5 comments about One Red Dot: A Pop-Up Book for Children of All Ages (Classic Collectible Pop-Up).

1. This is such a beautiful book. I recommend everyone to add a copy of this book to their library. I picked up this book in the classroom I work in to engage a 3 year old child with autism. She didn't take her eyes off this book and wanted to play with it again and again. I am now getting one for my three year old son. Every child and adult will love this book. It is truly amazing. Never have I seen such wonderful pop up art done.



2. Fantastic bit of fun that is bright, colourful, clever, simple and appeals to all age groups! A true classic in the making!



3. Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R34SQ3IXMD8XCL



4. We love pretty much everything by David A. Carter. This book is a bit more sophisticated compared to his Bug series, but still beautiful to look at and fun to look for the Red Dot.



5. I love this book and so does my son. He has destroyed it but it lasted longer than I expected it to. It shows how amazing paper can be and teaches science through art. It shows shapes and motion and is a truly wonderful book. I highly recommend it.

3 comments about The Dcc Guide: How to Select and Use Your Command Control System.

1. The DCC Guide by Don Fiehmann is an outstanding publication for anyone new to DCC! The author presents a very comprehensive approach to the subject and is accompanied with excellent graphics. I have purchased various publications on the subject, but The DCC Guide is truly the best guide for the non technical model railroader.



2. Certainly helped me choose which equipment to buy. Well worthwhile buying, especially for a beginner.



3. Although I'm not done reading this book and being a Virgin to DCC it has been very helpful so far and when I finally purchase I am sure it will come in handy then also.

5 comments about The Pop-Up Book: Step-by-Step Instructions for Creating Over 100 Original Paper Projects.

1. This is a great book for not only picturing pop ups but showing how to make them. There is help available on each page from the simple to the complex. I highly recommend it and have used it successfully to make several pop up cards myself.



2. I was tentative about buying this based on other reviews here, because I had never made pop-ups before, or even done very much paper cutting, but wanted to learn advanced techniques. This book is great because it shows the basics without spoon-feeding you; instead of giving precise patterns or instructions to be printed or copied, this book shows simple diagrams that explain only the necessary components to make the pop-up work, like which cuts/folds need to be the same size as others, where certain folds should be in relation to edges, and so on, so they can be applied to any shape and size of paper or pop-up. When I first opened the book and looked at the gallery of examples, I was daunted, especially when I compared them to the first few step-by-step examples. But I've found that I can figure out and replicate most of the designs that use the methods I've used so far, and I'm hopeful that by the time I work my way through the whole book I'll be able to more or less duplicate every example in the gallery. I've already been able to implement some of my own designs from some of the most basic techniques in this book, and I'm hopeful about continuing to create my own pop-up work.
   
   Simply put, if your goal is to actually master the skills involved rather than simply to produce the designs pictures, this book is a wonderful tool, visually inspiring and formally instructive. Being math-minded might help somewhat, but not in the sense of understanding specific measurements of lengths and angles. Being visually-minded is probably a batter match for this book.
   
   One reviewer mentioned that there are no specific instructions for the dove picture on the cover. This is true. However, all of the techniques necessary for creating it are in very early pages of the book. I was able to recreate the dove within the first hour of working from the book.



3. First, I was born without a genetic predeliction for anything that involved cutting paper; following written instructions for folding things; coloring maps,paperdolls etc., pasting; or, heaven forbid, having a clean looking product when I did finish. After 70 years of being mesmerized by pop-up books, I decided that if I started with children's books, I might just get something to work for me. It took time, lots of time, but I finally graduated from three tiered cakes amd simple 'v' cuts, to a grown up book. Other reviews convinced me that this author had a successful teaching method and after five prior books, I decided I was ready to test myself against Mr. Jackson's claim. After many, many, many, hours of working with his book, I finally mastered the free standing dove on the front of the book. I cried.



4. Another book without templates. The tester shows you a cute Santa pop up and several other things and no instructions or templates on how to do it. I am sending it back.



5. Each year, I take a look at some of the most valuable resources for creative artists, graphic designers, crafts people and anyone who enjoys participating in the visual arts. And, each year I stress that it doesn't have to be expensive.
   
   In this year's column, "Creative books to give... and get!" I review this book along with many others that offer exceptional opportunities in low-priced packages. They're all excellent, and represent probably the biggest bang for your book or gift buck!
   
