Plastic Man is more than just a putty face--with his bad-boy past, he literally embodies the comic book form: the exuberant energy, flexibility, boyishness, and subtle hints of sexuality. And as cartoonists "become" each character they create, it can be said that Jack Cole himself resembles Plastic Man. Cole revealed the true magnitude and intensity of his imagination and inner thoughts as Plastic Man slithered from panel to panel--shifting forms and dashing from male to female, or freely morphing from a stiff upright figure to a being as soft as a Dali clock. With a compelling history, a V-necked red rubber leotard, a black-and-yellow striped belt, and very cool tinted goggles, Plastic Man is truly a cult classic, and this art-packed book will delight any fan.

    And ever since, the butt-kicking hero has been a vital part of Batman's team and a role model for girls everywhere, squaring off against mobsters, assassins, super-villains and more. Though many young women have worn the cowl--from unassuming librarian Barbara Gordon to deadly mute assassin Cassandra Cain to teen vigilante Stephanie Brown--all have made their distinct mark on the DC Universe. Now BATGIRL: A CELEBRATION OF 50 YEARS collects all the greatest triumphs and most tragic moments of the many Batgirls in one volume, offering a crash course in the character, from Babs' first appearance by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino to her modern-day adventures by Cameron Stewart, Brenden Fletcher, Babs Tarr, Gail Simone and more.

    Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, Captain America, the Incredible Hulk, the Avengers, Iron Man, Thor, the X-Men, Daredevil—these superheroes quickly won children's hearts and sparked the imaginations of pop artists, public intellectuals, and campus radicals. Over the course of a half century, Marvel's epic universe would become the most elaborate fictional narrative in history and serve as a modern American mythology for millions of readers.Throughout this decades-long journey to becoming a multibillion-dollar enterprise, Marvel's identity has continually shifted, careening between scrappy underdog and corporate behemoth. As the company has weathered Wall Street machinations, Hollywood failures, and the collapse of the comic book market, its characters have been passed along among generations of editors, artists, and writers—also known as the celebrated Marvel "Bullpen." Entrusted to carry on tradition, Marvel's contributors—impoverished child prodigies, hallucinating peaceniks, and mercenary careerists among them—struggled with commercial mandates, a fickle audience, and, over matters of credit and control, one another.For the first time, Marvel Comics reveals the outsized personalities behind the scenes, including Martin Goodman, the self-made publisher who forayed into comics after a get-rich-quick tip in 1939; Stan Lee, the energetic editor who would shepherd the company through thick and thin for decades; and Jack Kirby, the World War II veteran who'd co-created Captain America in 1940 and, twenty years later, developed with Lee the bulk of the company's marquee characters in a three-year frenzy of creativity that would be the grounds for future legal battles and endless debates.Drawing on more than one hundred original interviews with Marvel insiders then and now, Marvel Comics is a story of fertile imaginations, lifelong friendships, action-packed fistfights, reformed criminals, unlikely alliances, and third-act betrayals— a narrative of one of the most extraordinary, beloved, and beleaguered pop cultural entities in America's history.

    Freeze, and other villains. A great title for young readers!

    Cloud, who attempts to teach Bruce about trust. Meanwhile Batman has taken on a mysterious new partner in his fight against crime in Gotham City, but will his attempt at trusting someone cause him to be rewarded...or punished?Collects BATMAN: THE WIDENING GYRE #1-6.

    Batman is a creature of the night, more about vengeance than justice, more plagued by doubts than full of self-assurance, and more darkness than light. He has no superpowers, just skill, drive and a really well-made suit.One of the most recognized superheroes ever created, Batman has survived through campy TV shows and films, through actors such as Adam West, Michael Keaton and Christian Bale. Batman Unauthorized: Vigilantes, Jokers, and Heroes in Gotham City covers expansive territory ranging from the silly to the solemn. Why is the Joker so good at pushing Batman's buttons? What does Batman's technology say about the times? Why are Batman's villains crazier than average? And why is Batman the perfect, iconic American hero?

    Outside the police. Beyond the United Nations. Founded by Queen Victoria in 1879, the Torchwood Institute has long battled against alien threats to the British Empire.Beautifully designed throughout with full-color photos and original illustrations, his insider's look into the secret world of Torchwood features in-depth background on personnel, case files on alien enemies of the Crown, descriptions of extra-terrestrial technology collected over the years, and details on some of the biggest mysteries surrounding the Rift in space and time running through Cardiff.

    Using both deadly and drastic measures that Batman does not approve of, the former mafia princess tries to patrol the streets of Gotham City without crossing paths with the Darknight Detective. But after an undercover cop is allegedly murdered by the head of the Gotham mob, the Huntress finds herself reluctantly working with Batman's protege and former Robin, Nightwing. Now as the two disparate heroes attempt to unravel the puzzling conspiracy of the policeman's murder, Nightwing and the Huntress fall into a romantic relationship that could cost them their lives.

