How to Draw and Sell Comic Strips for Newspapers and Comic Books

Customer Reviews:

Not a "How to Draw" Book...........2002-06-07

I was disappointed in this book after reading the great reviews printed here. This is not a "How to Draw" book at all, but focuses much more on the publishing/layout end of the comic book biz. Nothing like its title suggests: "How to Draw and Sell Comic Books." Sigh. What a let down.

The art instruction inside is minimal, and most of the art is fully completed and consists of comic panels and pages from comic books. Most of which, are well done - but failed to enlighten me.

For those interested in reading about comics, this might be the way to go. For those looking to learn drawing techniques, you'll probably be disappointed in this book. I know I was.

It was very good, even beter!.......1999-07-24

I loved it it was exalnt

This book focuses more on the technical aspect of Comics........1999-07-05

I used this book as one of four texts in my independent study in Sequential Art. Compared to Will Eisner's book, "Sequential Art", and Stan Lee's, "How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way", Alan McKenzie's book provides much more detailed information on the technical aspects of Comic Books. There is better information on what tools to use, how to use them, how to get published, etc...The other books show only finished pieces of art, whereas this book actually shows the artist working on the art. I found that aspect very helpful.

A good book for the learning process of drawing cartoons.......1998-07-10

The book is an easy way of getting started with comics. From the tools to the advanced sketches. The book is built up in a way that does not seem messy. This is a good handbook. It is always easy to find the passages that you need. An excellent book with only one bad thing. It would have been good to see some other ways of cartooning from other artists. But still a good buy! :-)

Book Description

Over 280 rare photographs document the clothing of ordinary men, women, and children from the 1840s through the 1890s, in what appears to be their Sunday best. Bustles, hoops, pantalets, shirtwaists, top hats, waistcoats, bowlers, other Victorian-era attire, as well as hairdressing and tonsorial styles. Introduction to fashions of each decade.

Customer Reviews:

Good reference source, but ..........2006-01-26

This book contains useful illustrations representing all ages and classes of American society. Ms Dalrymple wins my approval by basing some of her conclusions on dated photographs; in other words, she uses photographs as documentary evidence, not just as illustrations.

-- But important source information, ie. the format of the photograph, the photographer's name and geographical location, etc. has been moved to the endnotes, and the captions consist of stating the obvious; ie. "man in patterned trousers". With a few exceptions, the captions do not explain why the photographs were selected for the book and do not enhance the illustration. In her well-written chapter introductions, the author demonstrates her knowledge of the field and uses interesting and significant quotations from primary sources. (I like the footnotes.) So I wonder... was there an editorial decision made to "dumb-down" a potentially useful piece of work?

Finally, reproduction of the photographs is adequate, but not exciting. It is sometimes difficult to see costume detail.

Useful and interesting document on Victorian costume........1997-12-11

The Victorians put their (mostly) best foot forward in this collection of period photographs. Most of the photos are obviously studio pieces and catch our ancestors at what they considered their best, but a few, like the picture of the little girl missing a coat button, seem unplanned.

The photos are grouped by decade and show men, women and children of all ages and social classes. The editor's notes are conveniently placed near the photos and contain clear and interesting details about the costumes. Together the notes and the photos provide a useful resource and fun browse for all those interested in Victorian costume and manners.

Book Description

From the mind of Hideaki Anno (Evangelion) comes this bizarre tale of adolescence in a nonsensical world. Naota's life isn't simple. He lives with his eccentric father and grandfather in a city distinguished marked by a gigantic hand-iron shaped factory perched on a hill. So the last thing he needs is for his brother's ex-girlfriend to make passes at him or for an impish, playful alien to smack him in the head with a bass guitar and then insinuates herself into his family.

Customer Reviews:

Very disappointed.......2007-09-12

I was wondering how they could adapt this crazy anime to manga. I thought it would be just about impossible and unfortunately I was right.
This looks like it was drawn by a five year old. It's almost impossible to even tell what you're looking at in many of the panels.
The story just doesn't convey the manic craziness, emotion, and sexuality of the series. I was just bored.
I say don't bother with this just watch the anime again.

