If you’re a fan of great comic art and have already discovered US publisher IDW’s Artist’s Editions, then you’ll want to check out the dedicated web space for the range.
An Artist’s Edition is an art book that mimics the experience of viewing original comic book art as closely as possible, and in complete story form. The goal is to create a book that is the next best thing to looking over an artist’s shoulder onto their drawing board.
Pages are scanned at a high resolution in color (although the printed pages appear to be in black and white) so they capture all the nuances that make original art special and unique–blue pencil notations, tape, white-out, margin notes. All are visible in an Artist’s Edition. Additionally, each book is printed the same size as the original art.
To date, IDW Publishing has produced 60-plus books, ranging in size from 12″ x 17″ up to 15″ x 22″, a range that has netted several Eisner and Harvey Awards. It includes books that feature the work of the likes of Will Eisner, Dave Gibbons, Jack Kirby, Al Williamson, Bernie Wrightson and many other amazing talents.
The Bernie Wrightson Artifact Edition was launched at this year’s New York Comic Con and features Wrightson’s classic House of Secrets #92 cover, the issue that contained the very first appearance of Swamp Thing.
Celebrating Jack Kirby’s 100th birthday, three very limited Jack Kirby Artist’s Edition variants were also released.
These books are real collector’s items, and well worth a look at.
• Check Out the IDW Artist’s Editions web site at www.idwpublishing.com/artists-editions
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: Comic Art, Creating Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Other Worlds
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