Reviews (3)

It's NOT Tracing!!!
Simply put, this is the best book on inking I've read. Don't waste your money on other books, buy Jansen's and Miller's and learn everything you need to know.

The book doesn't stop with instruction on techniques, tools, and materials, but gives you some great tips such as why you should keep your ink bottle in an ashtray!

Anyone who has ever laboured under the misapprehension that comic book inking is just 'going over a proper artists drawing with a pen' is finally shown the error of their ways as Jansen and Miller demonstrate what a fine art inking is when practiced correctly. Moreover, this is a DC guide to inking, not a guide to inking DC characters. Once you've read this and got some practice in, you'll be able to ink everything from cartoons to the most cutting-edge comic book characters.

Great text, great illustrations, what's stopping you?

Buy it now!

The most complete inking instructional
The most well-rounded instructional on comic book inking (out of...2?) that I've seen. As a professional artist I can easily recommend this to those interested in learning the tricks of the trade. Not the end-all however. Practice often, study your favorite titles and illustrators, go to a museum every now and then, and take an art class or two. This could be your text book, along with DC's Guide to Penciling.

How to guide from the artist who inked The Dark Knight
This book takes you through some of the best problems inkers have. Klaus Janson shows you how to have a light source, use forced perspective to show drama and lots of technical tricks of the trade I never thought of. This takes his first book about comic book penciling to next level. It shows how comic pros like Neal Adams handle a problem vs. another with a different approach to the same drawing. I have read this from cover to cover and enjoy reading how Klaus faces the empty page with creative solutions to drawing problems.

I have admired his work since the 1970's to the present. While his blotchy and cartoony inking style is a far cry from his detailed work in the seventies, I still enjoy work. ... Read more

Book Description

If you are anime/manga collector or fan, you have had a burning desire to learn how to draw the popular characters by yourself.However, you may be worried that you cannot draw as well as people in art clubs or in cartoon clubs because drawing is difficult - don't worry, many people feel the same way.This series was written to help those who are interested in drawing, but are worried about the challenges involved with it.If you change the way you look at an object - even just a little, you can succeed. ... Read more

Reviews (35)

Just as the title says.
Yeah, as the title says this is a book with just the basics.

It's not a step by step "how to draw" book as you would first think, it's rather a book on "test and learn", for example it shows a variety of characters and tells things like "separated eyes express lonelines, the small mouth expresses a delicate nature", so this book will only teach you how to design plain characters and it's wonderful for beginners like me; In no way must be considered a complete "How to Draw Anime" lesson, but its perfect for start cooking, even if you don't even know how to hold your pencil (that was my case some months ago when I bought it).

If you're a complete beginner buy this book, I gave it 5 stars because it helped me a lot, but keep this mind: drawing characters is one thing, to give life to them is something else... for that buy the Volume 2, or do some research.

Not exactly the basics...
This is an excellent book and all, it has improved my drawing a ton! There are plenty of examples to draw by (showing different kinds of characters including the cool looking comedian, the quiet hero, and the flirty school girl)
I'd say that the one problem would be the fact that it details how to put a pencil against a piece of paper and gives a bunch of warm-ups, but then immediatly goes to the examples. This book is mostly for those who draw flawed drawings and want to find tips (located in the back) or people who want to learn a little more on how anime works.
THIS IS NOT FOR ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS! I REPEAT NOT FOR ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS!

While good, this is not for complete beginners.
To begin, this is a good book. On first glance, it has a lot of detail and reference. It has excellent models, and wonderful in-depth descriptions.
It has a few big shortcomings, tho. Seeing as the title is "Basics for Beginners and Beyond" I thought that this would be the perfect book for me, seeing as I couldn't draw at all. After I got the book and started reading it, I realized that this is not the first book I should have bought. While this book does give great reference, it does not give step by step instructions. For those of you who are like me and cannot draw at all, you're going to want something a little more simplistic and instructive. This should be the *second* book you buy. (Three stars because this is NOT for complete beginners, as the title belies.

Fot total and complete beginners, I'd recommend that you buy How to Draw Manga by Katy Coope, ISBN 0439317452. It's extremely cheap, short and to the point. While it has it's own flaws, it was just what I needed and recommend for those of you who are just starting out. NEXT I'd recommend this book. Once you've gotten the simple skills from Katy Coope, then Tadashi Ozawa will show you a where to go with it.

Great book for beginners
This is the first in a the "How to Draw Anime & Game Characters" series of books, so obviously this one starts with the basics beginning with shapes and lines. With that done, it progressively moves on to how you adapt those techniques into making your characters body, parts of the body, and face. They show how to draw many different body sizes, eye shapes, hairstyles, hands, feet, and so on from different angles. They also have some areas that put a beginner, intermediate, and professional artists work side by side and examine the problem areas. A nice feature to help you prevent common (and not so common) mistakes. Overall, it's a great buy to those who want to draw anime.

this is a great book
I have just bought this book about a week ago and it improved my
drawing alot.I gave it a 4 star because it took me a while to under stand the book.I've been looking for a good how to draw book and this book is great.It is good for beginners and has alot of details.I will recomend this book to anyone that wants to draw anime. ... Read more

Book Description

Follow the adventure of IT as he discovers a door out of his monotonous life beating kittens and into an exciting new world where all sorts of new things can be (and generally are) beaten.This FULL-COLOR6 x 5" storybook tale of discoveryis written and with layouts by Mr. Chancre Scolex (sometimes known as Jhonen Vasquez) and vividly painted by his friend Mr. Crab Scrambly (Brad Canby to some). ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Content not packaging
Don't expect something huge and splashy. It's the idea and story that counts. Besides, it's made by Jhonen, and if you're a fan you'll NEED this.

Gee, am I reviewing the book itself or the story inside it?
Once there was a girl named Heather, who loved to read hilarious, slightly sadistic, satirical-type things like Catch-22 and such. One day, during her usual frolic through the proverbial book-leaden pastures of Amazon.com, she happened upon a deliciously insightful little curiosity entitled "Everything Can Be Beaten," by Scolex and Scrambly. Intrigued, she clicked on the link and read the sparkling reviews by many a satisfied customer. "It must be fantabulous!" she concluded, and bought it. Eight long days later, a little brown package arrived. Ecstatic, Heather ripped open the box and pulled out a small, thin pamphlet that looked like it came in a happy meal. Her heart sank. This was no happy meal pamphlet-it was the book!

