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Scott McCloud tore down the wall between high and low culture in 1993 with Understanding Comics, a massive comic book about comics, linking the medium to such diverse fields as media theory, movie criticism, and web design. In Reinventing Comics, McCloud took this to the next level, charting twelve different revolutions in how comics are generated, read, and perceived today. Now, in Making Comics, McCloud focuses his analysis on the art form itself, exploring the creation of comics, from the broadest principles to the sharpest details (like how to accentuate a character's facial muscles in order to form the emotion of disgust rather than the emotion of surprise.) And he does all of it in his inimitable voice and through his cartoon stand?in narrator, mixing dry humor and legitimate instruction. McCloud shows his reader how to master the human condition through word and image in a brilliantly minimalistic way. Comic book devotees as well as the most uninitiated will marvel at this journey into a once?underappreciated art form.

A boxed set of the first two volumes, just in time for the holidays, designed by the Award-winning graphic novelist, Seth! Ships shrinkwrapped. The first volume, The Complete Peanuts 1950-1952, covers the first two and a quarter years of the strip (October 1950 through December 1952), and will be of particular fascination to Peanuts aficionados worldwide: Although there have been literally hundreds of Peanuts books published, many of the strips from the series' first two or three years have never been collected before?in large part because they showed a young Schulz working out the kinks in his new strip and include some characterizations and designs that are quite different from the cast we're all familiar with (Among other things, three major cast members?Schroeder, Lucy, and Linus?initially show up as infants and only "grow" into their final "mature" selves as the months go by. Even Snoopy debuts as a puppy!). The second volume, The Complete Peanuts 1953-1954, begins with Peanuts' third full year and a cast of eight: Charlie Brown, Shermy, Patty, Violet, Schroeder, Lucy, the recently born Linus, and Snoopy. By the end of 1954, this will have expanded to nine. Linus still doesn't speak (except, on a few occasions, to himself, à la Snoopy), but Schulz begins laying the foundation for his emergence as the most complex and arguably most endearing character in the strip: garrulous and inquisitive, yet gentle and tolerant. And he evens acquires his "security blanket" in this volume! Meanwhile, Lucy, an infant just a year ago, has forcefully elbowed herself to the front of the cast, proudly wearing her banner as a troublemaker or, in Schulz's memorable phrase, "fuss-budget." The strong, specific relationships she sets up with each character further contributes to making her central to the strip. (She has earned her cover status on this volume.) This period's significant new character is Pig-Pen, who would remain one of the main cast members throughout the decade. And then there's Snoopy. To readers unfamiliar with the early days of the strip, Snoopy's appearances here will no doubt come as the biggest surprise. Although Snoopy has started talking/thinking to himself, he does no imitations (except for one brief shark impression), he doesn't sleep atop his doghouse (much less type or fly a Sopwith Camel), and has no fantasy life?in fact, he doesn't even walk upright! But as we know, he is merely biding his time, and his evolution continues its fascinating course within these pages. Peanuts is the most successful comic strip in the history of the medium as well as one of the most acclaimed strips ever published. (In 1999, a jury of comics scholars and critics voted it the 2nd greatest comic strip of the 20th century?second only to George Herriman's Krazy Kat, a verdict Schulz himself cheerfully endorsed.) Charles Schulz's characters?Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, Linus, Schroeder, and so many more?have become American icons. A United Media poll in 2002 found Peanuts to be one of the most recognizable cartoon properties in the world, recognized by 94 percent of the total U.S. consumer market and a close second only to Mickey Mouse (96 percent), and higher than other familiar cartoon properties like Spider-Man (75 percent) or the Simpsons (87 percent). In TV Guide's "Top 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All-Time" list, Charlie Brown and Snoopy ranked #8.

Japan's output of manga is massive, accounting for a staggering forty percent of everything published each year in the country.Outside Japan, there has been a global boom in sales, with the manga aesthetic spreading from comics into all areas of Western youth culture through film, computer games, advertising, and design.

Manga: Sixty Years of Japanese Comics presents an accessible, entertaining, and highly-illustrated introduction to the development and diversity of Japanese comics from 1945 to the present. Featuring striking graphics and extracts from a wide range of manga, the book covers such themes as the specific attributes of manga in contrast to American and European comics; the life and career of Osamu Tezuka, creator of Astro Boy and originator of story manga; boys' comics from the 1960s to the present; the genres and genders of girls' and women's comics; the darker, more realistic themes of gekiga -- violent samurai, disturbing horror and apocalyptic science fiction; issues of censorship and protest; and manga's role as a major Japanese export and global influence.