Beautiful Chaos.......2005-12-31

For anyone unfamiliar to the FLCL anime, after flipping through the first few pages of this book you'd most likely end up slamming it back down on the display rack and grab some of the more beautifully animated manga, like Naruta, InuYasha, or an Ani-Manga of some sort. But for fans of FLCL, the chaos of art that hits you from start to finish will make you smile, as it is very reminiscent of the anime in some ways. The FLCL anime had chaotic storytelling and action, while the manga has chaotic art. Both, however, are beautifully made.

The differences this volume of the manga has from the series are very few. The story has been expanded somewhat in the first volume. A couple more mysterious characters were added, like Naota's grandfather, whose role in the series was minute at best. Plus, Mamimi, Naota's brother, and Naota's relationship are explained just a little better here, and we know the main reasons why Naota's family dislikes the mysterious fire-starter. Beyond that, though, the story is pretty much the same. Naoto is hit by a strange Vespa Girl. A horn grows from his head, and soon a robot crawls from that horn to defend him and his friends from intergalactic (maybe) threats.

My main problem with this anime is that it's artistic style alienates people easily. I've told many that FLCL is one of the best animes ever, and whenever I recommend anime I always try to recommend the manga, because it's cheaper and if a person likes the manga, the anime is sure to follow (oddly enough, I'm not a big manga reader). FLCL, while beautifully chaotic, doesn't translate well for outsiders of this wonderful series. It's very difficult to recommend this to anyone who hasn't seen the anime. I would strongly recommend this volume for anyone who loved the anime, however, because the back-story of the characters can be found here, shedding some light on the FLCL.

Manga Gives Ungiven Info not Provided by Anime!.......2005-12-17

Okay, so this is an essential for any Fooly Kooly fan of any age. A crap-load of background information on Characters is given, though still using a quirky, humerous plot to describe it all. The art is OUTSTANDING! It follows in the quirky, 90's rock feel that was displayed through the Anime. Though it may be confusing at some times, anyone who has watched the Anime should already expect that. This is one of the only must-buy Manga's I have ever encountered, and is a must buy for any fan of Takkun and the rest of the gang.

Interesting is the only word..........2005-12-02

FLCL is and was one of the most interresting things I have ever read. The plot of the book is fantastic, although the flow of the book can be confusing at times. The character development and overall show of human nature really brings to life some of the totally unreal situations encountered in the book.

I would strongly suggest you get this, but if you are unfamiliar with the 'manga' style of Japanese literature, I would research it to become more familiar with the layout of the story and book.

My first taste of FLCL.......2005-11-13

I had never seen the anime before, but I was at a book store and saw the manga, so I got it. I really liked it! It was really funny. It's hard to imagine that this crazy story came from the same mind that created Neon Genesis Evangelion. The two stories are so different!
The art was a little hard to follow at times, kind of confusing. And you shouldn't read it when your tired... ^^; (I know from experience...) Otherwise, I enjoyed it a lot! And will probably end up purchcasing the second volume sometimes too!
I would definetly recommend this book to you! It is really funny and enjoyable. It's definetly worth it!

Average customer rating:

FLCL, Vol. 1 Special Edition
Gainax , and Hajime Ueda
Manufacturer: TokyoPop
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1595328866

Book Description

Naota is a lonely boy in a lonely town living a lonely life amidst utter chaos. His father's a perv, his grandfather a nut, his brother ran off to seek riches in America, and his brother's dumb ex-girlfriend won't leave him alone. Now from beyond the stars drops an impish defender sent forth to stop alien robots from destroying the Earth. Where do the alien robots come from? Well, from Naota's forehead for starters. From the twisted mind that brought us End of Evangelion comes this bizarre tale of adolescence in a world gone mad.

FLCL [Magazine Z C] Vol. 1 (Furi Kuri [Magazine Z C]) (in Japanese)

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FLCL [Magazine Z C] Vol. 1 (Furi Kuri [Magazine Z C]) (in Japanese)
Hajime Ueda
Manufacturer: Kodansha
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Comic

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ASIN: 4063490343

Book Description

Through humorous and poignant stories based on the author's childhood as the son of Mexicans living on the United States/Mexico border, Leave it to Beaner explores themes of immigration, biculturalism and the inevitable reverse-assimilation of America.

