Review: Imaginative "Guardians of the Galaxy" is Charming and Fun

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 12 (of 2015) by Leroy Douresseaux

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Running time:  121 minutes (2 hours, 1 minute)
MPAA – PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and for some language
DIRECTOR:  James Gunn
WRITERS:  James Gunn and Nicole Perlman (based on the comic book created by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning)
PRODUCER:  Kevin Feige
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Ben Davis
EDITORS:  Fred Raskin, Hughes Winborne, and Craig Wood
COMPOSER:  Tyler Bates
Academy Award nominee

SCI-FI/FANTASY and ACTION/ADVENTURE/COMEDY

Starring:  Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Lee Pace, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Djimon Hounsou, John C. Reilly, Glenn Close, Peter Serafinowicz, Benicio Del Toro, Laura Haddock, Sean Gunn, Wyatt Oleff, Gregg Henry, Christopher Fairbank, Stan Lee, and the voices of Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel with Josh Brolin

Guardians of the Galaxy is a 2014 science fiction action film and adventure comedy from director James Gunn and is produced by Marvel Studios.  The film is based on the comic book, Guardians of the Galaxy (2008), which was created by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning.  The film focuses on a human and a ragtag band of aliens who take on a warlord bent on galactic destruction.

Guardians of the Galaxy opens in 1988 where a young boy named Peter waits in a hospital where his mother is dying.  Shortly after she passes, the boy is abducted by the Ravagers, a group of space pirates.  26 years later, Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) is Star-Lord, and he is also a wanted man.  He arrives on the planet Morag, where he steals a mysterious orb that he is supposed to give to the leader of the Ravagers, Yondu Udonta (Michael Rooker).

However, the orb holds incredible power, and a fanatical alien named Ronan (Lee Pace) wants to use the orb's power to destroy the planet Xandar.  Ronan sends an assassin to get the orb from Quill.  On the run, Quill unites a ragtag band of oddballs:  the assassin, Gamora (Zoe Saldana); the genetically-engineered raccoon, Rocket (Bradley Cooper); the tree-like humanoid, Groot (voice of Vin Diesel); and the revenge-seeking Drax (Dave Bautista).  They may be the only ones who can save the galaxy and maybe even the universe.

Guardians of the Galaxy was one of the surprise hits of the year, if not the surprise hit of the year.  It was the highest grossing film at the North American box office during the calendar year of 2014.  Some people joked that if Marvel Studios could make a hit of Guardians of the Galaxy, it could make a hit of anything.  That may be true.

Guardians of the Galaxy's production values rival and even exceed (in some cases) most recent science and space fantasy films, including the Star Wars prequels.  The artists behind this film's production design and art direction build an entire new galaxy filled with amazing worlds and places from the ground up, with eye-popping and dazzling results.  The costumes are as creative as what is worn in the kind of costume dramas that usually earn Oscar nods for their costume design.  The make-up, both effects and hair-styling, is probably the best ever seen in a film based on a comic book.

Visually, Guardians of the Galaxy is a most unusual and imaginative film, but it is also familiar.  It is thoroughly infused with the spirit of Star Wars (1977).  Like the original Star Wars film, Guardians of the Galaxy is a lavish sci-fi movie spectacle with elements of Western and pirate adventure films.  It is fun to watch, and by the end of it, I was eager for a sequel.

Maybe co-writer and director James Gunn has created Star Wars for a new generation.  He has a fine cast of actors; a cool universe populated with awesome beings, places, and things.  Gunn also has what seems like an imagination full of ideas that want to get out and sparkle on the big screen.  Gunn can do really good things with this film as the start of a new franchise.  In the meantime, we can enjoy this first film.  Like Men in Black and Independence Day, Guardians of the Galaxy is a sci-fi blast that thrills every viewer who can enjoy the wonder of a great space adventure.

7 of 10
A-

Wednesday, March 4, 2015


NOTES:
2015 Academy Awards, USA:  2 nominations: “Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling” (Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou and David White) and “Best Achievement in Visual Effects” (Stephane Ceretti, Nicolas Aithadi, Jonathan Fawkner, and Paul Corbould)

2015 BAFTA Awards:  2 nominations:  “Best Make Up/Hair” (Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou and David White) and “Best Achievement in Special Visual Effects” (Stephane Ceretti, Paul Corbould, Jonathan Fawkner, and Nicolas Aithadi)

2015 Black Reel Awards:  2 nominations: “Outstanding Supporting Actress, Motion Picture” (Zoe Saldana) and “Outstanding Voice Performance” (Vin Diesel for playing "Groot")


