ButtonDown.Com: Shoulder Wound Sunday: November

 ButtonDown.Com: Shoulder Wound Sunday: November

Scott's Take: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Illustrated Edition by J.K. Rowling Art by Jim Kay and Neil Packer

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Illustrated Edition by J.K. Rowling features the art of Jim Kay and Neil Packer. All previous four other volumes feature Jim Kay only artist. However, in this book, he is sharing the artwork with Neil Packer as Jim Kay is stepping down due to mental health concerns. If the series is continued, there is a good chance that it won’t be as visually consistent as it has been in the past due to the absence of Jim Kay.

The story is the same as the novel so Harry is dealing with the Ministry trying to take over Hogwarts and refusing to acknowledge that Voldemort is back. 

Nothing is different book wise as far as I can tell. The art is excellent and highlights the visual differences between the movie version and the book version. Since the art depicts the book version, characters are not as attractive as their Hollywood version counterparts. Hagrid is more giant like and ugly while Severeus Snape is less of a pretty boy than the movies depicted him. Some parts are depicted more whimsically than the realistic style the movies preferred to go with. 

There is a lot of illustrations for this type of book. While I would prefer more, I always want more illustrations in this series. I highly enjoyed seeing how scenes in the novel are visualized here in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Illustrated Edition. I am hoping that the continue with the next book. I also hope that Jim Kay is able to get the help he needs.

 

My reading copy came from the Vickery Park Branch of the Dallas Public Library System.

 

Scott A. Tipple ©2023

Scott's Take: Batman: Last Knight on Earth by Scott Snyder and art by Greg Capullo

Batman: Last Knight on Earth by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo is a DC Black Label title that is an adult orientated tale and not for young kids or sensitive readers of any age. This graphic novel is by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo. This creative team created one of the most well-regarded modern runs for a Batman series. They had an incredible decade long run with Scott Snyder writing the stories and Greg Capullo doing the impressive artwork. This book is billed as their last time working together on a Batman graphic novel, so they really pulled out all the stops.

 

Batman wakes up twenty years into the future in Arkham Asylum and quickly figures out things are way different then he remembers. He manages to get outside of the Asylum and ventures off into this broken new world to figure out what has happened to the planet and humanity. His traveling companion, who tells a good portion of the story himself, is Joker who is not all there literally or figuratively. Being decapitated can really screwup your memories and Joker has gaps. Joker was decapitated and had his still alive head stuck in a jar which was then subsequently buried deep in the sand for two decades. Batman and the bodiless Joker in a jar must faces various horrors to uncover the truth about this nightmarish world. They will encounter various heroes and villains and see some things.

 

Batman: Last Night on Earth is a great book featuring amazing art. I highly recommend pretty much any book by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo working together because they do a spectacular job when they combine their talents. This is a very good book, but it is meant as the epic finish to their prior work. While it could be read by itself, the read could be a bit confusing as it is meant for those readers who have been following on the entire series. Because it is designed as their grand finale, the book pretty much features every major hero and villain in the DC universe as well as everyone who is important to Batman whether they are a hero or villain.

 

It is a great read.

 

Batman: Last Night on Earth

Scott Snyder

https://www.dccomics.com/talent/scott-snyder

Greg Capullo

https://www.dccomics.com/talent/greg-capullo

DC Black Label

https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Category:DC_Black_Label

April 2020

ISBN# 978-1-4012-9596-0

Hardback (also available in eBook format)

184 Pages 

 

My reading copy came from the Timberglen Branch of the Dallas Public Library System. 

 

Scott A. Tipple ©2020

Lesa's Book Critiques: Books & Mortar by Gibbs M. Smith

Lesa's Book Critiques: Books & Mortar by Gibbs M. Smith

“Glen Was a Shooting Star, a Miracle”

“Glen Was a Shooting Star, a Miracle”

Review: "Playing with Stencils: Exploring Repetition, Pattern, and Personal Designs" by Amy Rice

Playing with Stencils: Exploring Repetition, Pattern, and Personal Designs by Amy Rice features variety in design of others while teaching readers how to go about creating their own personal touches in various projects. Along with plenty of information there are a number of photographs depicting the various ideas covered in the book.

Broken into three main sections along with several resource sections the book opens with the basics after a brief introduction. Section One titled “Getting Started: Designing, Enlarging, Transferring, Cutting, and Burning” begins on page 10. The section opens with an explanation of what a stencil is as well as what it isn't before moving on to how to manipulate a stencil by various means. Along with the detailed instructions and photographs there is a small section titled “tips” that contains helpful hints.  

Section 2 titled “Projects to Play With: Inspiring Stencil Ideas” features 20 projects. This section is the heart of the book and references the stencil templates located later in the book as well as other possibilities. The first project is for “Scherenschnitte-Inspired Floor Tiles” on pages 25-27. A brief introduction to the history behind the project followed by a list of materials and possible variations begins the project. On the facing page is a photograph of a completed floor tile project at close range showing more than eight tile squares with design. The following two pages of this project feature the detailed instruction as well as several photographs from start to finish.

This same format is followed through the remaining 19 projects. They include “Stencils Love Decoupage: Old Wood and Antique Letters” (pages 32-35) on an old wooden trunk with wheels, “A Simple Stencil for a Prettier Cake” (pages 36-39), “Paper Dolls Please” (page 48-51), “Reverse Stencil Planters” (pages 68-71), and “Custom Wallpaper” (pages 100-103) among others. Unlike many crafting or project books, this book does not feature a degree of difficulty scale making it impossible to judge whether the projects would be difficult for those new to stenciling or beneath very experienced stencilists.

Section 3 titled “Gallery: Influential Contemporary Artists Who Us Stencils” begins on page 104. This section features ten artists working in the medium in various ways. Artists such as the duo working as “Broken Crow” as well as solitary artists such as Matt Dixon, Megan Hunter, Liz Miller, Susan Rodriquez, and the author herself among others are featured. Not only are the works depicted here beautiful to look at, but they serve as inspiration to others.

Starting on page 126 there are the templates. There are 13 actual designs located here. The page titled “Templates” that heads off the section is blank.

That is followed by a one page “Artist Directory” that provides online contact info for the ten artists in the gallery. Also included in these remaining few pages is a one page “Resources” list providing six websites for various materials and a brief author bio. Also present is a one page ad featuring other stenciling and stamping books available from the publisher.

Featuring projects that go from floor to table to drapes to food and everything in between Playing with Stencils: Exploring Repetition, Pattern, and Personal Designs by Amy Rice features a lot of colorful and varied projects. While skill level is not addressed in this 145 page book it is clear that like any other art form patience and practice will be needed to perfect the image you are trying to create. This is a good resource to help you get started while also providing plenty of inspiration.

Playing with Stencils: Exploring Repetition, Pattern, and Personal Designs

Amy Rice

Quarry Books (Quayside Publishing Group)

http://www.quarrybooks.com

May 2013

ISBN# 978-1-59253-829-4

Paperback

$24.99

144 Pages

Material supplied by the good folks of the Plano Texas Public Library System.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2014