New Release Books by Mark Cotta Vaz

Superman may be faster than a speeding bullet, but even he can''t outrun copyright law. Since the dawn of the pulp hero in the 1930s, publishers and authors have fought over the privilege of making money off of comics, and the authors and artists usually have lost. Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, the creators of Superman, got all of $130 for the rights to the hero. In Empire of the Superheroes, Mark Cotta Vaz argues that licensing and litigation do as much as any ink-stained creator to shape the mythology of comic characters. Vaz reveals just how precarious life was for the legends of the industry. Siegel and Shuster—and their heirs—spent seventy years battling lawyers to regain rights to Superman. Jack Kirby and Joe Simon were cheated out of their interest in Captain America, and Kirby''s children brought a case against Marvel to the doorstep of the Supreme Court. To make matters worse, the infant comics medium was nearly strangled in its crib by censorship and moral condemnation. For the writers and illustrators now celebrated as visionaries, the \"golden age\" of comics felt more like hard times. The fantastical characters that now earn Hollywood billions have all-too-human roots. Empire of the Superheroes digs them up, detailing the creative martyrdom at the heart of a pop-culture powerhouse.

Superman may be faster than a speeding bullet, but even he can''t outrun copyright law. Since the dawn of the pulp hero in the 1930s, publishers and authors have fought over the privilege of making money off of comics, and the authors and artists usually have lost. Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, the creators of Superman, got all of $130 for the rights to the hero. In Empire of the Superheroes, Mark Cotta Vaz argues that licensing and litigation do as much as any ink-stained creator to shape the mythology of comic characters. Vaz reveals just how precarious life was for the legends of the industry. Siegel and Shuster—and their heirs—spent seventy years battling lawyers to regain rights to Superman. Jack Kirby and Joe Simon were cheated out of their interest in Captain America, and Kirby''s children brought a case against Marvel to the doorstep of the Supreme Court. To make matters worse, the infant comics medium was nearly strangled in its crib by censorship and moral condemnation. For the writers and illustrators now celebrated as visionaries, the \"golden age\" of comics felt more like hard times. The fantastical characters that now earn Hollywood billions have all-too-human roots. Empire of the Superheroes digs them up, detailing the creative martyrdom at the heart of a pop-culture powerhouse.

Pan Am at War chronicles the airline?s historic role in advancing aviation and serving America?s national interest before and during World War II. From its inception, Pan American Airways operated as the ?wings of democracy,? spanning six continents and placing the country at the leading edge of international aviation. At the same time, it was clandestinely helping to fight America?s wars. Utilizing government documents, declassified Freedom of Information Act material, and company documents, the authors have uncovered stories of Pan Am?s stunning role as an instrument of American might: The airline?s role in building air bases in Latin America and countering Axis interests that threatened the Panama Canal Creating transatlantic and trans-Africa supply lines for sending Lend-Lease equipment to Britain Cooperation with Chiang Kai-shek and the Chinese nationalist government to pioneer the dangerous ?Hump? route over the Himalayas The dangerous seventeen-thousand-mile journey that took President Roosevelt to the high-stakes Casablanca Conference with Winston Churchill The daring flight that delivered uranium for the atomic bomb. Filled with larger-than-life characters, and revelations of the vision and technology it took to dominate the skies, Pan Am at War provides a gripping unknown history of the American Century.

Meet Bolt: dashing super-dog, loyal companion, star of a hit television show. This heartfelt Disney computer-animated film follows Bolt on a cross country journey as he learns his entire life has been fakeand discovers he doesn''t need super powers to be a hero. The Art of Bolt is a beautiful collection of more than 250 pieces of concept art created for the film, including storyboards, sketches, color scripts, full-color illustrations, as well as material from the fabled Disney archives. Quotes by the director, producer, and artists contextualize the art, and thoughtful essays explore Disney''s past, present, and future in animation.

