Early Review: Batman: Fowl Play Book

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Legions of Gotham was given an advanced copy of the new HarperFestival softcover storybook Batman: Fowl Play, which hits shelves next Tuesday.   The book is a great Batman vs. Penguin tale with amazing artwork by animation legend Steven E. Gordon (Batman: Asylum, X-Men Evolution).  This is a great book for any kid and a nice addition to any collection! 

Tolkien's World: A Guide to the Peoples and Places of Middle-Earth Book Review

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Tolkien's World: A Guide to the Peoples and Places of Middle-Earth Book Review

About the Book: Tolkien’s World takes readers on an incredible journey through the realms of Middle-earth and back to a time when elves, dwarves, wizards, and a small, courageous people known as hobbits battled the forces of evil. This lavishly illustrated guide brings you the people and places from The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Explore Middle-Earth, from the rolling hills of the Shire to the desolate ash plains of Mordor. Discover the secrets of a world where the elves roamed through enchanted forests and dragons slept in dark caverns under the mountains. With stunning artwork that re-imagines the places and people of Middle-Earth, Tolkien’s World is ideal for hobbit fans, big and small.

Open the pages of Tolkien’s World and meet Bilbo Baggins, the hero of The Hobbit. Then find out about Gandalf the wizard and his incredible magic powers, uncover the story of the unfortunate Gollum or learn about magical weapons, such as Gandalf’s sword Glamdring. This meticulously researched guide lets you discover the amazing peoples and creatures that inhabit Middle-earth, from friendly elves and stout-hearted dwarves to the deadly dragon Smaug and the evil Sauron. Packed with adventure and lore, Tolkien’s World is a must for all Hobbit

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Our Take: The Hobbit is one of the most anticipated films of the year. I know I've been yearning for it ever since I saw Peter Jackson's brilliant take on the LOTR trilogy! This is one of many great book releases that we're going to feature this week that tie-into the new Hobbit trilogy!   This lastest release is brought to us by the folks at Insight books.  This one strays from the mainstream films and provides us with beautiful artwork based on Tolkien's world.  The hardcover book takes us through the various characters, places and races in Middle-Earth accompanied by fantastical and impressive fantasy artwork.  This one is a great book for any Tolkien fan and would make a great Xmas gift!

How to Buy: Amazon.com

The Art and Making of Hotel Transylvania Book Review

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The Art and Making of Hotel Transylvania Book Review

About the Book: The Art and Making of Hotel Transylvania brings to (undead) life a fresh new spin on the classic horror monsters like Dracula, Frankenstein, the Mummy, Werewolf, and the Invisible Man from Sony Pictures Animation and director Genndy Tartakovsky - creator of Samurai Jack and executive producer and director of Star Wars: Clone Wars animated series.

The story features Dracula, owner of a lavish five-stake resort hotel for monsters, away from the human world. On one special weekend, he invites some of the world's most famous monsters to celebrate his daughter's 118th birthday. For Drac, catering to all these monsters is no problem, but his world could come crashing down when one ordinary guy stumbles into the hotel and takes a shine to his daughter, Mavis.

Featuring over 400 pieces of concept art, character sketches, storyboards and digital art, along with interviews with key filmmakers and crew, this full-color book is truly a spooky but fun treat for the eyes!

Our Take: We're big animation collectors here at the Legion and we also collect Halloween.  Finally, a new era animated film that combines the two!  Hotel Transylvania was a phenominal film and this hardcover art book is the perfect take-home companion to the movie.   It includes TONS of great behind the scenes sketches, artwork and designs that went into the making of the film.  The book is chock full of text and facts about the movie and the designs that went into it.   This one is a must-have for any fan of the film.

How to Buy: Amazon.com

Dark Shadows: The Visual Companion Book Review

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Dark Shadows: The Visual Companion Book Review

About the Book: The cult television series Dark Shadows is fondly remembered by its fans — not least Tim Burton and Johnny Depp, who reunited to bring a stunning reimagining of the show to the big screen.

Produced in close cooperation with Tim Burton and the production team, this lavish official companion to the film includes a Foreword by Depp, an Introduction by Burton and an Afterword by producer Richard D. Zanuck, alongside scores of photos, concept drawings, production designs, and interviews with the cast and crew.

Our Take: I'm too young to remember Dark Shadows very well, but I tell you what, I NEVER miss a Tim Burton film.  They're like Xmas to us here at the Legion.  Anything he touches entertains us so vastly and so completely that we're Burton junkies.  I will admit that before I saw Dark Shadows I was a little skeptical about whether this would be my first disappointment as a fan, but thankfully the film was quirky, funny and dark...it was fantastic.  Now, Titan books gives us a great hardcover visual companion to the film.  This one focuses on the characters, the sets, the costumes and even the cinematography and editing.   This one is the perfect companion piece to the film and is sure to delight any fan.  We highly recommend it.

