Uncategorized

Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas: Beyond Halloween Town: The Story, the Characters, and the Legacy by Emily Zemler

Author Emily Zemler, who describes her younger self as “a black clothing-clad weirdo” in the Introduction, helps commemorate the 30th ...
Read More

Book Review: Totem by Laura Pérez

In Laura Pérez’s beautiful, bewildering graphic novel, a flashback begets another flashback, unidentified characters drift in and out of the ...
Read More

Book Review: Eden II by K. Wroten

K. Wroten’s sophomore graphic novel is a sprawling, 452-page meditation on the bleak existence faced by the current twenty-something generation. ...
Read More

Book Review: Ernie in Kovacsland: Writings, Drawings, and Photographs from Television’s Original Genius

Ernie Kovacs was a comic pioneer in television as well as a television pioneer in comedy. During the 1950s, both ...
Read More

Book Review: Horror Unmasked: A History of Terror from Nosferatu to Nope by Brad Weismann

The horror genre is still regarded by many as the bastard stepchild of film. A lot of people continue to ...
Read More

Book Review: Memoirs of a Man in Pajamas by Paco Roca

This is not a new graphic novel by Spanish cartoonist Paco Roca. Instead, it’s a compilation of archival autobiographical comic ...
Read More

Book Review: Christopher Nolan: The Iconic Filmmaker and His Work by Ian Nathan

Housed in a slipcase, Ian Nathan's Christopher Nolan: The Iconic Filmmaker and His Work takes readers on an unofficial and ...
Read More

Book Review: Starseeds 3 by Charles Glaubitz

By any conventional literary measure, the Starseeds series is bewildering and left so far open to interpretation that it’s difficult ...
Read More

Book Review: Walt Disney’s Uncle Scrooge “Cave of Ali Baba” by Carl Barks

Walt Disney's Uncle Scrooge “Cave of Ali Baba” is Volume 28 in Fantagraphics' The Complete Carl Barks Disney Library. It ...
Read More
Werewolf Jones Sons Deluxe Super Fun Comic

Book Review: Werewolf Jones & Sons: Deluxe Super Fun Annual by Simon Hanselmann and Josh Pettinger

I am not by any means a prude, but I should have never read Werewolf Jones & Songs: Deluxe Super ...
Read More

Book Review: Out There: The Science Behind Sci-Fi Film and TV by Ariel Waldman

Science fiction is a genre that has predicted many current inventions. And yet, at the time of release, certain movies ...
Read More

Book Review: Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers: The Count Roquefort Case and Other Stories: The Disney Afternoon Adventures Vol. 3

The third in Fantagraphics reprint series, Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers: The Count Roquefort Case and Other Stories: The Disney ...
Read More

Book Review: Scrooge McDuck: The Dragon of Glasgow by Joris Chamblain and Fabrizio Petrossi

Scrooge McDuck is best known from either DuckTales, or from the 1983 Disney Short, "Mickey's Christmas Carol." There he played, ...
Read More
The Complete Peanuts Cartoon Book Front Cover in Color

Book Review: The Complete Peanuts 1987-1988: A Lovingly Curated Collection of Charles M. Schulz’ Brilliant Strips

For nearly 50 years, Charles M. Schulz captured the hearts and imaginations of readers with his beloved Peanuts characters. Charlie ...
Read More

Book Review: Walt Disney’s Uncle Scrooge: Operation Galleon Grab by Giorgio Cavazzano

While never a major draw in the United States, comic book stories starring the main line Disney cartoon characters, Mickey ...
Read More

Book Review: Alison by Lizzy Stewart

Alison is a plain teenager getting by in a small English town, running out the clock on her high school ...
Read More

Book Review: Dear Mini: A Graphic Memoir, Book One by Natalie Norris

Natalie Norris was just 16 years old when she was shipped off from the U.S. to France for a summer ...
Read More
Anais Nin A Sea of Lies by Leonie Bischoff

Book Review: Anaïs Nin: A Sea of Lies by Léonie Bischoff

Diarist and author Anaïs Nin lived an extraordinary and controversial life. From Henry Miller to John Steinbeck, she had many lovers ...
Read More

Book Review: Walt Disney’s Silly Symphonies 1932-1935: Starring Bucky Bug and Donald Duck

Previously available from IDW/The Library of American Comics in 2016, Fantagraphics has now released their edition of Walt Disney's Silly ...
Read More

Book Review: The Planetoid and Other Stories by Al Feldstein and Joe Orlando

After over 30 volumes in the long-running Fantagraphics EC Artists’ Library series, Joe Orlando’s sci-fi stories return to the spotlight ...
Read More

Book Review: Nudism Comes to Connecticut by Susan Schade and Jon Buller

Imagine having a scandalous but fascinating tale buried deep within the branches of your family tree. Then imagine having the ...
Read More

Book Review: Eddie Muller’s Noir Bar: Cocktails Inspired by the World of Film Noir: A Complete Package

Dark corners. Quiet conversations. Secrets that get spilled after a few too many. This could be a scene from a ...
Read More

Book Review: Listen, Beautiful Márcia by Marcello Quintanilha

Brazilian favelas typically evoke images of poverty, drugs, and desperation, as most notably explored in the film City of God. ...
Read More

Book Review: Doris Danger: Giant Monsters Amok by Chris Wisnia & Ricky Sprague

As the American comic book industry developed in the '60s, it became significantly less diverse. Superheroes eventually became, essentially, the ...
Read More

Book Review: Inside Comedy: The Soul, Wit, and Bite of Comedy and Comedians of the Last Five Decades by David Steinberg

David Steinberg is a man of many talents. He performed improv at Second City before becoming a stand-up comedian known ...
Read More

Book Review: Out of My Head: The Imaginary Creatures of Josep Baqué by Brian Chidester

Josep Baqué was an artist with whom very few are familiar. His artwork went mostly unknown, as he never shared ...
Read More

Book Review: Salome’s Last Dance by Daria Tessler

Portland artist Daria Tessler's second comic book published by Fantagraphics is a short, strange trip that finds influences from such ...
Read More

Book Review: Sydney Pollack: A Subliminal Existentialist by Wes D. Gehring

Director/producer/actor Sydney Pollack (1934-2008) was one of the unsung heroes of cinematic and popular culture. His films ranged from Depression-era ...
Read More

Book Review: Daughters of Snow and Cinders by Núria Tamarit

When a determined young adventurer sets out into the wilderness in search of gold, she quickly encounters threats from the ...
Read More

Book Review: Jessica Lange: An Adventurer’s Heart by Anthony Uzarowski

Being a film lover, I have read a few actor/actress biographies in my time, but I've rarely come across one ...
Read More

Book Review: Eddie Muller’s Noir Bar: Cocktails Inspired by the World of Film Noir

I am not a drinker whatsoever, but I do love film noir. So, Noir Bar, the delightful new photo-book by ...
Read More

Book Review: The Trees Grew Because I Bled There by Eric LaRocca

The Trees Grew Because I Bled There by Bram Stoker Award Finalist Eric LaRocca is a collection of “literary dark ...
Read More

Book Review: Night Terror by John Kenn Mortensen

On more than one occasion I've had a dream where I woke up, got up from bed, and went to ...
Read More

Book Review: Fools Die on Friday by Erle Stanley Gardner

Donald Lam knows the girl's a phony. He knows from the second he sees the monogram on her cigarette case ...
Read More

Book Review: The Heavy Bright by Cathy Malkasian

A young girl is tasked with a seemingly impossible quest: to hunt down and destroy 999 black eggs closely held ...
Read More

Book Review: Ephemera: A Memoir by Briana Loewinsohn

Briana Loewinsohn’s debut graphic novel heralds the arrival of an intriguing new talent already operating at a masterful level. Her ...
Read More

Book Review: Dark City: The Lost World of Film Noir (Revised and Expanded Edition) by Eddie Muller

Author Eddie Muller, founder and president of the Film Noir Foundation and host of TCM's Noir Alley, once again serves ...
Read More

Book Review: T*ts & Cl*ts 1972-1987: An Underground, Women-made Comix Gets the Fantagraphics Touch

Out this month, Tits & Clits 1972-1987 (Fantagraphics Books) compiles for the first time (in a single, handsome volume) all ...
Read More

Book Review: Mickey and Donald: For Whom the Doorbell Tolls

In 1999, a teacher at Disney’s Italian school for cartoonists presented his students with a prompt: select a short story ...
Read More

Book Review: Evita: The Life and Work of Eva Perón by Héctor Germán Oesterheld, Alberto and Enrique Breccia

