This October, Abrams Comic Arts will release a new hardcover book, The Art of Osamu Tezuka: God of Manga. The press release at amazon.com says it best: “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. With text by respected manga expert Helen McCarthy, The Art of Osamu Tezuka: God of Manga pays tribute to the work of an artist, writer, animator, doctor, entrepreneur, and traveler whose curious mind spawned dozens of animated films, and over 170,000 pages of comics art in one astonishingly creative lifetime. The Art of Osamu Tezuka: God of Manga also includes an exclusive 45-minute DVD documentary covering Tezuka’s prolific career, from his early manga characters to his later animation work.”
Books and Trade Paperbacks
The Werewolf’s Guide to Life
You’re going to notice a title like that, now aren’t you? Subtitled “A Manual for the Newly Bitten”, this new softcover book by Ritch Duncan and Bob Powers (with illustrations by Emily Flake) cuts through the fiction and offers you a helping paw.
Here’s the description from amazon.com: “Have you been attacked by a wolf-like creature in the last 30 days? Was it after the sun had set and under a full moon? If you answered, “yes” to both these questions, there’s a very good chance that you were bitten by a werewolf. You now have less than a month before the full moon returns and with it your first transformation into a savage, bloodthirsty beast.
Survival is an option, but first, know this:
* Werewolves are real.
* The majority of lycanthropes who do not have access to this book die during or shortly after their first transformations, generally due to heart failure, gunshot wounds, exposure, drowning or suicide.
* Hollywood horror movies are NOT to be used as guides to living as a werewolf. Their goal is not to educate, but to entertain. As a result, they are largely ignorant of the realities of the condition.
* Ignorance creates monsters; lycanthropy does not.
* You are not a monster.
The Werewolf’s Guide to Life cuts through the fiction and guides you through your first transformation and beyond, offering indispensable advice on how to tell if you’re really a werewolf, post-attack etiquette, breaking the news to your spouse, avoiding government abduction, and how to not just survive, but thrive. You cannot afford to not read this book. Your very life depends on it.”
We like the creator background descriptions: “Ritch Duncan and Bob Powers have devoted their lives to aiding and serving the lycanthrope community. They live in New York City. Illustrator Emily Flake is a New York based cartoonist and illustrator who is grateful to have gotten close enough to study her subjects for this book without being torn limb from limb.” The Werewolf’s Guide to Life is out this month from Broadway Publishers.
Berke Breathed’s First Illustrated Novel
Berkeley Breathed, Pulitzer Prize-winning creator of Bloom County and Outland, has given us his first illustrated novel. Flawed Dogs — The Shocking Raid on Westminster is “a heartwarming and humorous ode to the unconditional and lasting love that we and our pets share”. This is from the publisher: “Sam the Lion is actually a priceless dachshund, bred to be a show dog. More important, he is 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 Heidy’s uncle, alone on the wild streets, where he is roughed up by a world he was not bred for. Sporting a soup ladle for a leg, Sam befriends other abandoned dogs and journeys all the way to the Westminster Dog Show, where his plan for revenge on Cassius takes an unexpected turn when he and Heidy spot each other after years of being apart.” The book is available in hardcover this September from Philomel.
Imaginative Realism
James Gurney, creator and artist of the world-famous Dinotopia series of books, has written and illustrated a new art how-to book called Imaginative Realism. It’s coming this October in paperback from Andrews McMeel Publishing. Subtitled “How to Paint What Doesn’t Exist”, it features step-by-step lessons in the practical aspects of creating believable full-color pictures of fantasy creatures and settings — like talking dinosaurs, alien creatures, and distant worlds.
Stoners and their Cats… or vice versa
Fat Freddy’s Cat began his life as an extra the that popular underground comic book, The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers. Soon, though, his popularity grew until he had his own comic title, also written and drawn by FFFB-creator Gilbert Shelton. Now Knockabout Comics brings us the Fat Freddy’s Cat Omnibus in trade paperback. Watch as the big stoner boy’s cat fights the never-ending army of roaches bent on world domination, travels through Mexico, saves the Earth from an alien invasion, and works as a government agent to save the world from the “Hee Hee Hee” drug. Nearly all of the Fat Freddy’s Cat adventures are collected in this softcover book that’s nearly 400 pages.
Werewolves Out West
Zuda Comics has been holding a monthly contest where creators submit on-line comics, and readers vote on the ones they consider most worthy of being made into print comics. (Visit the Zuda web site to find out more about the contest.) Now, with the help of WildStorm Comics, Zuda has released the first winner, High Moon, as a full-color trade paperback coming to stores this October (appropriate, no?). Created by David Gallaher (story) and Steve Ellis (art), High Moon Volume 1 tells the story of cowboys and werewolves in the old west… lives are lost, secrets are revealed, and the future of the whole frontier is at stake.
Early Usagi
If you just can’t get enough of Stan Sakai’s Usagi Yojimbo, you might want to check out this new, very large compilation. For the first 10 years of its existence, Usagi was published by Fantagraphics Press. Now, to celebrate the comic’s 25th anniversary, Fantagraphics has released Usagi Yojimbo: The Special Edition, a 1200-page two-hardcover-book collection of the first seven Usagi Yojimbo books. There are lots of extras too, including a full-color cover gallery, behind-the-scenes art, an interview with Stan Sakai, and more. There’s also a special limited version available, each individually autographed by Stan himself.
The Secret Saturdays Graphic Novel
Del Ray Manga has released a new full color “film comic” based on the hit animated TV series The Secret Saturdays from Cartoon Network. Join the Saturdays: A family of explorers and cryptozoologists as they protect the secret artifacts and mysterious monsters of the world from exploitation. On the way making friends with sasquatch, dinosaurs, and many other strange creatures.
Ladies and Werewolves
Dark fantasy novelist Patricia Briggs has new books and new comic books coming out from Dabel Brothers Publishing. The premiere issue of Cry Wolfe (written by Patricia with David Lawrence, and illustrated by Jordon Gunderson) introduces us to a woman named Anna. She never believed in werewolves — until the night she became one herself. A rare “omega wolf”, Anna has spent years at the bottom of the pack as a humbled servant, until she catches the eye of a powerful alpha wolf who may see her true value. But what happens when alpha and omega get together? Meanwhile, Mercy Thompson: Homecoming (in hardcover) takes place in the days before Ms. Briggs’ best-selling novel series. We meet young Mercedes “Mercy” Thompson, a shape-shifter fresh out of college and looking for a job. She soon finds herself trapped in the middle of a war between werewolves and vampires, but the worst thing is having to face the dreaded job interview!
