Maw does it again !, 09 Nov 2008
This was on show at the Good Food Show last week beside the original - Maw Broon's Cookbook. Same kind of nostalgic appeal - days oot ! Cookin' the catch o' the day, some really basic stuff too. Recipes not as old as the first cookbook perhaps, but real Broons humour and great memorabilia tucked in to the pages - a 'must-have' if you got Maw Broon's Cookbook. Compared with other cookbooks on the go this year, this is great value.

Horace writes poetry!, 09 Nov 2008
I gave this book five stars, but the Amazon thing only recorded two for some reason. Anyway, this book has recipes that date to 1940, and use more fresh ingredients than the original Maw Broon Cookbook. I wouldn't say it is 'better' or 'worse' - it is just a very different cookbook, so complements the first one. I use the first one a lot to cook from, as well as just to read, as it is funny and entertaining, and also looks like the cookbooks my mum had from her mother. The design of the second one is equally as strong as the first cookbook, and But an' Ben has poetry from Horace, which is inspirationally funny! But an' Ben has recipes for picnics and barbeques, as well as home made ginger beer. While I might not make ginger beer, it really reminded me of when I used to make it as a kid, with my brother, and the corks exploded off the bottles in the night in our cellar. Very funny. This cookbook is more seasonal, and has the scope to let you use more organic, local produce, than the first one. There is a recipe for perch, which is rather weird, as no one really eats perch anymore - because you can't buy it (fishermen still catch it of course), apart from in the US, but you can substitute salmon or trout for perch. The new cookbook has recipes for whisky marmalade and jams, as well as good soups and some game. It is a worthwhile addition to any collection of cookbooks - I currently have over 200 cookbooks and But an' Ben is a strong addition.

Maw does it again !, 09 Nov 2008
This was on show at the Good Food Show last week beside the original - Maw Broon's Cookbook. Same kind of nostalgic appeal - days oot ! Cookin' the catch o' the day, some really basic stuff too. Recipes not as old as the first cookbook perhaps, but real Broons humour and great memorabilia tucked in to the pages - a 'must-have' if you got Maw Broon's Cookbook. Compared with other cookbooks on the go this year, this is great value.

Horace writes poetry!, 09 Nov 2008
I gave this book five stars, but the Amazon thing only recorded two for some reason. Anyway, this book has recipes that date to 1940, and use more fresh ingredients than the original Maw Broon Cookbook. I wouldn't say it is 'better' or 'worse' - it is just a very different cookbook, so complements the first one. I use the first one a lot to cook from, as well as just to read, as it is funny and entertaining, and also looks like the cookbooks my mum had from her mother. The design of the second one is equally as strong as the first cookbook, and But an' Ben has poetry from Horace, which is inspirationally funny! But an' Ben has recipes for picnics and barbeques, as well as home made ginger beer. While I might not make ginger beer, it really reminded me of when I used to make it as a kid, with my brother, and the corks exploded off the bottles in the night in our cellar. Very funny. This cookbook is more seasonal, and has the scope to let you use more organic, local produce, than the first one. There is a recipe for perch, which is rather weird, as no one really eats perch anymore - because you can't buy it (fishermen still catch it of course), apart from in the US, but you can substitute salmon or trout for perch. The new cookbook has recipes for whisky marmalade and jams, as well as good soups and some game. It is a worthwhile addition to any collection of cookbooks - I currently have over 200 cookbooks and But an' Ben is a strong addition.

Manhattan perfect transfer, 01 Dec 2008
`Watching the Watchmen' is the hardback equivalent of all those extra features you get in a deluxe DVD movie package. Dave Gibbons delivers the text equivalent of the audio commentary and opens up his portfolio to offer us page after beautiful glossy page of early, revised or deleted scenes from key stages in the development of the greatest graphic novel of all time.

It is a refreshingly frank and humble guide. Despite already enjoying huge critical success on a variety of other projects, Gibbons recalls how he and (Alan) Moore did not take DC's exclamations of approval for granted as they began to submit pages and receive the glowing feedback.

If you've ever wondered how your favourite comic strips go from concept to critical acclaim, this is the book for you.

One word of advice, this may have the weight and girth of a coffee table book, but you may want to read it wearing white gloves. It really is a thing of beauty - and such beauty should remain untainted!


Worth Watching the Watchmen, 07 Nov 2008
For Watchmen fans, Watching the Watchmen offers a gorgeous companion to the comics masterpiece, revealing excised pages, early versions of the script, original character designs, page thumbnails, sketches and much more.

Gibbons deliberately skirts around the controversy that ensued the publication of Watchmen, which ultimately led to Alan Moore refusing to work for DC Comics because of royalty and character ownership disputes. While not averse to scandal, the consummate artist prefers instead to celebrate the work and its ongoing success.

While I would have liked to have seen more of Alan Moore's script for this seminal work, the art samples are stunning and a testament to Gibbons artistic skills. This is a beautifully packaged, superbly designed celebration of the Watchmen which should encourage fans to revisit the original work and see its pages and storytelling in a whole new light.


An essential companion for my favourite graphic novel, 05 Nov 2008
I must have re-read Watchmen once a year since I first bought it and loved it, and thought there was nothing new I could now discover about it, but this book has changed my mind. I found it's a book to dip into, not read from start to finish in one big bite, but there's so much to see and pore over on every page, I didn't want to gulp it down anyway, lots of colours and textures and so much fine detail in every frame. Alan Moore gets loads of kudos, and deserves it 100%, but it's good for once to see Dave Gibbons get his time in the sun - a fantastic artist.

Maw does it again !, 09 Nov 2008
This was on show at the Good Food Show last week beside the original - Maw Broon's Cookbook. Same kind of nostalgic appeal - days oot ! Cookin' the catch o' the day, some really basic stuff too. Recipes not as old as the first cookbook perhaps, but real Broons humour and great memorabilia tucked in to the pages - a 'must-have' if you got Maw Broon's Cookbook. Compared with other cookbooks on the go this year, this is great value.

Horace writes poetry!, 09 Nov 2008
I gave this book five stars, but the Amazon thing only recorded two for some reason. Anyway, this book has recipes that date to 1940, and use more fresh ingredients than the original Maw Broon Cookbook. I wouldn't say it is 'better' or 'worse' - it is just a very different cookbook, so complements the first one. I use the first one a lot to cook from, as well as just to read, as it is funny and entertaining, and also looks like the cookbooks my mum had from her mother. The design of the second one is equally as strong as the first cookbook, and But an' Ben has poetry from Horace, which is inspirationally funny! But an' Ben has recipes for picnics and barbeques, as well as home made ginger beer. While I might not make ginger beer, it really reminded me of when I used to make it as a kid, with my brother, and the corks exploded off the bottles in the night in our cellar. Very funny. This cookbook is more seasonal, and has the scope to let you use more organic, local produce, than the first one. There is a recipe for perch, which is rather weird, as no one really eats perch anymore - because you can't buy it (fishermen still catch it of course), apart from in the US, but you can substitute salmon or trout for perch. The new cookbook has recipes for whisky marmalade and jams, as well as good soups and some game. It is a worthwhile addition to any collection of cookbooks - I currently have over 200 cookbooks and But an' Ben is a strong addition.