The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

Amazon Studios Announces Guest Stars for Upcoming "Hand of God"

Erykah Badu (Black Dynamite), Lance Bass (Hell & Back), Hunter Parrish (The Good Wife), Jon Tenney (Scandal) and Jacob Vargas (Sons of Anarchy) to Guest Star in Amazon Original Series Hand of God

Series was created by Ben Watkins (Burn Notice), with select episodes directed by Marc Forster (World War Z), and stars Ron Perlman (Sons of Anarchy) and Dana Delany (Body of Proof)

Hand of God will premiere later this year exclusively on Prime Instant Video

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(NASDAQ: AMZN)—Amazon announced Erykah Badu (Black Dynamite), Lance Bass (Hell & Back), Hunter Parrish (The Good Wife), Jon Tenney (Scandal) and Jacob Vargas (Sons of Anarchy) will guest star in the highly-anticipated dramatic series Hand of God. The series is currently shooting in the Los Angeles area and will premiere exclusively on Prime Instant Video this fall.

    “We are thrilled to be adding such unique and talented performers to the Hand of God cast”

Created by Ben Watkins (Burn Notice), and marking the television debut of renowned filmmaker Marc Forster (World War Z), Hand of God stars Golden Globe winner Ron Perlman (Sons of Anarchy) as the honorable justice Pernell Harris. The show centers on Judge Harris, a hard-living, law-bending married man with a high-end call girl on the side, who suffers a mental breakdown and goes on a vigilante quest to find the rapist who tore his family apart. With no real evidence to go on, Pernell begins to rely on “visions” and “messages” he believes are being sent by God through Pernell's ventilator-bound son. Hand of God also stars Dana Delany (Body of Proof) as the Judge’s protective wife Crystal Harris, Garret Dillahunt (Justified) as KD, the born-again sociopath whose violent tendencies are exploited by Pernell, Andre Royo (The Wire) as the slick, smart, gregarious, and greedy mayor Robert ‘Bobo’ Boston, Alona Tal (Burn Notice) as Pernell’s grieving daughter-in-law Jocelyn Harris, Julian Morris (Pretty Little Liars) as the questionable preacher Paul Curtis, Elizabeth McLaughlin (Betrayal) as the preacher’s sultry girlfriend Alicia, and Emayatzy Corinealdi (Middle of Nowhere) as Pernell’s call girl and confidante Tessie. Watkins, Forster, Perlman, Brian Wilkins (Lost in America) and Jeff King (White Collar) are Executive Producers, and Jillian Kugler (World War Z) is co-Executive Producer. The pilot episode of Hand of God is rated 9.1/10 on IMDb and available to watch anytime at www.amazon.com/primeinstantvideo.

“We are thrilled to be adding such unique and talented performers to the Hand of God cast,” said Ben Watkins. “It’s a testament to the work of Marc, Ron and our whole cast and crew. The amazing creative environment that Amazon Studios fosters gives us an opportunity to attract top caliber talent such as Erykah, Lance, Hunter, Jon and Jacob to our mix. Naturally, we’re also stoked to have lead vocals covered for the Hand of God touring band.”

Erykah Badu as April—A bohemian weed dealer who calls herself the “blend master,” April has been Crystal’s personal dealer for years and becomes a close confidante. Crystal recruits April to join the Hand of God chapel as an informant so she can be Crystal’s eyes and ears in this new religious world with which Pernell has become obsessed. (Recurring)

Lance Bass as Exotic Jerry—An eccentric and irrepressibly enthusiastic face of Jerry’s Exotic Fish Store, Exotic Jerry sings an annoyingly catchy jingle in a low budget commercial. The song gets stuck in Pernell’s head and sparks a temporary fixation on fish.

Hunter Parrish as Josh—PJ’s best friend and former business partner, Josh is solid, trusting, and attractive. Despite his bookish demeanor, Josh’s emotional insightfulness and strength of character are exactly what Jocelyn needs to anchor herself when she starts spinning out of control. (Recurring)

Jon Tenney as Nick Tramble—Magnetic, intense, and charming, Nick is Jocelyn’s high-powered, expensively dressed attorney who represents her in the case to pull the plug on PJ. He takes the case because he truly believes that pulling the plug is what PJ would have wanted and that it will help Jocelyn move on from this tragedy. He’s been in an intense rivalry with Pernell for years, due in no small part to Nick and Crystal’s former romantic connection. Nick knows that the most important court to win in is the court of public opinion, which is why his opening arguments are always in front of news cameras. (Recurring)