Fantagraphics continues their series of Alberto Breccia releases with this graphic biography of the polarizing Argentine icon, Eva Perón, popularly ...
Read More

Book Review: The George Herriman Library: Krazy & Ignatz 1925-1927

Krazy Kat is the kind of thing that doesn't happen. The comic strip ran for almost 30 years despite irritation ...
Read More

Book Review: Talespin: Flight of the Sky-Raker and Other Stories: The Disney Afternoon Adventures Vol. 2

Disney Afternoon was a staple of after-school procrastination for nearly a decade, from 1990-1997. Several of those years included my ...
Read More

Book Review: Spa by Erik Svetoft

Swedish writer/illustrator Erik Svetoft's Spa is a Kafkaesque adventure that plunges into a Lynchian nightmare. Set in a high-class, luxury ...
Read More

Book Review: The Extraordinary Part: Book One: Orsay’s Hands by Florent Ruppert and Jerome Mulot

The latest work from powerhouse French graphic novelist duo Ruppert and Merlot imagines a world much like our own with ...
Read More

Book Review: Kevin Smith: His Films and Fans, Compiled & Edited by David Gati

No matter what you think of director Kevin Smith, there’s no denying that the 52-year-old filmmaker has something out of ...
Read More

Book Review: Rock on Film: The Movies That Rocked the Big Screen by Fred Goodman

Author Fred Goodman takes readers on a tour of Rock on Film for Turner Classic Movies. After revealing his first ...
Read More
A Man Holding an Electric Guitar in Hands

Book Review: Tonechaser – Understanding Edward: My 26-Year Journey with Edward Van Halen by Steve Rosen

While there have been many books chronicling Eddie Van Halen’s life and music, Steve Rosen’s Tonechaser is by the far ...
Read More

Book Review: Being Bond: A Daniel Craig Retrospective by Mark Salisbury

Daniel Craig’s final outing as James Bond in No Time to Die reminded us all how much of an impact ...
Read More

Book Review: TCM Underground: 50 Must-See Films from the World of Classic Cult and Late-Night Cinema by Millie De Chirico & Quatoyiah Murry

Since October 27, 2006, TCM Underground, as stated on the book's jacket, has been a “Turner Classic Movies series that ...
Read More

Book Review: Five Decembers by James Kestrel 

Joe McGrady has been a beat cop in Hawaii since he left the Army five years ago. But it’s the ...
Read More
Book Review The Man Who Fell to Earth Poster

Book Review: The Man Who Fell to Earth by Dan Watters and Dev Pramanik

The creators of this new graphic novel were faced with three apparent approaches to its production: craft an adaptation of ...
Read More
Comic Book Review GJ Joe Poster Image

Comic Book Review: G.I. Joe – A Real American Hero #299: The Penultimate Issue at IDW Sets up an Exciting Finale

For being the penultimate issue of G.I. Joe - A Real American Hero, issue #299 (part four of the “All ...
Read More

Book Review: G.I. Joe – A Real American Hero: Saturday Morning Adventures: The TV Show Comes to Life in This Fun Miniseries

During the 1980s, G.I. Joe - A Real American Hero, was seemingly everywhere. What began as a successful toy line ...
Read More

Book Review: G.I. Joe – A Real American Hero 40th Anniversary Special by Larry Hama

The 1960s had G.I. Joe, America’s Movable Fighting Man, a series of doll-sized action figures that highlighted all branches of ...
Read More

TV Review: Love & Rockets: The Great American Comic Book

After 40 years of ongoing publication, the Love & Rockets comic book is long overdue for a celebratory retrospective. Thankfully, ...
Read More

Book Review: Danger on the Silver Screen: 50 Films Celebrating Cinema’s Greatest Stunts by Scott McGee

Relive some of motion picture’s most exciting moments through action-packed, full-color photos in Danger on the Silver Screen: 50 Films ...
Read More

Book Review: Disneyanity: Of ‘Walt’ & Religion by Douglas Brode

Disneyanity isn't a theological work of compare and contrast or how Disney and world religions stack up against one another. ...
Read More

Book Review: Radical: My Year with a Socialist Senator by Sofia Warren

A young Latina politician runs for and wins office in New York as a virtual unknown, ousting a veteran incumbent ...
Read More
A poster of the movie The Mobster and The Lawyer

Book Review: Lennon, the Mobster & the Lawyer: The Untold Story by Jay Bergen

Lennon, the Mobster & the Lawyer: The Untold Story by Jay Bergen recounts one of John Lennon’s less publicized legal ...
Read More

Book Review: It’s Alive! by Julian David Stone

Inspired by true events!  It’s Alive! is a fantastic, fictional account of the final days leading up to the filming ...
Read More
A poster of the movie Tough Tender

Book Review: Tough Tender by Max Allan Collins

Tough Tender, by Max Allan Collins, is the latest double-issue reprint from Hard Case Crime book publishers and includes two ...
Read More

Book Review: The Junction by Norm Konyu

Far too rarely, a graphic novel lands in the market with such an assured sense of style and substance that ...
Read More

Book Review: Girls on Film: Lessons from a Life of Watching Women in Movies by Alicia Malone

The lovely Alicia Malone has proven herself to be a great film reporter, writer, and fellow movie geek. One of ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: The Unseen Photos of Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street by Trevor Crafts

If you are the kind of person who not only enjoys magic tricks, but wants to know how they saw ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: Hitchcock and the Censors by John Billheimer

Alfred Hitchcock was a weird guy. That's not a slur on his character, but a statement of fact. He was ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: Otto Preminger: The Man Who Be King by Foster Hirsch

The legendary (for better and worse) Otto Preminger was one of the most influential and progressive people in Hollywood history. ...
Read More
Leonard Maltin featuring in Star Struck

Book Review: Starstruck: My Unlikely Road to Hollywood by Leonard Maltin

He has covered the entertainment industry since he was 13 years old. At some point, maybe even right now, his ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: Hitchcock and the Censors by John Billheimer

Censorship is a long and deranged form of limitation toward the freedoms and boundless expression in all forms of media, ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

From the Couch Hole: Got to Pay Your Dues

Previously on FTCH, we went into Cream and KrispyKreme. The previous episode was pretty funyan and we talked about Love/Hate ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: Jayne Mansfield: The Girl Couldn’t Help It by Eve Golden

If you saw a headline about a blonde bombshell actress living in a “pink palace” with her muscular husband, pack ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: Alien 3 by Pat Cadigan, based on the Unproduced First-Draft Screenplay by William Gibson

Alien 3 has been saddled with challenges since it was first announced. Multiple directors and screenplay efforts came forward, and ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

From the Couch Hole: Dreaming My Life Away

Previously on FTCH, we spoke about sassy spirits, snakes in the spice aisle, and spicy sweet Dew. This week continued ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: The Complete Dick Tracy Volume 29: 1976-1977 by Chester Gould

Chester Gould's Dick Tracy comic strip debuted on October 4, 1931 named after its lead character, a by-the-book police detective ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: The Art and Making of The Stand by Andy Burns

Priced at $45, The Art and Making of The Stand (Titan Books) is a coffee-table bit of glossiness devoted to ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: Summer Movies: 30 Sun-Drenched Classics by John Malahy

Normally, I have never been into Summer, especially due to the hot, stifling weather; mosquitoes, screaming children at play, overcrowded ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: Castle in the Air by Donald E. Westlake

Castle in the Air, by Donald E. Westlake, is a recent crime caper reprint (1980) from the always entertaining Hard ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: Two for the Money by Max Allan Collins

Two for the Money, by Max Allan Collins, is the latest double issue reprint from the almost always good Hard ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: Usagi Yojimbo: Homecoming by Stan Sakai

Usagi Yojimbo: Homecoming is Book 35 in the collected volumes of Stan Sakai's long running comic book series and the ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Ultimate Collection, Volume 5

The fifth volume of IDW's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Ultimate Collection opens with Issue #56, Part 7 of the ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: Alien: Into Charybdis by Alex White

There's a tendency in the Alien universe for humans to try to tame/control the chitinous ebony extraterrestrial monsters, and it ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: Usagi Yojimbo Origins Volume 01 by Stan Sakai

Over the course of his comic book career, Stan Sakai has become a legend in the industry, winning numerous awards ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: The Complete Dick Tracy Volume 28: 1974-1976 by Chester Gould

Chester Gould's Dick Tracy comic strip debuted on October 4, 1931 named after the lead character, a square-jawed, yellow-hat-and-jacket-wearing police ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: The Complete Steve Canyon Volume 10: 1965-1966 by Milton Caniff