Image Comics presents the very first art book by top cover artist Greg Horn. From his outstanding illustrations for Marvel to his unforgettable work in the ultra-competitive gaming and advertising fields, this edition will collect many of Greg's most renowned pieces. Included in this book are his commercial art projects for industry giants such as Nike, Bacardi, Sony, Ringling Bros., Universal Studios, and Allstate Insurance. Also featured in this publication are nearly 50 magazine covers painted for Wizard, The Official XBOX Magazine, 100% PSM (Playstation) and PCGamer magazines.

Marvel Comics' character roster boasts some of the best known and most popular characters ever conceived-heroes that are international household names, both as comic book stars and movie stars, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk and Wolverine. This unique, one-volume encyclopedia contains more than 1000 of Marvel's greatest, with full details of their powers and their thrill-packed careers. The encyclopedia's range of spectacular art features eye-popping work by Marvel's finest artists, while the authoritative text is supplied by a team of top Marvel comic book writers. In addition, double-page features, illustrated with classic covers, trace the fascinating story of Marvel Comics through the decades. The Marvel Comics Encyclopedia is an essential book both for new fans and for those who grew up loving the excitement, heroism and humor of the Marvel Universe. Includes a foreword by Stan Lee.

Here come the heels and hoodlums! It's an entertaining rogues' review, starring Batman's Joker, Dick Tracy's Flattop and Pruneface, Flash Gordon's Ming the Merciless, Spider-Man's Green Goblin, and hundreds more villains connoisseurs of comics have always loved to hate. Written especially for comic book collectors and nostalgia buffs, 500 Comic Book Villains is a chronicle of fictional wickedness that also touches on Arthurian legend and old-time radio and movies, in addition to the comics. It's an encyclopedia of evildoers that lists and profiles the major recurring villains who for generations have lurked in countless comic book illustrations, flaunting the iniquity that is always vanquished at story's end by heroes who represent truth, justice, law, order, and the American way. This terrific collection, compiled by comic book historian Mike Conroy, serves as a fine companion volume to his recently published 500 Great Comic Book Action Heroes, also available from Barron's. More than 300 color illustrations include reproductions of comic book covers and pages. Readers will also find a handy index and a bibliography.

Superman, Batman, the Flash, Sheena of the Jungle, Wonder Woman, Captain America, Blade, Vampirella, the Incredible Hulk, Spider-Man! In addition to these well-known masked and costumed crime fighters, readers are introduced to hundreds more relatively obscure but equally fascinating characters in this collection of comic book heroes that spans the decades from the 1930s to the present day. As Will Eisner, the famous creator of many comic book heroes says in the foreword to this book, "Perhaps the most significant contribution of heroes into the popular literature of the 20th century was made by the form of graphic narrative known as comics." Serious comic book collectors, general fans, and every reader who is interested in pop culture's history will want to add this book to their personal collection. Hundreds of reproduced covers and pages are presented with succinct written histories of all the major comic book heroes from America and Britain. The fabled crime fighters are presented under categories that include male heroes, female heroes, teams, newspaper heroes, war heroes, western heroes, and sci-fi heroes. Combining detailed text with a wealth of full-color archive reproductions, 500 Comic Book Action Heroes celebrates the great caped crusaders and fabulous females from the fascinating world of comics.

The story itself was just the beginning of the mystery of what lurks in the Courtyard. The Courtyard Companion delves deep into the Lovecraftian roots of the masterpiece! This volume reprints the original script it was drawn from with full annotations of all of the Lovecraftian references (over one hundred in total) painstakingly researched by scholar NG Christakos. Also included is Alan Moore's original short story the series was adapted from, several new pinups and art by series artist Jacen Burrows, and a new essay from adapter Antony Johnston.

Roy Thomas, internationally known as a major writer and editor for Marvel and DC Comics, has assembled the most thorough look ever taken at All-Star Comics! Drawing on his lifelong passion for The Justice Society of America, he traces its origin from its beginnings in the 1940s, through its rebirth in the 1960s, the 1970s resurrection of All-Star Comics, and beyond. Thomas has compiled exhaustive research to highlight key issues, outline the genesis of this fabled series, and document the contributions of the artists, writers, and editors who made All-Star Comics one of the most sought-after collectibles in comics history. Along the way, he tracked down numerous pages from a never-published JSA story, presented here for the first time. In addition, there's a discussion of four "lost" issues of All-Star, plus more insights, explorations, and conjectures than you can shake a Junior JSA badge at!