Needless to say, Heather was gravely disappointed. She was expecting a small paperback book, as the Amazonian product description puts it. Though it was surely made of paper, it was flimsy and hardly what one would call a proper book. "What type of binding?" one might ask... WHAT binding? It's stapled together!

As far as what was printed inside the book (which is really what counts), Heather was not disappointed at all. In fact, it nearly made her forget how sad the book's outside made her feel. However, she did ask me to mention that every single "e" in the book is printed backwards, which makes it very difficult to read. This taste of dyslexia, although a possibly valuable life experience, is hardly an enjoyable one.

Other than the book's disappointing construction and impossible font, Heather found no fault with it. "Read it!" she says, "But don't expect a high-quality library edition with a sewn binding and easily manageable text." Consider yourself aptly warned.

"Everything" can be Fun!
I have been a big fan of Jhonen Vasquez's for a long time now. When I found out he had something new, I had to get it.

EVERYTHING CAN BE BEATEN follows the story of IT, a being who's sole purpose in life is to beat kittens. Until one day, when he notices a door in his 'beating' room that leads to... he doesn't know! So, he goes through it to find a cutesy, color-filled, squishy world of joy and happiness! Soon, however, he is saddened by the realization that he is useless in this world. Then, in a fit of despair and anger he discovers that everything CAN be beaten! And beat he does! He beats everything he can find, decimating everything! Then, he sits and waits for a million years or so. Then he does it again!

It's morbid fun with just a hint of philosophy. Not so much so that you think "Hey, this is just trying to teach me a lesson! BLAH! GET AWAY FROM ME!". It's more like "oooh! This is fun! I like it! AND it's educational!" Won't the parent's love that?!

I give it two mallets up!

Perfect!
Just what we were expecting from "Chancre Scolex". Great painted illustrations by "Crab Scrambly." If you are a fan of Vasquez, you WILL enjoy this. Keep on hammering those kittens.

It's True, You Know.
Wonderous and Beautiful. Feed the angry monkey in your mind. Taught me so very much about the world. ... Read more

Amazon.com

An emperor amasses an army of hundreds of thousands, drawn from twocontinents, to invade a third continent and conquer a tiny, divided nation. Onlya few hundred warriors stand against them. Yet the tiny nation is saved. Itsounds like the plot of a preposterous fantasy novel. It is historical fact. In481-480 B.C., King Xerxes of Persia raised forces in Asia and Africa and invadedGreece with an army so huge that it "drank rivers dry." Then they entered themountain pass of Thermopylae and encountered 300 determined soldiers fromSparta....

Writer-artist Frank Miller and colorist Lynn Varley retell the battle ofThermopylae in the exciting and moving graphic novel 300. They focus onKing Leonidas, the young foot soldier Stelios, and the storyteller Dilios tohighlight the Spartans' awe-inspiring toughness and valor. Miller and Varley'sart is terrific, as always; the combat scenes are especially powerful. AndMiller's writing is his best in years. Read it.

Do not, however, read 300 expecting a strictly accurate history. ThePhocians did not "scatter," as Miller describes. His Spartans are mildlyhomophobic, which is goofy in such a gay society. Miller doesn't say how manyGreeks remained for the climactic battle--you'd think 300 Spartans and maybe adozen others, when there were between 700 and 1,100 Greeks. Herodotus'sHistories does not identify the traitor Ephialtes as ugly andhunchbacked, or even as Spartan. 300 establishes a believable connectionbetween Ephialtes's affliction and behavior, but his monstrous appearance, KingXerxes's effeminacy, and the Persians' inexplicable pierced-GenX-African looksmake for an eyebrow-raising choice of villain imagery. Nonetheless, 300is a brilliant dramatization.

For the full story of the failed invasion, read Herodotus's Histories or, for a concise,graphic-novel retelling, Larry Gonick's great Cartoon History of the Universe:Volumes 1-7, From the Big Bang to Alexander the Great. For alighthearted look at post-invasion Athens and a very young Alexander the Great,check out William Messner-Loebs and Sam Kieth's witty and gorgeous graphicnovels, Epicurus the Sage Vol. I and Vol. II. --Cynthia Ward ... Read more

Reviews (37)

A historical comic NOT to be taken lightly
I have been a fan of Frank Miller's work ever since his Dark Knight Returns 10th Anniversary edition was published (this is a definate must have for any comic book enthusiast)and through several magazine articles I learned of his latest venture, 300. I've always been a fan of ancient history and mythology and since I had heard little about the events on which this work was based I decided to pick the book up. There are only two words that can truly capture my reaction: BLOWN AWAY. The book's art is composed in a Miller's trademark gritty-poetic style, and Lynn Varley's colors add true, muted life to the pencilwork. The characters, though there are very few that the readers get to know, are shown to be not just characters but human beings and treated with respect. The plot itself is a little over-used (from the first page the reader can glean how it ends), but since it is true to life and true to the characters it packs a wollop. The ending itself is reminiscient of Braveheart, and exceptionally well done. The battle scenes are intense, and the dialogue and inner monologues held by the main character, Leonidas, are some of the best tough-guy lines I've seen in any movie or read in any book. If you like such films as John Wayne's The Alamo, Braveheart or Spartacus, if you are a true comic fan or are interested in ancient history (or perhaps all of these things) pick up 300. You won't be disappointed. Check it out and enjoy!

Almost Perfect
This sounded like an awesome idea, Frank Miller's graphic genius takes on the tale of the battle at Thermopylae in 480 B.C., when 300 Spartans met the armies of Persia at a small pass and held them long enough for Greece to mobilize. Be warned however, that while Miller has retained the bare bones of the story, he's recast it in his standard good vs. evil method which oversimplifies both sides in the battle. Indeed, the battle is presented as the climax of the Grecian general's destiny rather than part of a long-running struggle. This is a story about the Spartans and the honor, glory, etc. and not a simple history-as-comic. The Persians are portrayed as exotic barbarians seeking to lay waste to advanced civilization and the rule of law. This is a very stylized vision of the Greco-Persian conflict, and Miller's Persians certainly don't bear any resemblance to the historical Persians. At times, the internal logic doesn't really hold up either, as when the Greek king violates the accepted "rules of war" and kills the initial Persian messengers and then go on to wax poetic about the primacy of law. While a bit problematic in that sense, Miller's visuals are awesome as usual--especially in this coffee-table book format. The panels are beautiful, brilliantly colored in dark tones and lots and lots of blood. It'd be neat to see Miller take a stab at some Persian mythology from the Shahnameh (Book of Kings).