How to Buy: Amazon.com

Harry Potter Film Wizardry (Revised and Expanded) Review

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Harry Potter Film Wizardry (Revised and Expanded) Review

About the Book: Immerse yourself in the world of the spectacular Harry Potter film series, and learn why Yule Ball ice sculptures never melt, where Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts are really "minted," how to get a Hippogriff to work with actors, the inspiration behind Hogwarts castle, and why Dementors move the way they do. 

Written and designed in collaboration with the case and crew that brought J. K. Rowling's celebrated novels to the silver screen, Harry Potter: Film Wizardry delivers an enchanting interactive experience, transporting readers to the wizarding world by sharing film-making secrets, unpublished photography and artwork, and exclusive stories from the stars. Full of removable facsimile reproductions of props and paper the Harry Potter films and the talented group of Muggles that has made true movie magic.

Our Take: We're taking a break from our Hobbit week to check out another fantastical and magical franchise...Harry Potter!  We already miss the Potter books and films, but thankfully this one was re-released with more features!   The book was given info on the final two films, along with some new interactive features.  This one has tons of great pack-in interactive items like an invite to the Yule Ball...stickers for potions and a lot more.   This one is essential for any serious fan and really does help to take the fan experience a step further. 

If you're a Potter fan, this book is a no-brainer.  We highly recommend this one for Xmas!

How to Buy: Amazon.com

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey--The World of Hobbits Review

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The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey--The World of Hobbits Review

About the Book: Enter the amazing World of Hobbits. Packed with photos from the new film, this book will tell you all you need to know about these amazing creatures – their appearance, appetites, homes, friends, deadly foes and much more.

Our Take: The Hobbit is one of the most anticipated films of the year. I know I've been yearning for it ever since I saw Peter Jackson's brilliant take on the LOTR trilogy! This is one of many great book releases that we're going to feature this week that tie-into the new Hobbit trilogy! There are so many of us, including myself, that have had children since the original LOTR trilogy was in theaters. In fact, my wife was pregnant with our first child when we saw Fellowship of the Ring in theaters! Now, my son is 10 and VERY much into the Hobbit, since dad has read the story to them before bed. This is a fantastic book to give to your kids to get them excited for the new film and to keep interested and learn a bit about the fantastical world that Tolkien gave us all. This softcover book is full of great images and tons of info about Hobbits. We highly recommend this one for Xmas.

See Inside the Book:

 

How to Buy: Amazon.com

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey--The Movie Storybook Review

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The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey--The Movie Storybook Review

About the Book: Relive the story of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey in this fantastic photo-filled book. Battling against Goblins, Wargs and other forces of evil, will Bilbo Baggins and the Company of Dwarves find the strength to help recapture the lost Kingdom of Erebor? With this amazing retelling of the movie, you too can visit Middle-earth.

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Our Take: The Hobbit is one of the most anticipated films of the year. I know I've been yearning for it ever since I saw Peter Jackson's brilliant take on the LOTR trilogy! This is one of many great book releases that we're going to feature this week that tie-into the new Hobbit trilogy!  There are so many of us, including myself, that have had children since the original LOTR trilogy was in theaters.  In fact, my wife was pregnant with our first child when we saw Fellowship of the Ring in theaters!  Now, my son is 10 and VERY much into the Hobbit, since dad has read the story to them before bed.  This is a fantastic book to give to your kids to get them excited for the new film and to keep interested and learn a bit about the fantastical world that Tolkien gave us all.  This softcover book is full of great images and tons of info from the new film.  We highly recommend this one for Xmas. 

How to Buy: Amazon.com

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Official Movie Guide Review

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The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Official Movie Guide Review

About the Book: Enter Bilbo Baggins’ world through exclusive interviews with director Peter Jackson, Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen and all the principal cast and filmmakers, who share film-making secrets and tales of what it was actually like making movie magic in Middle-earth.

Lavishly illustrated with hundreds of behind-the-scenes photos of the actors, locations, sets, creatures and costumes, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Official Movie Guide has been produced in collaboration with the filmmakers who have brought J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic novel into breathtaking three-dimensional life.

