“This ain’t
your run-of-the-mill Cosplay book!”
If you frequent
comic book, toy, game or TV/movie conventions you’re bound to run into people
playing their favorite genre characters.
Some of their
costumes get quite elaborate and a few a little too revealing.
Photographer
Alvarado takes Cosplay to the next level with his Cosplay Pin-Ups book published by Schiffer Books.
Inside
Alvarado showcases is gallery of photographs where he has taken beloved characters
from the above mention genres and added more than a fair share of cheesecake
and sex appeal.
He stages
some truly exquisite photographs and by careful manipulation in Photoshop and other
photo-editing programs gives the photos a sleek, almost cartoonish look.
Some of the models are interviewed and spotlighted.
The resulting photos are reminiscent
of the old WWII pin-ups girls kicked up a notch.
As I’ve
mentioned numerous times before I am a big fan of TV shows and movies. I love all types: comedies, dramas, musicals,
Westerns and suspense-all of them have their high and low points.
But, if it
were not for the theatre, more specifically Broadway and Off-Broadway productions,
TV and movies as we know them would not exist.
Without play
production many of the superstars of TV and film would be absent. In fact, many of the top-selling TV shows and
movies are derived from plays.
In Fraver By Design readers are given a
gallery tour of five decades of theatre poster art from Broadway, Off-Broadway
and beyond--as created by Frank “Fraver” Verlizzo.
What a great
compilation of historical fact -filled fun and insider information, production
notes and best of all: full-color theatre poster recreations of some of the
greatest play productions of all time.
When I was a
kid every little boy carried a pocket knife with him. I carried one as far back as I can
remember. I even gave a Show and Tell of
my knife collection when I was in sixth grade.
That would never
happen today-for a number of reasons.
Every little
boy enjoys knives. There’s something aesthetically
and eye-pleasing about their functional designs.
In The Gentleman’s Pocket Knife the complete
history and construction of the world’s most beautiful models are given their just
due.
Author
Stefan Schmalhaus presents a stunning, full-color photo gallery of some of the most
beautiful and innovative pocket knives ever created, from all over the world.
Readers learn
how pocket knives are manufactured, their long history and get to see the
different types of pocket knives, along with their multi-functions.
Single blade
to multi-utility use, they are all represented and showcased in this beautiful,
new hardbound book highlighted with spot varnish full-color photos on its
cover.
Recently I
was introduced to a new wonderful new series of books by the father and
daughter writing team of Charles Veley and Anna Elliott.
The books
offer a unique take on the Sherlock Holmes legend: Holmes and Watson are joined by Sherlock’s
daughter Lucy James.
Recently united
with the daughter he never knew he had Holmes is pleased to discover she has
many of his more admirable traits-primarily a mind for solving crimes.
Beautiful,
talented and adept at social graces (that’s one trait she possesses her father
does not) Lucy is every bit is as curious, courageous and meticulous as her
famous father.
The Return Of
The Ripper is the latest release of the five Holmes/James novels. I’m excited about reading the entire series.
In Holmes’s
latest adventure Holmes, James and Doctor Watson investigate a number of
crimes, among them a robbery, a questionable suicide of a clergyman, the murder
of a recent immigrant woman and the slashing murders in the back alleys of
London.
Are the
crimes related and has the Ripper really returned? Holmes/James and Watson face
off against one of their most diabolical foes in a new adventure filled with
mystery, intrigue and with danger around every corner and dark alcove.
Readers are
invited to join the stalwart threesome as they plunge into the dark and dank
underbelly of London’s seamier side and an investigative romp amongst the
pretentious glitz and glamour of London’s Victorian upper class aristocrats.
Like the
Sherlock Holmes chronicled before, this new book contains memorable rogues and
angels, mysteries upon mysteries and nothing and no one ever appears as it/they
really are
Throw in
Lucy’s upcoming wedding, Watson’s romantic rekindling after his wife’s death
and Holmes coping with being a father, a soon to be father-in-law and dealing
with a new set of emotions and feelings to deal with and you have a new Sherlock
Holmes tale worthy of the classic Sir Arthur Conan Doyle mysteries.
TV is
magic. Or at least it is to me.
While much
of the TV shows broadcast today leave me cold I do love many of the old 1950s,
1960s, 1970s and (in part) 1980s TV programs--serious or funny.
Many TV
shows of the past offered viewers a slice of American life, flights of fancy
and fantasy and adventure and danger—safe on a couch or armchair.
