It's heading for Earth at twelve thousand miles per hour...and it will land virtually undetected. For Jack McAllister, a young writer who has finally launched a career for himself, it begins tragically: his estranged father, a former NASA engineer, dies suddenly at his home in Merriweather, Indiana, leaving Jack's Alzheimer's-stricken mother a widow. But in the wake of personal heartbreak, he's confronted by an even more astonishing event--the covert landing of an alien machine in the forest just a few miles outside of town. Now Jack must unmask the true purpose of the otherworldly device that has begun a detailed environmental survey of the woods. Aided by the town's young and resilient female deputy sheriff, he soon discovers that the alien scout is only one small part of a much larger operation, and the countdown to a terrifying global catastrophe is about to take place. Drawing deeply from his father’s scientific influence, all while attempting to avoid the snares of a sexy, seductive and scheming local TV reporter, Jack uncovers—and ultimately finds himself an unwilling component of—an alien plan set to terminate life on Earth as we know it.

    For hundreds of years, the danger of collision has been ignored as mere crackpot theories, until now, and now it's too late. Collision is a short story commissioned by Vanquish Motion Pictures for development in film and television, and is the first in a series of character-rich, mystery-driven science fiction grounded in science fact.

    Full color.

    There are also behind-the-scenes section on the bold cinematic techniques used in creating this strikingly original animated movie. With an exclusive preface by Cressida Crowell and forward by Craig Ferguson, How to Train Your Dragon will be a delight for all movie and animation lovers as well as dragon and Viking fans.

    Author Alisa Kwitney explores its beginnings and chronicles the comic's emergence as a unique and undeniable force in the literary world. Richly illustrated, this history shows how Gaiman and The Sandman's gifted artists, such as Dave McKean and Yoshitaka Amano, create a haunting (and haunted) main character who wields immense power. With illustrations never before published, behind-the-scenes stories, handwritten notes, and interviews with Gaiman himself, this volume is a true testament to the dream king and his creator.

    Follow Anakin Skywalker's descent into darkness, from his early days as a padawan, to his harrowing Clone Wars battles, up through his transformation and eventual death as Darth Vader. Get complete details on the exploits of Luke and Leia, Han and Chewie, and all the rest of the gang, with thorough rundowns of classic Star Wars history, from the very beginnings of the Jedi order, no character goes unmentioned and no quadrant goes unmapped.

    His career boasts an incredible array of projects from designing cars to drafting architectural renderings, but he is most famous for his work as a concept artist on some of the most visually arresting films in the history of cinema. Since working on Star Trek: The Motion Picture in 1978 as a production illustrator Syd Mead has always aimed to render “reality ahead of schedule,” creating evocative designs that marry believable content with a neofuturistic form. It is this ability to predict technological potential that has helped Mead create such a distinctive and influential aesthetic. From his work with Ridley Scott on Blade Runner, to his striking designs for the light cycles in Tron, to his imposing concept art for the U.S.S. Sulaco in James Cameron’s Aliens, Syd Mead has played a pivotal role in shaping cinema’s vision of the future. The Movie Art of Syd Mead: Visual Futurist represents the most extensive collection of Mead’s visionary work ever printed, compiling hundreds of images, sketches and concept arts from a career spanning almost 40 years, many of which have never been seen in print before. Each entry provides a unique insight into the processes involved in Mead’s practice as well as illuminating the behind-the-scenes work involved in creating a fully realized, cinematic depiction of the future. With such a plethora of images from the many genre-defining films Mead has worked on, this is essential reading for film fans, artists and futurologists alike.

    The dedicated Walkthrough charts your critical path through the main narrative. It also provides regular prompts and tips directing players to side quests and other optional features within the game world of Eos, allowing for a fully streamlined experience. All-encompassing Bestiary and Inventory chapters feature extensive lists and tables covering all enemies, all weapons, all accessories, all items and all shops. Every secret, every unlockable, every New Game Plus bonus, every Trophy and every Achievement revealed and explained in a dedicated Extras chapter. All game systems decoded: statistics, diagrams and analysis from our experts provide a comprehensive understanding of all game systems and features. A handy map poster covering the entire game world. The 10th consecutive Piggyback guide to a major Final Fantasy game. From the same team that brought you the highly acclaimed guides to Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy XIII-2 and Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII. Quality control: carefully designed to avoid unnecessary story spoilers.

    From lush words to intricate landscapes, from lavish costumes to amazing creatures, the Star Wars design artists have pioneered the technological revolution, while never surrendering the dazzling sense of wonder. Filled with stunning examples of beautiful, never-before-seen movie artwork, The Art of Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones takes us through an takes us through an incredible gallery of astonishing images. As an added bonus, this volume features the exclusive illustrated screenplay, as well as:• More than 500 extraordinary illustrations—including sketches, costume designs, set pieces, models, and brilliant full-color paintings• An in-depth look at the amazing new creatures introduced in Episode II• Fascinating behind-the-scenes accounts and anecdotes related by the artists themselves• Magnificent visuals of exotic new planets, exciting new spacecraft, and dramatic new characters such as Jango Fett, Count Dooku, and Jedi Luminara Unduli• Thrilling movie poster art art created especially for Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the ClonesExperience the Lucasfilm magic with visuals more striking than ever before, and become one of the first to witness the worlds and the wizardry of Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones.From the Hardcover edition.

    Showcasing the grim and chilling artwork behind the fan-favorite Dark Souls game in a gorgeous hardcover collection, Dark Souls: Design Works features key visuals, concept art, character & monster designs, rough sketches, and an exclusive interview with the game's creators.

    

    The world behind The Dragon Prince is finally revealed!The Dragon Prince has enchanted and enthralled viewers since its initial release in September of 2018. Now, for the first time ever, dive into the world behind its creation with this all-new hardcover collection! Never-before-seen concept sketches, preliminary designs, and first impressions from the first three seasons of the animated Netflix series expand over nearly 200 pages of content, from storyboards and environments to the characters and creatures that fans across the world have come to love.Assembled in consultation with The Dragon Prince co-creators Aaron Ehasz and Justin Richmond and executive producer Justin Santistevan, this is the ultimate window into the work behind the show!

    Or is it a story of adversity in the face of incompetence?Well, anyway, there's a robot, a giant monster, a line of evil toys, a mind control plot, sub-orbital death beams, kidnappers, bad movies, a super powered gang, an usurper, and a maniacal villain hell-bent on world domination.Not all at once, though. I mean, really, could you imagine coordinating the fight scene? Or reading it? You'd have to take notes just to keep track of who hit what and why.

    It was amid such violence that he was abducted by an alien race. Forced into slavery, he survived where others perished. His escape would come from bonding with a weapon of immeasurable power: the X-O Manowar armor. With it, he returned to Earth...only to find himself stranded in the modern day. But that was a lifetime ago. Now, far from home on a strange and primitive new world, Aric has begun a new life. Liberated from his past, he tends to his crops. Free from war. Free from violence. Free from the armor. But the machinery of death marches his way once again. Conscripted into an alien army and thrown into an unforgiving conflict, the fury inside him finds voice as he is forced to embrace the armor once more. With it, he will decimate armies, topple empires and incite interplanetary warfare as he rises from SOLDIER to GENERAL to EMPEROR to VISIGOTH. They wanted a weapon. He will give them war! Join master storytellers Matt Kindt (DIVINITY) and Tomas Giorello (BLOODSHOT REBORN) right here for a stunning new beginning for Valiant's most enduring icon. Collecting X-O MANOWAR (2017) #1-3.

    A book illustrating various characters for the Anne McCaffrey crafted world of Pern