Machismo Par Excellance
It never cease to amaze me how awesome Frank Miller is as BOTH artist and storyteller. If you have had the pleasure of enjoying his earlier works, and honestly what comic book aficionado have not, this is a must have.

If you seek a compelling story about unrelenting bravery and honour, this is definately also a book for you. In so many ways, 300 is a refreshing forray into traditional macho virtues and values, something rarely expressed in a sensible way in today's society.

So for all the big boys out there, get 300, kick back in your favourite comfy chair and gush with delight as King Leonidas does the unthinkable at Thermopylæ.

Great Retelling of the Battle at Thermopylae
Although not totally accurate, Frank Miller does an excellent job of telling the story of the Battle of Thermopylae, a momentous battle made all the more legendary by the fact that as few as 300 Spartan warriors (some estimates range as high as 1,000)managed to hold off an army that numbered in the hundreds of thousands for three days.

Xerxes, the ruler of Persia, had amassed an army that may have numbered as high as a million, which was moving across the Middle East and into Greece with the intent of conquering the known world. Many of the Greek city-states were prepared to simply submit. But two things occurred after the 300 Spartans held Xerxes's army off for three days. One, it allowed time for Greek naval forces to move into position to challenge Xerxes. Two, as word spread of the battle, it inspired other Greeks to choose to battle Xerxes. Xerxes's forces also were probably somewhat demoralized by the battle as Xerxes probably lost thousands of men as he sent wave after wave of soldiers at the Spartans.

The Spartans eventually fell, but their sacrifice resulted in victory and Xerxes and his army were eventually turned back.

Miller takes a few literary licenses with the story, to good effect, and presents a fairly accurate and engrossing retelling of the battle. Highly recommended.

Frank Miller does history
Frank Miller writes the story of 300 Spartans battling the entire Persian army during the Greek/Persian wars of antiquity. This is good stuff, but you should probably read Miller's classic "Batman: The Dark Knight Returns" before "300", to see whether you like Miller's style or not. Despite the different setting the storytelling is very similar; Miller has a hard-boiled, "men are men" sort of style that seems to be present in whatever he writes. The book is based on the Battle of Thermopylae, and though I do not know how true to history the graphic novel is, it does make a gripping story. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A great book for animation fans and art lovers
The focus of this book was certainly ART, as it provides stunning pictures of Mideval Paris from historical archive that Disney artists meticulously researched before finalizing the background scenery. We also get a glimpse of the profiling of the psychology of each character, and their interaction that drives the story. However, at this price, I wish that they had CD-ROM version that catered to the sophisticated fans of animation art who are very interested in all of the gory technical details.

A must for Disney worshippers
Like Rebello's previous "Art of" books (Lion King and Pocahontas), this one is a joy to look at, but it's missing one thing. I wish it had more about the characters' voices. Often the actor or actress who voices a character influences the visual development of that character. The animator may model the character after the actor, or he or she may take one particular gesture from the actor and incorporate it into the character (like Belle - she kept brushing that lock of hair away from her face because her voice, Paige O'Hara, did the same thing). So including some information about the voices behind the characters would provide even more insight for those of us clamoring to know about how an animated film is made. But even with this one flaw, the book is gorgeous, especially the production stills of the interior of Notre Dame. And the concept art is great - sometimes it's wildly different from what actually shows up on screen, so you get a look at the evolution process. Oh - don't skip the index. The illustrations of how animators let off steam are hysterical! My favorite - "Quasi and Harriet". So, if you're a fan of Disney animation, get this! ... Read more

Book Description

Dream-team creators Joss Whedon (TV's Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and John Cassaday (Planetary, Captain America) present the explosive, all-new flagship X-Men series - marking a return to classic greatness and the beginning of a brand-new era for the X-Men! Cyclops and Emma Frost re-form the X-Men with the express purpose of "astonishing" the world. But when breaking news regarding the mutant gene unexpectedly hits the airwaves, will it derail their new plans before they even get started? As demand for the "mutant cure" reaches near-riot levels, the X-Men go head-to-head with the enigmatic Ord, with an unexpected ally - and some unexpected adversaries - tipping the scales! Collects Astonishing X-Men #1-6. ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Calling Spaceman Spiff
There is little you can say about a Calvin and Hobbes book. As with the other books in this series, it is very funny, insightful of people and children, and something that I seem to be able to read over and over. Bill Waterson brings a perspective on humans that is as unique as Gary Larson's perspectives, only his viewpoint surrounds our "hero," Calvin. The long-suffering Hobbes (a tiger, don't you know) is often a voice of doubt and sanity that Calvin rarely, if ever, heeds. When Calvin realizes that Hobbes is being critical, a fight generally ensues. Given that Hobbes is a "ferocious" tiger, Calvin rarely gains the upper hand.

This book is excellent and relatively benign humor, good for any occasion when you need a break from the world. More amazing, this book can be read over and over, and each time you'll still find it funny. I strongly recommend this book.

One of the Best
The Days Are Just Packed is one of my favorite Calvin & Hobbes books. It is the first collection to have the undivided Sunday format, and the full-format Sunday strips are real works of art. Even after you've read it a million times, and have all the punchlines memorized, this is still a great book, and worth reading again. If you haven't been exposed to Calvin and Hobbes, this would be a great place to start.

Calvin The Great
Another great slab paperback filled with the very best of this over active duo. Themed for the holidays, Calvin and Hobbes get up to their usual mischief at the detriment of Mom, Dad, Susie and others. Read it over and over again just to get a little laughter in a boring day. Highly recommended.

Don't you wish everyday was summer?
Fans of Calvin & Hobbes who used to read the newspaper strip in the 80s and 90s will find great pleasure in reading this collection of C&H comics. These witty comics about the 6-year old Calvin and his stuffed tiger Hobbes, named after the famous philosophers, will amuse people of all ages. The perceptiveness and humor of Watterson deserve the highest of cartoon awards, while his artistic creations exude hilarity. This cartoon is perhaps one of the most piercing yet funny critiques of modern society.

Summer is the time when Calvin and Hobbes can hang out in the treehouse and plot their next attacks on Susie, if they're not busy fighting with each other, that is. This book also contains some of Calvin's best snowman art. Procrastinators will love Calvin's newest invention - the Time Machine, or perhaps not? This is definitely one of the best C&H books around.

Note that there are two series of C&H collections: individual wide-format albums, each covering an entire year of strips (will call it "regular"), and the vertical aspect ratio "treasury series" which covers selected comics from two regular C&H books. Note that C&H ran for a year in newspapers, so there's 10 regular books and 5 treasury books. Though the cartoons are slightly smaller in the treasury collection, each treasury book is far thicker and contains more strips than a regular book, and is furthermore less expensive, so treasury books are a real bargain. "The Days Are Just Packed" belongs to the regular series and was published in 1993.