Since January 2012, the Library of American Comics, by way of IDW Publishing, has been releasing collections of Milton Caniff's ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: Later by Stephen King: Growing Up with Ghosts

Dismiss his output from the last few decades all you like: Stephen King is a master of sentence construction. And ...
Read More

Book Review: Vision & the Scarlet Witch: The Saga of Wanda and Vision

Tying in with Disney+'s WandaVision, Marvel has repackaged some of the duo's adventures in Vision & the Scarlet Witch: The ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: The Complete Dick Tracy, Volume 27: 1972-1974 by Chester Gould

As the Library of American Comics and IDW Publishing continue to collect The Complete Dick Tracy by Chester Gould, Volume ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: Wolverine: Weapon X Omnibus by Cerasini, Mack, and Matthews

Wolverine: Weapon X Omnibus is a collection of three classic Logan, aka Wolverine of X-Men fame, novels from Titan Books. ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: For Better or For Worse: The Complete Library, Volume Five (1993-1996) by Lynn Johnston

Written by Chad Derdowski In 1995, I was a senior in high school and Michael Patterson was just starting college. ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: Corto Maltese: Mu, The Lost Continent by Hugo Pratt

Italian comics star Hugo Pratt led a life that was nearly as adventurous as his most famous character, Corto Maltese. ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Crusader’s Curse by Stuart Douglas

The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Crusader’s Curse (2020) by Stuart Douglas is the thirty-second entry in The Further Adventures of ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: Marvel Spider-Man: Miles Morales – Wings of Fury by Brittney Morris

Marvel Spider-Man: Miles Morales - Wings of Fury by Brittney Morris is a prequel to the video game Marvel Spider-Man: ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: Harry Dean Stanton: Hollywood’s Zen Rebel by Joseph B. Atkins

Harry Dean Stanton: Hollywood's Zen Rebel, by Joseph B. Atkins (University Press of Kentucky, 2020), is a carefully crafted tribute ...
Read More

Book Review: The Complete Dick Tracy, Volume 15: 1953-1954 by Chester Gould

Chester Gould's Dick Tracy comic strip debuted on October 4, 1931 named after the lead character, a square-jawed, yellow-hat-and-jacket-wearing police detective. In ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: Maureen O’Hara: The Biography by Aubrey Malone

Maureen O'Hara: The Biography by Aubrey Malone (University Press of Kentucky - 2020) is a heartfelt biography of the screen ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: Serpentine by Philip Pullman

Serpentine, by Philip Pullman, is the latest entry into the author’s much lauded His Dark Materials. Coming in at fewer ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: The Autobiography of Kathryn Janeway, edited by Una McCormack

The Autobiography of Kathryn Janeway, by Una McCormack, is the third book in a series of planned Star Trek “autobiographies” ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: Star Trek: The Artistry of Dan Curry by Dan Curry and Ben Robinson

In Star Trek: The Artistry of Dan Curry by Dan Curry and Ben Robinson, the reader is constantly reminded that ...
Read More

Book Review: Blade Runner 2049 – Interlinked – The Art by Tanya Lapointe

I remember back in 2017, after I had just exited the IMAX presentation of Blade Runner 2049, being absolutely stunned by ...
Read More

Book Review: Joe Alves: Designing Jaws by Dennis Prince

Special make-up effects artist and The Walking Dead executive producer Greg Nicotero, who cites Steven Spielberg's Jaws as an inspiration for his becoming a ...
Read More

Book Review: Alien: 40 Years 40 Artists by Various

I took the opportunity to review Alien: 40 Years 40 Artists because I'm an Alien nut, then realized I don't really know anything about ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: Picturing Peter Bogdanovich: My Conversations with the New Hollywood Director by Peter Tonguette

Director Peter Bogdanovich is neither misunderstood nor unappreciated, I think. His claim to fame as a movie brat (though he might ...
Read More

Book Review: Gramercy Park by Timothée de Fombelle and Christian Cailleaux

On top of a tall building stands a woman. She keeps bees. She talks to them. She loves them. Across ...
Read More

Book Review: Run-Out Groove: Inside Capitol’s 1980s Hits & Stiffs by Dave Morrell

In the 1980s, everything seemed bigger: the fashions, the drugs, the money, and even the sound of music. For Dave ...
Read More

Book Review: Tiananmen 1989: Our Shattered Hopes by Lun Zhang

I was not even five years old when the events of Tiananmen Square took place in Beijing, China in 1989. ...
Read More

Book Review: Superman: The Silver Age Sundays, Volume 2 (1963-1966)

Written By Chad Derdowski For more than 25 years, the Man of Steel fought for truth and justice in newspapers ...
Read More

Book Review: The Last Book on the Left: Stories of Murder and Mayhem from History’s Most Notorious Serial Killers

Dark humor and dark subject matter seem to go hand in hand. Combine those things with the incredible illustrations of ...
Read More

Book Review: For Better or For Worse: The Complete Library, Volume Four (1990-1993) by Lynn Johnston

Written By Chad Derdowski IDW and the Library of American Comics continue their tradition of collecting some of the finest ...
Read More

Book Review: Aliens: Phalanx by Scott Sigler

I've been riding the Alien train for the better part of 40 years now, and through the franchises high points ...
Read More

Book Review: Making Moon by Simon Ward

Hard sci-fi differentiates itself from the other kind by trying to follow the rules of physics and take place in ...
Read More

Book Review: The Complete Dick Tracy, Volume 26: 1970-1972 by Chester Gould

As the Library of American Comics and IDW Publishing continue to collect The Complete Dick Tracy by Chester Gould, Volume 26 presents the dailies ...
Read More

Book Review: Cult Filmmakers: 50 Movie Mavericks You Need to Know by Ian Haydn Smith

Cult Filmmakers finds author Ian Haydn Smith shining the spotlight on 50 movie mavericks. The illustration on the cover by Kristelle ...
Read More

Book Review: For Better or For Worse: The Complete Library, Volume Three (1986-1989) by Lynn Johnston

Written by Chad Derdowski From 1979 to 2008, Lynn Johnston showcased the joy and strife of family life in her ...
Read More

Book Review: Treasures Retold: The Lost Art of Alex Toth

Written by Chad Derdowski Not too long ago, I had the pleasure of reviewing Alex Toth's Bravo For Adventure as well as Genius, ...
Read More

Book Review: Superman: The Golden Age Dailies 1947-1949 by Alvin Schwartz, Wayne Boring, et al.

Superman remains one of the most beloved and collected superhero characters of all time. Some of the rarest Superman collectibles ...
Read More

Book Review: The Art of Godzilla: King of the Monsters by Abbie Bernstein

Abbie Bernstein takes readers behind the scenes with pre-production concept artwork and on-set photography from director/co-writer Michael Dougherty's Godzilla: King of ...
Read More

Book Review: Star Trek: The Next Generation: Through the Mirror by Tipton, Tipton, et. al.

In the Star Trek franchise, there is a parallel universe dubbed the "Mirror Universe" where the evil Terran Empire, which rules through ...
Read More

Book Review: Strange Cures by Rob Zabrecky

A good magician is always a joy to witness, but when a magician can curate a full experience of amazing ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: The Amazing Spider-Man: The Ultimate Newspaper Comics Collection Vol. 5, 1985-1986 by Stan Lee, Floro Dery, and Dan Barry

In its early years, the daily Spider-Man comic strip had typically followed a comfortable pattern of Spider-Man facing off against ...
Read More

Book Review: Star Trek: New Visions Volume 8 by John Byrne

As stated in my previous reviews of this book series, John Byrne and IDW Publishing are presenting the lost missions ...
Read More

Book Review: For Better or For Worse: The Complete Library, Volume Two (1982-1986) by Lynn Johnston

Written by Chad Derdowski In 1978, after publishing a handful of humorous parenting books, Lynn Johnston was asked by Universal ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: Justice League: The Art of the Film by Abbie Bernstein

Written by Chad Derdowski Let’s get this out of the way right here at the beginning: I haven’t seen Justice ...
Read More

Book Review: For Better or For Worse: The Complete Library, Volume One (1979-1982) by Lynn Johnston

Written by Chad Derdowski Since Lynn Johnston's For Better or For Worse launched in 1979, it has been syndicated in ...
Read More

Book Review: The Art and Making of Kong: Skull Island by Simon Ward

Author Simon Ward takes viewers to and behind the scenes of Kong: Skull Island in his book that looks at ...
Read More