Our Take: The Hobbit is one of the most anticipated films of the year. I know I've been yearning for it ever since I saw Peter Jackson's brilliant take on the LOTR trilogy! This is one of many great book releases that we're going to feature this week that tie-into the new Hobbit trilogy!  This one is a softcover book with over 160 pages of in-depth and behind the scenes looks at the making of the film is THE book for the Hobbit film.  If you buy one book, make it this one (although who can buy only ONE Tolkien book?! lol).  We get looks at the making of the sets, costumes and even the great make-up on characters like the troop of Dwarves and the Orcs!  I was very impressed with this one and the softcover status brings it in at only around $15...a steal in our opinion. 

See Inside the Book:

How to Buy: Amazon.com

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Visual Companion Review

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The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Visual Companion Review

About the Book: Join the hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf the wizard and the Company of Dwarves on their Quest to recover treasure stolen by the Dragon, Smaug the Magnificent. Leaving the comfort of Bilbo’s home they must face many perils before they can claim their long-lost gold -- Trolls, Elves, Goblins, Wargs, and worse…
Richly illustrated with more than 100 color photos from the film, and featuring a brand new fold-out map charting the journey from Bag End to Wilderland, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Visual Companion begins the Quest for the Lonely Mountain in spectacular style.

Our Take: The Hobbit is one of the most anticipated films of the year. I know I've been yearning for it ever since I saw Peter Jackson's brilliant take on the LOTR trilogy! This is one of many great book releases that we're going to feature this week that tie-into the new Hobbit trilogy!  This wonderful hardcover book offers a nice quality dust jacket and great design.  It gives you overviews of the story, characters and even the various types of races/creatures that you'll encounter in Middle-Earth.  This is a very visual book with tons of full color images from the film, not just studio promotional pics.  This one truly is a great visual guide to the film and it falls in at a great price with an MSRP of only $19.99.  This one would make a great Xmas gift.

See Inside The Book:

How to Buy: Amazon.com

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Activity Book Review

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The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Activity Book Review

About the Book: Packed with stunning photos, facts, and activities from the brilliant new movie. Join Bilbo Baggins on his unexpected journey across the wilds of Middle-earth with Gandalf the wizard and a company of thirteen Dwarves.

Our Take: The Hobbit is one of the most anticipated films of the year.  I know I've been yearning for it ever since I saw Peter Jackson's brilliant take on the LOTR trilogy!   This is one of many great book releases that we're going to feature this week that tie-into the new Hobbit trilogy!  We don't often feature activity books here at the Legion, but this hardcover book is an exception!  This one does a great job of mixing story info and character bios with various puzzles and games that will entertain all ages.  That really keeps the feel of a real book with high quality pages and great full-color all over design on each page.  This one is great for a kid or collector!

How to Buy: Amazon.com

More Strawberry Shortcake Book Review

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More Strawberry Shortcake Book Review

About the Book: Strawberryland is so "berry " sweet, who could possibly resist going back for another visit? Jan Lindenberger and Jennifer Bowles have returned from the place where strawberries grow all year round to bring us another volume of Strawberry Shortcake collectibles. Originally introduced as a greeting card design by American Greetings, Corp., this sweet-smelling little girl and her many-flavored friends became the playmates of children everywhere through the 1980s. These children have grown up, but they never forgot Strawberryland-now Strawberry and her friends are in high demand on the collectors' market. This volume covers not only the dolls themselves, but the many many miniatures, toy sets, foods, premiums, and even a chapter for "fabulous fakes"!

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Our Take: We love toy collecting here at the Legion and as such we love toy collecting guides.  In fact, we just reviewed the first Strawberry Shortcake Collector book.  My wife collects Strawberry Shortcake, so these books have been extra helpful in identifying not only items and accessories within her own collection, but also help her to set her sights on what else is out there to find.  This next edition of Strawberry Shortcake items covers the dolls and a lot of items again, but also delves into all the knockoffs and more of the side items!  This one has tons of full color images and is a wonderful field guide to collecting!  We highly recommend it!

How to Buy: Amazon.com

The James Bond Omnibus Volume 004 Book Review

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The James Bond Omnibus Volume 004 Book Review

About the Book: The daring James Bond is back in a definitive bumper edition collecting the second period of Jim Lawrence's celebrated run in comic strip form!

Includes nine of Bond's most thrilling and dangerous missions: Trouble Spot, Isle of Condors, The League of Vampires, Die With My Boots On, The Girl Machine, Beware of Butterflies, The Nevsky Nude, The Phoenix Project and The Black Ruby Caper.

Our Take: I've been a James Bond fan as long as I can remember.  I love the classic Sean Connery and Roger Moore films.  I'm honestly not into the new ones, but thats just me.  Anyway, as a fan of classic 007 I am always on the lookout for great books to accompany my fandom.  These omnibus comic strip collections from Titan books collect vintage James Bond comic strips from the British newspaper "The Daily Express" from the 1950s and early 1960s, as such these were all but lost to us fans!  We have each of these volumes and will continue adding these great black and white Bond strips to our collection!  This would make a fantastic Xmas gift for the 007 fan on your list!