Manhattan perfect transfer, 01 Dec 2008
`Watching the Watchmen' is the hardback equivalent of all those extra features you get in a deluxe DVD movie package. Dave Gibbons delivers the text equivalent of the audio commentary and opens up his portfolio to offer us page after beautiful glossy page of early, revised or deleted scenes from key stages in the development of the greatest graphic novel of all time.

It is a refreshingly frank and humble guide. Despite already enjoying huge critical success on a variety of other projects, Gibbons recalls how he and (Alan) Moore did not take DC's exclamations of approval for granted as they began to submit pages and receive the glowing feedback.

If you've ever wondered how your favourite comic strips go from concept to critical acclaim, this is the book for you.

One word of advice, this may have the weight and girth of a coffee table book, but you may want to read it wearing white gloves. It really is a thing of beauty - and such beauty should remain untainted!


Worth Watching the Watchmen, 07 Nov 2008
For Watchmen fans, Watching the Watchmen offers a gorgeous companion to the comics masterpiece, revealing excised pages, early versions of the script, original character designs, page thumbnails, sketches and much more.

Gibbons deliberately skirts around the controversy that ensued the publication of Watchmen, which ultimately led to Alan Moore refusing to work for DC Comics because of royalty and character ownership disputes. While not averse to scandal, the consummate artist prefers instead to celebrate the work and its ongoing success.

While I would have liked to have seen more of Alan Moore's script for this seminal work, the art samples are stunning and a testament to Gibbons artistic skills. This is a beautifully packaged, superbly designed celebration of the Watchmen which should encourage fans to revisit the original work and see its pages and storytelling in a whole new light.


An essential companion for my favourite graphic novel, 05 Nov 2008
I must have re-read Watchmen once a year since I first bought it and loved it, and thought there was nothing new I could now discover about it, but this book has changed my mind. I found it's a book to dip into, not read from start to finish in one big bite, but there's so much to see and pore over on every page, I didn't want to gulp it down anyway, lots of colours and textures and so much fine detail in every frame. Alan Moore gets loads of kudos, and deserves it 100%, but it's good for once to see Dave Gibbons get his time in the sun - a fantastic artist.

Brilliant Collection, 17 Nov 2008
The product description here does not do this magnificent collection justice - to lift and shift from the better description on the US Amazon:
"This special slipcased collection--weighing in at more than ten pounds with 600 pages and featuring almost 4,000 strips--takes readers behind the scenes and into the early days of Scott Adams's life pre-Dilbert and on to the success that followed when Dilbert became an internationally syndicated sensation.
Divided into five different epochs, Dilbert 2.0 gives readers a glance at some of Adams's earliest strips, like those created for Playboy, and a peek at an abundance of special content ranging from numerous rejection letters to Adams's first cartooning check, and more.
Adams personally selected the material for this collection and offers original comments and humorous asides throughout. Also included is a piracy-protected disc that contains every Dilbert comic strip to date and that can be updated as new cartoons are released"
This is a fantastic bit of work, worth the money just for the book, but to also get the disc with every single strip published to date is a real bonus. To those of us who endure an office based life, Scott Adams sees straight through the nonsense and produces cartoons that makes you wonder if he is sitting in on your Board meetings.
If you are a fan (and if not, why not?) then this collection is an absolute must.


Dilbert gets the Deluxe treatment, 29 Oct 2008
Like many of the recent Dilbert releases this is reusing the old material, BUT this is something special. It's a nicely bound huge book (9pounds, over 4kg) with a sturdy slipcover.

Collection starts with small biography of Scott Adams along with drawings from his childhood and adult life before Dilbert. Then it's divided into different "ages" of Dilbert, as in the early strips it really wasn't a workplace comic and then evolves into workplace and so on.

Collection has over 2 000 strips from the 6000+ Dilbert catalog. Included on the back page of the book is also a DVD containing every single strip from 1989 to 2008 and a code that allows you to download future strips from their site.

Maw does it again !, 09 Nov 2008
This was on show at the Good Food Show last week beside the original - Maw Broon's Cookbook. Same kind of nostalgic appeal - days oot ! Cookin' the catch o' the day, some really basic stuff too. Recipes not as old as the first cookbook perhaps, but real Broons humour and great memorabilia tucked in to the pages - a 'must-have' if you got Maw Broon's Cookbook. Compared with other cookbooks on the go this year, this is great value.

Horace writes poetry!, 09 Nov 2008
I gave this book five stars, but the Amazon thing only recorded two for some reason. Anyway, this book has recipes that date to 1940, and use more fresh ingredients than the original Maw Broon Cookbook. I wouldn't say it is 'better' or 'worse' - it is just a very different cookbook, so complements the first one. I use the first one a lot to cook from, as well as just to read, as it is funny and entertaining, and also looks like the cookbooks my mum had from her mother. The design of the second one is equally as strong as the first cookbook, and But an' Ben has poetry from Horace, which is inspirationally funny! But an' Ben has recipes for picnics and barbeques, as well as home made ginger beer. While I might not make ginger beer, it really reminded me of when I used to make it as a kid, with my brother, and the corks exploded off the bottles in the night in our cellar. Very funny. This cookbook is more seasonal, and has the scope to let you use more organic, local produce, than the first one. There is a recipe for perch, which is rather weird, as no one really eats perch anymore - because you can't buy it (fishermen still catch it of course), apart from in the US, but you can substitute salmon or trout for perch. The new cookbook has recipes for whisky marmalade and jams, as well as good soups and some game. It is a worthwhile addition to any collection of cookbooks - I currently have over 200 cookbooks and But an' Ben is a strong addition.

Manhattan perfect transfer, 01 Dec 2008
`Watching the Watchmen' is the hardback equivalent of all those extra features you get in a deluxe DVD movie package. Dave Gibbons delivers the text equivalent of the audio commentary and opens up his portfolio to offer us page after beautiful glossy page of early, revised or deleted scenes from key stages in the development of the greatest graphic novel of all time.

It is a refreshingly frank and humble guide. Despite already enjoying huge critical success on a variety of other projects, Gibbons recalls how he and (Alan) Moore did not take DC's exclamations of approval for granted as they began to submit pages and receive the glowing feedback.

If you've ever wondered how your favourite comic strips go from concept to critical acclaim, this is the book for you.

One word of advice, this may have the weight and girth of a coffee table book, but you may want to read it wearing white gloves. It really is a thing of beauty - and such beauty should remain untainted!


Worth Watching the Watchmen, 07 Nov 2008
For Watchmen fans, Watching the Watchmen offers a gorgeous companion to the comics masterpiece, revealing excised pages, early versions of the script, original character designs, page thumbnails, sketches and much more.

Gibbons deliberately skirts around the controversy that ensued the publication of Watchmen, which ultimately led to Alan Moore refusing to work for DC Comics because of royalty and character ownership disputes. While not averse to scandal, the consummate artist prefers instead to celebrate the work and its ongoing success.

While I would have liked to have seen more of Alan Moore's script for this seminal work, the art samples are stunning and a testament to Gibbons artistic skills. This is a beautifully packaged, superbly designed celebration of the Watchmen which should encourage fans to revisit the original work and see its pages and storytelling in a whole new light.