   The Pop-Up Book: Step-by-Step Instructions for Creating Over 100 Original Paper Projects is the mother of them all. While the exercises can at times be complicated and frustrating -- the outcome can be uniquely spectacular. After you've accomplished the exercises, you move on to your own creations. There's nothing more fulfilling than completing some of these projects. And once you do, they get easier and easier.
   
   The bottom line -- design your next business marketing piece, leveraging some of these techniques, and I guarantee-- you'll get a call-back or thank-you note! For the business person, sending your own creations like these to your clients will lock in your esteem in their eyes!
   
   For less ambitious exercises, try these:
   
   3D Pop Up Greeting Cards is particularly good at this time of year -- nothing sends a more sincere or flattering message than a hand-made card. And these are really cool
   
   Pop-Up Cards: And Other Greetings that Slide, Dangle & Move is not only freshly written and illustrated, for all ages it's and easy way to really appreciate the craft of paper engineering. As a gift book, it offers another very important benefit :: you learn how to easily and inexpensively make MORE GIFTS to give away.
   
   Be careful though! Once you circulate some of these creations, you'll be swamped with people's requests ... "Can you create one of these for me?" (Of course, there's nothing wrong with being a successful paper engineer or greeting card designer!)
   
   I'll share more at the [...], but you can count on these three to bring hours and hours of enjoyment to yourself -- or those lucky recipients on your gift list!
   
   Thanks for reading,
   [..]

4 comments about Lincoln Cents Folder #2, 1941-1974.

1. holds the coins in nice and snug. kids love this. best advise get a magnifying glass to read the coinsand mint marks



2. My son (7) loved collecting the state quarters so now we're expanding into collecting other coins. This Penny folder was the perfect next step! He also got Dime and Nickel books from his uncle and he and his father sit around with his piggy bank going through the change to fill these books up! And they are so inexpensive, we will be getting more.



3. I reall like my book. It's great. It's a little hard to put some of the pennys in but besides that I love it!



4. Picked this up and several other coin folders from Whitman and I am very happy with them. This penny coin folder holds the coins well and the coins sit just right that you can insert them with your finger and feel secure that it wont pop off. Recommended!
   
   Stay away from the 1959-1998 folder, I have gotten 2 and the holes are extremely tight.

5 comments about The Joker.

1. I would've liked this novel only they butchered my favorite character, Harley Quinn. I mean come on, her as a silent, stripper junkie? Um no. That is not Harley Quinn. Sorry but no. Just no.



2. I was really eager to get this book when I ordered it, the synopsis said that I should expect the Joker wreaking havoc on Gotham along with Harley Quinn, Two Face, Killer Croc and the Penguin. And that's what I got, essentially, but it was delivered in a manner that I was not expecting. While the art was beautiful and plot not horrible- albeit lacking some of the complexity I was expecting from an 100+ page book- I was taken aback by the complete butchering of certain characters, specifically Harley Quinn. I don't even need to describe how she was in the book, the artist's own words puts it perfectly.
   
   "Visually, I threw her in a vinyl outfit and made her look as much like a junkie as possible. Harley Quinn is like a stripper to me. I don't want to know her name, I don't want to hear about her life, and I sure as hell don't want her to talk. Just dance, baby..."
   
   Personally, had I read this before buying the book, I would have thought twice about getting it. In addition to the usually energetic Harley being turned into a stoic crack whore, Killer Croc is a gangster with a penchant for hanging out in a slaughter house, the Penguin is a total pushover and the Riddler is a sixties dope head that shows up for no more than three to five pages. If that's not how you want to see some of your favorite characters, then this comic is not for you.
   
   Also, if you're not interested in reading this story from the perspective of Jonny Frost, the uninteresting one dimensional lowlife who is more annoying than Holden Caufield, then don't pick this thing up. He's really what ruined the comic for me. I was so distracted by his rather irritating commentary, explaining things that I can deduct for myself. While I suppose he was tolerable in the first read over, it really sunk in that this comic should have been called Jonny Frost, not Joker.
   
   The Joker may have been the catalyst for all of the events that happened in the comic, but Jonny Frost was the main focal point and we are completely tied to his back, limited only to what he experiences and to what he feels. (Dang it.) I was expecting to be able to explore the Joker's mind, to see things from behind his eyes and go on a joyride of insanity. Instead Brian Azzarello gave me a story that forgot some of my favorite character's personalities and failed to live up to the expectations that a title as bold as Joker must have brought with it.
   