This Book is Not Bad...
I actually am fond of comics and I even made up my own. My favorite kind is the kind that are funny, like Calvin and Hobbes, and at first, when I saw a Calvin and Hobbes book, I loved them. Then when I kept reading, I got bored and didn't read anymore ever since. Now I read it again and I love it. Every thing about it is good, and I surely will recommend it. ... Read more

Book Description

General Obi-Wan Kenobi and his Padawan Anakin Skywalker find themselves in command of a regiment of Clone Troopers on the muddy battlefields of the rain world of Jabiim. With their supply lines stretched thin and reinforcements unable to land due to the perpetual storms, the Jedi and their army have become easy targets for the rebel Alto Stratus and his elite Nimbus warriors. The situation goes from bad to worse when General Kenobi is listed missing in action, and Anakin is teamed with a group of other masterless young Jedi on a doomed mission to hold the last line in the Republic's defense! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Brutal war story
This trade paperback collects issues of Star Wars: Republic #54-59.

Republic #54-58 is the four-part "Battle of Jabiim" arc by Haden Blackman (writer) and Brian Ching (artist). This is a dark, drenched, brutal storyline about a Republic/Separatist battlefield on the planet Jabiim. Anakin is the main character, and fans of the darker side of SW will surely appreciate this. A version of the AT-AT makes its first appearance here. The drawings of the vehicles and ships are done in awesome detail.

Republic #59 is one-issue story written by John Ostrander and drawn by Jan Duursema. Again Anakin is the main character, and it focuses on his interaction with an older Republic character, A'Sharad Hett, who is a Tusken Raider. Certainly the events of Attack of the Clones lead to an interesting confrontation.

Another very good Clone Wars TPB by Dark Horse. ... Read more

Book Description

Now unto us is born...the magician! The Master of the Mystic Arts' earliest adventures continue as Strange stands as mankind's last, best hope against the dark otherworldly forces that conspire to steal the life of the conscious world - including Nightmare, Dormammu, Lord Nekron, and the Sons of the Satannish! Featuring the origin of Dr. Strange... and Strange and Clea's first kiss! Plus: Strange takes on a new, masked costume! Guest-starring the Avengers! Collects Doctor Strange #169-178, 180-183, Avengers #61, Sub-Mariner #22, Marvel Feature #1, Incredible Hulk #126, and Marvel Premiere #3-10, 12-14. ... Read more

Book Description

Thousands of U.S. soldiers have suffered grievous wounds in Iraq, but only one of them is a Doonesbury character. This special collection chronicles seven months of cutting-edge cartooning, during which B.D.-and readers of the strip-got an up-close schooling in a kind of personal transformation no one seeks. Deprived not only of leg but also his ubiquitous trademark helmet, B.D. survives first-response Baghdad triage, evacuation to Landstuhl's surgeon-rich environment, and visits by innumerable morale-boosting celebs, both red and blue in hue. He's awed in turn by morphine, take-no-guff nurses, his fellow amps, and his family, including the daughter who hand-delivers succor, one aspirin at a time. Transferred stateside to Walter Reed's Ward 57, B.D. is inspired by the wisdom of physiatrists, warmed by the dedicated ministrations of real-life fellow-amp heroes like Jim the Milkshake Man, and dazzled by high-tech prostheses that cost more than luxury cars. He's annoyed by his own bouts with self-pity, by the bedside awkwardness of friends more comfortable regarding his stump from e-mail distance, and by Zonk's unwavering commitment to supplementing his care with organic meds. As their journey continues, B.D. and Boopsie are cared for by Fisher House, a home-next-door-to-the-hospital for families whose lives revolve around therapy. B.D. finds himself painfully engaged in building his future, one sadistically difficult physical therapy session at a time. "To Lash, Helga, and the Marquis!" toast the band of differently limbed brethren, raising their glasses to their PT masters as they prepare for reentry into the ambulatory world. From rebuilding tissue to rebuilding social skills to rebuilding lives, B.D's inspiring, insightful, and darkly humorous story confirms that it can take a village, or at least a ward, to raise a soldier when he's gone down. "Thank you for getting blown up," offers one of B.D.'s visiting players. Replies the coach, "Just doing my job."

Book Description

The wildly popular American manga web comic hits its landmark third volume!Piro and Largo are still stuck in Japan, and this odd couple of an anime/manga-obsessed fanboy and a hard-core gamer, are both stirring up trouble, and stringing together awkward crushes. It's a true fantasy existence, as the insane and destructive Largo fights"zombie hordes" and Piro pursues the heart of a budding voice actress. All the while, an expanding cast of surprising and delightful characters keeps the chaos moving and the charm flowing. ... Read more

Book Description

Tohru Honda was an orphan when one day fate kicked her out of the house and on to land belonging to the mysterious Sohma family. After stumbling upon the teenage squatter, the Sohmas invite Tohru to stay in their house in exchange for cooking and cleaning. Everything goes well until she discovers the Sohma family's secret, when hugged by members of the opposite sex, they turn into their Chinese Zodiac animal! ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Truly amazing. Needent I say more. :P
Fruits Basket (or Furuba as it's known to many fans) is a truly amazing manga.

From the title of it, you would expect it to be very hentai-ish, but it's not. In my opinion it has to be the cleanest manga that one can possibly stand. (IE it's not so clean and happy go lucky as Hamtaro *shudders* Hamataro is evil, pure evil). Well I got off track. This review has spoilers abound so beware if you haven't read the manga (or seen the anime).

Fruits Basket is about a girl name Tohru Honda a girl with a heart of gold and truly a wonderful person, whoes father died when she was very young. She is now 16, her mother had just died in a car wreck, and she went to live with her grandpa on her fathers side. (Because her mother and she were not exactly on speaking terms with her mothers side of the family). Her grandfather has to get his house remoldeld for some distant relatives on his side of the family so Tohru has to move out for a while. He told her to find some friends to stay with.

Not wanting to be a burden to any of her friends Tohru decides to rough it, and she finds a tent and campsout for about a week, on the Sohma familys property (not knowing of course). One day while walking to school she comes across the Sohma family household. She looks around in it for a while and comes across some stones with the Chinese Zodiac on it. Than she run's into Shigura (who is the year of the dog) and Yuki (her high-schools "Prince" He is the year of the rat) Later on in the story we are introduced to Kyou (the year of the cat, who is not in the zodiac because he was betrayed by rat). And this is where the trouble starts.