An essential companion for my favourite graphic novel, 05 Nov 2008
I must have re-read Watchmen once a year since I first bought it and loved it, and thought there was nothing new I could now discover about it, but this book has changed my mind. I found it's a book to dip into, not read from start to finish in one big bite, but there's so much to see and pore over on every page, I didn't want to gulp it down anyway, lots of colours and textures and so much fine detail in every frame. Alan Moore gets loads of kudos, and deserves it 100%, but it's good for once to see Dave Gibbons get his time in the sun - a fantastic artist.

Brilliant Collection, 17 Nov 2008
The product description here does not do this magnificent collection justice - to lift and shift from the better description on the US Amazon:
"This special slipcased collection--weighing in at more than ten pounds with 600 pages and featuring almost 4,000 strips--takes readers behind the scenes and into the early days of Scott Adams's life pre-Dilbert and on to the success that followed when Dilbert became an internationally syndicated sensation.
Divided into five different epochs, Dilbert 2.0 gives readers a glance at some of Adams's earliest strips, like those created for Playboy, and a peek at an abundance of special content ranging from numerous rejection letters to Adams's first cartooning check, and more.
Adams personally selected the material for this collection and offers original comments and humorous asides throughout. Also included is a piracy-protected disc that contains every Dilbert comic strip to date and that can be updated as new cartoons are released"
This is a fantastic bit of work, worth the money just for the book, but to also get the disc with every single strip published to date is a real bonus. To those of us who endure an office based life, Scott Adams sees straight through the nonsense and produces cartoons that makes you wonder if he is sitting in on your Board meetings.
If you are a fan (and if not, why not?) then this collection is an absolute must.


Dilbert gets the Deluxe treatment, 29 Oct 2008
Like many of the recent Dilbert releases this is reusing the old material, BUT this is something special. It's a nicely bound huge book (9pounds, over 4kg) with a sturdy slipcover.

Collection starts with small biography of Scott Adams along with drawings from his childhood and adult life before Dilbert. Then it's divided into different "ages" of Dilbert, as in the early strips it really wasn't a workplace comic and then evolves into workplace and so on.

Collection has over 2 000 strips from the 6000+ Dilbert catalog. Included on the back page of the book is also a DVD containing every single strip from 1989 to 2008 and a code that allows you to download future strips from their site.

well drawn and scripted just a little insubstantial., 02 Nov 2008
Set between the firefly TV series and the serenity movie this introduces dust devils, browncoat terrorists. If you have no idea what I am talking about watch firefly. Anyway because it is set between two established stories there is a limit to what the writers can do witht the characters. As a result the story isn't that strong, but the characters are excellenty written and it is a joy to read. roll on volume 3.

Maw does it again !, 09 Nov 2008
This was on show at the Good Food Show last week beside the original - Maw Broon's Cookbook. Same kind of nostalgic appeal - days oot ! Cookin' the catch o' the day, some really basic stuff too. Recipes not as old as the first cookbook perhaps, but real Broons humour and great memorabilia tucked in to the pages - a 'must-have' if you got Maw Broon's Cookbook. Compared with other cookbooks on the go this year, this is great value.

Horace writes poetry!, 09 Nov 2008
I gave this book five stars, but the Amazon thing only recorded two for some reason. Anyway, this book has recipes that date to 1940, and use more fresh ingredients than the original Maw Broon Cookbook. I wouldn't say it is 'better' or 'worse' - it is just a very different cookbook, so complements the first one. I use the first one a lot to cook from, as well as just to read, as it is funny and entertaining, and also looks like the cookbooks my mum had from her mother. The design of the second one is equally as strong as the first cookbook, and But an' Ben has poetry from Horace, which is inspirationally funny! But an' Ben has recipes for picnics and barbeques, as well as home made ginger beer. While I might not make ginger beer, it really reminded me of when I used to make it as a kid, with my brother, and the corks exploded off the bottles in the night in our cellar. Very funny. This cookbook is more seasonal, and has the scope to let you use more organic, local produce, than the first one. There is a recipe for perch, which is rather weird, as no one really eats perch anymore - because you can't buy it (fishermen still catch it of course), apart from in the US, but you can substitute salmon or trout for perch. The new cookbook has recipes for whisky marmalade and jams, as well as good soups and some game. It is a worthwhile addition to any collection of cookbooks - I currently have over 200 cookbooks and But an' Ben is a strong addition.

Manhattan perfect transfer, 01 Dec 2008
`Watching the Watchmen' is the hardback equivalent of all those extra features you get in a deluxe DVD movie package. Dave Gibbons delivers the text equivalent of the audio commentary and opens up his portfolio to offer us page after beautiful glossy page of early, revised or deleted scenes from key stages in the development of the greatest graphic novel of all time.

It is a refreshingly frank and humble guide. Despite already enjoying huge critical success on a variety of other projects, Gibbons recalls how he and (Alan) Moore did not take DC's exclamations of approval for granted as they began to submit pages and receive the glowing feedback.

If you've ever wondered how your favourite comic strips go from concept to critical acclaim, this is the book for you.

One word of advice, this may have the weight and girth of a coffee table book, but you may want to read it wearing white gloves. It really is a thing of beauty - and such beauty should remain untainted!


Worth Watching the Watchmen, 07 Nov 2008
For Watchmen fans, Watching the Watchmen offers a gorgeous companion to the comics masterpiece, revealing excised pages, early versions of the script, original character designs, page thumbnails, sketches and much more.

Gibbons deliberately skirts around the controversy that ensued the publication of Watchmen, which ultimately led to Alan Moore refusing to work for DC Comics because of royalty and character ownership disputes. While not averse to scandal, the consummate artist prefers instead to celebrate the work and its ongoing success.

While I would have liked to have seen more of Alan Moore's script for this seminal work, the art samples are stunning and a testament to Gibbons artistic skills. This is a beautifully packaged, superbly designed celebration of the Watchmen which should encourage fans to revisit the original work and see its pages and storytelling in a whole new light.


An essential companion for my favourite graphic novel, 05 Nov 2008
I must have re-read Watchmen once a year since I first bought it and loved it, and thought there was nothing new I could now discover about it, but this book has changed my mind. I found it's a book to dip into, not read from start to finish in one big bite, but there's so much to see and pore over on every page, I didn't want to gulp it down anyway, lots of colours and textures and so much fine detail in every frame. Alan Moore gets loads of kudos, and deserves it 100%, but it's good for once to see Dave Gibbons get his time in the sun - a fantastic artist.

Brilliant Collection, 17 Nov 2008
The product description here does not do this magnificent collection justice - to lift and shift from the better description on the US Amazon:
"This special slipcased collection--weighing in at more than ten pounds with 600 pages and featuring almost 4,000 strips--takes readers behind the scenes and into the early days of Scott Adams's life pre-Dilbert and on to the success that followed when Dilbert became an internationally syndicated sensation.
Divided into five different epochs, Dilbert 2.0 gives readers a glance at some of Adams's earliest strips, like those created for Playboy, and a peek at an abundance of special content ranging from numerous rejection letters to Adams's first cartooning check, and more.
Adams personally selected the material for this collection and offers original comments and humorous asides throughout. Also included is a piracy-protected disc that contains every Dilbert comic strip to date and that can be updated as new cartoons are released"
This is a fantastic bit of work, worth the money just for the book, but to also get the disc with every single strip published to date is a real bonus. To those of us who endure an office based life, Scott Adams sees straight through the nonsense and produces cartoons that makes you wonder if he is sitting in on your Board meetings.
If you are a fan (and if not, why not?) then this collection is an absolute must.