   If none of the above issues bother you, then by all means get the book. The art really is lovely and the story is somewhat enjoyable. It's just hard to stomach if giving up your idealized vision of Gotham is much too hard.



3. This tells how did Jack Napier, a.k.a. The Joker gets outta Arkham Asylum by the front door. Nice story



4. Being in the presense of "greatness," how it must make men feel. They feed off of that figure until they feel like their deeds are equal with that person's stature, that their actions will somehow be remembered, and that they somehow measure up. It doesn't matter if they are a soldier on a battlefield or a criminal stepping onto the street after taking a long detour. Now imagine if that character were the Joker and, with a sweep of his hand, anything was possible. Banks fall on their knees and give you their plunder, citizens kowtow to your wishes, the underworld says "take me, I'm yours."
   It would have to be something.
   Bt what would you be, really? would you be equal to that hand that praises you, or would you be like a dog sleeping under the hand of a crazed master? That is the question we see raise - and lowered - in The Joker.
   
   If storytelling is seen as an art, then this really is a treasure. It takes on of the most prolific characters out there, looks deep into his eyes, and asks "what would the joker feel?" At times that would be sheer madness, at times folly, and sometimes that would simply be depression. He has held Gotham in his hands, after all, and he has seen his days slip by as he sat in a mental institiution why awaiting his "cure." After it asks that, it then asks "what would you feel if you ran with the Joker?" Understand that you are a criminal and your aim is the stars, and that the Joker is someone that holds them all in the palm of his hand. Nevermind plans and nevermind the small stuff. He can get you there. The thing is that he can also bring you crashing down and, really, would he find it in his (clearing throat), heart, not to hurt you just to suit himself? He does it in front of you all the time - what would make you any different?
   
   I love this story - it hardly has the Bat in it and yet you can feel him there all the time because he is always with the Joker. As the Joker says, "he feels like the rug is going to be pulled out from under him at any moment" and that he "must get off the rug." It is a beautiful look behind the madness, but seen through a spectator's eyes. I like that - i like it alot - because it has a sheen of weakness to it and yet it has this thirst and want to it as well. and it show a person what the joker is really like when you reach out and try to ride shotgun with him and the madness that is really driving.
   Perfect.



5. this book was really great... it was disturbing at some parts but it was interesting... my only problem with the book was it was short =/ but that shouldnt stop you from picking this up. I really recommend it to mature readers only. Very adult themed... but it was good and the end was good... artwork is also great. thank you =)

5 comments about Lionel Trains Pocket Price Guide 1901-2010 (Greenberg's Pocket Price Guide Lionel Trains).

1. Need this guide to get a good idea if you are getting a good deal on purchasing items at train shows, etc.



2. Excellent rtesource for the train collector. Easy to use and understand. Pricing is spot on.



3. Greenberg's Guides Lionel Trains 2010 Edition offers a pocket-sized guide packed with the basic facts on Lionel train collecting, covering all the basics of buying, selling or trading Lionel trains and accessories from prewar to modern times. Product listings include brief descriptions of each item, variations, and fair-market values. The truly pocket-sized slim format lends to take-along toting and is a fine pick for any Lionel collector's library.



4. I'm new to the game of collecting / buying Lionel trains. I was looking for a guide that would give me a broad description of the various trains, accessories, etc. made by Lionel over the years (INCLUSIVE OF PHOTOS OF EXAMPLE ITEMS), along with a range of fair-market prices.
   
   Unfortunately, I found that this guide must be tailored to the experience, serious collector who already (and completely) knows Lionel stock. The guide has pages and pages of listings (a good thing), but they only include:
   
   Lionel Item Number; a five or six word description (no photos); excellent price; mint price.
   
   Again, perhaps a good resource for the experience collector. But definitely NOT helpful to someone like me who is trying to learn more about the Lionel family of trains and how to distinguish / recognize them.
   
   Sorry ... but I'll be returning my copy to Amazon.



5. I have Lionel Train Pocket Price 1901 - 2010. Print quality remain good and price adjustments for valuable asset collectibles show slight rise item values than Lionel Train Pocket Price 2007.
   
   Purchased Lionel Train Pocket Price found good deal at Amazon.com
   
   Smile,
   Randall Biell

5 comments about Gun Digest 2010.

1. Gun Digest is an excellent source for gun enthusiasts. My husband has every copy since 1982. I buy it for him every year for Christmas.



