Reading Copy Book Blog

Or so it claims to be. It’s Nice That today has posted this new book of graphic design by Alex Ostrowski:

A new movie set during the time of the collapse of the Western Roman Empire opened this weekend to damning orations from reviewers.  The Last Legion is based on the novel of the same title by Valerio Massimo Manfredi.  Manfredi has seen huge success with his Alexander trilogy and has written numerous historical novels including one called Spartan.  Perhaps it was thought that The Last Legion would draw on Manfredi’s literary popularity and the success of the movies Alexander and Frank Miller’s, The 300. 

Saying that, Alexander and The 300 also met with mixed reviews but did make decent amounts of money at the box office.  (I personally like The 300 but that might have a lot to do with the shirtless Gerard Butler!) Perhaps The Last Legion will experience the same – I have seen comments of praise blogged by Average Joe Public.  Either way, Manfredi’s books seem well worth a read – his Alexander series garnered him the Man of the Year award from the American Biographical Institute in 1999. 

Read the Reuter’s movie review.Read a review of the book The Last Legion.

Just a note for anyone in the southwest corner of the US this weekend.
July 26-July 29th will be the 2007 edition of the San Diego Comic Con.

Looks like a good event again this year with some neat author appearances including the likes of Neil Gaiman, Ray Bradbury, Laurell K. Hamilton and George A. Romero.

If you end up attending leave us a comment letting us know how it goes!

BBC is reporting on the release of manga style Shakespeare books. I am torn on the idea - it could be a useful tool in encouraging reading, but they have certainly used a heavy editorial hand in some edits… Perhaps a serialized approach would have worked better.

After watching Heroes last night, I am struck by some similarities in the story line as Alan Moore’s Watchmen. Anyone else notice this?

(PS. If you are a fan of the show, I highly recommend Watchmen. It’s not a typical superhero type story - although it revolves around superheroes - it presents a darker, more ‘adult’ world - ultimately is a story about the people rather than the powers.)

Over the weekend I picked up the graphic novel Six, initially compelled by the strong graphic style of the cover - heavy black and white against green. As it turns out the story matches the tone of the art - very noir. It’s a little bit Matrix, a little bit Walking Life, with dreams, aliens and human emotions … opening with Edgar Allan Poe words “All that we see or seem, Is but a dream within a dream” and spiralling from there. Definitely worth picking up if you’re into such things.

Sadly this is only a one-shot, but rumors are that it is being turned into a television series.

As a child I spent a lot of time with the Peanuts gang. A lot. No really, just ask my parents. So when Fantagraphics started re-publishing the entire Peanuts series I was extremely excited.

Fantagraphics is one of those unsung heroes of the publishing world. The material released is alway interesting and of high quality They publish a large collection of books and comics - tending toward the offbeat and alternative variety (Clowes, Crumb, Hernandez, Woodring…) but also re-printing alot of classic materials (Peanuts, Denis the Menace, Eldon Dedini etc).

One of their more recent interesting projects is the Beasts book. The books is “a collection of mythological creatures illustrated by about a hundred of the most acclaimed artists and cartoonists from the most avant-garde gambits of the art world.” Additionally, as part of the book release there is a limited edition letterpress book showcasing 10 of the illustrations being released through the art site Tiny Showcase.

Find out even more about the book, signings and book events at the Beasts blog. And keep up to date with Fantagraphics goings-on at their blog.

Apparently Myspace just launched a new comic book community, and the folks over at Mashable were discussing if this news would be the beginning of the end for the newly formed ComicSpace.  The battle for Web2.0 comic supremacy wages on.

In related news, Jessa at Bookslut tipped us off to The Nerve’s 20 comics that may change your life

Publisher’s Weekly is reporting that Keiko Takemiya classic sci-fi graphic novel To Terra is being released at the New York Comic-con. Very cool. (via Bookslut)