Dilbert gets the Deluxe treatment, 29 Oct 2008
Like many of the recent Dilbert releases this is reusing the old material, BUT this is something special. It's a nicely bound huge book (9pounds, over 4kg) with a sturdy slipcover.

Collection starts with small biography of Scott Adams along with drawings from his childhood and adult life before Dilbert. Then it's divided into different "ages" of Dilbert, as in the early strips it really wasn't a workplace comic and then evolves into workplace and so on.

Collection has over 2 000 strips from the 6000+ Dilbert catalog. Included on the back page of the book is also a DVD containing every single strip from 1989 to 2008 and a code that allows you to download future strips from their site.

well drawn and scripted just a little insubstantial., 02 Nov 2008
Set between the firefly TV series and the serenity movie this introduces dust devils, browncoat terrorists. If you have no idea what I am talking about watch firefly. Anyway because it is set between two established stories there is a limit to what the writers can do witht the characters. As a result the story isn't that strong, but the characters are excellenty written and it is a joy to read. roll on volume 3.


Fruba 21, 11 Nov 2008
Seriously from the end of volume 20, i was just dying to get this book. I can tell you all who are waiting for this,you are gonna be stasfied from this volume, espiscally when Tohru confesses to Kyo. And something happens Tohru..... but i don't wanna spoil it - just get it if i was you, lol/ ^_^

Maw does it again !, 09 Nov 2008
This was on show at the Good Food Show last week beside the original - Maw Broon's Cookbook. Same kind of nostalgic appeal - days oot ! Cookin' the catch o' the day, some really basic stuff too. Recipes not as old as the first cookbook perhaps, but real Broons humour and great memorabilia tucked in to the pages - a 'must-have' if you got Maw Broon's Cookbook. Compared with other cookbooks on the go this year, this is great value.

Horace writes poetry!, 09 Nov 2008
I gave this book five stars, but the Amazon thing only recorded two for some reason. Anyway, this book has recipes that date to 1940, and use more fresh ingredients than the original Maw Broon Cookbook. I wouldn't say it is 'better' or 'worse' - it is just a very different cookbook, so complements the first one. I use the first one a lot to cook from, as well as just to read, as it is funny and entertaining, and also looks like the cookbooks my mum had from her mother. The design of the second one is equally as strong as the first cookbook, and But an' Ben has poetry from Horace, which is inspirationally funny! But an' Ben has recipes for picnics and barbeques, as well as home made ginger beer. While I might not make ginger beer, it really reminded me of when I used to make it as a kid, with my brother, and the corks exploded off the bottles in the night in our cellar. Very funny. This cookbook is more seasonal, and has the scope to let you use more organic, local produce, than the first one. There is a recipe for perch, which is rather weird, as no one really eats perch anymore - because you can't buy it (fishermen still catch it of course), apart from in the US, but you can substitute salmon or trout for perch. The new cookbook has recipes for whisky marmalade and jams, as well as good soups and some game. It is a worthwhile addition to any collection of cookbooks - I currently have over 200 cookbooks and But an' Ben is a strong addition.

Manhattan perfect transfer, 01 Dec 2008
`Watching the Watchmen' is the hardback equivalent of all those extra features you get in a deluxe DVD movie package. Dave Gibbons delivers the text equivalent of the audio commentary and opens up his portfolio to offer us page after beautiful glossy page of early, revised or deleted scenes from key stages in the development of the greatest graphic novel of all time.

It is a refreshingly frank and humble guide. Despite already enjoying huge critical success on a variety of other projects, Gibbons recalls how he and (Alan) Moore did not take DC's exclamations of approval for granted as they began to submit pages and receive the glowing feedback.

If you've ever wondered how your favourite comic strips go from concept to critical acclaim, this is the book for you.

One word of advice, this may have the weight and girth of a coffee table book, but you may want to read it wearing white gloves. It really is a thing of beauty - and such beauty should remain untainted!


Worth Watching the Watchmen, 07 Nov 2008
For Watchmen fans, Watching the Watchmen offers a gorgeous companion to the comics masterpiece, revealing excised pages, early versions of the script, original character designs, page thumbnails, sketches and much more.

Gibbons deliberately skirts around the controversy that ensued the publication of Watchmen, which ultimately led to Alan Moore refusing to work for DC Comics because of royalty and character ownership disputes. While not averse to scandal, the consummate artist prefers instead to celebrate the work and its ongoing success.

While I would have liked to have seen more of Alan Moore's script for this seminal work, the art samples are stunning and a testament to Gibbons artistic skills. This is a beautifully packaged, superbly designed celebration of the Watchmen which should encourage fans to revisit the original work and see its pages and storytelling in a whole new light.


An essential companion for my favourite graphic novel, 05 Nov 2008
I must have re-read Watchmen once a year since I first bought it and loved it, and thought there was nothing new I could now discover about it, but this book has changed my mind. I found it's a book to dip into, not read from start to finish in one big bite, but there's so much to see and pore over on every page, I didn't want to gulp it down anyway, lots of colours and textures and so much fine detail in every frame. Alan Moore gets loads of kudos, and deserves it 100%, but it's good for once to see Dave Gibbons get his time in the sun - a fantastic artist.

Brilliant Collection, 17 Nov 2008
The product description here does not do this magnificent collection justice - to lift and shift from the better description on the US Amazon:
"This special slipcased collection--weighing in at more than ten pounds with 600 pages and featuring almost 4,000 strips--takes readers behind the scenes and into the early days of Scott Adams's life pre-Dilbert and on to the success that followed when Dilbert became an internationally syndicated sensation.
Divided into five different epochs, Dilbert 2.0 gives readers a glance at some of Adams's earliest strips, like those created for Playboy, and a peek at an abundance of special content ranging from numerous rejection letters to Adams's first cartooning check, and more.
Adams personally selected the material for this collection and offers original comments and humorous asides throughout. Also included is a piracy-protected disc that contains every Dilbert comic strip to date and that can be updated as new cartoons are released"
This is a fantastic bit of work, worth the money just for the book, but to also get the disc with every single strip published to date is a real bonus. To those of us who endure an office based life, Scott Adams sees straight through the nonsense and produces cartoons that makes you wonder if he is sitting in on your Board meetings.
If you are a fan (and if not, why not?) then this collection is an absolute must.


Dilbert gets the Deluxe treatment, 29 Oct 2008
Like many of the recent Dilbert releases this is reusing the old material, BUT this is something special. It's a nicely bound huge book (9pounds, over 4kg) with a sturdy slipcover.

Collection starts with small biography of Scott Adams along with drawings from his childhood and adult life before Dilbert. Then it's divided into different "ages" of Dilbert, as in the early strips it really wasn't a workplace comic and then evolves into workplace and so on.

Collection has over 2 000 strips from the 6000+ Dilbert catalog. Included on the back page of the book is also a DVD containing every single strip from 1989 to 2008 and a code that allows you to download future strips from their site.

well drawn and scripted just a little insubstantial., 02 Nov 2008
Set between the firefly TV series and the serenity movie this introduces dust devils, browncoat terrorists. If you have no idea what I am talking about watch firefly. Anyway because it is set between two established stories there is a limit to what the writers can do witht the characters. As a result the story isn't that strong, but the characters are excellenty written and it is a joy to read. roll on volume 3.


