200 page Trade Paperback - by Mark Evanier

by George KHOURY - 280 page Trade Paperback

In 1992, seven artists shook the comic book industry when they left their top-selling Marvel Comic titles to jointly form a new company named Image Comics. With no certainty of success, they formed a home that would allow themselves and other artists the opportunity to tell stories without any censorship or editorial restraints. Even more importantly, Image would finally give creators full ownership of their properties. Out of the gate, millions of readers flocked to the energetic adventures by these creators, as together they ushered in the Image Age, where comics would sell in the millions, and a comic book artist could become a mass media celebrity. Image Comics: The Road to Independence is an unprecedented look at the history of this important comic book company, featuring interviews and art from popular Image founders Erik Larsen, Jim Lee, Todd McFarlane, Whilce Portacio, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. Also featured are many of finest creators who over the last fifteen years have been a part of the Image family, offering behind-the-scenes details of the company’s successes and failures. There’s plenty of rare and unseen art, helping make this the most honest exploration ever taken of the controversial company whose success, influence and high production values changed the landscape of comics forever.

Review:

• Weekend Shopping Guide by Ken Plume on Quick Stop Entertainment - 20 July 2007
  

Previews:

• Todd McFarlane interview on Comic Book Resources!
• Marc Silverstri interview on Newsarama!
• Dale Keown interview on comicon.com's Pulse!
• Whilce Portacio interview on MySpace Comic Books!
• Robert Kirkman interview on PopImage!
• The Epilogue to Image Comics Founders Panel on Comic Book Resources!

ISBN-13: 978-1-893905-71-9
ISBN-10: 1-893905-71-3
Diamond Order Code: MAR073745

144-page Trade Paperback - edited by Michael EURY

The Missing Link To Primates In Comics

View a 10 page preview! (1 MB PDF)

Reviews:

• By Beau Smith -
  
  I can’t think of any kid/adult that doesn’t have a thing for Apes and monkeys. I know that as a kid and an adult I can’t pass up any comic, movie, book that has a ape in it. Just look at King Kong and you’ll know just what I mean.
  
  
  Michael Eury has taken a brilliant idea and made a wonderful book on covering possibly every ape that has ever had anything to do with comics. From the incredible Arthur Adams cover to the gallery of ape covers inside, there is something for everyone.
  
  
  This book has been on my nightstand for weeks. I’m always reading and looking at a new piece of information on apes in comics from this. The amount of artwork in this volume is staggering. It’s got all the best illustrations, covers and sketches that you may know very well or be seeing for the very first time. It showcases such artists as Arthur Adams, Frank Cho, Carmine Infantino, Joe Kubert, and tons of others.
  
  
  It presents you with a primate role call of such icons as King Kong, Grodd, Titano, Detective Chimp, Brainiape, The Gibbon, Mojo Jojo, and even mine and Kevin Bernhardt’s own creation Bobo from Primate: The Sword Of Darwin. (Image Comics)
  
  
  This book is over 140 pages and will have you reading for hours if not days. I really admire Eury for his in-depth research on this keeper of a book. Make sure you hit your local store up for this today or order one from TwoMorrows because you ain’t getting’ mine.
  
  
• Booklist - 1 September 2007
  
  DC Comics editor Julius Schwartz, who was largely responsible for the early-1960s revival of the superhero genre, steadfastly believed that a gorilla on the cover guaranteed greater sales. He must not have been the only one who thought so, for as Eury proves, there have been enough monkeyshines on and within comic-book covers over the decades to fill a book. In the 1930s, comics followed Hollywood’s lead and portrayed the exploits of Tarzan and dozens of imitation jungle kings. The 1960s were overrun with Kong-inspired giant apes, from Konga to Superman’s simian foe, Titano, whose eyes emitted Kryptonite rays. Heroes and villains whose minds were transferred into apes’ bodies get a chapter from Eury, as does a 1970s spinoff of the Planet of the Apes movies. Eury’s impressively broad examination of the subject encompasses everything from cheesy 1950s horror comics to alternative-comics artist Tony Millionaire’s Sock Monkey. With campily delightful artwork on every page, interviews with comics creators about their monkey-oriented work, and Eury’s wry commentary, the book deserves an ape-preciative audience.
  — Gordon Flagg
  

ISBN: 1-893905-62-4
ISBN-13: 978-1-893905-62-7
Diamond Order Code: FEB073814