Book Review: The Complete Steve Canyon, Volume 7: 1959-1960 by Milton Caniff

Milton Caniff's Steve Canyon ran from January 13, 1947 until June 4, 1988. The strip's titular hero served as an ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: The Amazing Spider-Man: The Ultimate Newspaper Comics Collection Vol. 4, 1983-1984 by Stan Lee, Fred Kida, and Floro Dery

With Fred Kida in control on daily art duties, Stan Lee started his writing chores in 1983 with nearly four ...
Read More

Book Review: Wonder Woman: The Art and Making of the Film by Sharon Gosling

Written by Chad Derdowski With a history dating back to 1941 and a variety of interpretations in comics, prose, and ...
Read More

Book Review: Aliens: Bug Hunt, Edited by Jonathan Maberry

Each film in the original Alien trilogy represents a unique approach to science fiction. Alien took sci-fi and suspense and ...
Read More

Book Review: Donald Duck: The Complete Daily Newspaper Comics Volume 4 (1945-1947)

Written by Jeff Provine  Everything old is new again with the upcoming reboot of Duck Tales on Disney XD, which ...
Read More

Book Review: Walt Disney’s Treasury of Classic Tales, Volume One

Walt Disney was a savvy businessman. With a staff of talented writers and artists employed to create films, he was ...
Read More

Book Review: Batman: A Celebration of the Classic TV Series by Bob Garcia and Joe Desris

Given its own yellow utility belt, Batman: A Celebration of the Classic TV Series is a marvelous compendium about the ...
Read More

Book Review: Star Wars: The Complete Classic Newspaper Comics, Vol. 1

Before The Empire Strikes Back was released in 1980, Star Wars fans who wanted more stories from George Lucas' “galaxy ...
Read More

Books Review: Donald Duck: The Complete Daily Newspaper Comics, Volume 3 and The Complete Sunday Newspaper Comics, Volume 2 (1943-1945)

There's something decidedly comforting about reading old Disney comic strips, as they're reliably funny, relatable, and finely crafted. These latest ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: The Marvel Vault by Thomas, Sanderson, and Manning

Originally published in 2007, Roy Thomas and Peter Sanderson's The Marvel Vault was clearly in need of Matthew K. Manning's ...
Read More

Book Review: Red Barry: Undercover Man, Vol. 1 (1934-1935) by Will Gould

I adored newspaper comic strips as I was growing up. My parents took in the Tulsa World, which was a ...
Read More

Book Review: Star Hawks, Volume One: 1977-1978 by Gil Kane and Ron Goulart

In early 1977, right at the start of the cultural science-fiction boom of the late '70s, the newspaper syndicate NEA ...
Read More

Book Review: Superman: The Golden Age Newspaper Dailies (1942-1944)

Written by Tim Gebhart Imagine the conundrum. America recently entered World War II, a war the government pronounces a battle ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: James Bond: SPECTRE: The Complete Comic Strip Collection

Having previously collected and released the James Bond newspaper comic-strip adventures that ran in British newspapers, including in Omnibus Volumes ...
Read More

Book Review: Film Noir Light and Shadow: Shedding Light on Dark Films

Much like the Supreme Court with pornography, I find "film noir" difficult to define, but I know it when I ...
Read More

Book Review: The Complete Dick Tracy, Volume 21: 1962-1964 by Chester Gould

As the Library of American Comics and IDW Publishing continue to collect The Complete Dick Tracy by Chester Gould, Volume ...
Read More

Book Review: Star Trek: The Classic UK Comics, Vol. 2: Where Some Fans May Never Have Gone Before

There are so many branches to the Star Trek universe: novelizations, movies, re-boot film series, animated series, magazines, television series, ...
Read More

Book Review: Star Trek: New Visions Volume 4 by John Byrne

In Star Trek: New Visions, John Byrne tells of the lost missions of the Starship Enterprise under the command of ...
Read More

Book Review: Tarzan on Film by Scott Tracy Griffin

Author Scott Tracy Griffin has followed up his Tarzan: The Centennial Celebration with Tarzan on Film, a marvelous exploration of ...
Read More

Book Review: LOAC Essentials Vol. 8: King Features Essentials 1: Krazy Kat 1934 by George Harriman: Rare Dailies of the Kraziest of Komics

It is ironic that, in the era of the Internet which has disrupted so much of modern publishing, it has ...
Read More

Books Review: Star Trek: New Visions Issue #3 “Cry Vengeance” and Issue #4 “Made Out of Mudd” by John Byrne

When I was growing up two of the things that I was really into were comic books and Star Trek. ...
Read More

Book Review: The Art of Selling Movies by John McElwee

Written by Tim Gebhart Today's digital media dislodged or diminished a variety of other media. Some are conspicuous: VHS and ...
Read More

Book Review: Superman: The Atomic Age Sundays, Volume 2 (1953-1956)

Written by Chad Derdowski Superman: The Atomic Age Sundays, Volume 2 (1953-1956) is the fourth collection of classic Superman Sunday ...
Read More

Book Review: Walt Disney’s Silly Symphonies Vol. 2 (1935-1939)

From 1929 to 1939, the Walt Disney company created 75 original animated short films under its Silly Symphonies line. As ...
Read More

Book Review: Batman: The Silver Age Newspaper Comics Vol. 3, 1969-1972

Long before most of us were reading the funny pages, Batman was finishing up a six-year comic strip run fueled ...
Read More

Book Review: Fireball: Carole Lombard and the Mystery of Flight 3 by Robert Matzen

Written by Tim Gebhart Like the rest of America, World War II transformed Hollywood. Within 10 days of Pearl Harbor, ...
Read More

Book Review: Li’l Abner: The Complete Dailies and Color Sundays, Volume 8: 1949-1950 by Al Capp

As the Library of American Comics and IDW Publishing continue to collect Li'l Abner: The Complete Dailies and Color Sundays ...
Read More

Book Review: The Complete David Bowie (Revised and Updated 2016 Edition) by Nicholas Pegg

"Complete" is an accurate description of this astoundingly thorough encyclopedia of Bowie's work. The book naturally opens with "The Songs ...
Read More

Book Review: Feeding Hannibal: A Connoisseur’s Cookbook by Janice Poon

Hannibal was one of the most beautiful yet disturbing shows I have ever seen. One of the most beautiful aspects ...
Read More

Book Review: Aliens: The Set Photography by Simon Ward

The movie Aliens turned 30 recently, and there are rumblings of another movie in the Alien universe in the works, ...
Read More

Book Review: Only the Dead Know Burbank by Bradford Tatum

Written  by Jeff Provine Dracula, Frankenstein, the Phantom of the Opera: all members of the classic horror era that continues ...
Read More

Book Review: The Complete Dick Tracy, Volume 20: 1961-1962 by Chester Gould

As the Library of American Comics and IDW Publishing continue to collect The Complete Dick Tracy by Chester Gould, Volume ...
Read More

Book Review: The Blacklist: Elizabeth Keen’s Dossier by Tara Bennett and Paul Terry: A Reminder of the Show’s Original Vision

"If you are reading this, then something has gone wrong" are the first words we encounter in the new book ...
Read More

Book Review: Star Trek: 50 Artists 50 Years

It's been 50 years since the original Star Trek television show debuted on television. While the original series lasted only ...
Read More

Book Review: The Art and Making of The Flash by Abbie Bernstein

Over the last couple of years, the CW has built up a number of television series based on the DC ...
Read More

Book Review: To Pixar and Beyond by Lawrence Levy: Surprisingly Accessible Financial Memoir

If Toy Story had flopped, it would have been the end of Steve Jobs. Remembered in his later life for ...
Read More

Comic Book Review: Motor Crush #1 by Brenden Fletcher, Cameron Stewart, and Babs Tarr

Written by Katelyn Powers Last year, a team of creatives re-designed a popular DC Comics heroine known as Batgirl. (Note: ...
Read More

Kristen’s Book Club for December 2016

Written by Kristen Lopez Winter is upon us. Snow is falling, cocoa is plentiful and there's no better time to ...
Read More

Kristen’s Book Club for November 2016

Written by Kristen Lopez The temperatures dropping and Thanksgiving is right around the corner. But that's no reason to stop ...
Read More

Book Review: TV Finales FAQ by Stephen Tropiano and Holly Van Buren

The Applause FAQ series of books typically make for good reads and resources for fans of a particular pop-culture franchise, ...
Read More

Kristen’s Book Club for October 2016

Written by Kristen Lopez Feel that chill in the air? It's time to grab a mug of tea and curl ...
Read More

Book Review: Batman: Facts and Stats from the Classic TV Show by Y.Y. Flurch & Rian Hughes