Fruba 21, 11 Nov 2008
Seriously from the end of volume 20, i was just dying to get this book. I can tell you all who are waiting for this,you are gonna be stasfied from this volume, espiscally when Tohru confesses to Kyo. And something happens Tohru..... but i don't wanna spoil it - just get it if i was you, lol/ ^_^

Consistently Gripping and Involving , 25 Oct 2008
As with all the previous editions, this latest collection of the Charley's War strips is made up of wonderful, detailed and moving artwork carrying along great story-telling.

Through Charley we see the effects and impact of the Great War on an ordinary bloke. Although a fictitious character, Charley goes through what real men did thanks to through research by the author and artists. The politics and social comment might be over done, or it might just be an accurate reflection.

Charley's War is about as far removed from Batman and Superman comics as you can imagine, but is all the more powerful and memorable for it. As this is the 90th anniversary of the end of the Great War it is a good time to read (or even re-read) these stories.

Highly recommended for all ages and all levels of knowledge on the subject.

Maw does it again !, 09 Nov 2008
This was on show at the Good Food Show last week beside the original - Maw Broon's Cookbook. Same kind of nostalgic appeal - days oot ! Cookin' the catch o' the day, some really basic stuff too. Recipes not as old as the first cookbook perhaps, but real Broons humour and great memorabilia tucked in to the pages - a 'must-have' if you got Maw Broon's Cookbook. Compared with other cookbooks on the go this year, this is great value.

Horace writes poetry!, 09 Nov 2008
I gave this book five stars, but the Amazon thing only recorded two for some reason. Anyway, this book has recipes that date to 1940, and use more fresh ingredients than the original Maw Broon Cookbook. I wouldn't say it is 'better' or 'worse' - it is just a very different cookbook, so complements the first one. I use the first one a lot to cook from, as well as just to read, as it is funny and entertaining, and also looks like the cookbooks my mum had from her mother. The design of the second one is equally as strong as the first cookbook, and But an' Ben has poetry from Horace, which is inspirationally funny! But an' Ben has recipes for picnics and barbeques, as well as home made ginger beer. While I might not make ginger beer, it really reminded me of when I used to make it as a kid, with my brother, and the corks exploded off the bottles in the night in our cellar. Very funny. This cookbook is more seasonal, and has the scope to let you use more organic, local produce, than the first one. There is a recipe for perch, which is rather weird, as no one really eats perch anymore - because you can't buy it (fishermen still catch it of course), apart from in the US, but you can substitute salmon or trout for perch. The new cookbook has recipes for whisky marmalade and jams, as well as good soups and some game. It is a worthwhile addition to any collection of cookbooks - I currently have over 200 cookbooks and But an' Ben is a strong addition.

Manhattan perfect transfer, 01 Dec 2008
`Watching the Watchmen' is the hardback equivalent of all those extra features you get in a deluxe DVD movie package. Dave Gibbons delivers the text equivalent of the audio commentary and opens up his portfolio to offer us page after beautiful glossy page of early, revised or deleted scenes from key stages in the development of the greatest graphic novel of all time.

It is a refreshingly frank and humble guide. Despite already enjoying huge critical success on a variety of other projects, Gibbons recalls how he and (Alan) Moore did not take DC's exclamations of approval for granted as they began to submit pages and receive the glowing feedback.

If you've ever wondered how your favourite comic strips go from concept to critical acclaim, this is the book for you.

One word of advice, this may have the weight and girth of a coffee table book, but you may want to read it wearing white gloves. It really is a thing of beauty - and such beauty should remain untainted!


Worth Watching the Watchmen, 07 Nov 2008
For Watchmen fans, Watching the Watchmen offers a gorgeous companion to the comics masterpiece, revealing excised pages, early versions of the script, original character designs, page thumbnails, sketches and much more.

Gibbons deliberately skirts around the controversy that ensued the publication of Watchmen, which ultimately led to Alan Moore refusing to work for DC Comics because of royalty and character ownership disputes. While not averse to scandal, the consummate artist prefers instead to celebrate the work and its ongoing success.

While I would have liked to have seen more of Alan Moore's script for this seminal work, the art samples are stunning and a testament to Gibbons artistic skills. This is a beautifully packaged, superbly designed celebration of the Watchmen which should encourage fans to revisit the original work and see its pages and storytelling in a whole new light.


An essential companion for my favourite graphic novel, 05 Nov 2008
I must have re-read Watchmen once a year since I first bought it and loved it, and thought there was nothing new I could now discover about it, but this book has changed my mind. I found it's a book to dip into, not read from start to finish in one big bite, but there's so much to see and pore over on every page, I didn't want to gulp it down anyway, lots of colours and textures and so much fine detail in every frame. Alan Moore gets loads of kudos, and deserves it 100%, but it's good for once to see Dave Gibbons get his time in the sun - a fantastic artist.

Brilliant Collection, 17 Nov 2008
The product description here does not do this magnificent collection justice - to lift and shift from the better description on the US Amazon:
"This special slipcased collection--weighing in at more than ten pounds with 600 pages and featuring almost 4,000 strips--takes readers behind the scenes and into the early days of Scott Adams's life pre-Dilbert and on to the success that followed when Dilbert became an internationally syndicated sensation.
Divided into five different epochs, Dilbert 2.0 gives readers a glance at some of Adams's earliest strips, like those created for Playboy, and a peek at an abundance of special content ranging from numerous rejection letters to Adams's first cartooning check, and more.
Adams personally selected the material for this collection and offers original comments and humorous asides throughout. Also included is a piracy-protected disc that contains every Dilbert comic strip to date and that can be updated as new cartoons are released"
This is a fantastic bit of work, worth the money just for the book, but to also get the disc with every single strip published to date is a real bonus. To those of us who endure an office based life, Scott Adams sees straight through the nonsense and produces cartoons that makes you wonder if he is sitting in on your Board meetings.
If you are a fan (and if not, why not?) then this collection is an absolute must.


Dilbert gets the Deluxe treatment, 29 Oct 2008
Like many of the recent Dilbert releases this is reusing the old material, BUT this is something special. It's a nicely bound huge book (9pounds, over 4kg) with a sturdy slipcover.

Collection starts with small biography of Scott Adams along with drawings from his childhood and adult life before Dilbert. Then it's divided into different "ages" of Dilbert, as in the early strips it really wasn't a workplace comic and then evolves into workplace and so on.

Collection has over 2 000 strips from the 6000+ Dilbert catalog. Included on the back page of the book is also a DVD containing every single strip from 1989 to 2008 and a code that allows you to download future strips from their site.

well drawn and scripted just a little insubstantial., 02 Nov 2008
Set between the firefly TV series and the serenity movie this introduces dust devils, browncoat terrorists. If you have no idea what I am talking about watch firefly. Anyway because it is set between two established stories there is a limit to what the writers can do witht the characters. As a result the story isn't that strong, but the characters are excellenty written and it is a joy to read. roll on volume 3.


