Castevania:
The Art of the Animated Series
Release Date: Mid Aug
Okay, full disclosure here. Beyond the fact that it’s a game & animated
series I don’t know much at all about Castelvania.
However, it seems to be very popular and based on the images, it looks really
cool. This is a collection of concept art, backgrounds for characters and
original art not previously seen as well as bits and pieces form the creators
about various aspects of the Castlevania
universe. This is definitely one for fans of the anime, however it’s also
pretty cool if you’re a fan of the Japanese take on Gothic horror, because
that’s definitely what this is.
Disney
Villains: Devilishly Delicious Cookbook by Julie
Tremaine
Release Date: Mid Aug
Every time I think we’ve reached peak cookbook fandom, something new arrives.
This new one is an original, official Disney product, and in it you’ll
find a variety of recipes inspired by the villains of Disney films. So, dishes
a la Cruella DeVille, Maleficent, Ursula and more. I’m not sure at this stage
exactly what they are but I understand that there are main courses, desserts,
entrees, canapes as well as a few quirky things. If there’s an evil
stepmother’s apple dish though, I’d suggest avoiding it. Other than that,
I think this would be good fun for anyone planning a Disney movie night.
Doctor
Who Atlas
Release Date: Late Aug
We’ve had a lot of Doctor
Who products in the store over the years. Character guides,
monster guides, histories and timelines but I don’t think we have ever had a
book specifically about the places that The Doctor visits or that are important
in the Doctor Who
universe. Well, this about to change. You can travel through Gallifray or Skaro
or even Mondas in these beautiful full colour maps showing all sorts of aspects
of places that The Doctor (new & old) has been and the adventures had
there. And not just the places, but also the people and aliens that are
important to events. Great fun for those who like the meta narrative and lore
aspects of Doctor Who.
Snowpiercer:
The Art and Making of the Film by Simon Ward
Release Date: Late Aug
2019’s blockbuster film Snowpiercer
won 4 Oscars and was heralded as a stunning directorial debut by Korean
director Bong Joon Ho.
However, it has somehow taken 3 years for an art and design companion book to
hit the shelves. I don’t know why that is, but I don’t think it is any less
special because of it. In this book you will find concept art, designs,
background to the film, sets, effects, interviews with the cast, crew and the
director himself about this remarkable project. For extra points and trivia,
Google the connection between Snowpiercer
and Willy Wonka
for a very bizarre fan theory that will no doubt amuse and puzzle you
The
Cinematic Art of Overwatch, Vol 2 by Jake Gerli
Release Date: Early Aug
This is the companion volume to The
Cinematic Art of Overwatch, Vol 1 and continues the
deconstruction and analysis of the short films that Blizzard made in
conjunction with their 2016 game, Overwatch.
Each of these films, designed to introduce not only the character and their
abilities, but their backstories, personality and, through the meta narrative
of each character, give players a bit of insight into the world of Overwatch and the
reasons behind their conflict. This is a beautiful collection of art &
design, because if there’s one thing that Blizzard is well known for, is that they
produce tremendous visuals. Definitely one for Overwatch fans and lore collectors.
Star
Wars Year by Year – A Visual History by Ryder
Windham
Release Date: Mid Aug
From the outset, this sounds like it would be a timeline for the Star Wars universe in
terms of the narrative moving from the earliest films to the current ones.
However, it is actually a history of Star Wars’ impact on the world, starting
with the release of the film and the things that preceded it through to all of
the events that are Star Wars related. From collectibles to, theme parks, toys,
video games, comics, novels, conventions and all the various cultural
phenomenon that have accompanied Star Wars. Done in a beautiful, visual and
linear format, you can see how Star Wars went from an indie film that people
thought would fail to a cultural touchstone and a lot of very peculiar things
that happened along the way. The listings are accompanied by a hundreds
of photos and illustrations. This is fascinating and the deepest dive into Star
Wars history and trivia that I’ve ever seen.
Star
Wars: Mandalorian – A Guide to Season One
Release Date: Mid Aug
I don’t think it would be hyperbole to say that The Mandalorian has been one of the most
successful Star Wars
spin-offs ever. As a result, there is a lot of meta material that fans are
eager to get their teeth into. This month we will be getting the official guide
to season one, which has stories and plot lines, character backgrounds, as well
as some behind the scenes content into how they created those amazing visual
and narrative effects. This is going to be great fun for Mandalorian fans,
particularly if you would like to get under the skin of the series.
Fantastic
Creatures of the Mountains Sea
Release Date: Mid Aug
This is definitely one for folklore fans, a contemporary illustrated
translation of a Chinese classic that details many of the creatures that
populate Chinese mythology and folklore. More than 180 illustrations and a raft
of text describe the traditions and stories that surround a variety of magical
creatures. This is a must for any serious folklore and mythology collector. For
what it’s worth, it’s also a rather stylish hardcover.
Tales
from the Perilous Realm by J R R
Tolkien
Release Date: Mid Aug
Obviously, this isn’t even remotely new, and to be honest, we have already got
multiple editions of this book in the store. What makes this one special,
however, is that it has load of illustrations by Alan Lee and it is a
beautifully presented hardcover, suitable or adding to anybody’s collection of
deluxe Tolkien
novels. In it, you will find Roverandom,
a story about a toy dog that comes to life, Farmer Giles of Ham, a rather curious
tale of a medieval style hero, The
Adventures of Tom Bombadil who we will all remember from TheLord of the Rings,
and Leaf by Niggle,
a story about a painter who sets out to paint the perfect tree. And finally we
have the Smith of
Wotton Major who has some rather bizarre adventures in the land
of Faery. This is not really Middle Earth stuff (Tom Bombadil kind of is), but
it does match the recent illustrated hardcover The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Unfinished Tales
& Silmarillion
editions which will look pretty swish on a shelf.