Synopses & Reviews
Here is 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 one of the most astonishing young artists working in the medium today, Alex Ross. 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
Signs 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 super heroes 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 make 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 280 pages. There are also hundreds of never-before-seen sketches, limited edition prints, and prototype sculptures. Vintage DC comic panels are interspersed throughout, as reference points from which Ross launches his extraordinary interpretations.
And most exciting for Ross fans, inside is a DC Comics first: an exclusive, original Superman-Batman story, written by Kidd and painted by Ross. Also included is an all-new origin of Robin, written by Paul Dini. Mythology is a book in which every page explodes with the power of the icons it celebrates.
Review
"Working almost entirely in gouache, Mr. Ross...gives the same kind of earnest photorealism to portraits of well-known superheroes that Norman Rockwell gave the faces of doctors, letter carriers and firefighters." Frank DeCaro, The New York Times
Review
"Mythology...gives the newcomer an appreciation for the iconic aspects of characters like Superman, Batman, and the Joker, while the longtime fan can get a feel for the hand-cramping methods behind Ross' beautiful madness. (Grade: A)" Marc Bernardin, Entertainment Weekly
Review
"Ross' exceptional photorealism is actually more convincing than the looks of most of the comic-book [movies]...and this succulent artbook should attract noncomics readers as well as the hardcore fans who already revere Ross." Gordon Flagg, Booklist (Starred Review)
Review
"Kidd's text is laudatory but never cloying....[T]he immense power of Ross's best images cuts through any clutter, and this volume deftly showcases just that." Publishers Weekly
Review
"[A] reminder that comic books, like baseball and rock 'n' roll, are one of America's joyous gifts to the world, created for the young but with reverberations for the ages." R.C. Baker, The Village Voice
Review
"[M]arvelously designed...one of the most visually rich books about comics ever published....This collection is not to be missed by any fan of Ross or of these characters..." Library Journal
Synopsis
EISNER AWARD WINNER - NATIONAL BESTSELLER - Here is 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 one of the most astonishing young artists working in the medium today, Alex Ross. 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
Signs 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 super heroes 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 make 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 280 pages. There are also hundreds of never-before-seen sketches, limited edition prints, and prototype sculptures. Vintage DC comic panels are interspersed throughout, as reference points from which Ross launches his extraordinary interpretations.
And most exciting for Ross fans, inside is a DC Comics first: an exclusive, original Superman-Batman story, written by Kidd and painted by Ross. Also included is an all-new origin of Robin, written by Paul Dini. Mythology is a book in which every page explodes with the power of the icons it celebrates.
About the Author
At the age of 17, Alex Ross went to Chicago and began studying painting at the American Academy of Art. It was at there that he hit on the idea of painting his own comic books. In 1993 with
Marvels, a graphic novel that took a realistic look at Marvel superheroes by presenting them from the point of view of an ordinary man, Ross had his first serious media exposure, both within the industry and outside it. He followed it up with
Kingdom Come.
Having established himself creatively and financially with superhero projects, Ross turned to the real world with Uncle Sam, a 96-page story that took a hard look at the dark side of American history. Like Marvels and Kingdom Come, the individual issues of Uncle Sam were collected into a single volume first in hardcover, then in paperback and remain in print today.
Ross' recent works have celebrated the 60th anniversaries of Superman, Batman, Captain Marvel, and Wonder Woman with fully painted, tabloid-sized books, depicting each of these characters using their powers to inspire humanity as well as help them. In recent years, Ross has applied his artistic skills to outside projects with comic book roots, including a limited-edition promotional poster for the 2002 Academy Awards. A number of items created especially for the Warner Bros. Studio Stores including lithographs, collector's plates and even a canvas painting of Superman made him the best-selling artist in the chain's history.
In the fall of 2001, Ross painted a series of four interlocking covers for TV Guide (featuring characters from the WB series Smallville) and designed and sculpted a series of busts based on characters he created for the Marvel series Earth X.