Fruba 21, 11 Nov 2008
Seriously from the end of volume 20, i was just dying to get this book. I can tell you all who are waiting for this,you are gonna be stasfied from this volume, espiscally when Tohru confesses to Kyo. And something happens Tohru..... but i don't wanna spoil it - just get it if i was you, lol/ ^_^

Consistently Gripping and Involving , 25 Oct 2008
As with all the previous editions, this latest collection of the Charley's War strips is made up of wonderful, detailed and moving artwork carrying along great story-telling.

Through Charley we see the effects and impact of the Great War on an ordinary bloke. Although a fictitious character, Charley goes through what real men did thanks to through research by the author and artists. The politics and social comment might be over done, or it might just be an accurate reflection.

Charley's War is about as far removed from Batman and Superman comics as you can imagine, but is all the more powerful and memorable for it. As this is the 90th anniversary of the end of the Great War it is a good time to read (or even re-read) these stories.

Highly recommended for all ages and all levels of knowledge on the subject.


A glorious feast of nostalgia, 01 Oct 2008
A big, sumptuous, heavy coffee table book, which treats the Beano archive with care and respect and documents the awsome talent which has gone into its creation over the past 70 years. The reproduction of numerous, full page, vintage and modern strips is crisp and clear - often taken from original artwork - and printed at a size which is suitable for ageing, nostalgic eyes. For too long Comics have been treated as trivial things; kids swopped them, teachers confiscated them and mothers gave them away to jumble sales. The material on display in this book, however, shows that the Beano, and its ilk, deserves to be re-assesed as a national treasure. It not only reflects the culture of the last 70 years, but can now be seen as having strongly influenced it. More from the vaults of D C Thomson please.

Maw does it again !, 09 Nov 2008
This was on show at the Good Food Show last week beside the original - Maw Broon's Cookbook. Same kind of nostalgic appeal - days oot ! Cookin' the catch o' the day, some really basic stuff too. Recipes not as old as the first cookbook perhaps, but real Broons humour and great memorabilia tucked in to the pages - a 'must-have' if you got Maw Broon's Cookbook. Compared with other cookbooks on the go this year, this is great value.

Horace writes poetry!, 09 Nov 2008
I gave this book five stars, but the Amazon thing only recorded two for some reason. Anyway, this book has recipes that date to 1940, and use more fresh ingredients than the original Maw Broon Cookbook. I wouldn't say it is 'better' or 'worse' - it is just a very different cookbook, so complements the first one. I use the first one a lot to cook from, as well as just to read, as it is funny and entertaining, and also looks like the cookbooks my mum had from her mother. The design of the second one is equally as strong as the first cookbook, and But an' Ben has poetry from Horace, which is inspirationally funny! But an' Ben has recipes for picnics and barbeques, as well as home made ginger beer. While I might not make ginger beer, it really reminded me of when I used to make it as a kid, with my brother, and the corks exploded off the bottles in the night in our cellar. Very funny. This cookbook is more seasonal, and has the scope to let you use more organic, local produce, than the first one. There is a recipe for perch, which is rather weird, as no one really eats perch anymore - because you can't buy it (fishermen still catch it of course), apart from in the US, but you can substitute salmon or trout for perch. The new cookbook has recipes for whisky marmalade and jams, as well as good soups and some game. It is a worthwhile addition to any collection of cookbooks - I currently have over 200 cookbooks and But an' Ben is a strong addition.

Manhattan perfect transfer, 01 Dec 2008
`Watching the Watchmen' is the hardback equivalent of all those extra features you get in a deluxe DVD movie package. Dave Gibbons delivers the text equivalent of the audio commentary and opens up his portfolio to offer us page after beautiful glossy page of early, revised or deleted scenes from key stages in the development of the greatest graphic novel of all time.

It is a refreshingly frank and humble guide. Despite already enjoying huge critical success on a variety of other projects, Gibbons recalls how he and (Alan) Moore did not take DC's exclamations of approval for granted as they began to submit pages and receive the glowing feedback.

If you've ever wondered how your favourite comic strips go from concept to critical acclaim, this is the book for you.

One word of advice, this may have the weight and girth of a coffee table book, but you may want to read it wearing white gloves. It really is a thing of beauty - and such beauty should remain untainted!


Worth Watching the Watchmen, 07 Nov 2008
For Watchmen fans, Watching the Watchmen offers a gorgeous companion to the comics masterpiece, revealing excised pages, early versions of the script, original character designs, page thumbnails, sketches and much more.

Gibbons deliberately skirts around the controversy that ensued the publication of Watchmen, which ultimately led to Alan Moore refusing to work for DC Comics because of royalty and character ownership disputes. While not averse to scandal, the consummate artist prefers instead to celebrate the work and its ongoing success.

While I would have liked to have seen more of Alan Moore's script for this seminal work, the art samples are stunning and a testament to Gibbons artistic skills. This is a beautifully packaged, superbly designed celebration of the Watchmen which should encourage fans to revisit the original work and see its pages and storytelling in a whole new light.


An essential companion for my favourite graphic novel, 05 Nov 2008
I must have re-read Watchmen once a year since I first bought it and loved it, and thought there was nothing new I could now discover about it, but this book has changed my mind. I found it's a book to dip into, not read from start to finish in one big bite, but there's so much to see and pore over on every page, I didn't want to gulp it down anyway, lots of colours and textures and so much fine detail in every frame. Alan Moore gets loads of kudos, and deserves it 100%, but it's good for once to see Dave Gibbons get his time in the sun - a fantastic artist.

Brilliant Collection, 17 Nov 2008
The product description here does not do this magnificent collection justice - to lift and shift from the better description on the US Amazon:
"This special slipcased collection--weighing in at more than ten pounds with 600 pages and featuring almost 4,000 strips--takes readers behind the scenes and into the early days of Scott Adams's life pre-Dilbert and on to the success that followed when Dilbert became an internationally syndicated sensation.
Divided into five different epochs, Dilbert 2.0 gives readers a glance at some of Adams's earliest strips, like those created for Playboy, and a peek at an abundance of special content ranging from numerous rejection letters to Adams's first cartooning check, and more.
Adams personally selected the material for this collection and offers original comments and humorous asides throughout. Also included is a piracy-protected disc that contains every Dilbert comic strip to date and that can be updated as new cartoons are released"
This is a fantastic bit of work, worth the money just for the book, but to also get the disc with every single strip published to date is a real bonus. To those of us who endure an office based life, Scott Adams sees straight through the nonsense and produces cartoons that makes you wonder if he is sitting in on your Board meetings.
If you are a fan (and if not, why not?) then this collection is an absolute must.


Dilbert gets the Deluxe treatment, 29 Oct 2008
Like many of the recent Dilbert releases this is reusing the old material, BUT this is something special. It's a nicely bound huge book (9pounds, over 4kg) with a sturdy slipcover.

Collection starts with small biography of Scott Adams along with drawings from his childhood and adult life before Dilbert. Then it's divided into different "ages" of Dilbert, as in the early strips it really wasn't a workplace comic and then evolves into workplace and so on.

Collection has over 2 000 strips from the 6000+ Dilbert catalog. Included on the back page of the book is also a DVD containing every single strip from 1989 to 2008 and a code that allows you to download future strips from their site.

well drawn and scripted just a little insubstantial., 02 Nov 2008
Set between the firefly TV series and the serenity movie this introduces dust devils, browncoat terrorists. If you have no idea what I am talking about watch firefly. Anyway because it is set between two established stories there is a limit to what the writers can do witht the characters. As a result the story isn't that strong, but the characters are excellenty written and it is a joy to read. roll on volume 3.


