBIES! "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains." So begins Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (PPZ), the knockout hit of 2009! This Deluxe Heirloom Edition of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies features additional material and pages of all-new (and entirely gratuitous) ultra-violent zombie mayhem, a special preface from author Seth Grahame-Smith in which he describes the writing of PPZ, and 15 all-new, full-color oil painting illustrations depicting PPZ's most memorable moments, all gathered in a fancy, four-color, hardcover package. (334/1-59474-451-3) (C: 0-1-2)
HC, 5x8, 340pgs, PC SRP: $24.95

PATRICK MCDONNELL: WAG
(W/A) Patrick McDonnell
It seems that everything gets Earl's tail wagging — a bowl of food, a field of flowers, long walks, and belly rubs. But Mooch, Earl's best friend, knows what all of these things have in common: love is what makes Earl's tail wag. Patrick McDonnell, creator of the nationally syndicated comic strip, Mutts, pays an incredibly sweet tribute to his dog in a tale of wiggling and waggling, fwipping and fwapping, and every dog's secret to the joy of life. (295/0-316-04548-9) (C: 0-1-2)
HC, 8x7, 40pgs, FC SRP: $15.99

UGLYDOLL: CHILLY CHILLY ICE-BAT HC
(W) David Horvath, Sun-Min Kim
It's summer in the Uglyverse, and Wage and Babo’s air conditioner has broken down, so they head to Ox and Wedgehead’s Air Conditioner Emporium, where the only cooling mechanism they can afford is an old-fashioned ice-box. Bringing it home, they soon realize they're in for more of a stew than they bargained for when they find little Ice-Bat living inside! (235/0-375-84507-0) (C: 0-1-2) NOTE: This item may be available through other retail outlets before shipping to comic book specialty shops.
SC, 8x6, 32pgs, FC SRP: $12.99

THE WEREWOLF'S GUIDE TO LIFE SC
(W) Ritch Duncan, Bob Powers
If you've been attacked by a werewolf, being bitten is just the beginning! The Werewolf's Guide to Life cuts through the fiction and holds your paw through your first transformation and beyond, offering indispensible advice, warnings, even shopping lists for every aspect of living with lycanthropy. (235/0-7679-3193-9) (C: 0-1-2)
SC, 5x8, 272pgs, FC SRP: $13.99

MANGA

THE ART OF OSAMU TEZUKA, GOD OF MANGA HC
(W) Helen McCarthy
Osamu Tezuka has often been called “the god of manga” and “the Walt Disney of Japan,” but he was far more than that. Tezuka was Walt Disney, Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Tim Burton, and Carl Sagan all rolled into one incredibly prolific creator, changing the face of Japanese culture forever. Best known for Astro Boy and Kimba the White Lion, Tezuka was instrumental in developing Japanese animation and modern manga comics. The Art of Osamu Tezuka is the first authorized biography celebrating his work and life and featuring over 300 images — many of which have never been seen outside of Japan. (7/0-8109-8249-8) (C: 1-1-2)
HC, 9x12, 272pgs, FC SRP: $40.00

MANGA KAMISHIBAI: THE ART OF JAPANESE PAPER THEATER HC
(W) Eric P. Nash, Frederik L. Schodt
Before giant robots, space ships, and masked super heroes filled the pages of Japanese comic books — known as manga — such characters were regularly seen on the streets of Japan in kamishibai stories. With rare images reproduced for the first time from Japanese archives, including full-length kamishibai stories, Manga Kamishibai: The Art of Japanese Paper Theater tells the history of this fascinating and nearly vanished Japanese art form that paved the way for modern-day comic books, and is the missing link in the development of modern manga. (7/0-8109-5303-X) (C: 0-1-2)
HC, 8x9, 304pgs, FC SRP: $35.00

OTAKU ENCYCLOPEDIA: AN INSIDER'S GUIDE TO THE SUBCULTURE OF COOL JAPAN SC
(W) Patrick W. Galbraith
With over 600 entries, including common expressions, people, places, and moments of otaku history, The Otaku Encyclopedia serves as an essential A to Z of facts every Japanese pop-culture enthusiast needs to know. Author Patrick W. Galbraith has spent several years researching deep into the otaku heartland and his intimate knowledge of the subject gives the reader an insider's guide to words such as moe, doujinshi, cosplay and maid cafes. (900/4-7700-3101-7) (C: 0-1-2)
SC, 7x10, 248pgs, PC SRP: $19.95

ROUGH GUIDE TO MANGA SC
(W) Jason Yadao
From manga's twelfth-century roots to the rise of English-language manga with profiles of influential creators like Leiji Matsumoto and CLAMP, The Rough Guide to Manga is the ultimate handbook offering a comprehensive overview of one of the most fashionable genre's in today's popular culture. (4309/1-85828-561-5) (C: 0-1-2)
SC, 7x7, 304pgs, PC SRP: $18.99