Jacob Vargas as Julio—A grifter/graffiti artist who went through the police academy with Shane Caldwell, Julio left the force before making it through probation. Since then, he often finds himself on the wrong side of the law. Along with his best friend Shane, Julio has been doing dirty side jobs to earn cash. He isn’t a bad guy at heart; he’s become hardened and opportunistic over time, and increasingly finds himself in flirting with trouble. Pernell learns Julio was involved with what went down the night of Jocelyn’s rape, and may be the key to finding out who ordered the crime. (Recurring)

About Amazon Studios
Hand of God will join other Amazon Original Series that include Bosch, based on Michael Connelly’s best-selling books, Mozart in the Jungle, from Roman Coppola, Jason Schwartzman, and Paul Weitz, Jill Soloway’s multi-Golden Globe Award-winning dark comedy Transparent, along with the second season of the Garry Trudeau political comedy Alpha House. The studio has also launched its first live-action series for kids 6-11, Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street and three additional children’s series, the Annecy International Animated Film Festival Award-winning and Annie Award-winning Tumble Leaf from Bix Pix Entertainment; Creative Galaxy from Angela C. Santomero and Out of the Blue Enterprises, the creators of Blue’s Clues; and Annedroids, from Emmy nominated Sinking Ship Entertainment.

Amazon Studios has also announced eight additional, original series will premiere in 2015 and early 2016 exclusively on Prime Instant Video including Mad Dogs, The Man in the High Castle, docu-series The New Yorker Presents, Red Oaks, a second season of Transparent, as well as kids series Wishenpoof!, Just Add Magic, and The Stinky & Dirty Show.

In 2015 Amazon Studios will begin to produce and acquire original movies for theatrical release, followed by early window distribution on Prime Instant Video.

Amazon Studios launched in 2010 as a new way to develop feature films and episodic series—one that’s open to great ideas from creators and audiences around the world. Anyone can upload a script online and Amazon Studios will read and review all submissions. Those who choose to make their projects public can also receive feedback from the Amazon Studios community.

About Prime Instant Video
Amazon Prime members have instant access to stream tens of thousands of movies and TV episodes, including award-winning Amazon Original Series, available on Prime Instant Video at no additional cost to their membership. In addition, new release movies like Gone Girl, Boyhood and Birdman along with in-season shows like The Walking Dead, Scandal and Better Call Saul are also available for rent or purchase on Amazon Instant Video for all customers to stream and enjoy.

Customers can watch shows and movies with the Amazon Instant Video app. The Amazon Instant Video app is available on hundreds of devices including connected TVs, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Xbox and PlayStation, as well as on mobile devices like Fire phone, Fire tablets, iPhone, iPad, and Android devices. Customers can also watch online at Amazon.com/PIV. Customers can also watch online at Amazon.com/AIV. With the Amazon Instant Video app Prime members can enjoy offline viewing of movies and TV shows—on a plane, on vacation, in the car, and anywhere else where they may not have Wi-Fi.

Amazon Prime members have exclusive access to popular TV series at no additional cost to their membership. Prime members can enjoy binge-worthy TV shows including Amazon Original Series’ airing now such as multi-Golden Globe winning series, Transparent, the hour-long drama, Bosch, based on Michael Connelly’s best-selling books, the Roman Coppola and Jason Schwartzman comedy, Mozart in the Jungle and the political comedy starring John Goodman, Alpha House, in addition to HBO favorites like The Sopranos, True Blood and Six Feet Under, and popular primetime series including 24, Covert Affairs, Downton Abbey, Extant, Falling Skies, Grimm, Hannibal, Justified, Orphan Black, Teen Wolf, The Americans, Under the Dome and Veronica Mars. Prime members also have access to an exclusive collection of kids shows now airing including Amazon Original Series’ Annedroids, Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street and Tumble Leaf, as well as popular shows from Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. including SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer, Team Umizoomi, Blue’s Clues and The Bubble Guppies.

Comprehensive cast and crew information, including bios and filmographies, is available on Amazon's IMDb (www.imdb.com), the world’s most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content.

About Amazon
Amazon.com opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995. The company is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire phone, Fire tablets, and Fire TV are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites for the Week of March 1st to March 7th, 2015 - Update #13

NEWS:

From YahooMovies:  Why should Sean Penn apologize for a joke aimed at a close friend, even if it was at the Oscars?

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From HuffPost:  Neill Blomkamp reveals concept art for his in-development "Alien" film, and says what he does not want to happen to that film.

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From THR:  Disney is producing a live-action Beauty and the Beast... running out of ideas.

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From YahooMovies:  Chris Rock is highly critical of the 2013 Jackie Robinson biopic, 42.