Fruba 21, 11 Nov 2008
Seriously from the end of volume 20, i was just dying to get this book. I can tell you all who are waiting for this,you are gonna be stasfied from this volume, espiscally when Tohru confesses to Kyo. And something happens Tohru..... but i don't wanna spoil it - just get it if i was you, lol/ ^_^

Consistently Gripping and Involving , 25 Oct 2008
As with all the previous editions, this latest collection of the Charley's War strips is made up of wonderful, detailed and moving artwork carrying along great story-telling.

Through Charley we see the effects and impact of the Great War on an ordinary bloke. Although a fictitious character, Charley goes through what real men did thanks to through research by the author and artists. The politics and social comment might be over done, or it might just be an accurate reflection.

Charley's War is about as far removed from Batman and Superman comics as you can imagine, but is all the more powerful and memorable for it. As this is the 90th anniversary of the end of the Great War it is a good time to read (or even re-read) these stories.

Highly recommended for all ages and all levels of knowledge on the subject.


A glorious feast of nostalgia, 01 Oct 2008
A big, sumptuous, heavy coffee table book, which treats the Beano archive with care and respect and documents the awsome talent which has gone into its creation over the past 70 years. The reproduction of numerous, full page, vintage and modern strips is crisp and clear - often taken from original artwork - and printed at a size which is suitable for ageing, nostalgic eyes. For too long Comics have been treated as trivial things; kids swopped them, teachers confiscated them and mothers gave them away to jumble sales. The material on display in this book, however, shows that the Beano, and its ilk, deserves to be re-assesed as a national treasure. It not only reflects the culture of the last 70 years, but can now be seen as having strongly influenced it. More from the vaults of D C Thomson please.

the tale continues, 04 Nov 2008
Its been about a year since i read the gunslinger born. In the time between reading that ad this, the long road home i have read 5 stephen king novels, and a multitude of marvel graphic novels. They were good, but the are all just a pillar for this.

In my own opinion, surely not everyones, but if your reading this you might agree, that the dark tower series is one of the best fantasy series of all time. The question is what does the long road home add to that?

Without ruining the story, ill say that it adds a considerable amount of knowledge we previously never had about the crimson king, as well as doing what it says on the cover, adding to the gap years between the barony of mejis and jericho hill.

I do have to say the artwork is once again brilliant, with a lot of effort being put into the book. Once again hard bound in leather straight away you are getting value for money. The writing is good, but recognisably comic dialogue rather than novel dialogue. Its snappish, witty, and not a word is ever wasted.

There are 2 bad points about this book though, as happy as i am with it. The first is that the plotline is very thin. not a lot really happens, i can see this being a set-up for another book down the line. The other thing is i dont see it being instantly accessible to those who have never read the novels. There are references to other books than the wizard and glass in here.

One final thing, at the back is a map, which shows the path roland took on his journey in wolves of calla, song of susannah and the dark tower.

Even if you arent a fan of graphic novels in the slightest if you want the dark tower you will enjoy this.

A long road ahead, 10 Oct 2008

"The Gunslinger Born" explored the origins and early struggles of young Roland Deschain, as well as the loss of his first true love, Susan Delgado.

And Stephen King's "Dark Tower: The Long Road Home" picks up right after that, showing us more devastating events that shaped Roland Deschain into the gunslinger anti-hero we know and love. While the first part is rather slow, it has plenty of horrific moments and the haunting quality of a "world that has moved on."

A devastated Roland takes down Susan's charred body, as Alain and Bert argue about whether they should be stopping. But suddenly Roland fires at Maerlyn's Grapefruit -- which suddenly turns into a tentacled eyeball that jumps on Roland's face, and enthralls his very soul before they can peel it off. His ka-tet is chased by a bunch of local thugs, the last Big Coffin Hunter, and a ghastly pack of mutated wolves.

Nearby, a mentally challenged boy named Sheemie was seen climbing into old war machines, only to encounter a strange robot that is somehow still "alive."And inside Maerlyn's Grapefruit, Roland is slowly being driven mad in his own memories -- right before being dragged to the hellish citadel of the Crimson King, who reveals a ghastly secret to the young boy from long ago, which will change him forever...

"The Dark Tower: Long Road Home" isn't quite as gripping as its predecessor, "The Gunslinger Born" -- partly because it's a briefer story, and partly because it's simpler. It's a tribute to Stephen King's original story -- and to the hauntingly vivid artwork -- that it's still such an intense rollercoaster ride.

After the heartbreaking first few pages, the plot speeds into a suitably confusing, desperate chase through a lonely wilderness, with plenty of gunshots and dying creatures. Things actually get rather gory as Roland's pals struggle over rickety bridges and across a red-tinged wilderness, since one of them almost gets his arm bitten off (and announces that he'd rather die than shoot left-handed forever. Hardcore, kid).

And since this is a world made by Stephen King, we have plenty of the eerie and the horrible -- Sheemie's confrontation with a baby-faced robot is just one example. King's rich, old-time narrative translates well into comic form, almost as if he were conversing with the readers ("But don't be laughing at Sheemie, I beg ya, because he's been through considerable trials").

And Jae Lee and Richard Isanove really bring this story to life -- they create a world split between bright bloody red mist and autumnal twilight, filled with shadowy faces, barren lands, and ghastly pursuers. And inside the Grapefruit, we get a full cornucopia of horrors, with Roland defiantly trying to keep his sanity and soul intact in a dusty, hazy landscape full of withered trees, tragic future selves, evil crows, lumpy castles, and the vaguely spidery King with his hellish magic and his suitably evil offers to Roland.

"The Gunslinger Born" introduced Roland as a boy, but "The Long Road Home" has undeniably made him a man. He has the guts and integrity to snarl not just at Marte but at the King himself. And after being in Roland's shadow for so long, Alain and Cuthbert also get to take center stage here -- we get to see just how strong and capable they are.

"Dark Tower: The Long Road Home" is not as tightly-written as its predecessor, but it's filled with a sense of overhanging horror and some solid action for the sidekicks. Definitely worth checking out.

Maw does it again !, 09 Nov 2008
This was on show at the Good Food Show last week beside the original - Maw Broon's Cookbook. Same kind of nostalgic appeal - days oot ! Cookin' the catch o' the day, some really basic stuff too. Recipes not as old as the first cookbook perhaps, but real Broons humour and great memorabilia tucked in to the pages - a 'must-have' if you got Maw Broon's Cookbook. Compared with other cookbooks on the go this year, this is great value.