2. i purchased the gun digest to be more knowlegable about guns .i have been going to auctions.and know nothing about the guns for auction. thought the digest had it all .it does not.and the prices it lists for the guns in this book are very high as i have several of the guns that are listed in the book .maybe i dont under stand how to use the book i dont know.or i bought the the wrong book.



3. On the front cover of this book are the words, "THE WORLD'S GREATEST GUN BOOK!".
   Unfortunately, if you try to use the "GUNDEX" or gun index, the page numbers are all wrong. In other words, someone forgot to edit the index for this edition.
   Ah, you say, who cares! Who indeed. Therein lies the greatest tragedy of all; apathy.



4. This is a tremendous work and belongs in the personal library of any big bore rifle or double rifle enthusiast... any shooter, gun enthusiast or reloader for that matter.
   
   As the gun annuals go, this book is "IT". Gun Digest is evolving and doing it's best to keep up with the very fast rate of change that we see in the world of firearms and ammunition these days. There are others in the same category but none that can be considered better.
   
   I found inspiration and valuable information in the pages of this book (all editions) when writing my own book, rexGun by Templar Rexgun, which addresses safari and dangerous game rifles and how to select appropriate cartridges for any given game, up to T. rex.
   
   I highly recommend this book, every edition of this book, to all shooters and gun enthusiasts.



5. I bought this for my guy. He loves guns and reloading. He hadn't known about the Gun Digest, and is still reading it, months later.

5 comments about Batman: Battle for the Cowl.

1. As the title says, this limited series is about Who'll be the new Batman.
   
   The first book kick off with Time Drake and Squire chasing three armed suspects. By the time Drake and Squire reach the armed suspects are already dealt with someone else who happens to leave a note that reads "I'm Batman". I thought that was a pretty good kick-off.
   
   But soon as I read through the first book i realized the remaining books in this series might not be as good. The reason being 1) it is quite obvious who'll be the next Batman 2) they introduce too many characters, Dick Grayson, Time Drake, Squire, Blackmask and all the villans he broke out to name a few 3) plus, there is a talk about phony Batman....and rivalry between Two-Face and the Penguin which apparently consumes much of the remaining series. Don't get me wrong though, the first issue itself was pretty solid but i can't say the same about the rest not so much.
   
   the remaining issue is pretty much bombs and explosions. A building gets blown up there, another one gets blown up here. Phony batman is unmasked but his actions aren't justified. Why is he wearing the Batman costume, more importantly why has he gone nuts, killing people and all that? The penguin and two-face are being played by black mask but the story is left over in between. The story reveals catwoman made sure black mask was dead, in that case, who is this new black mask? I'm not too bothered about it though, afterall this is a small series and i believe they'll be answering those questions in upcoming issues.
   
   Overall, I think this is a fair series. I can see this series is starting multiple follow-up storyline like who's the new villan in town, how'll the new Batman do? If anything good comes from those storylines, you might look back in this series someday.
   
   P.S. the art is pretty good.



2. Tony Daniel didn't exactly have creative freedom when writing 'Battle for the Cowl'. It was already predetermined who would become the next Batman, before he was even chosen for the project. However, excuses aren't enough to make up for this over-ambitious and lackluster story arc.
   
   It's silly for DC to have ever thought they could surprise readers with Batman's replacement. It's incredibly obvious who Bruce's #1 protege is, and besides Daniel spilled the beans during the mini-event in a blog. Daniel attempts to make 'Battle for the Cowl' as epic as possible, but the plot is messy and too big for a fairly untalented writer to take-on. The story should have either been handed over to a more qualified author, or it should have been stripped down to it's basic elements.
   
   I don't like to give away too many spoilers.. so here's a vague description of what to expect:
   
   Almost every superhero in the extended Bat-family is in Gotham City, and almost every villain is on the loose. Gotham declares a state of emergency and is in self-preservation mode, barely hanging on. Arkham Asylum is destroyed, and Penguin and Two-face are in a power-struggle, while being manipulated by a returning baddie. Grayson and Drake are hunting down an imposter Batman on a murderous rampage. The imposter's identity doesn't stay secret for long, and is pretty predictable. The ending is predictable as well. Damian and Grayson end up saving one another's lives. This is supposed to suffice as a bonding experience, but Damian is too angsty and disresprectful to show any readiness or appreciation for teamwork.
   