The Sohma family is cursed and therefore whenever they are touced or huged by a member of the opiset sex of someone NOT in there family, they turn into the animal that they are the year of. Tohru finds out this secret, and therefore she might have to have her memories erased from her. What will become of our poor Tohru? Find out when you read the manga! And belive me, you will. It is a must read.

Now I odviously left out a lot of details from this manga, but I didn't want to give away the whole storyline, that would be quite dumb wouldn't it?

Also this manga is printed in the original left to right reading format, therfore preserving the original artwork and sound-effects. It makes it even more enjoyable. All in all this manga is a must read. It's kinda of a comedy/romance, kind of. And it's shojo, so it's more or less going to be apealing to the femail gender a little bit more. That's not to say that a guy wouldn't like it. It has quite a bit of action in it (not like Trigun action) more martial arts action. But it is a must read. And I really hope my review helped. Do you believe it was written by a 16 year old? The reveiw I mean.

Just thought I'd mention this
I was depressed for several days, then I went to Border's and bought some manga, one of them Fruits Basket #3. I swear, I felt so... happy afterwards! I'm serious, every time I read Fruits Basket, it just puts me in such a good mood... it's full of hope and compassion without seeming forced or sappy. Natsuki Takaya really has a talent for this! In this volume, after Momiji was talking about "The Most Foolish Traveler in the World" story in the "funny" stories book, and how he related it to Tohru, I actually cried, and I rarely cry over manga! XD Most of my favorite mangas are the more serious or sinister kind for older audiences, such as Confidential Confessions, Petshop of Horrors, Uzumaki, etc. and I'd never thought I'd enjoy a series like this. But I love it and it's one of my favorites... even though it sounds a little rediculous in its description (turning into animals when hugging the opposite sex ^^;) when you actually read it, it's really enjoyable, touching, and funny, and the characters all have deep personalities. I highly reccommend Fruits Basket!!

Great!!!!!!
I love this manga!!!!

Clean and sweet, without being sappy, Fruits Basket is a really cute story about a sixteen year old orphan named Honda Tohru. One day when walking through the woods, she discovers a strange house. Under further investigation, she finds that the house happens to be the home of none other than the prince of her school, Sohma Yuki. When Yuki and his cousin Shigure find out that Tohru had been living in a tent, they immediately take her in. However, Tohru soon discovers their family secret. The Sohmas are the bearers of the "juunishi" (zodiac) curse. When their bodies grow weak, or when they are embraced by a member of the opposite sex, they transform into their designated animal of the Chinese zodiac, or in Kyo's case the outcast aka the cat.

I have only read two volumes of the manga, but I own all four anime dvds and love them. It starts out sweet and gentle, but the end, of the anime at least, is dark, depressing and to use a word I hate a real "tear-jerker." I cried. A lot. Even so, it was wonderful. Don't not buy it now because you think it to be dark and full of pain and misery. It's not. Every {good} story needs some dark pasts, mental scars, and evils. Otherwise, how did the villian become a villian, why is the good guy good? There would be no motivation. GO buy the manga. NOW.

Fruits Basket
Fruits Basket in general is a touching series that really makes you look at yourself--when you see what these people go through, and see that they can still smile, you'll wonder if crying was/is ever worth it in the first place.(But of course, we all don't have a cute little bordering house-maid to give us the wisdom we need in those times.)

Anyways.

The book can be described in a few words; really sweet. In this book we meet a new character, Hatsuharu Sohma(though you may have seen a little of him in number 2), who has a 2 sided personality. That's all I know--I have yet to buy the book.

But if *I* like it so much without even having seen it, then who says YOU won't like it either?

Fruits Basket just have something special about it. It's like a parasite--it weasels into you and embeds itself into your heart. I think everyone can find something they like about it, even male otakus(otaku=anime fans, though not all are pale-faced doughballs)...

Now. Go. Now. Grab all the money you have and waste it(heh) on Furuba(Fruits Basket) stuff. OR YOU SHALL DIE WITH THE HAUNTING KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU MISSED OUT ON SOMETHING GREAT. Heh-heh-heh. Bye. ^^;

fRUITS bASKET
The book starts out with a young girl,Tohru, who with the death of her mother is living alone in a tent. She then meets the Sohma family who is suprised to hear that she lives near by, because all the land in the area is owned by them.
She goes to school with her new found friend Yuki who is the popular handsome guy of the school. Later you find that for some reason Yuki hates cats as they walk together. Yuki and Tohru go their seperate ways, but later that night Yuki finds Tohru living in a tent and he takes her in because she dosn't look well.
In return Tohru cleans the house to earn her keep. Then a boy named kyo challenges Yuki to a fight. As they fight Tohru falls and keeps her balance by hugging Kyo. Kyo then transforms into a cat.
Thoru freaks out and then everyone else in the family transforms into a different animal.
They explain that their family is cursed wwith the spirts of the Chinese Zodiac. Each family member is possesed by a different animal spirit and when under great stress or embraced by a member of the oppisit sex they transform.
This first book takes you through the events of the first 5 episodes of the anime.
This first book is awsome and is followed up by more just as good! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Not his best stuff?? What are you talking about???
The review above says this is not Crumb's best stuff, and not to buy anything from "This Publisher." This makes NO SENSE, because Fantagraphics is publishing THE COMPLETE WORKS of ROBERT CRUMB, in order, from his early years right up to the present. Crumb supervises each release and writes the introductions to each volume. Furthermore, Fantagraphics is one of the best publishers of quality comix in the world.

If you like R. Crumb, this collection is pretty much the best you can get. Unless you just want a "greatest hits" which is fine to. In any case, Volume 4 is my favorite collection, but there is quality stuff in each one. The review above is sort of akin to someone blasting the Riverside Shakespeare because it includes stuff like Pericles or The Two Noble Kinsman. It's the COMPLETE WORKS, guy! It contains the BEST and the WORST, but everyone will disagree about which is which.

Pretty good but with a lot of overlap with other collections
This collection of strips includes quite a number published elsewhere, with nine starring Mr. Natural, including "... Encounters Flakey Foont", "...the Zen Master", "...in Death Valley", "...Visits the City"; in addition to stories such as "Meatball"; "It's Cosmic"; and a series of images from greetings cards. Selections are from "Evo", "Head Comix", "Yarrowstalks", "Zap Comix" etc...This isn't necessarily Fantagraphics fault as overlap with the more comprehensive "R. Crumb's Carload o' Comics" is because THAT collection was published by J.B. Rund of Kitchen Sink Press.