Written by Chris Morgan This year marks the 50th anniversary of Batman, the TV show based on the popular comic ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: The Amazing Spider-Man: The Ultimate Newspaper Comics Collection Vol. 3, 1981-1982 by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, and Fred Kida

After taking over the art duties from comic strip originating artist John Romita Sr., Stan Lee's brother Larry Lieber continued ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Paperback Review: Madeline Kahn – Being The Music, A Life by William V. Madison

As we all know, Madeline Kahn was a genius, a trailblazer, and a comedy icon. We fell in love with ...
Read More

Book Review: Star Trek: The Classic UK Comics, Volume 1 (1969-1970)

In the episode “The Alternative Factor” from the first season of the Original Series, the Enterprise crew have their first ...
Read More

Kristen’s Book Club for September 2016

Written by Kristen Lopez School's starting up and if you have kids that means you'll actually have time to read ...
Read More

Kristen’s Book Club for August 2016

Written by Kristen Lopez The summer is winding down and school is only a few weeks away. Here's what's worth ...
Read More

Kristen’s Book Club for July 2016

Written by Kristen Lopez The sun is out and the temperature's rising. What better way to spend your time than ...
Read More

Book Review: The Nice Guys: The Official Movie Novelization by Charles Ardai

Written by The Vern I know it may be difficult for some of you to understand, but there was a ...
Read More

Book Review: The Complete Steve Canyon, Volume 6: 1957-1958 by Milton Caniff

Since January 2012, the Library of American Comics, by way of IDW Publishing, has been releasing collections of Milton Caniff's ...
Read More

Kristen’s Book Club for June 2016

Written by Kristen Lopez From a romantic adaptation to the world of classic Hollywood, here's a trio of titles worth ...
Read More

Book Review: Hollywood Cafe: Coffee with the Stars by Steven Rea

Author Steven Rea has collected photos of over 200 Hollywood stars enjoying coffee in his book Hollywood Café: Coffee with ...
Read More

Book Review: Pinocchio: The Making of the Disney Epic by J.B. Kaufman

In his introduction, author J.B. Kaufman reveals that he considers Walt Disney's Pinocchio (1940) a member of “the fraternity of ...
Read More

Book Review: Firefly: The Gorramn Shiniest Dictionary and Phrasebook in the ‘Verse

I missed the Firefly bandwagon back when it initially aired, probably because I didn't have cable at the time or ...
Read More

Kristen’s Book Club for May 2016

Written by Kristen Lopez Our Gang: A Racial History of the Little Rascals by Julia Lee The cherubic innocence of ...
Read More

Book Review: The Rocky Horror Picture Show FAQ by Dave Thompson

Richard O' Brien's gender-bending musical The Rocky Horror Show premiered in London in 1973, at the height of the U.K.'s ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: Batman V Superman — Dawn of Justice: The Art of the Film by Peter Aperlo

Batman V Superman — Dawn Of Justice is a landmark event in the DC Extended Universe. It marks the first ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: Batman V Superman — Dawn of Justice: Tech Manual by Adam Newell and Sharon Gosling

Through the years, the Batman character has been known for his gadgets and technology. These have ranged from the ridiculous ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: The Amazing Spider-Man: The Ultimate Newspaper Comics Collection Vol. 2, 1979-1981 by Stan Lee and John Romita

st The trouble with a daily serialized story is how long it takes for anything to happen. Thanks to IDW's ...
Read More

Book Review: Hollywood Celebrates the Holidays: 1920-1970 by Karie Bible & Mary Mallory

Joseph Campbell is quoted telling others to follow their bliss and fans of Classic Hollywood should be glad co-authors Karie ...
Read More

Book Review: The Blacklist: Elizabeth Keen’s Dossier by Tara Bennett and Paul Terry

Now in its third season, The Blacklist, which stars James Spader as Raymond Reddington, a former Navy Officer turned super ...
Read More

Kristen’s Book Club: April 2016

Written by Kristen Lopez Spring has sprung, so let's see what's worth putting on your bookshelves this month. Spinster: Making ...
Read More

Book Review: Star Trek: New Visions Volume 3 by John Byrne

Growing up in the ‘70s and early ‘80s, before VCRs became commonplace in households, we were limited to the whims ...
Read More

Book Review: The Complete Dick Tracy, Volume 19: 1959-1961 by Chester Gould

As the Library of American Comics and IDW Publishing continue to collect The Complete Dick Tracy by Chester Gould, Volume ...
Read More

Kristen’s Book Club: March 2016

Written by Kristen Lopez I'm an avid book reader and it's because of this avidity that I can read freely ...
Read More

The Art of Mad Max: Fury Road by Abbie Bernstein: Pretty Pictures! Good Words!

Written by Elias Levey-Swain Mad Max: Fury Road is a phenomenon. It is the summer blockbuster beloved by millions, revered ...
Read More

Book Review: The Art and Making of Hannibal: The Television Series: A Gleefully Grisly Souvenir

When I first heard about the Hannibal TV show, it seemed like a joke - the apotheosis of the modern ...
Read More

Book Review: The Art of Regular Show by Shannon O’Leary

Created by JG Quintel, Regular Show regales viewers with the zany exploits of Mordecai the blue jay and Rigby the ...
Read More

Book Review The Art of Mad Max: Fury Road by Abbie Bernstein

Written by Chad Derdowski Having spent the better part of the year revisiting a familiar galaxy far, far away and ...
Read More

Book Review: The Art and Making of Hannibal: The Television Series by Jesse McLean

If you are going through withdrawal from the cancellation of the ingeniously gorgeous television show Hannibal created by Bryan Fuller, ...
Read More

Book Review: The Twilight Zone FAQ by Dave Thompson

Written by Chad Derdowski The Twilight Zone… a dimension of sound. A dimension of sight. A dimension of mind. A ...
Read More

Book Review: Star Wars FAQ by Mark Clark

Ever since Disney announced plans to continue the Star Wars film franchise, the pop-culture landscape has been flooded with products ...
Read More

Book Review: Alien Next Door by Joey Spiotto

In a most unexpected crossover, Joey Spiotto combines murderous monsters with children's books in Alien Next Door: In Space, No ...
Read More

Book Review: The X-Files FAQ by John Kenneth Muir

I have been a confessed horror and science fiction TV show fan my whole life. It's a tradition that came ...
Read More

Book Review: Beyond Mars by Jack Williamson and Lee Elias

Written by Chad Derdowski If you've never heard of Beyond Mars, don't feel too bad; the strip was only featured ...
Read More

Book Review: Walt Disney’s Donald Duck: The Complete Daily Newspaper Comics Volume 1 (1938-1940) by Al Taliaferro

Starting out as a supporting character in the 1934 Walt Disney short “The Wise Little Hen,” Donald Duck went on ...
Read More

Book Review: TCM Presents Leonard Maltin’s Classic Movie Guide (Third Edition)

Although some books on cinema should be taken with a few grains of salt, not just because of some ways ...
Read More

Book Review: Sherlock Holmes: The Thinking Engine by James Lovegrove

Written by Anastasia Klimchynskaya Early in the third season of Elementary, one of its episodes offered an intriguing premise: a ...
Read More

Book Review: Underground: The Subterranean Culture of DIY Punk Shows by Daniel Makagon

Pure punk rock, regardless of a band's popularity or the decade in which they've performed, has pretty much been an ...
Read More

Book Review: LOAC Essentials Vol. 7: Tarzan of the Apes

Volume 7 in the Library of American Comics Essentials series focuses on the comic strip starring Edgar Rice Burroughs' Tarzan. ...
Read More

Book Review: The Shining: Studies in the Horror Film, Edited by Danel Olson

For a director whose output totaled only about a baker's dozen of feature films, Stanley Kubrick embraced a remarkably wide ...
Read More

Book Review: Superman: The Atomic Age Sundays, Volume 1 (1949-1953)

Written by Chad Derdowski At the risk of sounding like that old guy down the street wearing black socks with ...
Read More

Book Review: The Art of Mad Max: Fury Road by Abbie Bernstein

One of the most anticipated films of 2015 was Mad Max: Fury Road. After 30 years since the uneven Beyond ...
Read More

Book Review: Bravo For Adventure by Alex Toth

Written by Chad Derdowski Legendary artist and noted curmudgeon Alex Toth never made a secret of his continued frustrations with ...
Read More

Book Review: The Ultimate Woody Allen Film Companion by Jason Bailey

The first thing I thought when I got a hold of this book was that if there was any filmmaker ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: The Amazing Spider-Man: The Ultimate Newspaper Comics Collection Vol. 1, 1979-1981 by Stan Lee and John Romita

Let's face it: daily newspaper comic strips have never been a great way to follow serialized stories. When a story ...
Read More

Book Review: Secret Agent X-9 by Dashiell Hammett & Alex Raymond

Written by Chad Derdowski Everyone loves a dream team. Who can forget Hulk Hogan and “Macho Man” Randy Savage joining ...
Read More

Book Review: Star Trek: New Visions Volume 2 by John Byrne

In Star Trek: New Visions, John Byrne tells of the lost missions of the starship Enterprise under the command of ...
Read More

Book Review: The Complete Dick Tracy, Volume 18: 1957-1959 by Chester Gould

As the Library of American Comics and IDW Publishing continue to collect The Complete Dick Tracy by Chester Gould, Volume ...
Read More

Book Review: Tarzan: The Complete Russ Manning Newspaper Strips, Volume Four: 1974-1979

With the Library of America Comics releasing the fourth and final volume in the Eisner Award-winning series, they have published ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: Madeline Kahn: Being the Music, A Life by William V. Madison

There are a handful of uniquely talented performers for whom, once or twice or maybe three times in a career, ...
Read More

Book Review: Bravest Warriors: Things to Doodle and Do!