Pan Am at War chronicles the airline''s historic role in advancing aviation and serving America''s national interest before and during World War II. From its inception, Pan American Airways operated as the \"wings of democracy,\" spanning six continents and placing the country at the leading edge of international aviation. At the same time, it was clandestinely helping to fight America''s wars. Utilizing government documents, declassified Freedom of Information Act material, and company documents, the authors have uncovered stories of Pan Am''s stunning role as an instrument of American might: The airline''s role in building air bases in Latin America and countering Axis interests that threatened the Panama Canal Creating transatlantic and trans-Africa supply lines for sending Lend-Lease equipment to Britain Cooperation with Chiang Kai-shek and the Chinese nationalist government to pioneer the dangerous \"Hump\" route over the Himalayas The dangerous seventeen-thousand-mile journey that took President Roosevelt to the high-stakes Casablanca Conference with Winston Churchill The daring flight that delivered uranium for the atomic bomb. Filled with larger-than-life characters, and revelations of the vision and technology it took to dominate the skies, Pan Am at War provides a gripping unknown history of the American Century.

From Pixar Animation Studios, the Academy Awardwinning studio that brought us such blockbusters as Toy Story, Monsters, Inc., and Finding Nemo, comes The Incredibles, a hilarious, action-packed story of a family of superheroes living an underground suburban existence. The sleekly designed settings and characters were conceptualized and developed by writer/director Brad Bird and Pixar''s creative team of artists, illustrators, and designers, resulting in a celluloid sensation rich with detail. The Art of The Incredibles celebrates their talent, featuring concept and character sketches, storyboards, and lighting studies, and invites readers into the elaborate creative process of animation through interviews with all the key players at Pixar.

Pixar Animation Studios, the Academy Award-winning creators of Toy Story, Toy Story 2, A Bug''s Life, and Monsters, Inc., are bringing a new animated movie, Finding Nemo, to the screen this summer. This visually stunning underwater adventure follows eventful and comic journeys of two fish-a father and his son Nemo-who become separated in the Great Barrier Reef. The underwater world for the film was conceptualized and developed by the creative team of artists, illustrators, and designers at Pixar, resulting in a lush landscape rich with detail. The Art of Finding Nemo celebrates their talent, featuring concept and character sketches, storyboards, and lighting studies in a huge spectrum of media, from five-second sketches to intricate color pastels. This behind-the-scenes odyssey invites the reader into the elaborate creative process of animation films through interviews with all the key players at Pixar. There will be children''s books related to Finding Nemo, but no adult titles other than this definitive volume. Revealing, insightful, and awesomely creative, The Art of Finding Nemo will delight film-goers, artists, and animation fans alike.

Explore the making of the film Beautiful Creatures in this ultimate visual companion, lavishly illustrated with full-color photos of the cast, locations, and sets. This beautiful paperback edition celebrates the on-screen creation of Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl''s fascinating world, brought to life by screenwriter and director Richard LaGravenese. With never-before-seen images, exclusive interviews and personal stories, Mark Cotta Vaz takes you behind the scenes with cast and crew, uncovering intimate details of the filmmaking process.

Stephenie Meyer''s The Host captured millions of readers around the world with one of the most unusual love stories ever written. Acclaimed director Andrew Niccol brings it to the silver screen with a star-studded cast, stunning visuals, and breathtaking special effects. Now this definitive companion book takes fans behind-the-scenes with extensive full-color photographs and exclusive interviews with the cast, crew, director, and producers, including Stephenie Meyer herself. Offering an intimate look at the filmmaking process, New York Times bestselling author Mark Cotta Vaz tells the inside stories behind the exotic locations, massive sets, and gravity-defying stunts, and shows how cast and crew come together to bring Meyer''s extraordinary vision to life.

Explore the making of the film \"New Moon\" in this ultimate visual companion, lavishly illustrated with full-color photos of the cast, locations, and sets. With never-before-seen images, exclusive interviews and personal stories, this guide takes fans behind the scenes with cast and crew, uncovering intimate details of the filmmaking process.

A companion to the film, illustrated with full color photos.

An illustrated movie companion to the Twilight saga that explores the making of the film \"Eclipse.\"

An extraordinary new vision for the beloved character presented through a dynamic selection of concept illustrations, sketches, storyboards, and other materials. Featuring interviews with the film''s director and key crew and cast, this is the complete story of the making of Godzilla, from concept to final frames.