The book also contains an introduction by Crumb eulogizing his late friend Marty Pahls, and photographs of Crumb, wives Dana and Aline, sister Sandra and friend Pahls.

I'd say it's a decent retrospective for anyone wanting an example of the master of the undergrounds.

Comix Guaranteed To Blow Yer Mind!
'Mr. Sixties' features the creme de la Crumb, executed while he was still a wide-eyed rube, lost in the hubbub of Haight-Ashbury and the Summer of Love. Featuring lots of psychedelia (Crumb started dropping acid in '66), Crumb's work in 'The East Village Other', 'Yarrowstalks' and the ground-breaking 'ZAP Comix' #0 & 1 immediately appealed to the anti-Establishment Flower Children. These were harmless cartoons- innocent fun and a far cry from such later controversial pieces as 'Jumpin' Jack Flash', 'Dicknose' and 'Joe Blow'. Also included is the Crumb/ Gibbons' publication, 'The Sad Book'. Well recommended. Note to Parents: Although (at first glance) Crumb's work appears to be harmless 'kid's cartoons', these comix are definitely meant for ADULTS ONLY!

Essential for anyone interested in Crumb or u.g. comics
I have to object to the previous review--this book includes the material that created a new audience and inspired countless artists. While it may not ultimately be Crumb's best work--he was very young at the time that it was produced, and other collections, like "Carload of Crumb," offer a better cross-section of his early work--it still offers real pleasure to the interested reader. The previous reviewer's slap against the publisher, Fantagraphics, is especially egregious: they have an impeccable track record of high-quality editions of comic art worth preserving, and this classic is no exception.

The Crumb
This is not his good stuff. It is marketted fluff using his name. There are some good collections, but don't buy anything by this publisher ... Read more

Book Description

The Ultimates vs. the Ultimate X-Men: the battle begins. When the X-Men do the worst thing they could to humanity, the government orders Captain America, Iron Man, Thor and the rest of the Ultimates to bring them down. A small but lethal army, the Ultimates were created to face these and other newly rising threats to mankind. But the X-Men's founder, Professor X, hasn't been training his students for nothing -- and the youngs mutants just might take out the Ultimates first. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

This is more of a delaying action that a full out war
You would think that a showdown between the Ultimate X-Men and the Ultimates (the Nuevo Avengers) would offer an epic battle, but instead "Ultimate War" is pretty much a holding action. This trade paperback which is Volume 5 in the "Ultimate X-Men" series collects the four issue mini-series, which follows up on the conclusion of Volume 4 "Hellfire & Brimstone" where Magneto remembers himself and prepares to put humanity in its proper place. In the wake of the revelation that the Mutant Master of Magnetism was not killed and that Charles Xavier had lied about Magneto's true fate, the X-Men join the Brotherhood of Mutants on the government's hit list and the Ultimates are sent to bring them down.

Of course the lineups of the two groups is substantially different from the first time they fought in "The Avengers" #53, with Captain America, Iron Man, Thor and the Black Widow added on one side and Wolverine, Storm, and Colossus on the other. More importantly, it takes the Ultimates until issue #4 to track down the X-Men, although the Ultimates do get to tangle with Magneto when Daddy Dearest comes looking for Pietro and Wanda (I do hope that Magneto really is their father this time around because that would be a pretty good change from the first time through the Marvel Universe). Writer Mark Millar and artist Chris Bachalo reduce the "war" to a series of one-on-one battles: Iron Man vs. Colossus, Thor vs. Storm, Captain America vs. Wolverine, and the Wasp vs. Professor X. The problem is that they all take place in one issue, which means we only get a couple of pages for each confrontation. To quote Xander: "Big overture, little show."

The biggest problem with "Ultimate War" is that the mini-series is hamstrung from the beginning: not much can actually happen because the big showdown with Magneto has to be with the X-Men. The end effect is not a complete reset to where we started, but its is close all things considered. There are also some implications for down the road, such as when Captain America recalls Wolverine as Corporal James Howlett of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion (of all of the new and improved Marvel Superheroes in this Ultimate book the one I like the most is Cap; the living legend is now much more of a pragmatist than an idealist, which makes perfect sense for somebody who fought Hitler and the Nazis during World War II). Consequently, it is not like you can skip this without being at something of a disadvantage when the story continues in "The Ultimate X-Men," which is precisely the point of such mini-series.

Ultimate War
Here we have two new Marvel creations meeting and fighting: The Ultimate X-Men and the Ultimates. The art is back up to par in this book. The story still as strong as the previous books. Even this far along they've kept it fresh.

Marvels Ultimates
I don't buy comics anymore I buy manga and graphic novels and stopped collecting comics a couple of years ago as the prices increased while the quality decreased. The Ultimate line from Marvel has been outstanding. This review doesn't apply to this individual trade per se but Marvel Comics as a whole under Joe Quesada. I thought I was done with comics but Quesada brought me back if only for the trades.

Ultimate filler....
I found the matchups also X-biased and without the huge dramatic impact of the Ultimates series -- Colossus tossing Thor around after Thor and Hulk go toe to toe? Wolverine shredding Stark's armor and taking out Iron Man in seconds? Isn't Iron Man the guy who captured the Rhino in U-Spidey without working up a sweat? C'mon. The revisionist stuff is great, and works in Ultimates, U-X and U-Spidey, but Ultimate War is only filler between the two super teams' Ultimate books. Poor use of continuity and very little action payoff.

Good But what About Captain Vs. Wolverine
This was a great comic X-Men vs. Ultimates first of all my two favorite characters Colossus and Wolverine were awesome. Colossus beat up iron for a little and then beat up Thor. And wolverine just killed every one in his path. The only thing i really wanted to see was Capn America vs. Wolverine. INsted all the action ends with Capn america playing a mind trick on wolverine then shooting him with a machine gun. Where is the hand to hand combat even though the better fighter is wolverine that would be great stuff ending is awful though ... Read more

Book Description

A murder in a New York wax museum and a missing corpse lead Hellboy into ancient Romanian castles on the trail of a sleeping legend: the original nobleman vampire. Nazi scientists prepare for the return of their occult master and the end of the world, and Hellboy confronts his purpose on earth. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Nazis and vampires and ghosts, oh my!
This is the second Hellboy graphic novel. It is an improvement over the first one, as we get to know the old characters better, and interesting new characters are introduced. Creator Mike Mignola's Kirbyesque artwork is terrific, and this time he handles the writing himself (the first graphic novel was scripted by John Byrne). I don't want to give away too much of the plot, but I will explain that Hellboy is a paranormal investigator who appears to be a demon. This book is dedicated to Dracula, which should give you a clue as to what he encounters this time. This book should be especially appealing to people who like The X-Files or Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but I would encourage anyone who is a fan of sophisticated comic books to check it out.