   There's too much going on in 'Battle for the Cowl' for a three issue mini-series. In attempt to set up new directions for the Batman series and it's characters, it raises more questions than it answers, and it over-stuffs the story with more than it can handle. The companion tradeback doesn't provide a whole lot of answers either.
   
   Daniel's writing style is too serious, and there's too much action without building real suspense. Most of the characters are dwindled down to their generic profiles, and much of what happens is horribly unoriginal. I mean, how many times is DC going to publish a comic, in which the bad guy falls into a river, and is assumed to be dead, even though the body is never found and we all know they'll be back?
   
   The artwork is pretty snazzy, but it has a few nagging issues. Daniel's figures are anatomical and realistic; however, there's an annoyingly disproportionate amount of posing. He's a wannabe Jim Lee, but that isn't to say, he's not talented. His pencils are fluid and smooth, which contrasts nicely with the somewhat erratic and untamed boxy panel layout, which Daniels uses almost every trick in the book to design. There's not much flow to it, due to it's lack of organization.
   
   'Battle for the Cowl' isn't all that important to Batman continuity. Since it's no surprise who the new Batman is, it's pretty easy to skip this title and move on to Morrison's 'Batman and Robin', but if over-ambitious plots coupled with mediocre storytelling is your thing, this might be just right for you. It's not the worst Batman story arc, but it certainly didn't rise to the occasion. It's not everyday Batman get's replaced; this should have been written by someone who understands character development and story structure. I applaud Tony Daniel for trying something new, but his writing style is weak and without emotional resonance. The story tries to reach too high, while falling flat at the same time.
   
   I think the price ought to tell you it's not worth much.



3. All in all the book is a fairly decent read. I like that we get to see Jason Todd again. However where I was really disappointed was what they did with Batwoman. I really like the black and red look with the bat costumes (not to mention my fetish for red heads ) so I was looking forward to seeing her in the book. Needless to say she was only in 1 panel. Big dissapointment to me. I may have enjoyed the book more had I not had high hopes of seeing batwoman. Her current sstory line is not too bad, but it just doesn't have the same feel as her interactions with Montoya did.



4. Well, I have made my feelings clear in other reviews about Tony Daniel's work on Batman so far; but this volume proves he is a talented artist with the potential to do good things with the Dark Knight.
   
   His orevious work, on The "Resurrection of Ra's Al-Ghul" and the "Black Glove" stories, a bit of a mess; either due to rushed deadlines or being paired with the wrong inker; it was sloppy and felt rushed. He improved greatly with "Batman: RIP", either because he finally gelled with inker Sandu Florea or because he was given enough of a deadline to do a good job.
   
   Anyway, this latest volume in the ongoing saga to replace Batman after his disappearance in "RIP" and then later in "Final Crisis" (Did he meet his end twice?) is ably handled my Mr. Daniel, and while it is strictly an action story, it makes a change from Grant Morrison's good but mind bending run of the last two years. So if you are looking for the comic book equivalent of a summer blockbuster, then look no further.
   
   I do have a few criticisms though; the first is the notion that with Batman gone, Gotham City descend into chaos as the Gotham mobs feel they have a free hand to wreak havoc on the people of Gotham. One would think that after almost two decades of being Batman, Bruce Wayne would have cleaned the City enough so it would not devolve into Anarchy the moment he disappeared. There is also no explanation of why it's common knowledge that he's gone. Did some post something on Batman's twitter page?
   
   My other critics would be casting Two-Face as a mob boss. Historically, Two-Face has been more of a heist man, using his gang to rob banks and such, so he is twisted here to suit the story where another villain may have been better suited as arrival to the Penguin, who was long ago established as a major crime boss in the City.
   
   This is a worthy read wrapped in a nice hardcover addition, well worth your money.



5. This book is ok for an in between while we await DC's revival of Bruce Wayne. If suspense and nail-biting from page to page is what you are looking for, then save your money and time for Grant Morrison's revival of the infamous Dark Knight! Battle for the Cowl gets a 3 star. Here is a link for info on the Return of Bruce [...]:_The_Return_of_Bruce_Wayne and as always you can pre-order when available on Amazon! Later!

5 comments about All Star Superman, Vol. 1.

