Stuff We Love
The Art of Wolfwalkers [Abrams, $40] Expertly guided by animation author and lecturer Charles Solomon, the beautiful 220+ hardcover takes us on a behind-the-scenes journey of Cartoon Saloon’s latest stunning triumph of 2D. Filled with exclusive hand-drawn sketches, paintings, interviews and digital renderings that showcase the studio’s unique artistic style (400 color illustrations!), The Art of Wolfwalkers is brought to life with exclusive commentary and interviews with cast and crew, including directors Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart. It’s the next best thing to running away to the ancient Irish woods with your own wolf pack. [Nov. 10]
Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Art of the Animated Series (Second Edition) [Dark Horse, $40] Marking the 15th anniversary of this show which has inspired legions of fans and a generation of animators alike, this deluxe tome is a gift to us all. Series creators Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino themselves take readers by the hand to reveal hundreds of pieces of concept, design and production art from their hit show. The second edition boasts new cover art by Konietzko (with an extra-special cover treatment), eight pages of new material, all-new introduction by award-winning Avatar comics writer Gene Luen Yang, beautiful slipcase, gilded edges, ribbon book marker and an exclusive collectable lithograph. A great excuse to practice your wallet-bending powers! [Nov. 24]
Drawing and Life Lessons from Master Cartoonists [Yoe Books, $50] Eisner-winning comics guru and former creative director of Disney, Nickelodeon and The Muppets Craig Yoe delivers another compelling look at the history and personalities behind the art form’s most iconic panels. This unparalleled hardcover collects never-before-reprinted cartooning courses from the likes of Charles Schulz, Winsor McCay, E.C. Segar, Joe Shuster, Dan DeCarlo and many more inkpen rock stars, offering eye-opening beginning and advanced lessons in drawing and writing comics, as well as encouraging life coach tips taken from their own journeys to success. The perfect pick-me-up for visual storytellers feeling that winter wind-down. [Nov. 10]
Over the Moon: Illuminating the Journey [Titan Books, $50] Blast off on an incredible behind-the-scenes journey with this hardcover companion to Glen Keane’s highly anticipated feature directorial debut. Leonard Maltin (Of Mice and Magic), one of the world’s most respected movie critics, is our scrivener guide through beautiful full-color reproductions of character, background and viz dev artwork for the Netflix Original. Readers will also discover how dedicated the team was to creating an authentically Chinese modern fairytale, visiting inspiring locations, sampling moon cakes and working with incredible artists — like fashion designer Guo Pei, who created the goddess Chang’e’s jaw-dropping costumes. No rocket required! [Nov. 10]