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From TheHollywoodReporter:  The winner of the Feb. 27th to March 1st, 2015 box office is Focus, starring Will Smith, with an estimated take of $19.1 million.

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From TheHollywoodReporter:  Leonardo DiCaprio moves ahead with "The Crowded Room."  This is an old project.  I remember when the late Premiere magazine described it as James Cameron's "next project" back in the 1990s.

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From TheHollywoodReporter:  Michelle Rodriguez doesn't know better, since she has been one of the more privileged Latina actresses.  I wonder if she was also drunk when she made this statement.


COMIC BOOKS:

From YahooTV:  Jada Pinkett Smith is leaving "Gotham."

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From YahooTV:  CBS's Supergirl's costume is revealed.

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From CinemaBlend:  CBS keeps adding to cast of its "Supergirl" show.

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From Comicvine:  A new trailer for Avengers: Age of Ultron.

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From YahooGames:  Drew Goddard will writer and direct Spider-Man reboot... or not.

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From IGN:  Josh Trank explains casting Michael B. Jordan as Johnny Storm and the darker tone of his Fantastic Four movie.


STAR WARS:

From ScreenRant:  Rumors about the second Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer.

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From io9: What Ahsoka's appearance in Star Wars Rebels means.

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From FlickeringMyth:  New rumors about Luke Skywalker's role in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens.


OBITS:

From THR:  The actress, Lynn Borden, had died at the age of 77.  Borden was known for playing the young wife and mother, Barbara Baxter, on the fifth and final season of the 1960s sitcom, "Hazel."  We send our condolences to her family.

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From THR:  The actor, Daniel von Bargen, died at the age of 64.  He was best known for his role as Mr. Kruger, George Costanza's imbecile of a boss, on the last season of "Seinfeld."  I remember him for his role as the super-scary, Nix, in Clive Barker's Lord of Illusionx.

Titan Comics Announces "Surface Tension" Comic Book Miniseries

"A story for our times, written and drawn with passion!"  Pat Mills (Judge Dredd, Sláine)

SURFACE TENSION #1
Writer/Artist: Jay Gunn
1 (of 5) - 40pp - FC - $3.99 - On sale 05/27/2015

WE ARE ALL MADE OF WATER.

Months after mysterious corals drew 99% of humanity into the sea, a band of survivors ekes out a hollow existence on a remote British island.

When two people are cast up on the beach, completely blue, but very much alive, the island is thrown into turmoil.

What caused the mass extinction event? How did these two return from the deep, when billions died? Most importantly, what is the coral, and what does it want with the Earth?

A timely ecological fable of a planet rebelling against it's inhabitants - perfect for fans of The Walking Dead, The Day of the Triffisds, and Invasion of the Body Snatchers - Surface Tension is a gorgeous adventure of unprecedented scope. The oceans have never seemed so threatening!

"Wondrous and grotesque... an unnerving portrait of the human race at it's most helpless!" - Broken Frontier

"A brand-new talent for a brand-new horror, Surface Tension is set to be a monstrous hit!" - Laura Sneddon, Comics Beat

"Mysterious and compelling" - The Scoop

"Colorful visuals, terrifying creatures and melting human flesh... a suspenseful story and a cautionary tale!" -  Fangirl Nation

"Awash in monsters and mystery... an infinite source of inspiration" - Fanboy Comics

WATCH THE TRAILER NOW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Px48D2F1aRQ

SNEAK PEEK AT ART: Check out some superb preview art by Jay Gunn as exclusively revealed at http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=preview&id=26206

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"Bloody Mary" and "Honey So Sweet" Coming from VIZ Media

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES A MANGA ACQUISITION DOUBLE SHOT WITH NEW SHOJO SERIES BLOODY MARY AND HONEY SO SWEET

A Heretical Supernatural Murder Pact Between Vampire and Exorcist In BLOODY MARY And An Adorable High School Romance Where A Girl Decides Whether A Tough Guy’s Love Is For Real In HONEY SO SWEET

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, announces the acquisition of two new shojo manga (graphic novel) series – BLOODY MARY, by Akaza Samamiya, and HONEY SO SWEET, by Amu Meguro.

Both titles will be published in English under the company’s Shojo Beat imprint. They will also be available digitally via VIZManga.com and the VIZ Manga App, as well as from select VIZ Media content partners’ proprietary digital platforms. BLOODY MARY will launch in December 2015; HONEY SO SWEET is scheduled to debut in January 2016.

Creator Akaza Samamiya’s BLOODY MARY is a heart-pounding tale of an unorthodox allegiance between a vampire and an exorcist who is thought to have inherited the power the kill vampires. The Shojo Beat imprint will release new volumes of the ongoing series quarterly.

