Hot Products > Books > Comics & Graphic Novels

High School Musical Annual 2009

Order early??, 2008-10-31
Ordered the HSM Annual 3wks ago along with some other items and was told the other items would be dispatched straight away but the HSM Annual would not be sent until at least 1st December,be aware of this delay if you are getting it for someones birthday as theres a chance of it not arriving on time if not ordered early enough.This needs to be bared in mind for Xmas too.
Good price,shame about long wait on delivery.

Watching the Watchmen: The Definitive Companion to the Ultimate Graphic Novel

An essential companion for my favourite graphic novel, 2008-11-05
I must have re-read Watchmen once a year since I first bought it and loved it, and thought there was nothing new I could now discover about it, but this book has changed my mind. I found it's a book to dip into, not read from start to finish in one big bite, but there's so much to see and pore over on every page, I didn't want to gulp it down anyway, lots of colours and textures and so much fine detail in every frame. Alan Moore gets loads of kudos, and deserves it 100%, but it's good for once to see Dave Gibbons get his time in the sun - a fantastic artist.

Batman: v. 2: Hush

Hush is amazing, 2004-01-25
The second half of Jeph leob's and Jim Lee's tale, delivers on its title when it literaly leaves you quiet in awe and wonder at this amazing work.
The story line Hush is Jim Lee's (yes THAT jim lee) return to comics, and i dont think his art as ever looked more superb.n The story contains a cracking story, Who is hush? why his he after batman?
The story contains many great surprises with great writer and beutiful art. If you havent read this, dont delay, you wont be sorry

Serenity Volume 2: Better Days: Better Days v. 2

well drawn and scripted just a little insubstantial., 2008-11-02
Set between the firefly TV series and the serenity movie this introduces dust devils, browncoat terrorists. If you have no idea what I am talking about watch firefly. Anyway because it is set between two established stories there is a limit to what the writers can do witht the characters. As a result the story isn't that strong, but the characters are excellenty written and it is a joy to read. roll on volume 3.

The Complete Maus

Masterpiece, 2008-04-11
Only graphic novel to date to win the Pulitzer Price.

That should be compelling enough to endear anyone to this masterwork.

The drawing isn't perhaps as expressive as that of Sacco, but the novelty in Maus not only comes from the controversial bestialization of the characters (Poles are pigs, Jews are mice, Germans are cats, etc) but also from the timeline jumps that mix the chilling tale of Vladek's survival of Auschwitz and the author's process of discovery and acceptance of his father's personality as he is retold the survivor's tale.

So while we are presented with the horror's faced by Vladek, the book also deals with the strained relationship between the author and his father, his father's second wife and the author's converted wife.

One can only praise Spiegelman's honesty at the less than perfect portray of the old age Vladek and his own insecurities.

Batman: Hush

Incredible, 2008-05-02
I sat and though about the title for this review for a couple of minutes and 'incredible,' I'm afraid to say, was the best I could come up with to describe this book.
As a child I would read comics my father brought back from work. Second hand, many folded, dog eared comics at that. This book was my reintroduction after many years and I have to say a big 'Thank you' to Mr Loeb and Mr Lee for it. My bookcase now labours under the weight of a great many more graphic novels now.
The writing is very clever and I really did not see the ending (of vol. 2 that is) coming. Jim Lee's visuals (and remember this medium is as much about the visuals as it is the story) are quite frankly sublime and, in some instances literally take your breath away.
The negative reviews I see here quite baffle me. I heartily recommend this book, a work of art in every sense.

Batman: Arkham Asylum Anniversary Edition

Read it carefully, it's seriously good, 2008-09-17
I only got this today, and having read about a third of the story, I can safely say that it is seriously good. Okay, so it's the first graphic novel I've ever read, but it does really make me want to buy more.

The story is very dark, and the inmates of the asylum (especially the Joker) are pretty damn scary. Although a bit confusing at first, the artwork is brilliant, although I'm still finding it hard to read what the Joker is saying in some panels.

Overall, really good. I would definitely recommend it.

"Blue Peter" Annual 2009

The Eagle Annual of the Cutaways

Well Worth It, 2008-10-02
I bought this at Waterstone's so paid full whack. Maybe slightly over priced there but this is still a great gift.

If you like good drawing, or are interested in how things work then buy it.

If you want a history of Eagle, or a detailed breakdown of Cutaways then try the web but this is a nicely produced introduction for young'uns, or a trip down memory lane for their grandads. For me in the middle it is the answer to many gift-giving problems.

Rupert Bear Annual 2009

Very Disappointing, 2008-12-29
The cover is delightful but, oh dear, the contents are a long way short of the incredible annuals that John Harrold drew, Gina Hart coloured (apart from the cover & endpapers which Harrold did) & Ian Rob inson or James Henderson wrote. In a recent interview in "Artists & Illustrators" Stuart Trotter wrote how he used an Apple Mac & arranged the composition using Photoshop. Hopefully, he will have a lot more time next year but the lack of background detail is something that makes the images look rather unfinished. However, the cover indicates that Stuart is a talented artist and if the Rupert Annual which apparently was no 30 in the best-selling annuals list according to Bear Alley is to resume its full glory and potential then surely the load needs to be shared - how can one person with a little help from Anna Bowles produce what it took 3 highly talented individuals to do in the past, once Alfred Bestall retired?