How to Buy: Amazon.com

Plastic Cup Collectibles: With Price Guide Book Review

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Plastic Cup Collectibles: With Price Guide Book Review

About the Book: Whether you realize it or not, you are probably already a collector of plastic cups. Just look in your kitchen cabinets and you'll find those plastic cups you didn't realize you were even collecting. The popularity of collecting plastic cups is rapidly increasing due to the latest collaborated marketing efforts between the fast food restaurant and movie industries in promoting a blockbuster movie while selling soft drinks. Plastic cup collecting is no longer just a hobby. The increasing interest and rapid growth of this newest market clearly demands that information and prices be made available to the expanding group of knowledgeable and novice collectors. In over 150 full color photographs, Bryan Meccareillo provides a complete guide to these new collectible

Our Take: We are big collectors here at the Legion.  One of the things I enjoy collecting is plastic cups of all kinds, especially fast food and promotional cups.  This great little book collects a lot of full color examples of what cups are out there.  I have a mixed reaction to this book, though.  On one hand, a lot of the items are mis-marked (such as a 1990s animated Attack of the Killer Tomatoes mug that is labeled as being from 1976, and the 1983 He-Man Burger King Cups are listed as a 1995 Little Caesars promotion?).  The book starts out strong archiving a lot of the common cup lines, but eventually falls into very random offerings that don't really mesh.  Its rather clear that rather than being any type of complete archive this is a showcase of author Bryan Meccariello's collection.  On the other hand, I really enjoy seeing Bryan's collection and rather than a great collectible reference guide, this is a really fun coffee table book that is very attractive and well layed-out for flipping through. 

How to Buy: Amazon.com

Alien - The Illustrated Story Book Review

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Alien - The Illustrated Story Book Review

About the Book: Vacant. Two space helmets resting on chairs. Electronic hum. Lights on the helmets begin to signal one another. Moments of silence. A yellow light goes on. Electronic hum. A green light goes on in front of one helmet. Electronic pulsing sounds. A red light goes on in front of the other helmet. An electronic conversation ensues. Reaches a cresendo. Then silence.

And when the silence is broken... the crew of the Nostromo must grapple with a terrifying life force they cannot leash, nor even comprehend - the Alien!

The stunning color graphic novel of Ridley Scott's legendary sci-fi thriller!

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Our Take: Are you a fan of sci-fi?  Are you a fan of the Alien franchise?  Of course you are!  We love Alien here at the Legion and this re-print of the classic Heavy Metal comic that immortalized Ridley Scott's epic film.  This classic comic adaptation has been out of print for over 30 years and now is released in this great graphic novel format from Titan Books.  They used the original Walter Simonson art to restore and renew this near perfect adaptation.  The artwork is fantastic, the story is a great adaptation of the film.  Any Alien collectible is a gem to us here at the Legion, we highly recommend it.  This one would make a fantastic Xmas gift!

How to Buy: Amazon.com

Strawberry Shortcake Collectibles: An Unauthorized Handbook and Price Guide Book Review

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Strawberry Shortcake Collectibles: An Unauthorized Handbook and Price Guide Book Review

About the Book: " Welcome to the World of Strawberry Shortcake," a world that American Greetings, Corp. created for little girls everywhere in 1979 and 1980. The Strawberry Shortcake character was originally created as a greeting card design, and now is a sought after treasure to collectors around the world. Jan Lindenberger, whose collector's guides are invaluable tools to those in the field, presents Strawberry Shortcake and all her friends in full color photographs, providing some of her history and showing the vast array of articles that were produced for her "followers." Each item is described and a current market value is given. Strawberry Shortcake's fans include the young and old alike, who want to enjoy Strawberryland and all its inhabitants! They all will love this new and helpful book.

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Our Take: We love toy collecting here at the Legion and in that veign, we love toy collecting guides!  Anything that educates and archives what is out there for collectors we love and no book does that quite so well for Strawberry Shortcake as the Schiffer Book Jan Lindenberger guides!  This first one archives with great full-color pictures of not only the original doll line and accessories, but also everything from the playsets, mini-PVCs, stuffies and even more Strawberry items, many of which I'd never seen before.  A few of my now favorite items that my wife and I are now searching for to add to our collections..the three shelf bookcase and vintage Kenner Strawberry plastic carrying case!   This is a wonderful and comprehensive guide to what is out there for collectors and a great place to get started.

Watch for our upcoming review of the second book, More Strawberry Shortcake!

How to Buy: Amazon.com