Written by Chad Derdowski I wasn't really familiar with Emmy Award-winning creator Pendleton Ward's Bravest Warriors when I requested a ...
Read More

Book Review: Usagi Yojimbo: Senso by Stan Sakai

After a two-year break from his long-running Usagi Yojimbo, time spent working on the Eisner-nominated limited series Ronin 47, Stan ...
Read More

Book Review: We’ll Be Here For the Rest of Our Lives: A Swingin’ Showbiz Saga by Paul Shaffer with David Ritz

Paul Shaffer is best known for being the bandleader on David Letterman's late-night talk show, both at NBC and CBS, ...
Read More

Book Review: Punk USA: The Rise and Fall of Lookout Records by Kevin Prested

You hear a lot of praise about punk rock in the 1970s, but the ‘90s had a burgeoning punk scene, ...
Read More

Book Review: Crate Digger: An Obsession with Punk Records by Bob Suren

In Crate Digger: An Obsession with Punk Rock Records, Bob Suren attaches the story of his life to 50 of ...
Read More

Book Review: Compound Cinematics: Akira Kurosawa and I by Shinobu Hashimoto

Shinobu Hashimoto wrote the screenplays to Akira Kurosawa's Rashomon, Ikiru and The Seven Samurai. If you are keeping score, that's ...
Read More

Book Review: In the Company of Legends by Joan Kramer and David Heeley

For 25 years, the award-winning filmmaking team of Joan Kramer and David Heeley lived a classic-film fan's dream many times ...
Read More

Book Review: Quentin Tarantino FAQ: Everything Left to Know About the Original Reservoir Dog by Dale Sherman

Written by Mary K. Williams Author Dale Sherman's newest FAQ book, he previously wrote Armageddon Films FAQ and KISS FAQ, ...
Read More

Book Review: Chappie: The Art of the Movie by Peter E. Aperlo

Written by Chad Derdowski A few weeks ago, Chappie, writer/director Neill Blomkamp's latest film, arrived in theaters to mixed reviews. ...
Read More

Book Review: The Complete Steve Canyon, Volume 5: 1955-1956 by Milton Caniff

Since January 2012, the Library of American Comics, by way of IDW Publishing, has been releasing collections of Milton Caniff's ...
Read More

Book Review: The Art of the Films: Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes by Sharon Gosling and Adam Newell

This book takes readers behind the scenes of the first two films of the revived Apes franchise, Rise of the ...
Read More

Book Review: American Titan: Searching For John Wayne by Marc Eliot

John Wayne is one of the most legendary actors to come out of Hollywood, but most of us don't know ...
Read More

Book Review: Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas by Alonso Duralde

Christmas time is a time for many things, and one of the things that I most enjoy are the movies. ...
Read More

Book Review: Wonder Woman: The Complete Newspaper Strips 1944-1945 by William Moulton Marston & Harry G. Peters

Written by Chad Derdowski Superheroes had only been in existence for a handful of years when Wonder Woman burst on ...
Read More

Book Review: Modern Sci-Fi Films FAQ by Tom DeMichael

Written by Anastasia Klimchynskaya The author purports to make a relatively comprehensive guidebook to sci-fi films since the '70s- with ...
Read More

Book Review: Popeye: Classic Newspaper Comics, Volume Two 1989-1998: A Surprisingly Modern and Adult Take On The Classic Character

Popeye is not something I've ever cared about. No wait, scratch that, I loved the Robert Altman movie starring Robin ...
Read More

Book Review: Hope: Entertainer of the Century by Richard Zoglin

In 1993, the legendary entertainer Bob Hope and his wife Delores welcomed TV viewers, and some celebrities of the time, ...
Read More

Book Review: Superman: The Golden Age Sundays 1946-1949

Written by Chad Derdowski It wasn't long after his 1938 debut in Action Comics #1 that Jerry Siegel and Joe ...
Read More

Book Review: The Complete Dick Tracy, Volume 17: 1956-1957 by Chester Gould

The Library of American Comics and IDW Publishing are publishing The Complete Dick Tracy by Chester Gould. Volume 17 is ...
Read More

Book Review: DC Comics Super-Villains: The Complete Visual History by Daniel Wallace

With its origins in National Allied Publications, which was founded in 1934, DC Comics has had a long and varied ...
Read More

Book Review: Star Trek: Gold Key Archives, Volume 2

On its way to becoming a multimedia franchise, Star Trek first entered the world of comics by way of Gold Key, ...
Read More

Book Review: Showrunners: The Art of Running a TV Show by Tara Bennett

Written by Anastasia Klimchynskaya It's been said that we're living in the Golden Age of Television - a fact that's ...
Read More

Book Review: Puck: What Fools These Mortals Be!: Political Cartooning at its Finest

Political cartoons have been around since the early 1700s though they didn't really come into their own until the later ...
Read More

Book Review: Tarzan: The Complete Russ Manning Newspaper Strips, Volume Three: 1971-1974, Edited by Dean Mullaney

Volume Three of the Library of American Comics' Eisner Award-winning, four-part collection of Russ Manning's complete run of Tarzan newspaper ...
Read More

Book Review: Voltron: From Days of Long Ago, A 30th Anniversary Celebration by Brian Smith

Written by Chad Derdowski I struggled for what felt like an eternity with the opening to this review. It would've ...
Read More

Book Review: Ripley’s Believe It or Not!: Daily Cartoons 1929-1930

The new Ripley's Believe It or Not!: Daily Cartoons 1929-1930 from the Library of American Comics is a fond look ...
Read More

Book Review: Lit Up Inside: Selected Lyrics by Van Morrison: You’ve Heard the Songs, Now Read the Lyrics

That Van Morrison is one of the greatest singer-songwriters in the whole of pop music there is no doubt. That ...
Read More

Book Review: Star Trek: New Visions Volume 1 & Issue #3 by John Byrne

John Byrne and IDW Publishing are presenting the lost missions of the Original Series Enterprise crew in the form of ...
Read More

Book Review: Percy Crosby’s Skippy: Daily Comics 1931-1933: Long-forgotten Magic

Skippy was created by Percy Crosby and ran from 1923 to 1945. In its time it was hugely popular, highly ...
Read More

Book Review: Owsley and Me: My LSD Family by Rhoney Gissen Stanley with Tom Davis

Owsley Stanley is not a household name, but he probably should be. He was financier and soundman of the Grateful ...
Read More

Book Review: The Art of John Alvin by Andrea Alvin

I consider myself a serious cinephile, so much so that I don't mind describing myself with the pretentious word "cinephile." ...
Read More

Book Review: The Wizard of Oz FAQ by David J. Hogan: Over the Rainbow and Beyond

The Wizard of Oz is an enduring and endearing classic. Who hasn't seen it, perhaps even multiple times? It made ...
Read More

Book Review: The Art of Greg Spalenka by Greg Spalenka

The name Greg Spalenka may or may not be a familiar one to you, but once you have seen his ...
Read More

Book Review: Leonard Maltin’s 2015 Movie Guide: The End of an Era

Written by Chris Morgan Leonard Maltin appears in the movie Gremlins 2: The New Batch, lampooning his own negative review ...
Read More

Book Review: Alfred Hitchcock’s America by Murray Pomerance: Not for the Faint of Heart

In 1939, at the age of 40, Alfred Hitchcock moved to America. He'd had huge success as a filmmaker in ...
Read More