1. Reprints All-Star Superman #s 1-6
   
   DC's All-Star line takes major icons and places them into stand-alone series with no direct connection to the larger continuity. It allows the creative team to build a world for the title character and his supporting characters that draws as much or as little from any era of the character's previous stories, and to mix and reinvent elements without worrying about how it'll impact and interact with other stories and titles past, present and future. I love the deeply inter-connected continuity of modern comics, but even for me it's still great to see stand-alone titles like this pop up where they can go off on their own unlimited tangents.
   
   The vibe creators Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely have chosen for All-Star Superman is, on the surface, a retro one - a timeless look and feel that in many ways harkens back to the Superman tales that took place years (and decades) before Crisis On Infinite Earths, but with a more detailed flair to the art and the more advanced storytelling that's evolved over the years. It's in many ways a more innocent world than utilized in most modern comics, and it's all built on the root elements of the Superman mythos. Superman is the well-nigh invincible champion of all that's good and right in the universe, while his alter ego Clark Kent bumbles and bumps his way through life (in a way that really shows Superman's skill - it can't be easy to save the world in the guise of Clark Kent while still carrying on the facade of looking so inept); Lex Luthor is the omnipresent arch-nemesis determined to bring Superman down at any cost, a scientific genius whose obsession with bringing down the one man who looms larger than him on the world stage is both endless and, to the reader's viewpoint, rather comedic. Lois Lane is the Superman-loving ace reporter who despite all her world-renowned investigative jornalism skills can't see that Superman and Clark Kent are the same person even when he's right in front of her with glasses off insisting that that's indeed the case. In short, it's the modus operandi of the old Superman stories, only played up even more so. It would have been so easy for this to come off campy but it never does; it comes off with a unique charm and freshness all its own. I don't think this take on Superman and the rest of the cast could ever work in the more realistic in-continuity comics of today, nor would the virtually limitless nature of Superman's power (in fact, we've seen that that doesn't work. The in-continuity Superman can and should be immensely powerful, but the stories where they get carried away and make him a little Too universe-shakingly powerful don't work as well as the ones where he actually has to Push himself to, say, level a mountain range or fly out beyond Pluto). However, it all works within the confines of the self-contained All-Star Superman.
   
   Being a more innocent and 'classic' take doesn't mean it's lacking in imagination though: innovative new allies, rivals and villains, genetically engineered giant humanoid spacecraft that probe the reaches of deep space for centuries on end, strange prophecies from the future...no shortage of good ideas here.
   
   The basic premise for the actual story centers on the after-effects of one of Luthor's latest anti-Superman gambits: the Man Of Steel saves a space research station from sabotage masterminded by Luthor, but Lex's real goal is met. Superman soaks up an unfathomable amount of solar energy during the rescue and the battle inside the Sun, and it results in his already nearly limitless power levels spiking even more. The downside of this, as Luthor's calculations predicted, is that he's going to burn out. His increased power levels will eventually kill him, and maybe in the not too distant future. While not believing that this grim scenario is a done deal, the possibility of his own mortality causes Superman to re-evaluate things like his relationship with Lois. Also, a normal person faced with a strong chance of having a very finite amount of time left is going to be faced with the question of what they feel is most important to accomplish in the time they have left. What new dimensions does a question like this take on when the person in question is already an unstoppable force who saves the world - and beyond - on a regular basis? A visitation from the future that seems to bear out that Superman will indeed die soon, but not before accomplishing his greatest feats, adds credence to the possibility of Superman's impending death, and tension to the question of what exactly Superman will take on in his (allegedly) last days.
   
   Excellent on all levels. The coloring is unique and even the lettering is exceptional. (In some comics you have to wonder how do they choose which words in the captions to write out in bold? At random? Not so here, and the highly variable styles of lettering used for certain characters seems to bring their otherworldly voices right to life.)
   
   Writer Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely have each done a lot of memorable work, but this is easily among the best for each of them. Highest recommendation.



2. The second volume of Grant Morrison's All-Star Superman was released this month, bringing the iconic hero's twelve-issue All-Star arc to a finish. And Morrison and his artist cohort Frank Quitely wrap it up as powerfully as it started in volume one.
   
   The All-Star imprint was designed by DC in 2005 as an avenue for acclaimed writers and artists to try their hands at the publisher's top-tier superheroes, like Superman and Batman, without having to concern themselves with the years of continuity associated with those characters.
   
   Morrison doesn't totally redo the origin story (though he summarizes it in four simple panels) or rehash old Superman stories, but instead uses classic moments, characters, and the overall history of the series to create his own story, and it proves to be the quintessential example of the All-Star imprint, providing big moment after big moment, and great endings for nearly every issue. He gives readers a Superman both familiar and yet totally fresh and exciting.
   