Along with side-stops detailing the history of Chicanos, Mexican-Americans, Mexicanos, Latinos, Hispanics, the border, Mexican -wrestling, La Migra, mass deportations and mucho mucho mas, Leave it to Beaner promises to entertain and maybe make you think.

Lalo Alcaraz is a Los Angeles-based political artist who has drawn editorial cartoons for the L.A. Weekly since 1992. He is the creator of the first nationally syndicated Latino-themed daily comic strip, "La Cucaracha." Alcaraz illustrated Latino USA: A Cartoon History, published in 2000 by Harper Collins.

Customer Reviews:

La Cucaracha!.......2004-11-27

I highly recommend that any person interested in politics and Latinos take a look at Migra Mouse, a collection of editorial cartoons by Lalo Alcaraz, the artist behind the daily comic strip La Cucaracha. The cartoons cover politics from the last decade with an emphasis on Latinos and immigration. Alcaraz has a simple but effective drawing style that says more with a few pen strokes than a political pundit with a book contract. Alcaraz is one of the sharpest political cartoonists around today. By the way, I'm Anglo and I don't always agree with Mr. Alcaraz's point of view, but I'm here to say that regardless of your skin tone, political bent, or favorite flavor of Christmas tamale, you shouldn't ignore this wonderful cartoonist.

Book Description

Reconstructs and intervenes in the fascinating debates that have pitted the history of thinking about film. Both an engaging history and an invaluable sourcebook, this book examines a vast pool of thought.

Book Description

* Robert Santelli is the Director of Education at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum * Author helped compile the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's infamous list, 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll. The blues is enjoying a strong resurgence; more people are listening to and buying blues music than ever before, and they have a lot of music now to choose from. Helping to sort out the confusion, acclaimed rock critic and blues expert Robert Santelli has compiled a list of the 101 most important blues albums, the works which are absolutely indispensable to a blues library. No one can argue with the effort and dedication with which Santelli has gone about his task. Each entry contains a thoroughly annotated discography with facts and dates, as well as meaty descriptions that place the albums in historical and artistic context.

Customer Reviews:

A Good List, Just not Mine.......2006-11-18

Like any best of list there will always be debate about what is in, where in the list it is rated and more importantly what was left off. Robert Santelli is used to this kind of debate having created the top 500 Rock-N-Roll songs. I enjoyed the booked and have referenced back to it several times. The blues are a lot like Frank Zappa - the music is great, but there are a lot of sucky albums out there. Even the great artist like John Lee and Muddy have a fair number of stinker albums you would want to avoid. This book is a good resource from which I have discovered some great music. It have been fun to compare my collection to this list. My biggest pet pive I had with the list is the 'overrating' of the historically significant albums. There are some very important albums in teh history of the blues, but that doesn't mean I want to listen to them. If you are looking for a fun light guide to discovering the blues this is a good place to start.

Found it very useful, but..........2003-08-15

As soon as I saw the listing of 101 top blues recordings I knew that many people would be angry that their favorites weren't included. But the writer freely admits in the introduction that other choices could be possible. I really respect the research that he did--eventually acquiring over 1000 blues CDs, not to mention the scads of vinyl LPs that he already had. Sounds like he has listened to a lot more blues than any of the reviewers that have written here.

But there is a certain inconsistency in Santelli's presentation. He sometimes sneaks in another recommendation or two under an album's description. For instance when describing "As Blue As A Man Can Be" by Robert Pete Williams, he also gives a strong recommendation to "When A Man Takes The Blues". A better organization and title for the book would have been: The 101 Essential Blues Artists. Then under each artist he could have recommended their essential recordings. Also, why the fixation with the number "101". By firmly adhering to 101 albums he excluded several essential artists.