Book Review: Brainquake, Samuel Fuller’s Lost Novel

Written by S. Edward Sousa Best known for provocative films such as Shock Corridor, The Crimson Kimono, or The Big ...
Read More

Book Review: The Art of Neil Gaiman by Haley Campbell

I was first introduced to Neil Gaiman through his Sandman comics at a time when most people were introduced to ...
Read More

Rip Kirby: The First Modern Detective: Complete Comic Strips Volume 7, 1962-1964 by John Prentice

Written by Chad Derdowski I can't remember a time when sequential art didn't play a huge role in my life. ...
Read More

Book Review: Steven Spielberg’s America by Fredrick Wasser

There are tons of books about film and film directors that actually miss the mark, but Fredrick Wasser's Steven Spielberg's ...
Read More

Book Review: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Ultimate Visual History by Andrew Farago

Regardless of what one may think about the vast assortment of various products that have been spun off, it's amazing ...
Read More

Book Review: The Killing: Uncommon Denominator by Karen Dionne

Written by Cheryl Shainmark Fans of AMC's The Killing who are jonesing for more are in luck: as Stephen Holder, ...
Read More

Book Review: Overlooked / Underappreciated: 354 Recordings That Demand Your Attention by Greg Prato

Writing a book entitled Overlooked/Underappreciated: 354 Recordings That Demand Your Attention is fraught with difficulty. The selections are based purely ...
Read More

Book Review: Tarzan: In the City of Gold: The Complete Burne Hogarth Comic Strip Library 

Tarzan of the Apes, author Edgar Rice Burroughs' legendary creation, first appeared in the October 1912 issue of The All-Story. ...
Read More

Book Review: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Film Noir: The Essential Reference Guide by John Grant

Author John Grant has assembled a massive tome cataloging film noir that rightly deserves to be called a “comprehensive encyclopedia.” ...
Read More

Book Review: Five Came Back: A Story of Hollywood and the Second World War by Mark Harris

Five seems to be a lucky number for author Mark Harris. His previous book, Pictures at a Revolution, artfully captured ...
Read More

Book Review: Flash Gordon and Jungle Jim, Vol. 4: 1942-1944 by Alex Raymond

This fourth and final volume of The Library of American Comics' series reprinting Alex Raymond's Sunday strips of Flash Gordon ...
Read More

Book Review: Archie: Daily Newspaper Comics – The Swingin’ Sixties, Volume Two: 1963-1965 by Bob Montana

Written by Kristen Lopez Almost anyone can name the first comic book they ever read. For many, it's some type ...
Read More

Book Review: Genius, Animated: The Cartoon Art of Alex Toth by Dean Mullaney & Bruce Canwell

Written by Chad Derdowski Genius, Animated: The Cartoon Art of Alex Toth is the third and final chapter in the ...
Read More

Book Review: Little Orphan Annie, Volume Ten: The Junior Commandos by Harold Gray 

Little Orphan Annie was a daily comic strip created, written, and drawn by Harold Gray. It began in August 1924 ...
Read More

Books Review: Starting Point: 1979-1996 and Turning Point: 1997-2008 by Hayao Miyazaki: Unique Memoirs from an Animation Genius

Hayao Miyazaki's downbeat personal sensibility, constant self-doubt, and pessimism are nearly absent from his works. My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery ...
Read More

Book Review: Borderline Is Lawrence Block’s Pulp Fiction

Lawrence Block is one of the country's best-known and successful mystery and crime novelists (8 Million Ways to Die, When ...
Read More

Book Review: The Complete Dick Tracy, Volume 16: 1954-1956 by Chester Gould

Chester Gould's Dick Tracy comic strip debuted on October 4, 1931 and continues today under the creative team of by ...
Read More

Book Review: The Complete Steve Canyon, Volume 4: 1953-1954 by Milton Caniff

In 1946, cartoonist Milton Caniff ended a successful 12-year run on the adventure comic strip Terry and the Pirates for ...
Read More

Book Review: Superman: The Silver Age Newspaper Dailies, Volume 2: 1961-1963: Super-Ridiculous, Super-Fun

Created in 1933, Superman has gone on to become one of the most popular and successful comic-book characters in the ...
Read More

Book Review: Popeye: The Classic Newspaper Comics, Volume One: 1986-1989 by Bobby London: Absolutely Fabulous

When it comes to reprints of classic comics, The Library of American Comics from IDW Publishing are the absolute gold ...
Read More

Book Review: Weird Fantasy, Volume 1: Glossy Reprint of Classic SF Comic

EC Comics holds a special place in comic book history. After all, it was EC comics in particular that were ...
Read More

Book Review: Batman: The Silver Age Newspaper Comics, Volume One: 1966-1967

IDW's Library of American Comics and DC Entertainment have teamed up to release Batman's Silver Age newspaper strips, which debuted ...
Read More

Book Review: Grimm: Below the Surface: The Insider’s Guide to the Show

Grimm is a television show that has been running on NBC since the 2011 fall season. Part procedural cop show, ...
Read More

Book Review: The Zombie Film: From White Zombie to World War Z by Alain Silver and James Ursini

Once, years ago, the living dead were revered to by many as something almost legendary. George A. Romero's original trilogy ...
Read More

Book Review: Tarzan: The Complete Russ Manning Newspaper Strips, Volume Two: 1969-1971, Edited by Dean Mullaney

The second installment of Russ Manning's complete Tarzan newspaper strips from what will be a four-book series published by the ...
Read More

Book Review: 300: Rise of An Empire: The Art of the Film by Peter Aperlo

Peter Aperlo takes readers inside the making of Noam Murro's 300: Rise of an Empire, which expands upon Zack Snyder's ...
Read More

Book Review: Gasoline Alley: The Complete Sundays, Volume One 1920-1922 by Frank King 

Reading archives of old comic strips can be odd, because not only were these never meant to be perennial entertainment, ...
Read More

Book Review: Hellboy: The First 20 Years by Mike Mignola 

Hellboy: The First 20 Years is a celebration, not necessarily of the character, but of the artist and writer who ...
Read More

Book Review: Sherlock Holmes FAQ: All That’s Left to Know About the World’s Greatest Private Detective by Dave Thompson

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle penned only four novels and 56 short stories about Sherlock Holmes, the last of which appeared ...
Read More

Book Review: Max Steel, Volume 2: Hero Overload by B. Clay Moore & Alfa Robbi

Originally based on a line of toys produced by Mattel, Max Steel became an animated series made for television. Just ...
Read More

Book Review: Snowpiercer Vol. 1 & 2 by Jacques Lob, Benjamin Legrand and Jean-Marc Rochette

This French comic is currently receiving renewed international attention thanks to its use as the source material for a new ...
Read More

Book Review: Sherlock Holmes and the Vampires of London by Sylvain Cordurie and Laci

With all of the Sherlock Holmes revisionism in movies and TV over the past few years, it's become confusing to ...
Read More

Book Review: Hidden Horror by Aaron Christensen

Written by Kristen Lopez I jump at the opportunity to read and review movie guides devoted to spotlighting movies off ...
Read More

Book Review: Alien: Out of the Shadows by Tim Lebbon

Tim Lebbon's Alien: Out of the Shadows kicks off a trilogy of books set around the events of the Alien ...
Read More

Book Review: Captain Midnight: Volume 1: On the Run by Joshua Williamson and Fernando Dagnino

A patriotic Nazi-fighting U.S. superhero who disappeared in the 1940s suddenly appears in the present day, seemingly not a day ...
Read More

Book Review: The Wrong Quarry by Max Allan Collins

Written by Kristen Lopez In the interest of full disclosure, I'm a fan of author Max Allan Collins and have ...
Read More

Book Review: The Filmmaker Says: Quotes, Quips, and Words of Wisdom, compiled & edited by Jamie Thompson Stern

Editor Jamie Thompson Stern informs in the preface she has compiled and arranged (unsourced) quotes about filmmaking from “directors, screenwriters, ...
Read More

Book Review: Grimm: Aunt Marie’s Book of Lore: A Novel Idea for a Very Limited Audience

Based on the Grimm's Fairy Tales, the TV series Grimm follows Nick (David Giuntoli) as he finds out about his ...
Read More

Book Review: The Mayor of MacDougal Street by Dave Van Ronk

The 2013 reprint of Dave Van Ronk's (1936 -2002) autobiography The Mayor of MacDougal Street (2004) has a cover blurb ...
Read More