MOVIE/TV

A.I. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: THE VISION BEHIND THE FILM HC
(W) Jan Harlan, Jane Struthers, Chris Baker
A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) was a collaboration between two cinematic giants: the late Stanley Kubrick and Steven Spielberg. Here, the directors’ combined visions and sensibilities are presented along with the work of their remarkably talented colleagues — above all, Chris Baker, the film’s conceptual artist. Commissioned by Kubrick and used in Spielberg’s eventual production designs, the drawings display Baker’s imagination and rare technical skill. Accompanying the drawings are extracts from Kubrick’s notebooks, stills from the finished film, and photographs of behind-the-scenes action, highlighting the use of pioneering special effects, animatronic work, and the “virtual studio.” (6389/0-500-51489-5) (C: 0-1-2)
HC, 16x12, 160pgs, PC SRP: $60.00

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: THE OFFICIAL COMPANION TO SEASON FOUR TP
(W) Sharon Gosling
With its classy ensemble cast, including Edward James Olmos and Mary McDonnell, its cutting-edge special effects, superb production design, and gritty, adult-oriented scripts, Battlestar Galactica is a stunning piece of television drama that TIME magazine voted "TV Show of the Year." This fourth official companion to Battlestar Galactica is packed with exclusive interviews, photos, behind-the-scenes secrets, and a complete season four episode guide compiled with access to the production of the acclaimed final season. This companion also looks at the hit Razor special movie that premiered before the fourth season. (893/1-845-76938-4) (C: 0-1-2)
SC, 6x9, 176pgs, PC SRP: $14.95

HAMMER GLAMOUR HC
(W) Marcus Hearn
Over fifty years ago, Hammer Studios ushered in a whole new era of blood and barely restrained cleavage in glorious color, mixing sex and horror with a style that made the small British company world famous. Bursting at the seams with rare and previously unpublished photographs from Hammer's archive and private collections worldwide, and featuring many new interviews, Hammer Glamour is a lavish, full-color celebration of Hammer's female stars, including Ingrid Pitt, Martine Beswick, Caroline Munro, Barbara Shelley, Joanna Lumley, Nastassja Kinski, and of course Raquel Welch (who can forget her fur bikini in One Million Years B. C.?). (893/1-848-56229-2) (C: 0-1-2)
HC, 9x12, 160pgs, PC SRP: $29.95

HOLLYWOOD MONSTER HC
(W) Robert Englund
Featuring forewords by horror film giants Wes Craven and Tobe Hooper! Robert Englund, the actor who portayed the role of Freddy Kruger — arguably the most iconic horror film villain of our generation — peels back the mask and reveals his most intimate stories from twenty years on the sets of A Nightmare on Elm Street. (248/1-439-15048-6) (C: 0-1-2)
HC, 6x9, 352pgs SRP: $26.00

JAMES BOND ENCYCLOPEDIA UPDATED EDITION HC
The ultimate resource for everything Bond, this edition of the James Bond Encyclopedia is fully updated with new content on Quantum of Solace. (4309/0-7566-5548-X) (C: 0-1-2)
HC, 10x12, 336pgs, FC SRP: $40.00

SHOOTIN' THE SH*T WITH KEVIN SMITH SC
(W) Kevin Smith
Following on from the New York Times-bestselling My Boring-Ass Life, Kevin Smith is back! In freewheeling conversations with his friend and producer Scott Mosier (as heard on their top-rated podcast, known as SModcast), we discover — to pick just four random examples of the riches therein — the genesis of Stalin’s Monkey Soldier army, the horrifying tale of Kevin vs. Steak Tartare, how to make bukkake eggs, and how Kevin was once willing to let Alanis Morissette get mugged. Defiantly lewd, crude, and hilariously rude, Shootin’ the Sh*t with Kevin Smith is a must for all his fans! (893/1-845-76415-3) (C: 0-1-2)
MATURE THEMES
SC, 5x8, 384pgs, B&W SRP: $14.95

MY BORING-ASS LIFE REVISED EDITION SC
(W) Kevin Smith
Now featuring a new afterward and updated with the ins and outs of the making of Zack and Miri Make a Porno! If you've missed out on the pleasure of getting inside Kevin Smith's head before now, today is your lucky day, as his previous diary collection My Boring-Ass Life is back with a vengeance in a revised edition. Anything but boring, the creator of Jay and Silent Bob shares his x-rated thoughts in this diary collection, telling all in his usual candid, heartfelt, and irreverent way! (893/1-848-56497-X) (C: 0-1-2)
MATURE THEMES
SC, 5x8, 496pgs SRP: $14.95

STAR WARS

LEGO STAR WARS: THE VISUAL DICTIONARY HC
Includes an Exclusive Mini-Figure! LEGO Star Wars: The Visual Dictionary elucidates, illuminates, and excites even the most discerning LEGO Group, Star Wars, and mini-figure fans around the world as Darth Vader, Boba Fett, Yoda, Luke Skywalker, and more are brought to life with dozens of little-known facts and hundreds of photos, complete with details on accessories, vehicles, weapons, and even the Death Star! Learn about the history, manufacture, and construction of the mini-figures of the Star Wars galaxy, and come away a LEGO Jedi Master! (4309/0-7566-5529-3) (C: 0-1-2)
HC, 11x12, 96pgs, FC SRP: $21.99