I have my
favorites as most people do but there are those programs and characters that
strike a chord with all viewers of past TV series.
In Eddie
Lucas’ Close-ups Conversations With Our
TV Favorites, published by BearManor Media, readers join Mr. Lucas as he
has some up-close and personal conversations with such TV stars Peter Brock from The Big
Valley, Barbara Billingsley of Leave It To Beaver, Dwayne Hickman of Dobie
Gillis fame and over a dozen other actors and actresses from long ago TV
series.
What a
delightful journey! I really enjoyed
traveling down TV Memory Lane with some of my favorite actors and actresses and
reading their accounts of working on their respective series.
Candid,
up-front and filled with surprises and little known tidbits, the book is a
veritable treasure trove of memories from a bygone era.
The American
Civil War nearly tore this country apart.
Neighbor fought against neighbor and brother against brother. Entire families were devastated as the toll
of the war left its ugly mark-especially in the Southern States.
In Michael
Dante’s Six Rode Home, a half a dozen
horse soldiers return home to the South.
Downtrodden
and disheartened that their side lost the soldiers are still excited to be
going home. What will they find? Will their family’s still exist? What cost has they and their loved ones paid?
Along the
way they experience the entire gamut of emotions from joy to horror. Like all wars The Civil War carried with it a
heavy cost. In Six Rode Home readers are
invited to witness what war-weary and disillusioned Southern soldiers experienced
on their journey home and their eventual arrival.
I encourage readers
to take to heart the message and to never forget. Only when we learn from history can we ever
truly change.
What’s adjustable,
powered by dual color LED, adjusts for lighting conditions, is made from aluminum
alloy and polycarbonate, uses minimal energy and includes a USB that hooks
directly into your computer?
Why it’s BenQ’s ScreenBar e-Reading Lamp of course.
This slim, ultra-
cool design light is perfect for computers.
The long light bar completely illuminates the entire screen and adjusts
for lighting automatically via its ambient light sensor and has zero glare.
The
counterweight screen attachment instantly adjusts itself to accommodate any computer
screen.
It’s cool to
the touch, saves space and best of all gets high ratings from consumers and computer
experts alike.
It’s easy to
assemble right out of the box, a snap to use and a manual and video are
available to upload online.
Get rid of
those oversize and cumbersome desk lights and move into the 21st
Century with the Screen e-Reading Lamp designed for the user in mind.
Simply slide
the light bar into its holder, connect the USB cord, plug into your computer
USB port, place it on your monitor, turn it on and bingo!—you’re ready to go!
It comes in
a slide-lid box and is secured in place in a form-fitting, interior
cradle. Parts are protected by clear
film and easy to follow instruction are illustrated on the back of the box.
Stormtroopers-perhaps
some of the most misunderstood, unappreciated and reviled individuals in the Star
Wars Universe.
But, is that
really being fair?
After all,
the first Stormtroopers were programmed clones of Jango Fett-a notorious bounty
hunter and later versions of the Troopers were indoctrinated individuals who
were little more than fodder for the Empire and First Order.
I say we
give them a break. After all, they are lousy
shots and their armor can’t even stop a laser handgun blast.
In Star Wars Stormtroopers Beyond The Armor
by Ryder Windham and Adam Bray, published by Harper Design, the
Stormtroopers are given their just dues.
Face it, if it
were not for the Stormtroopers there would be no Star Wars. Darth Vader would simply be a black clad
creep going solo. The Empire and First Order would never have formed or
survived and there would never have been such a bloody rebellion (oh, that’s a
bad thing!).
In the book
readers learn about the genesis of the Stormtroopers, their evolution through
the Star Wars Universe, their weapons, armor, the different types of
Stormtroopers, how they were trained and much more.
Along the
way readers get to see a gallery of photos from the various films, animated TV
series and video games and see the various merchandize and publications
featuring the Stormtroopers such as comic books, toys and the like.
Besides the
Stormtroopers themselves their weapons, transports, equipment and even their cosplay
appearances are also included.
The book is
absolutely brimming with art and photos accompanied by historical text,
production notes and how the Troopers came about from concept to completion.
As a special
added bonus there are fold-out illustrations, art and photos and a very ‘special’
inside back cover envelope contain reproductions of archival Stormtrooper art.
What a fun
read! I got a real blast looking at all the cool photos and art and I came away
with a whole new perspective of the Stormtroopers.