Documents the making of Christopher Nolan''s Interstellar in detail. Featuring interviews with the acclaimed director, screenwriter Jonathan Nolan, and key cast, with pictures from the set, this book also focuses on scientist Kip Thorne, whose revelatory theories about the nature of time and space inspired the movie''s narrative.

Explore the making of the film The Twilight Saga: Eclipse in this ultimate visual companion, lavishly illustrated with full-color photos of the cast, locations, and sets. This beautiful paperback edition celebrates the onscreen creation of Stephenie Meyer''s fascinating world, brought to life by critically acclaimed director David Slade. With never-before-seen images, exclusive interviews and personal stories, renowned author Mark Cotta Vaz takes you behind the scenes with cast and crew, uncovering intimate details of the filmmaking process.

Designed as a celebration of the film, this lavishly illustrated paperback edition is an exclusive behind-the-scenes guide featuring full-colour photos of the cast, locations and sets, as well as storyboards, interviews, details of the special effects and much more.

A companion to the film, illustrated with full color photos.

Explore the making of the film Beautiful Creatures in this ultimate visual companion, lavishly illustrated with full-color photos of the cast, locations, and sets. This beautiful paperback edition celebrates the on-screen creation of Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl''s fascinating world, brought to life by screenwriter and director Richard LaGravenese. With never-before-seen images, exclusive interviews and personal stories, Mark Cotta Vaz takes you behind the scenes with cast and crew, uncovering intimate details of the film-making process.

Designed as a celebration of the film, this lavishly illustrated paperback edition is an exclusive behind-the-scenes guide featuring full-colour photos of the cast, locations and sets, as well as storyboards, interviews, details of the special effects and much more.

Explore the making of the film New Moon in this ultimate visual companion, lavishly illustrated with full-color photos of the cast, locations, and sets. This beautiful paperback edition celebrates the onscreen creation of Stephenie Meyer''s fascinating world, brought to life by Academy Award(R)-nominated director Chris Weitz. With never-before-seen images, exclusive interviews and personal stories, renowned author Mark Cotta Vaz takes you behind the scenes with cast and crew, uncovering intimate details of the filmmaking process.

Explore the complete history of the Batmobile with this deluxe coffee table book. Here for the first time is the complete history of the sleek, sophisticated, incomparable Batmobile. From its humble beginnings in the pages of Detective Comics, to its reimaginings every decade in the pages of DC Comics, to its unforgettable appearances on the big screen, this book explores each incarnation of the Batmobile in incredible detail and scope. In addition to comic books, the Batmobile has been immortalized in nearly every imaginable medium, including film, television, toys, and video games. Most recently, it was given breathtaking new life—and incredible capabilities—in Christopher Nolan’s extraordinary film trilogy, which concludes with 2012’s The Dark Knight Rises. While each of the Batmobile’s incarnations will be explored, special attention will be paid to the \"Tumbler\" Batmobile from Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises. With stunning gatefolds and detailed specs, blueprints, and historical comparisons, BATMOBILE: The Complete History is an informational and visual delight for auto and Batman fans alike. It’s an unparalleled and high-speed journey that will leave you breathless. BATMAN and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and © DC Comics. (s12)

Stephenie Meyer''s novel The Host - one of the most unusual love stories ever written - has enthralled millions of readers around the world. Now acclaimed director Andrew Niccol brings The Host to the silver screen with a star-studded cast, stunning visuals, and breathtaking special effects. This definitive companion book takes fans behind the scenes with extensive full-colour photographs and exclusive interviews with the cast, crew, director and producers, including Stephenie Meyer. Offering an intimate look at the filmmaking process, New York Times bestselling author Mark Cotta Vaz tells the inside stories behind the exotic locations, massive sets and spectacular stunts, and shows how cast and crew come together to bring Meyer''s extraordinary vision to life.

This is a complete history of the incomparable Batmobile. From its humble beginnings in the pages of Detective Comics, to its re-imaginings every decade, it explores each incarnation of the Batmobile in incredible detail and scope.