Another complaint is that with multiple recommendations for some artists like Skip James and Big Mama Thorton, other very significant people in the blues, like Willie Dixon got skipped. And, Santelli sometimes makes the wrong recommendations. For instance, the Muddy Waters Chess Box Set has 3 CDs for a good price and is a better buy than buying "The Best of Muddy Waters" and "Trouble No More: The Singles" separately (the Box Set combines both of those CDs and more). He also gives Muddy Waters too many slots (four is too much for one artist), e.g., you don't need to buy Real Folk Singer--a sampling of that album is included in the above mentioned Muddy Waters Chess Box. He gives Little Walter 2 slots in his 101 albums hierarchy when both of his recommendations are can be purchased together, for a better price, in The Essential Little Walter Chess Box (has 2 CDs),and then only take one position in the 101 list.

In Dixon's case, as predominately a songwriter and bass player, he mostly plays on other musicians' records like Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters and many others but his "I Am the Blues" album or his Chess Box Set should have been included to give him the recognition that he deserves. Willie's songs MADE Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters and Little Walter. For those of you not familiar with Dixon's work, he wrote Spoonful (made famous by Cream), Same Thing (recorded by many artists), Backdoor Man (covered by many including John Hammond and The Doors), I Can't Quit You Baby (Led Zepplin), The Seventh Son (Johnny Rivers), I Ain't Superstitous (Jeff Beck and Rod Stewart), You Shook Me (Led Zepplin), Little Red Rooster (many including The Rolling Stones), Hoochie Coochie Man (countless artists including John Lee Hooker), and I Just Want To Make Love To You (a blues and rock standard). This is just a tiny sampling of what Willie Dixon wrote and of course, all of the songs that I listed were core songs in the repertoire of the late, great Chess artists.

Other artists that should have been included, and, not including them was a gross oversight, (either that, or Santelli doesn't really know the blues as much as he claims), are: Leadbelly, Big Joe Williams, Sonny & Brownie, Clarence Gatemouth Brown, Robert Nighthawk, Earl Hooker and Roy Buchanan. Other possible inclusions may have been: Sleepy John Estes, John Hammond, Lowell Fulson, James Cotton, Luther Allison, William Clarke and George Thorogood.

But still, despite the many flaws in Santelli's book, it is a must read for any fan of the blues. It is a great book just to learn about the history of the blues and to whet one's appetite for the recordings of artists that you may not have heard about, like Scrapper Blackwell, Junior Kimbrough, R.L. Burnside and CeDell Davis. Just remember as you read the book, that there are many fine artists that Santelli didn't cover.

Poor Blues Reference Book.......1999-05-17

If a guy whose passion was really rock and roll were to write a book on essential blues, this would be it. All the recommendations are safe rock 'n' roller type picks which aren't bad just inconsistant and incomplete due to unfamiliarity with the genre. The real crime is that essential people are left out like Robert Nighthawk. Buy the AMG Blues Guide instead and make your own top 100.

A bit overly ambitious to claim THE Best of the Blues".......1999-05-04

I really appreciated Robert Santelli's "Big Blues Book", but his book "The Best of the Blues - 101 Essential Albums" leaves much to be desired. I do not profess to be a blues expert, but I have been an avid fan since the mid '50s, have about 200 blues albums and know a bit about the music. The selections in the book are curious if nothing else. For example, there are three albums by Skip James and two by Paul Butterfiled yet there are none by Sleepy John Estes, Robert Nighthawk, Lightnin' Slim, Houston Stackhouse or Lazy Lester. I bought this book expecting (after the great "Big Blues Book") to find some albums I am missing from my collection. Not so! All I got was a book expressing an opion that shorts some great blues artists. Unless you are new to blues, I would pass on this book.