Hellboy's hurly burly
With "Hellboy: Wake the Devil" Mignola again shows his strength in weaving together unconnected folklore and his own inventions, creating a seamless fantastic reality that grows with every story. Darker, more confident than "Seeds of Destruction," the mythology comes together.

Nazis, Imperial Prussians and Greek and Russian goddesses make for strange bedfellows, but here we have a Napoleonic vampire Commander, Vladimir Giurescu, the delightful Nazi scientists Ilsa Haupstein and the Ragna Rok Project, Rasputin the Mad Monk, the Baba Yaga, the Greek Goddess Hecate and of course a living Head in a Jar, all conspiring against our heroes. Fighting for the good guys are the usual cast of Abe Sapien, Hellboy and the BRPD. If that isn't enough to get your appetite wet, then you are reading the wrong customer review.

More than most series, "Hellboy: Wake the Devil" advances the overall plot of Hellboy's story, uncovering key points of his origin and destiny. The epilog, only available in this trade paperback, adds an interesting element to the story of the Baba Yaga and Rasputin.

Homunculus + Horror, Adding To the Cast
Wake the Devil is a superb second take on the Hellboy saga and is just as good, if not better, than Seeds of Destruction (its hard to compare the two because both are so good). Its a bit more bleak/darker than its prior, introducing even odder concepts and distortions of myth to weave a story all its own. Yes, it seems there are Nazi plots galore for everyone's favorite paranormal investigator to deal with, not to mention the addition of Roger, B.P.R.D.'s first "contact" with a human-sized homunculus. Also included is a five-page epilogue dealing with Baba Yaga and The World Tree, a concept introduced in the comics but only added to the in this graphic novel forum. The graphic novels also clean up the coloration, giving you more crisp images than the comics could ever dream of.
A word of caution to those thinking that the numbered books can be taken out of sequential order without hurting the storyline. It can indeed be done, but Wake the Devil should be a second step taken in the reading "evolution" of the Hellboy saga because of some of the characters/events/plot lines started have either been groomed or are birthed here.

The fabulous Hellboy series continues.
I found this book to be every bit as enjoyable as the first book (Seed of Destruction). I also found that this book had a couple of weak points to the plot, and in the pacing of the storyline, just like the first book.

However, those where the only weak points. The rest of the story was very enjoyable and well crafted. The art is simply stunning. I will continue to read more of "Hellboy" in the future.

praise mignola
yet another wonderful hellboy tale. great stuff if you're into sci-fi and old legends and things. a good mix of characters and the best darn visual storytelling in the industry today, care of mike mignola. ... Read more

Book Description

Desktop computer artists will find a wealth of information in this heavily illustrated book. It instructs in the principles, practice, and techniques of successful animation. The author covers all forms of animation, starting with the basics of making sketches in flip books, and concluding with the latest developments in computer-generated imagery. He demonstrates with practical examples that utilize key areas of modern animation—cell art, stop-action with clay or plastic models, and 3D computer-generated and web-based animations. This volume’s six chapters cover the following topics: The art of story telling and storyboarding . . . How to create stop-action animation . . . Simple cell animation, the technique for simple movie cartoon sequences . . . Full cell animation, as used by Disney, Warner Brothers, and similar studios . . . Web animation for showcasing your skill over the Internet . . . and Computer modeling and animation, including 3D modeling. The book’s concluding sections discuss modern hardware and software, with emphasis on affordable beginners’ equipment. Also provided is an overview of the animation industry and its applications to movies, TV, and computer games. More than 250 instructive illustrations enhance this fascinating how-to volume. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

If You Are New to Animation, Get This Book!
Chris has created an invaluable resource for anyone interested in creating animation. I have recently created 2 animated shorts and am well into my third. My first effort was created using Toon Boom Studio's 2D software and for the second, I used Macromedia Flash. I then embarked upon an old-fashioned hand drawn animation with plans to scan the art, assemble it and then edit it. How to do it? My How to Draw animation books barely touched upon the tools needed and none of them covered modern technology, especially the all important modern tool, the computer.

Lady Luck was smiling the day I discovered Chris Patmore's "The Complete Animation Course". The book is NOT a how to draw animated figures kind of book. However, it is a valuable resource filled with ways to produce an animation. The book is handsomely designed and easy to navigate. If you want to know how to find software to create "Pencil Tests" of your drawings to see how you animated action is unfolding, Chris lists several inexpensive programs (and some very expensive ones, too!) and tells the reader which ones are for Macintosh and which ones are for PC. You want to know about setting up a Rostrum Camera? It's in there. How about simple cutout animation or stop-motion animation (also know as claymation and stop-action)--it's also covered. Chris offers many options for the fledgling animator to choose from.

He gives inside animator tips on equipment and procedures. I found myself regularly referring to his book as I moved through the various stages of drawing, shooting pencil tests and scanning the final art.

I'm a long time illustrator but I'm new to animation. The Complete Animation Course has helped me immensely.

5 Stars & HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Perfect Introduction to the Craft
I don't think one can review this book as anything less than a 5 out of 5. It's very well thought out, beautifully illustrated and I only wish it were available earlier when I still taught introductory college level animation. This will not teach you 'how' to animate -- to learn to animate you have to simply start doing it -- but it will give you a very good idea of what animation is about. If you're looking for a 'how-to' book, Richard Williams' Animator's Survival Kit and Disney's Illusion of Life are the standards.

