Product Description

THE EISNER AWARD-WINNING, NATIONALLY BEST-SELLING MYTHOLOGY IS HERE IN PAPERBACK, IN AN EXPANDED EDITION WITH 32 NEW PAGES.

Mythology returns, in a newly expanded paperback edition of the book Entertainment Weekly awarded a grade of A, saying: “Alex Ross brings to his work an unparalleled sense of the real. His heroes–both super and mortal–have weight; they exist in space, and that space is affected by them in ways never before seen on the page.” And so here they are, the incomparable cast of the DC Comics universe: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Aquaman, the Green Lantern, and the rest of the Justice League as you’ve never seen them before. Mythology brings together the best loved comic characters in the world, brought to life by Alex Ross, one of the most astonishing young artists working in the medium today. The award-winning designer/writer Chip Kidd and photographer Geoff Spear have teamed up to create a book like no other, with an introduction by M. Night Shyamalan, the acclaimed director of The Village and The Sixth Sense.

Ross has often been called the Norman Rockwell of comics, and this book reveals not only his lifelong love of these classic superheroes but also his vision: Mythology takes you into the studio for a behind-the-scenes look at his fascinating creative process. The combination of Ross’s dynamic art and Kidd’s kinetic design makes images from his most memorable stories–including Kingdom Come, Superman: Peace on Earth, Batman: War on Crime, and Uncle Sam–soar off the more than 300 pages.

The new material centers on Ross’s startling new comic book series, Justice, including sketches, preliminary art, prototype figures, and more. Mythology is a book in which every page explodes with the power of the icons it celebrates.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #37557 in Books
• Published on: 2005-11-08
• Released on: 2005-11-08
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

From Publishers Weekly
With art that looks like a hybrid of Norman Rockwell and Jack Kirby, artist Ross has become the preeminent painter of superheroes of his generation. This lavish coffee- table tribute puts him into a pantheon as exalted as the superbeings he depicts. The son of a preacher and an illustrator, Ross was always captivated by superheroes, but it wasn't until he discovered the use of live models in art school that he was able to realize his visions of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the rest. Like Rockwell, Ross uses photographs to set up lighting and staging-a process documented in a section at the end of the book-and like Rockwell, he favors otherworldly lighting effects that somehow serve to make his figures more realistic. Like Kirby, he has an innate belief in the iconic power of superheroes that gives them a dimension far beyond the usual four-colored adventures. Whether in Kingdom Come, a renowned tale of the twilight of the superheroes; his own oversized stories written with Paul Dini; or countless posters, covers and commissions, Ross's vision of beings so powerful they verge on arrogant will make viewers glad they don't exist in the real world. Kidd's text is laudatory but never cloying, and the book includes numerous studies, sketches and photos to show Ross's method. While collectors and fans gush over Ross's output, the sheer weight of pictures of every superteam in DC's universe does become somewhat numbing by the end. Still, the immense power of Ross's best images cuts through any clutter, and this volume deftly showcases just that.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From School Library Journal
Adult/High School-This is a coffee-table tribute to the work of the cartoonist. Kind of an odd blend of Norman Rockwell meets Saturday morning cartoons, Ross's gouache painted art glows on the pages. Interspersed with quotations by the artist and those who know him, Kidd's sparse text takes readers on a brief tour of Ross's childhood to his early days in advertising and comic books, finally ending with the limited series "Kingdom Come" (Warner, 1998), which combined hyper-realistic artwork with unusually complex storytelling. The book not only displays samples of finished works but also includes sketches, photographs of live models, and comic art dating back to the 1930s. For a humorous touch, Kidd includes samples of Ross's childhood art, with pieces ranging from rough copies of comic covers to endearing sculptures of Batman and others made out of construction paper. Ultimately, Ross is an artist who quests to reuse and redevelop classic characters like Superman and Wonder Woman and elevate their stories to a level more sophisticated readers can enjoy. High goals, but this man makes it work.
Matthew L. Moffett, Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
*Starred Review* Ross is arguably comic books' only genuine superstar, whose artistic touch turns any title into a bestseller. His ultrarealistic, painted renditions of iconic superheroes--in which he rather marries the styles of Norman Rockwell and Jack Kirby--impart a grandeur to the characters that their typical adventures only hint at. So singular is Ross' talent and so vast his following that they warrant this lavish, coffee-table-book retrospective of his work for DC Comics that spotlights his portrayals of the company's big guns--Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman--but includes some of his renderings of their lesser lights. Though the book contains numerous excerpts from various stories, including two all-too-short, brand-new strips and preliminary sketches, pencil drawings, and other rarities, Ross' approach is best displayed by the many full-page, posterlike paintings in the book. The lavish tribute is written and designed by Chip Kidd, himself a superstar in the world of book design, and he shows off Ross' grandiosity to full advantage. Ross' exceptional photorealism is actually more convincing than the looks of most of the comic-book adaptations that have hit the movie screen of late, and this succulent artbook should attract noncomics readers as well as the hardcore fans who already revere Ross. Gordon Flagg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Customer Reviews

The magic of superheroes, recaptured
Alex Ross brought a new technique and style to superhero artwork that had never quite been seen before in comics. Working almost exclusively in watercolor gouache, he brought a photorealistic style that takes almost everyone's breath away. It marvelously recaptures the essential thrill of comic books: the fantasy of what it would be like if a man could really fly, or run at incredible speeds, or had a magic ring that could do anything. He's often been compared to Norman Rockwell (in his hyperrealism and love of dramatic facial expression), but Ross is his own artist. His intense love of dramatic composition, lighting, and figural motion suggests his roots also extend to the greats of comic artwork, including Dick Sprang, Steve Ditko, Gil Kane, and Neal Adams.

This wonderful collection captures many of his childhood attempts at art and documents not only his changing style but also his creative process (using live and inanimate models, photography, and high-contrast lighting). It also showcases a plethora of his best work for DC, and even includes many rare and uncollected images done for fan publications and even a collector's plates series (!). The fancy-shmancy book design by designer and comics fan Chip Kidd is sometimes a drawback (too many images are sometimes crammed into one doublepage spread, reducing the detail to the detriment of all the images), but the book is terrific nonetheless. It greatly benefits from commentary by Ross throughout explaining what he finds interesting and exciting about each classic Golden and Silver Age comics character.

Mythology: The DC Comics Art of Alex Ross
I had forgotten I ordered this until it came in the mail today. It's a pretty amazing piece of work. If you are an artist (like me) it's almost a text book on how to do it correctly. I found the highlight to be the last few pages of the book where Mr. Ross explains exactly how he created the cover from initial concept sketches to photography through finished art. The book also contains several things I'd never seen before or had just seen poorly printed or web versions of. Just amazing. Well worth the asking price.

Incredible Book
If you are as big a fan as me of Alex Ross, then rush out a find a copy of this book. No matter what. It gives everything you need to know about his art and the stories behind them. It shows the evolutions of his characters and his backgrounds into how they came to be. If you are in love with comics and the characters then get this. It really shows his love for them as well. From full page spreads to single sketchbook black and white shots, its has it all. Chip Kidd did a wonderful job putting it together and the book is a great read as well. I've been waiting a long time for the definitive Alex Ross book and it's finally here. It's worth every penny.