   He doesn't waste any time using Superman's seemingly infinite powers and indestructibility on thugs in the streets of Metropolis. In true, sometimes strange, Morrison fashion, issue one starts in medias res, with Superman in space. An expedition to the sun is facing difficulties, and in Superman's successful effort to save it, the heat actually alters him at a cellular level. As it turns out, the whole scenario was planned by his arch-nemesis, Lex Luthor. Superman's cells begin to burn out, his power fades, and it looks as though the end is near for the Man of Steel.
   
   It is then foretold that Superman will complete 12 heroic feats before his death, and those feats are carried out over the course of the series. Whether Superman dies isn't necessarily the most important thing, though. The trick with Superman has always been convincing readers that an indestructible, all-powerful being might be in danger, or unable to complete his task of defending Earth's people, and Morrison handles this to perfection.
   
   Longtime Superman fans will find endless references to series lore mixed with the futuristic space-age happenings. And though many may find it a bastardization of the icon himself that Morrison gives his mighty powers to just about everyone--from other survivors of Krypton to numerous characters that consume a Superman formula to future incarnations of Superman and even to a dog--the author's decision to do so gives readers a Superman worth caring about more than ever before. This is a Superman, then, not necessarily to be admired for his powers, but what he does for people with them and what he sees in the people of Earth, what he sees in us.
   
   Quitely builds every panel meticulously with understated detail. The art is deceptively simple, and while not calling much attention to itself, works to serve the overall tone of the stories.
   
   Morrison's All-Star Superman may not be the perfect tale of Kal-El. The series has its missteps (two issues dedicated to the painfully hard to read dialogue of Bizarro World most immediately come to mind) but it's one of the best Superman reads out there. The All-Star title never lets off the gas on the action but finds some of its biggest moments in between, in the subtle accents Morrison gives an enduring hero. For longtime fans and those who swore off the Last Son of Krypton long ago, All-Star Superman is a fantastic breath of life for a timeless character.
   
   -- William Jones



3. I wasn't all that impressed with this. The art was ok, but too much psuedo science and non relevant fluff to enjoy it. Now Red Son, which I just read, was fantastic. There are plenty of other great Superman stories to enjoy. I wish I had read this before ordering Part 2 as well.



4. All-Star Superman Volume One takes place in a re-conceived DC universe that looks back in some ways (Lois Lane doesn't know that Clark Kent is Superman) and forward in others (Jimmy Olsen is now a super-cool media personality), with the end result being a lot of fun. This initial volume of the ongoing series tells a good little story (well, stories, actually), combining hard science fiction with an often whimsical air, with a little high fantasy thrown in for good measure.
   
   I'll have to wait until volume two to see how the bulk of Grant Morrison's big plot arcs play out, but the six individual issues of the original series that are collected here are happily satisfying in their own right, each telling a complete tale of the Man of Steel while advancing the overall business of the series. And the overall business is a doozy, involving a huge personal dilemma for Superman, one inflicted on him by classic nemesis Lex Luthor. I'm certainly looking forward to shortly picking up volume two to see how things turn out, and to see more of Frank Quitely's lighthearted yet dramatic images.
   
   So far, All-Star Superman is quite something, projecting in both story and look an innocence and a dark complexity. Doesn't hurt that the pages turn quickly, either.



5. I'm so sorry but this book wasn't for me at all. I think this is one of the most overated comic books of all time. I didn't even like the art.
   
   Maybe I'm just a lazy boy, but I don't want to take a course on positronic energy applied in quantic physics in order to understand the silly logic of some parst of the book. Seems like the writer just wanted to make a pretty line when explaining how the kryptonite pistol works.
   
   I just don't have words to express how much I don't like this book. Anyway, this is just my two cents on it.

5 comments about The LEGO Book.

1. This book set is great. One book contains much history and background of the Lego company and products. The other is all about the miniature figures. Our kids and I spent hours of fun reading it. The price in Amazon makes this book set a great buy.



2. the minifigure book is a great celebration of an iconic lego item! one criticism, there is a bias towards more recent minifigures, for example, there are no pictures of the original yellow castle minifigures!
   
   the main book has some great features, specifically, great shots of early lego sets, and the wooden toys the company produced before it began making the bricks, there are features of great historic interest such as a double page spread on the evolution of the lego logo. a similar criticism could be made however, there is a definite bias towards recent sets, specifically the movie theme sets, and whilst there are 'sets to remember' pages, vast swathes of great sets from earlier years just don't appear. having said that, i still give it five stars, its worth every cent, very enjoyable, and you'll keep picking it up to look t it!!



