Tough as nails true tales of the world's baddest mobs, gangs, and ne'er do wells, this entry in the popular BIG BOOKS series focuses on gangs from ancient India to the mean streets of New York, from the Revolutionary War to the Wild West.

    Exploring the unfortunate adventures of those who could not catch a break, this amazing reference book documents the stories of people who have lost in life, sports, business, and politics. From President Garfield, who died after several incompetent doctors turned a small bullet wound into a huge, festering malady to the woman who burned her husband's life savings in the oven, this tome shows that some people are just destined to come out on the bottom. Also included in this book are the most legendary loser products such as New Coke, the female urinal, and the paper dress.

    An in-depth look at the things we know are bad for us but we love too much to stay away from, including tobacco, alcohol, promiscuous behavior, drugs, fatty foods, and more, along with the reasons we love them so much.

    Jonathan Vankin's Big Book of the '70s looks in surprising depth at the trends and the notable figures of that decade, using illustrations from dozens of excellent comics artists like Shary Flenniken and Terry Laban. Richard Nixon, Jane Fonda, Burt Reynolds, and Jimmy Carter all get the Big Book treatment in a delicious combination of behind-the-scenes peeks and easily digested history lessons. Fads and phenomena like disco, running, and the rise of the women's movement are also explained and, in some cases, followed up through modern times. The writing is clear and snappy, the illustration is consistently well-done, and the topics chosen are a thorough, comprehensive mix of lightweight (pet rocks) and serious (Vietnam). --RobLightner

    And in 1915, Fritz Kreisler became one of America's best known violinists, playing little known works by composers like Vivaldi, which Kreisler wrote himself. This huge volume spotlights fakers, phonies, and hoaxters, in stories illustrated by a wide variety of cartoonists.

    Now noted cartoonist Gahan Wison tackles this subject with uncanny expertise and insight. Inside are freaks of the past, such as the cyclops; well known freaks of recent eras, such as the Elephant Man; and potential future freaks created through genetic manipulation. Graphic novel format. Mature readers.

    Prophets and philosophers, pirates and kings, warriors and pacifists, they had nothing in common except their faith - and a willingness to die. They are the Christian Martyrs and these are their stories. Contains over 50 tales of peril and perseverance and as exciting as anything contemporary fiction has to offer! Each biography is told in comic form by some of the world's finest comic book writers and artists. Illustrated throughout.

    The stories of dozens of people who are remembered for their brilliant contributions to fields from art and literature, to science and entertainment, but who were also really strange, are told here by Carl Posey and drawn by dozens of well-known cartoonists.

    Among the stepping stones to the conquest of North America: cannibalism, mummified murderers, sadism, lynch mobs, bad-luck curses, unexplained decapitations, mysterious airships, cults, communes, and more.

    THE BIG BOOK OF DEATH looks the Grim Reaper in the face and laughs, with tales of outmoded methods of execution, capital punishment, visits to famous cemeteries, body disposal, weird deaths and stupid murders and more.

    All pages are intact, and the cover is intact (including dust cover, if applicable). The spine may show signs of wear. Pages can include limited notes and highlighting, and the copy can include "From the library of" labels.Some of our books may have slightly worn corners, and minor creases to the covers. Please note the cover may sometimes be different to the one shown.

    "The Poodle in the Microwave", "The Mouse in the Coke Bottle", and "The Accidental Cannibals" are just a few of the legends presented in this volume. Illustrated by artists from DC Comics. Mature readers.

    In vivid pictures and intensely autobiographic words, graphic artists celebrate the skyscraper heroes who still sustain us. Contributors include Frank Miller, Dave McKeon, Jeph Loeb, Will Eisner, Trina Robbins, Mike Diona, and dozens of others.

    Edgar Hoover's life becomes a timely and pointed guide to eight presidents--from Calvin Coolidge to Richard Nixon--and everything from Prohibition to cold war espionage. From a nascent FBI's headlinegrabbing tracking down of Dillinger and Machine Gun Kelly in the 1930s to Hoover's increasingly paranoid post-WWII authorizing of illegal wiretaps, blackmail, and circumvention of Supreme Court decisions, J. Edgar Hoover: A Graphic Biography provides a special window into the life of an outsized American and a bird'seye view on the twentieth century.

    Warren Ellis' e-mail column "Bad Signal" shows that he is a modern master of the short form essay, as his biting wit makes even the most esoteric of topics into must-read material. By his own admission, BAD SIGNAL is Warren Ellis on the move, emptying his head of thoughts and shoving them into a handheld computer with a wireless modem plugged into it, so that he can instantly bug four thousand people with useless e-mail from public toilets all over the world. This first volume collects his humorous and insightful columns from 2001-2002.