    Bruce Wayne publicly announces that he is the financial backer of Batman and establishes a worldwide franchise of Batmen that will protect the entire globe. Joining him are strange heroes such as Knight & Squire, El Gaucho and Batwing, as well as allies Nightwing and his own son, Robin. However, it seems that as soon as Batman creates his own crimefighting force, another organization rises to challenge him: Leviathan. As the war between the two forces reaches its apex, Bruce Wayne will face the greatest tragedy of his life.This New York Times best-selling epic is given the Absolute treatment, formatted as an oversized slip cased edition with extra bonus materials.Collecting: Batman Incorporated 1-8, Leviathan Rises; Batman, Incorporated 1-13, Special

    After years of psychological and emotional torment, Batman is pushed over the edge. Batman succumbs to his one true master. Fear.Legendary artist Kelley Jones (Batman, Deadman, The Sandman) makes his triumphant return to the Dark Knight in this explosive miniseries written by former Batman editor Scott Peterson!Batman's been overseeing Gotham City for years now and isn't sure how much of a difference he's making. Doubt, fear and insecurity are starting to take over. And as all of those negative feelings set in the Scarecrow orchestrates a riot at Arkham Asylum to give the Dark Knight one of his greatest challenges yet!Collects Batman: Kings of Fear #1-6

    One of the most successful and popular artists to work in comics, Jim Lee is revered by fans worldwide thanks to his hyper-dynamic artwork and innovative character and costume design.Now, his work on Batman and Superman — not to mention his legion of WildStorm heroes including WildC.A.T.s, Divine Right and Deathblow — is celebrated in this beautiful hardback, which includes an exclusive interview with Jim Lee, a tour of his studio and hundreds of full-colour illustrations and pencils spanning his entire career! Plus an all-new cover by Lee and an exclusive, all-new eight-page comic strip, written by Paul Levitz (Legion of Super-Heroes) with art by Lee!

    The man who is Batman has gone to ground, renouncing his civilian identity and operating deeper in the shadows that ever before.Now it falls to his family — Nightwing, Robin, Oracle, Batgirl, Spoiler, and Alfred — to find out who really committed the murder. All the evidence points to someone setting Batman up … but it could also be pointing squarely at Batman's guilt. Featuring story and art from some of DC Comics' top talents, Batman: Fugitive collects all the relevant segments from the groundbreaking "Batman: Fugitive" event, with volume one presenting stories from Batman: Gotham Knights, Nightwing, Birds of Prey, Batgirl and Batman.Collects:- Batman: Gotham Knights: #27, #28- Batman: #601, #602- Brids of Prey: #41, #43- Batgirl: #27, #29- Nightwing: #68, #69

    Featuring 240 pages of concept art, exclusive interviews, script excerpts and the never-before-released original pitch for the series, this amazing collection offers an utterly unique view of the Archer creative process.Commentary from the crew will walk fans all the way from squiggles to the gorgeous final picture, detailing not only their process but their history as well. Exclusive interviews with the Emmy-nominated cast offer insights to their beloved characters and a glimpse of their favorite moments. With storyboards, costume designs, reference photographs, immaculate background paintings and more, this is Archer as you have never seen it.The Art of Archer is a must have companion to the groundbreaking animated series, for fans and cinephiles alike.

    His incredibly diverse body of work, from the Muppets to the world of The Dark Crystal, reveals his charm and genius to fans old and new. Compiled directly from The Jim Henson Company archives, Imagination Illustrated adapts the diary that Jim faithfully kept throughout his career, supplementing it with a trove of little-seen visual material, including rare sketches, personal and production photographs, storyboards, doodles, and much more. Throughout, archivist Karen Falk delves into the behind-the-scenes details of Henson's life and artistic process. Sure to delight anyone who has enjoyed Henson's creations—seeing early drawings of Kermit and Rowlf is like smiling over childhood photos of dear friends—this lovely book celebrates Jim's life and his magic.

    Scott Campbell (Danger Girl) to create Gen13, one of the best-selling comic books of the 1990s, which starred a group of super-powered teenagers. Now, the classic teen team is reimagined for a new generation by writer Gail Simone and artist Talent Caldwell. The life of a teenager can be a strange experience, but when super-powers are added to the mix things get a whole lot more confusing. Meet Caitlin, Sarah, Roxy, Bobby, and Eddie -- outcast teenagers from different parts of the country who quickly learn they all have something in common: abilities far beyond those of their classmates. Discover the secret to their wonderful and scary powers and what role the nefarious Tabula Rasa and International Operations play in their lives.