Great High Level Fly By
The title of this book is some what misleading as to its scope. It looks like a Preston Blair or Richard Williams calibre teaching book based on the title. It presents itself as a "complete" course on animation technique. It isn't. This is a very good "high level" fly by. It is a survey of some of everything in current animation from classical to computer. A lot of breath and very little depth. It's Intro to Modern Animation 101. If you are just starting out and you want to get a useful 20,000 feet off of the ground introduction to what's available out there then this is a great overview book. Easy on the eyes and easy to read. But, if you are trying to actually become a successful animator and you want specific technical instruction this is not that kind of book. If you are a complete novice and have little or no idea about modern animation and don't know where to begin, then I recommend this book as a great starting reference. ... Read more

Book Description

The place is a world very much like ours. The time is now. The phenomenon is genetic mutation. It is a time of change. Humanity now faces mutants, a mysterious sub-species that is gifted with strange and frightening powers. Hidden among the population. they are feared and hated by their human cousins. As rumors and urban myths about their existence spread across the world, the US government creates its own initiative to deal with this threat: the Sentinel Project. Meanwhile two men wage a secret war for the hearts and minds of young mutants everywhere. Charles Xavier has recruited a cadre of students including Cyclops, Jean Grey and Beast, that call themselves the X-Men. But there are others out there, living in fear, struggling to deal with what they are: Ororo Munroe, Bobby Drake and another, more dangerous mutant named Logan. Simultaneously, the terrorist known only as Magneto has assembled The Brotherhood, a militant group dedicated to the overthrow of human authority. A war is on the horizon and these amazing young men and women will decide the future of all humanity!

Just as Ultimate Spider-Man reinvented and reinvigorated Marvel's flagship character, Ultimate X-Men promises do the same for comics' most popular super hero team. Streamlining the mutant heroes into a manageable core group, this non-stop saga action and intrigue takes place in a continuity recognizable to fans of this year's blockbuster smash X-Men movie. Ultimate X-Men is the perfect choice for anyone who can't get enough of the X! ... Read more

Reviews (27)

What the X-Men movie should have been.....
Marvel created the "Ultimate" line of books to try to entice new readers by scrapping decades of complex continuity in favor of a fresh start. Supposedly, no prior knowledge of the books or their characters are necessary for you to get a good read that won't leave you scratching your head in bewilderment. So....does it work?

I guess....I've been reading comics since I was 3, so I really can't say how a "newbie" would fare.

I CAN tell you that I loved this book!! I wish that the makers of the atrocious X-Men flick had filmed this for the mutant's initial big-screen outing.

Mark Millar and the Kubert Bros. story does a great job of getting you up to speed fast: People born with strange, potentially deadly, powers exist among us, and pose a very real threat to life as we know it. Two men, Professor Charles Xavier (Leader of The X-Men), and Magneto (Leader of The Brotherhood of Mutants), fight an idealogical battle to win the hearts and loyalty of their fellow Mutants. Xavier wants to help Mutantkind make peace with Humanity, while Magneto sees Humanity as an annoyance that must be disposed of, so Mutants can ascend to their rightful place. This take-no-prisoners approach doesn't sit well with president Dubya; he unleashes the giant robotic Sentinels on a search-and-destroy mission to annihilate all Mutants. The story follows the recruiting of The X-Men (Jean Grey, Cyclops, Storm, The Beast, Iceman, Colossus, & Wolverine), and their first confrontation with Magneto. (And what a confrontation it is!)

Magneto has never been better written; he comes across as both charismatic and chilling...a super-powered cross between Charles Manson and Hannibal Lecter. He also does something VERY original with The Sentinals...very clever, Mr. Millar! Xavier is more cold-blooded than he is in the "real" Marvel continuity; I don't totally trust him.(Did he tamper with Scott's mind to make him defect....? Hmmmmm.)

If I loved it so much, why just a Four? I didn't care for the portrayal of Colossus: When we meet him, he's a soldier for the Russian Mafia, selling a stolen Nuclear weapon to an underling of Magneto. This troubling "Character flaw" is never mentioned again. That just bothered me a lot...I guess I hold my heroes up to high standards. I was also kinda weirded out by the way Jean just lept into bed with Wolverine, and the strong language peppered throughout the book. I'm no prude, but X-Men is an all-ages type of book, and the language just seemed unnecessary.

Overall, a great read- I'm gonna stick around for more.

A Great X-Introduction
This is Volume 1 of Marvel's new "Ultimate X-Men" series, which has attempted to do away with 30 years of pre-existing stories and complicated events and provide a new generation with the story of the X-Men, without having to have any prior knowledge. I have been out of comic books for about 10 years, and never got into the X-Men seriously, but with the success of the movies, I wanted to pick up a few books and start reading. I bought all of the previous issues of the original X-Men series, however the idea of having to read through 30 years of comics and mediocre art from the '60s really turned me off. Not to mention all of the complicated story lines and past events. I was very pleased then to be able to pick up Ultimate X-Men and start completely fresh with the X-Men.

To start, this is an excellent series. I've read all of the issues so far and "The Tomorrow People" is definitely the best storyline so far. We are introduced to the current X-Men team, who are a bunch of teenagers. We're given some limited knowledge about their backgrounds and introduced to their abilities. Most you will be familiar with if you're read the original X-Men, although I've noticed that Wolverine is definitely darker in this book, as well as many other characters. They have no qualms about killing people off in "Ultimate," and nothing they do would surprise me. This is contrasted by the usual humorous elements of Marvel Comics, as well as the personal relationships and teenage romances they set up. In a lot of ways, this comic is like the X-Men Evolution cartoon series with their handling of the more personal side of the characters. It can be a bit of a soap opera, but it works very well.

The storyline of this volume is excellent. It's packed with a great introduction to the kids, as well as a Xavier that appears to be a bit more devious and "human" than seen in the traditional Comic. Wolverine is definitely the character they've played with the most. He is just absolutely dangerous in this series. I thought this was the same old Wolverine that I grew up with from the Marvel Universe, but "Ultimate" Wolverine is just a plain loose cannon. Like the other deviations from the traditional universe, this works very well in this series. It lends an aura of excitement that I can't recall feeling in the past. My one concession with this series is that the covers are really bland to me, and too much like paintings, and some of the artwork in later issues by Bachalo looks really bad. I mean Rob Liefeld-bad. Kubert does a great job with the pencils in this one however. If you're looking to get into the X-Men and want a good place to start, you absolutely can not go wrong with "The Tomorrow People," one of the best written, and easiest to read, comics I've come across in a long time.

a new breed of x-men
The Ultimate line is what Marvel created to try to bring new readers to Marvel. They created a great story here populated with characters that are familiar as well as fresh. I also liked the art. If you want to jump in at the beginning of the X-Men, this is a great new place to start. If you are an old fan, this is a great addition to what we already know and love.

A great series for X-Men fans and long time comic collectors
I'm currently reading the Ultimate X-Men trade paperbacks. I used to collect X-Men during the Jim Lee,Marc Silverstri and Whilce Portacio run but stopped after they left for Image. Comic books as a whole are stagnant but there are a few titles still worth collecting and the whole Ultimate line is worth it.
This series has a more updated harder edge to it plus there isn't all the convoluted X-M