Book Review: Saturday Night Live FAQ by Stephen Tropiano

Written by Chris Morgan Saturday Night Live has been on for decades, and book upon book has been written about ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: The James Bond Omnibus Volume 005 by Jim Lawrence & Yaroslav Horak

Continuing their release of the James Bond comic strips in an oversized omnibus format, Titan Books has released James Bond ...
Read More

Book Review: Hollywood in Kodachrome by David Wills and Stephen Schmidt

According to his online biography, "Australian-born David Wills is an author, independent curator, photographic preservationist, and editor who has accrued ...
Read More

Book Review: The Fat Lady Sang by Robert Evans

Written by Kristen Lopez Robert Evans is one of the few remaining producers anyone can name in Hollywood.  After the ...
Read More

Book Review: The Fifth Beatle: The Brian Epstein Story by Vivek J. Tiwary, Andrew Robinson, and Kyle Baker

This holiday season has seen an astonishing number of Beatles-related books and CDs, some tying in with the upcoming 50th ...
Read More

Book Review: Armageddon Films FAQ by Dale Sherman

Armageddon Films FAQ can be called a companion volume to Applause Books' Horror Films FAQ in that there is some ...
Read More

Book Review: Horror Films FAQ by John Kenneth Muir

The FAQ series from Applause Books has devoted editions to pop culture staples like Kiss, the Beatles, Star Trek, and ...
Read More

Book Review: Star Trek FAQ 2.0: Everything Left to Know about The Next Generation, the Movies, and Beyond by Mark Clark

Sometimes I wonder if I am a “Trekkie,” or “Trekker.” What does it take exactly? A working knowledge of every ...
Read More

Book Review: The Greatest Bad Movies of All Time by Phil Hall: A Great Compendium

The celebration of the worst films ever made has become something of a cottage industry over the years. Although college ...
Read More

Book Review: The Greatest Bad Movies of All Time by Phil Hall

Written by Kristen Lopez I'm a fan of “worst movie ever” books because someone's definition of worst isn't always yours. ...
Read More

Wolverine: Origin DVD Review: The Best There Is at What He Does.

Ever wonder about how Wolverine got his start? So did the rest of the Marvel Comics Universe and its readers, ...
Read More

Book Review: Tarzan: The Complete Russ Manning Newspaper Strips, Volume One: 1967-1969

As stated on the last page of this book, “The Library of American Comics [published by IDW] is dedicated to ...
Read More

Book Review: Doctor Who: Harvest of Time by Alastair Reynolds

Forget about the Rolling Stones' 50th anniversary, the one that really counts is coming this November, which will mark 50 ...
Read More

Book Review: The Treasures of Bruce Lee by Paul Bowman

Authorized by the Bruce Lee Enterprises, The Treasures of Bruce Lee by Paul Bowman tells "the official story of the ...
Read More

Book Review: A Quick Guide to Screenwriting by Ray Morton

Just about everybody I know has said words to the effect of “I could write a better movie than that!” ...
Read More

Book Review: Film Noir FAQ by David J. Hogan

Written by Chris Morgan When you flip open to the back of Film Noir FAQ, you will find out that ...
Read More

Book Review: The Complete Steve Canyon, Volume 3: 1951-1952 by Milton Caniff

Since January 2012, the Library of American Comics, by way of IDW Publishing, has been releasing collections of Milton Caniff's ...
Read More

Book Review: Mind Over Matter 4: The Images of Pink Floyd by Storm Thorgerson and Peter Curzon

As reported by the BBC, graphic designer Storm Thorgerson passed away Thursday at the age of 69. Over the years, ...
Read More

Book Review: Doctor Who: Shroud of Sorrow by Tommy Donbavand

"PC Reg Cranfield turned the corner into Totter's Lane, the beam of his torch slicing through the fog. It was ...
Read More

Book Review: Doctor Who: The Dalek Generation by Nicholas Briggs

Of all the creatures the Doctor has met in the universe, none are more evil than the Daleks. But what ...
Read More

Book Review: The House of Redgrave by Tim Adler: A Misleading Title Can Frustrate Readers

Written by Kristen Lopez The Redgrave family never liked to be referred to as “a dynasty,” as it invoked images ...
Read More

Book Review: Doctor Who: Plague of the Cybermen by Justin Richards

Written by Grace Bon My Doctor is the 10th Doctor. I have watched all the episodes, read the books, even ...
Read More

Book Review: Doctor Who FAQ: All That’s Left to Know About the Most Famous Time Lord in the Universe by Dave Thompson

In some ways, I have found the history of the Doctor Who television series to be even more fascinating than ...
Read More

Book Review: Hopper: A Journey into the American Dream by Tom Folsom

I had decided on the opening line of my review of the new Dennis Hopper biography Hopper: A Journey Into ...
Read More

Book Review: Zero Dark Thirty: The Shooting Script Transcends the Finished Product

Written by Kristen Lopez It wasn't surprising that screenwriter Mark Boal's script for Zero Dark Thirty didn't nab the coveted ...
Read More

Book Review: If You Like Quentin Tarantino… by Katherine Rife

Written by Michael Nazarewycz After opening to great reviews on Christmas Day (and presently flaunting an 80 on Metacritic after ...
Read More

Book Review: Comediennes: Laugh Be a Lady by Darryl and Tuezdae Littleton

Lately I just keep on reviewing books around here. What can I say, I love to read about the films ...
Read More

Books Review: Neon Genesis Evangelion Volumes 01, 02 & 03 and Volume 13 by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto

The first known screening of the form of Japanese animation referred to as anime was way back in 1917. My ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Astonishing X-Men Blu-ray Collection Review: Joss Whedon Teams Up with Marvel Superheroes

Released under the Marvel Knights Animation banner, the Astonishing X-Men Collection Blu-ray presents the four motion comics adapted from the ...
Read More

Astonishing X-Men: Unstoppable DVD Review: Astonishing Cassaday

I forgot how much I love John Cassaday's artwork. While writer Joss Whedon was the unquestionable star of the Astonishing ...
Read More

Book Review: All the Emperor’s Men by Hiroshi Tasogawa

For anyone who has seen such masterpieces as as Rashomon (1950) Ikuru (1952), or Seven Samurai (1954), it goes without saying that Akira Kurosawa (1910-1998) was ...
Read More

Review: If You Like Quentin Tarantino… by Katherine Rife

The new If You Like… series of books from Limelight Editions focus on items that fans of a particular director ...
Read More

Comic Book Review: Bob Howard, Plumber of the Unknown Issue #4 by Rafael Nieves and Dan Dougherty

Released in August of 2012 to coincide with the annual Wizard World Chicago Comic Convention, the fourth issue of Bob ...
Read More

Book Review: Classic Hollywood Style by Caroline Young

Hardcover books selling Hollywood style are notorious for ending up in the bargain section of Barnes and Noble following a ...
Read More

Book Review: An Askew View 2 by John Kenneth Muir

Director Kevin Smith’s production company is called View Askew, which made the title of John Kenneth Muir‘s filmography An Askew ...
Read More

Book Review: The Complete Steve Canyon, Volume 2: 1949-1950 by Milton Caniff

Since January 2012, the Library of American Comics, by way of IDW Publishing, has been releasing collections of Milton Caniff's ...
Read More

Astonishing X-Men: Torn DVD Review: More Astonishing Motion, Less Astonishing Story

Continuing the Astonishing X-Men motion comics saga initiated in previous DVDs Gifted and Dangerous, this latest disc covers issues 13-18 ...
Read More

Book Review: If You Like The Terminator, Here Are Over 200 Movies, TV Shows, and Other Oddities That You Will Love by Scott Von Doviak

Love him or hate him, Arnold Schwarzenegger was arguably the action-hero of the ’80s. His roles in films such as ...
Read More
Cinema Sentries

Book Review: Cary Grant: A Life in Pictures, Edited by Yann-Brice Dherbier: Handsome Book, Handsome Man

Whether you're a classic film fan or not, you've probably heard of Cary Grant. Like Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, or ...
Read More

Book Review: The Complete Dick Tracy, Volume 13: 1950-1951 by Chester Gould

Released by the Library of American Comics and IDW Publishing, The Complete Dick Tracy, Volume 13 by Chester Gouldpresents the dailies and ...
Read More

Book Review: Music on Film: The Rocky Horror Picture Show by Dave Thompson

As Roger Ebert so memorably put it a few years ago, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show is not so much ...
Read More

Book Review: Music on Film: Purple Rain by John Kenneth Muir

Purple Rain was the first R-rated film I watched as a kid. It was also the first movie I ever ...
Read More

Search & Filter

Categories

Subscribe!