Essential for anyone trying to build a blues collection........1998-01-12

Some blues collectors may quible with a few of the selections or the order in which the albums are placed, but this book directs the reader to a wonderful selection of essential blues music. Many of the currently popular blues magazines focus on two paragraph "toss-off" reviews of current releases and ignore some of the great music that is the foundation of the art form. This book provides a guide that directs the listener to the "right stuff" and provides useful historical information that will help people understand the connections this music has with contemporary rock and country. The commentary on each album will also enhance the over-all listening experience. The book overlooks a few masterpeices like the Yazoo Sleepy John Estes collection, and Big Joe Williams on Delmark and Smithsonian Folkways. It is also heavy on Fat Possum artists who could have been addressed in the excellent "Best of Fat Possum" collection. This is small potatoes however as the book directs the reader to almost one hundred great blues albums and everyone who buys it will find some musical treasurers to be discovered. Along with the All Music Guide to the Blues, and Peter Guralnick's Listener's Guide to the Blues this book is a great tool for any serious listener.

The Best of the Blues: The 101 Essential Blues Albums

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The Best of the Blues: The 101 Essential Blues Albums
Robert Santelli
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OJ3QJO

Book Description

Not too traditional, not too avant-garde—these puzzles are original, contemporary, and fun to solve for puzzle fans everywhere.

• 50 daily-size crossword puzzles made by constructors from across the United States

• Medium-difficulty, middle-of-the-road style puzzles that appeal to a broad range of solvers

• The perfect complement to the excellent Chicago Tribune Sunday Crossword Puzzles

[PuzzleMeter: Difficulty—Medium;
Style—Middle-of-the-Road]

Average customer rating:

An OK diversion from my real life

Two books in one

Dare I say it...?

Generation X Pharma Rep Tells All

What a Jerk!

Hard Sell: The Evolution of a Viagra Salesman
Jamie Reidy
Manufacturer: Andrews McMeel Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Whistleblower: Confessions of a Healthcare Hitman

The Truth About the Drug Companies: How They Deceive Us and What to Do About It

Inside the FDA: The Business and Politics Behind the Drugs We Take and the Food We Eat

On the Take: How Medicine's Complicity with Big Business Can Endanger Your Health

The $800 Million Pill: The Truth behind the Cost of New Drugs

ASIN: 0740750399

Book Description

Jamie Reidy is to the pharmaceutical business what Jerry Maguire was to professional sports and Frank Abagnale (Catch Me If You Can) was to bank fraud. He's the guy who's been there, done that, and walked away with the insider stories. You'll find yourself rooting for Reidy and at the same time, you'll be shocked by the realities of the world that paid his salary.

Hard Sell is a witty exposé of an industry that touches nearly everyone in contemporary America. It reveals the questionable practices of drug reps, nurses, and even physicians. Reidy traces his ups and downs as a rep for giant drug manufacturer Pfizer, maker of some of the most widely prescribed and used drugs in existence, including Viagra.

With equal parts self-confidence and self-mockery, Reidy tells it like it is in the drug-selling trenches that are our local doctors' offices. The result is a funny and fascinating book that will appeal to those with pharmaceutical sales experience, medical professionals, those who have tried Viagra, and any American unhappy with rising drug prices. Hard Sell will be an easy sale this season.

Customer Reviews:

An OK diversion from my real life.......2007-05-10

An interesting book about the life of a "drug rep". I knew a bit about this career before reading it, but now I feel like I have lived it. There was less Viagra humor than I anticipated, but more career discussion.

While I generally enjoyed this book, it seemed to end rather abruptly without drawing any conclusions.

Two books in one.......2006-12-28

This book is really two books:the first 25% and the last 25% are interesting observations of how Big Pharma works(like a well oiled machine); the role of sales reps(helping MDs sort through the welter of info they get); the tactics of persuasion employed on Mds(hard core selling but effective; and the hiring of sexy/attractive woman as reps(it works) . The middle is how he did as little work as possible for the most benefit to himself---depending on your outlook it will either make you laugh or make you angry. All in all, a worthwhile and easy read. One note: the quality of the paper and the proofing is very poor as is the overall look of the book. I tend to think that he ran it by several publishers before he alighted on this one.

Dare I say it...?.......2006-06-30

Breathtaking! I laughed so hard, it took my breath away. (All apologies to Berlin and Top Gun fans) Sometimes the small chuckle and facial smirk. Sometimes a belly laugh that comes from deep inside. It was a journey of frivolity mixed with hilarity all around a gooey heartfelt center.