HONEY SO SWEET is by new manga artist Amu Meguro, and is currently featured in Japan in the iconic shojo magazine, Bessatsu Margaret. Featuring whimsical artwork and an ensemble cast, HONEY SO SWEET offers a heartwarming story about love that begins out of an act of kindness. The ongoing series will be released quarterly.

“Wonderfully memorable but markedly different characters are at the core of each of these exciting new manga titles,” says Nancy Thistlethwaite, Senior Editor, Shojo Beat. “We have supernatural fantasy with two male protagonists in the gothic BLOODY MARY, and the utterly adorable romantic comedy about love and friendship among high schoolers in HONEY SO SWEET. Both are sure to appeal to a broad array of fans and readers!”

BLOODY MARY, Vol. 1 · Rated ‘T’ for Teens · MSRP: $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN · Debuting December 2015

“Bloody” Mary, a vampire with a death wish, has spent the past 400 years chasing down a modern-day exorcist named Maria who is thought to have inherited “The Blood of Maria” and is the only one who can kill Mary. To Mary’s dismay, Maria doesn’t know how to kill vampires. Desperate to die, Mary agrees to become Maria’s bodyguard until Mary can find a way to kill him.

Manga creator Akaza Samamiya's other works include Hatsukoi Canvas (First Love Canvas), Torikago Syndrome (Birdcage Syndrome) and Ouji wa Tadaima Dekasegichuu (The Prince Is Gone on Business), all of which were published in the popular Japanese shojo magazine Asuka.

HONEY SO SWEET, Vol. 1 · Rated ‘T’ for Teens · MSRP: $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN · Debuting January 2016

Little did Nao Kogure realize back in middle school that when she left an umbrella and a box of bandages in the rain for injured delinquent Taiga Onise that she would meet him again in high school. Nao wants nothing to do with the gruff and frightening Taiga, but he suddenly presents her with a huge bouquet of flowers and asks her to date him—with marriage in mind! Is Taiga really so scary, or is he a sweetheart in disguise?

Newcomer Amu Meguro debuted with the one-shot manga Makka na Ringo ni Kuchizuke wo (A Kiss for a Bright Red Apple). Born in Hokkaido, her hobbies are playing with her niece and eating. HONEY SO SWEET is her current series in Bessatsu Margaret magazine.   

For more information on BLOODY MARY, HONEY SO SWEET, or other manga titles published by VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.

About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan.  Owned by three of Japan's largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. With its popular digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and ONE PIECE, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages.  VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products.  Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.

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Webcomics Update: Grumble #1 Page 19

Page 19 is here: http://www.comicbookbin.com/grumbleone019.html

Fantagraphic Books Announces Guido Crepax Comics Project

Fantagraphics Finds Paranormal Romance with Guido Crepax

Fantagraphics Books is proud to announce a 10-book series beginning November 2015 collecting the comics of Italian maestro Guido Crepax, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the creation of his character Valentina. A composite of Louise Brooks, Anna Karina, and his wife, Crepax's depiction of Valentina's sensuality is so sophisticated that it undeniably legitimized erotic Eurocomics. Just as with Tom of Finland, he blew apart the boundaries of the medium.

Crepax: Dracula, Frankenstein, and Other Horror Stories is the first book in the series. It features the artist's take on the eponymous literary works by Bram Stoker and Mary Shelley; a half dozen stories, some never before published, starring Valentina--arguably the strongest and most independent female character in European comics up till that time--from the '60s and '70s, and shows how Crepax influenced fashion, architecture, and the French New Wave.

Only a handful of Crepax's works have been reprinted in English, none currently available-until now. With more than 440 pages each of comics and contextual material from consulting editor Manuel Espírito Santo, comics historian Paul Gravett, erotica scholar Tim Pilcher, and testimonies of Guido Crepax heirs, these books will be the most complete and unabridged collections of the award-winning cartoonist Guido Crepax's work ever assembled.

Born in Milan, Italy, Guido Crepax (1933-2003) was an internationally acclaimed cartoonist. After he got his degree in architecture, he worked on national publicity campaigns for Shell and Dunlop, and illustrated book covers and record jackets. He began contributing to the seminal Italian comics magazine Linus in 1965, where his pop art and psychedelic surrealism-inspired graphics exploded into the public consciousness.

CREPAX: DRACULA, FRANKENSTEIN, AND OTHER HORROR STORIES
By Guido Crepax
November 2015 | $75.00
Hardcover | 440 pages
Black-and-White | 10 1/4" x 14"
ISBN: 978-1-60699-890-8

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