3. I ordered the Lego book, but was sent STAR WARS Lego book. Since this was for my son's b-day I had no time to return it...luckily he likes Star Wars as well. Little irritated that I could have got the Star Wars book cheaper though. Thought I was paying for the Lego book.



4. I've now read in their entirety both the Lego Book and the Minifig Book which form the core of this collection. As a collector of Legos since their heyday in the late 1980s (think Pirates) to the present, I've seen a lot of Lego memorabilia. When I received this book collection for Christmas, I was really, truly hoping that DK was intending to focus on the complete history of Lego and the Lego minifigure. Sadly, I was mistaken.
   
   Don't get me wrong, the books are beautifully illustrated in full color on quality paper in a cute little collectors box. But in the end, I feel rather let down. For the main book, I was let down by the content. The book focused on the history of Lego for the first dozen pages or so but then switched to the individual themes. I was actually okay with that. I mean, if you want to see the complete line of Legos from the 1950s to the present, buy the 2008 set collectors guide. I would have liked to see a bit more of a review of the early town and train themes and how they developed prior to the creation of the minifig, but I was generally okay with the content and quality of the brief history of Lego.
   
   The theme sections are what really got me down. I know Lego sponsored this DK book but, technically at least, this is not a Lego production. It is independent. It has no Lego set number, no Lego pieces, only pictures. Yet somehow it is very obvious from the very start that this book was designed and funded by Lego. The majority of the themes have at least one page focusing on the most recent sub-theme of a series. Be it the 2007 Castle line, the 2008 Space Police, the 2007 Clone Wars, or the recent City themes. They are very present throughout this book. What really irked me was the treatment of the Lego Pirates. They dedicate one spread to the 1989-1996 series of Pirates and another full spread to just the 2008 line. That just seems insulting. The 2-year Westerners series is crammed on the same spread as the Adventurers and Time Cruisers. Meanwhile, other lines like Star Wars (1999-present) get four full spreads or more. I couldn't even see examples of some of my favorite Space lines such as M-Tron, Blacktron II, or Spyrius. They just weren't there! The objectiveness of this "Lego Book" is very much in question and I would rather call it the "History of Lego from 2000" than anything else.
   
   My larger gripe, though, is with the accompanying Lego Minifigure book. Where the Lego Book lacked in content, the minifig book lacked in everything except visual appeal. Even at times that was in question, though. As with the Lego Book, the minifig book is in full color and on good quality paper. It fits snugly beside the Lego Book in its collector's box. Yet I have a feeling that significantly less time was spent on this younger cousin of the larger Book. Any editor who read this would laugh out loud. Indeed, I have yet to find a page that doesn't have a spelling, grammatical, or factual error. In almost all cases there are multiple such problems on the pages. Besides being about as non-comprehensive as the Lego Book, barely covering more than the last decade's worth of minifigures, the style of this book is extremely wanting. Many pages I have found odd and hardly interesting facts on the wrong page (the fact that Prof. Snape's head was the first glow-in-the-dark minifig part appearing on the page AFTER that minifig was shown comes to mind). In other places, the same exact minifig appears twice, sometimes on the same page even, often with a different date despite the fact that they are the same exact figure. In other cases, I have found incorrect dates for figures, or even incorrect names. One funny error notes that the Clone Wars in Star Wars took place over 300 years, rather than the canonical 3 years. In virtually all aspects, the minifig book lacks the quality-control checks and editing I would expect from DK. It is as though the people who arranged the hodgepodge of images also created the captions with absolutely no oversight. Were the minifig book sold separately, I would probably demand a full refund from the publisher out of sheer anger at the poor editing of this book. While the visual appeal is arguably good, the writing of some of the poorest quality I have seen in a publication.
   
   So, my advice is to buy this set if you want it purely for the images. It is a great visual feast of Legoness. However, if you expect deep content and a fun jaunt back into the history of Lego, I'd suggest you wait for another book because this will leave you scratching your head asking: "Didn't Lego make more sets before 2000?"



5. My grand kids love these books, they study and read them constantly even the 6 yrs old reads them
   and looks up on his parents pc where good deals are