Designed as a celebration of the film, this lavishly illustrated paperback edition is an exclusive behind-the-scenes guide featuring full-colour photos of the cast, locations and sets, as well as storyboards, interviews, details of the special effects and much more.

Everything fans want to know about the hotly anticipated Twilight movie and much more! Designed as a celebration of the film, this lavishly illustrated paperback edition is an exclusive behind-the-scenes guide featuring full-color photos of the cast, locations, and sets, as well as storyboards, interviews, details of the special effects, and much more.

Explore the making of the film New Moon in this ultimate visual companion, lavishly illustrated with full-color photos of the cast, locations, and sets. This beautiful paperback edition celebrates the onscreen creation of Stephenie Meyer''s fascinating world, brought to life by Academy Award(R)-nominated director Chris Weitz. With never-before-seen images, exclusive interviews and personal stories, renowned author Mark Cotta Vaz takes you behind the scenes with cast and crew, uncovering intimate details of the filmmaking process.

Explore the making of the film The Twilight Saga: Eclipse in this ultimate visual companion, lavishly illustrated with full-color photos of the cast, locations, and sets. This beautiful paperback edition celebrates the onscreen creation of Stephenie Meyer''s fascinating world, brought to life by critically acclaimed director David Slade. With never-before-seen images, exclusive interviews and personal stories, renowned author Mark Cotta Vaz takes you behind the scenes with cast and crew, uncovering intimate details of the filmmaking process.

Everything fans want to know about the hotly anticipated Twilight movie and much more! Designed as a celebration of the film, this lavishly illustrated paperback edition is an exclusive behind-the-scenes guide featuring full-color photos of the cast, locations, and sets, as well as storyboards, interviews, details of the special effects, and much more.

Films.

Films.

A guide to the motion picture provides behind-the-scenes details about its development, setting, characters, crew, special effects, and plot.

A companion volume to the film about murdered rookie cop Denny Colt, who is reborn as a superhero known as The Spirit, features commentary from cast and crew, production art, color photographs, and screenplay excerpts.

Extensive reading improves fluency and there is a real need in the ELT classroom for motivating, contemporary graded material that will instantly appeal to students. The Lost Chronicles, Part 2 is based on the second half of the first series of Lost. The hugely successful TV show tells the story of a group of survivors from a plane crash who find themselves on an isolated desert island.

An in-depth look at how the movie Spider-Man 2 was made. It features interviews, hundreds of photos, sketches, storyboards and production art chronicling every aspect of the movie''s design, but paying special attention to the work that went into creating Doc Ock.

{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang1033\deflangfe1033{\fonttbl{\f0\fswiss\fprq2\fcharset0 Arial;}{\f1\froman\fprq2\fcharset0 Times New Roman;}} \viewkind4\uc1\pard\lang2057\f0\fs20 In November 2007 innovative director Robert Zemekis and a top-notch cast (see above) will bring one of the world''s great classics to the screen in Neil Gaiman''s fascinating redefinition of this Dark Age tale of heroism and sacrifice. Fans who relish the intense, action-packed film and its groundbreaking cinematic style will love this lavish hardcover packed with full colour concept art from production designer Doug Chiang''s hugely respected studio (responsible for the design of \i Robots\i0 , \i Star Wars Episode 1\i0 , and \i War of the Worlds\i0 ). \par \par Quotes from the production designers, artists, actors and filmmakers, complimented by fascinating insights into the technology used in the film, complete this stunning homage to the creation of a sensational motion picture. \par \f1\fs24 \par \par \par }

Find out all about the making of the hit film with this full colour guide to ERAGON. The film is set to be the biggest Christmas blockbuster of 2006, and stars Jeremy Irons, Robert Carlisle and John Malkovich amongst other new, exciting talents. With a fabulous film tie-in cover and lots of images of the stars and set, this is a must-have for any Paolini fan. In a large format (19cm x 23cm) trade paperback. A lavish full-colour exploration of the making of the blockbuster film of the bestselling novel, Eragon.