I heard the author read at a book signing and while he has a face for radio, he also possesses a big future as a novelist.

Generation X Pharma Rep Tells All.......2006-02-15

I have very little in common with Jamie Reidy, the author of the book "Hard Sell: The Evolution of a Viagra Salesman," which is a tell-a-lot-but-not-all about pharmaceutical sales (see my review of this book in the February, 2006 issue of Pharma Marketing News: www.pharma-mkting.com/news/pmnews-hp.html). For one thing, Reidy is a Generation X'er (the cohort born between 1965 and 1980) and I am a boomer (the cohort born between 1946 and 1964).

The differences between Generation X'ers and boomers may help explain the decrease in pharma sales force effectiveness over the years.

One difference to consider concerns the importance of wealth vs. community as motivating factors for these two generations. A UCLA survey of college freshmen cited in the book "Bowling Alone" showed that Generation X'ers -- who were freshman in 1990 -- were much more concerned with achieving wealth than boomers who were freshman in 1970 (see chart at www.pharma-mkting.com/images/reidychart.jpg). "Greed," says author Robert D. Putman, "trumps community" for Generation X'ers.

Greed -- i.e., the promise of a high salary, bonuses, expense account, and company car -- motivated Reidy to interview for the Pfizer sales rep job in the first place. Throughout the book he exhibits other Generation X traits, such as the frequent conversational use of the word "dude" as in "Dude, I need a little favor" and "Dude, pass the Viagra!" He is also frequently at odds with boomers, including his father and managers at Pfizer, especially when it comes to work ethic and other traditional values of older generations.

Reidy mentioned a Pfizer survey that revealed an "alarming high attrition rate" among reps with 4 to 6 years of service. In contrast to this are the Pfizer Masters -- sales reps whose sum of Pfizer service plus age equals at least 65 years and who have tremendous sales success. "Most of the Masters," quips Reidy, "still comb their hair the way they did when they first saw Rebel Without a Cause in the movie theater."

Greed alone may not be enough to motivate successful sales people. Maybe a little more sense of community -- caring about patients, for example -- might help. Nowhere in Reidy's book do I see any evidence that he really cared about patients. He was trained that "Most benefits [of drugs] revolved around saving a physician or her staff time and hassle", not about treating patients. And, according to Reidy, "nothing makes pharmaceutical sales people crazier than news of 'tab cutting'", a practice common among poor an elderly patients who cannot afford the high cost of drugs. "Dude, where's your compassion?"

What a Jerk!.......2005-12-30

The book provides insight into the hiring of drug detailer's and their subsequent sales and product training, as well the how they are managed in the field. Reidy also provides information on the positive aspects of a drug rep's role in keeping very busy physicians informed. However, the book fails to reference how this information is often biased and distorted to favor a particular drug.

Further, while frequently humorous, most of the book is a summary of how a lazy, dishonest salesperson learned to fool management into thinking he was hard at work while instead at home sleeping or away vacationing abroad, and to misuse drug samples and other "freebies" given out at physician offices. It thus becomes a disappointing insight into some people's integrity and motivation.

Reading the book also brought home the extreme expense of the current system of relying on drug reps - each focused on a small number of products. The result not only raises costs for consumers (about $7 billion in 2004) but also takes much more physician time than necessary - resulting in them starting to ban drug reps. At least some of the drug companies are now reducing sales staffing; hopefully they will replace much of this unreliable and very expensive human system with easy-to-use video conferencing and Internet systems.

Those interested in much more objective, useful material about the drug industry and the role of drug representatives should instead read "The Truth About the Drug Companies: How They Deceive Us and What to Do About It," by Marcia Angell (physician and former New England Journal of Medicine editor). She states that drug companies spend far more on marketing than they do on research (Reidy's book explains part of this cost)- and that much of the marketing is designed to sell "me, too" drugs, which are no better than those already on the market.

A final note about the author: Reidy move to Lilly, rose to a Sales Trainer position, and then was fired after the company learned of this book.

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