Horace writes poetry!, 09 Nov 2008
I gave this book five stars, but the Amazon thing only recorded two for some reason. Anyway, this book has recipes that date to 1940, and use more fresh ingredients than the original Maw Broon Cookbook. I wouldn't say it is 'better' or 'worse' - it is just a very different cookbook, so complements the first one. I use the first one a lot to cook from, as well as just to read, as it is funny and entertaining, and also looks like the cookbooks my mum had from her mother. The design of the second one is equally as strong as the first cookbook, and But an' Ben has poetry from Horace, which is inspirationally funny! But an' Ben has recipes for picnics and barbeques, as well as home made ginger beer. While I might not make ginger beer, it really reminded me of when I used to make it as a kid, with my brother, and the corks exploded off the bottles in the night in our cellar. Very funny. This cookbook is more seasonal, and has the scope to let you use more organic, local produce, than the first one. There is a recipe for perch, which is rather weird, as no one really eats perch anymore - because you can't buy it (fishermen still catch it of course), apart from in the US, but you can substitute salmon or trout for perch. The new cookbook has recipes for whisky marmalade and jams, as well as good soups and some game. It is a worthwhile addition to any collection of cookbooks - I currently have over 200 cookbooks and But an' Ben is a strong addition.

Manhattan perfect transfer, 01 Dec 2008
`Watching the Watchmen' is the hardback equivalent of all those extra features you get in a deluxe DVD movie package. Dave Gibbons delivers the text equivalent of the audio commentary and opens up his portfolio to offer us page after beautiful glossy page of early, revised or deleted scenes from key stages in the development of the greatest graphic novel of all time.

It is a refreshingly frank and humble guide. Despite already enjoying huge critical success on a variety of other projects, Gibbons recalls how he and (Alan) Moore did not take DC's exclamations of approval for granted as they began to submit pages and receive the glowing feedback.

If you've ever wondered how your favourite comic strips go from concept to critical acclaim, this is the book for you.

One word of advice, this may have the weight and girth of a coffee table book, but you may want to read it wearing white gloves. It really is a thing of beauty - and such beauty should remain untainted!


Worth Watching the Watchmen, 07 Nov 2008
For Watchmen fans, Watching the Watchmen offers a gorgeous companion to the comics masterpiece, revealing excised pages, early versions of the script, original character designs, page thumbnails, sketches and much more.

Gibbons deliberately skirts around the controversy that ensued the publication of Watchmen, which ultimately led to Alan Moore refusing to work for DC Comics because of royalty and character ownership disputes. While not averse to scandal, the consummate artist prefers instead to celebrate the work and its ongoing success.

While I would have liked to have seen more of Alan Moore's script for this seminal work, the art samples are stunning and a testament to Gibbons artistic skills. This is a beautifully packaged, superbly designed celebration of the Watchmen which should encourage fans to revisit the original work and see its pages and storytelling in a whole new light.


An essential companion for my favourite graphic novel, 05 Nov 2008
I must have re-read Watchmen once a year since I first bought it and loved it, and thought there was nothing new I could now discover about it, but this book has changed my mind. I found it's a book to dip into, not read from start to finish in one big bite, but there's so much to see and pore over on every page, I didn't want to gulp it down anyway, lots of colours and textures and so much fine detail in every frame. Alan Moore gets loads of kudos, and deserves it 100%, but it's good for once to see Dave Gibbons get his time in the sun - a fantastic artist.

Brilliant Collection, 17 Nov 2008
The product description here does not do this magnificent collection justice - to lift and shift from the better description on the US Amazon:
"This special slipcased collection--weighing in at more than ten pounds with 600 pages and featuring almost 4,000 strips--takes readers behind the scenes and into the early days of Scott Adams's life pre-Dilbert and on to the success that followed when Dilbert became an internationally syndicated sensation.
Divided into five different epochs, Dilbert 2.0 gives readers a glance at some of Adams's earliest strips, like those created for Playboy, and a peek at an abundance of special content ranging from numerous rejection letters to Adams's first cartooning check, and more.
Adams personally selected the material for this collection and offers original comments and humorous asides throughout. Also included is a piracy-protected disc that contains every Dilbert comic strip to date and that can be updated as new cartoons are released"
This is a fantastic bit of work, worth the money just for the book, but to also get the disc with every single strip published to date is a real bonus. To those of us who endure an office based life, Scott Adams sees straight through the nonsense and produces cartoons that makes you wonder if he is sitting in on your Board meetings.
If you are a fan (and if not, why not?) then this collection is an absolute must.


Dilbert gets the Deluxe treatment, 29 Oct 2008
Like many of the recent Dilbert releases this is reusing the old material, BUT this is something special. It's a nicely bound huge book (9pounds, over 4kg) with a sturdy slipcover.

Collection starts with small biography of Scott Adams along with drawings from his childhood and adult life before Dilbert. Then it's divided into different "ages" of Dilbert, as in the early strips it really wasn't a workplace comic and then evolves into workplace and so on.

Collection has over 2 000 strips from the 6000+ Dilbert catalog. Included on the back page of the book is also a DVD containing every single strip from 1989 to 2008 and a code that allows you to download future strips from their site.

well drawn and scripted just a little insubstantial., 02 Nov 2008
Set between the firefly TV series and the serenity movie this introduces dust devils, browncoat terrorists. If you have no idea what I am talking about watch firefly. Anyway because it is set between two established stories there is a limit to what the writers can do witht the characters. As a result the story isn't that strong, but the characters are excellenty written and it is a joy to read. roll on volume 3.


Fruba 21, 11 Nov 2008
Seriously from the end of volume 20, i was just dying to get this book. I can tell you all who are waiting for this,you are gonna be stasfied from this volume, espiscally when Tohru confesses to Kyo. And something happens Tohru..... but i don't wanna spoil it - just get it if i was you, lol/ ^_^

Consistently Gripping and Involving , 25 Oct 2008
As with all the previous editions, this latest collection of the Charley's War strips is made up of wonderful, detailed and moving artwork carrying along great story-telling.

Through Charley we see the effects and impact of the Great War on an ordinary bloke. Although a fictitious character, Charley goes through what real men did thanks to through research by the author and artists. The politics and social comment might be over done, or it might just be an accurate reflection.

Charley's War is about as far removed from Batman and Superman comics as you can imagine, but is all the more powerful and memorable for it. As this is the 90th anniversary of the end of the Great War it is a good time to read (or even re-read) these stories.

Highly recommended for all ages and all levels of knowledge on the subject.


A glorious feast of nostalgia, 01 Oct 2008
A big, sumptuous, heavy coffee table book, which treats the Beano archive with care and respect and documents the awsome talent which has gone into its creation over the past 70 years. The reproduction of numerous, full page, vintage and modern strips is crisp and clear - often taken from original artwork - and printed at a size which is suitable for ageing, nostalgic eyes. For too long Comics have been treated as trivial things; kids swopped them, teachers confiscated them and mothers gave them away to jumble sales. The material on display in this book, however, shows that the Beano, and its ilk, deserves to be re-assesed as a national treasure. It not only reflects the culture of the last 70 years, but can now be seen as having strongly influenced it. More from the vaults of D C Thomson please.

the tale continues, 04 Nov 2008
Its been about a year since i read the gunslinger born. In the time between reading that ad this, the long road home i have read 5 stephen king novels, and a multitude of marvel graphic novels. They were good, but the are all just a pillar for this.

In my own opinion, surely not everyones, but if your reading this you might agree, that the dark tower series is one of the best fantasy series of all time. The question is what does the long road home add to that?

Without ruining the story, ill say that it adds a considerable amount of knowledge we previously never had about the crimson king, as well as doing what it says on the cover, adding to the gap years between the barony of mejis and jericho hill.

I do have to say the artwork is once again brilliant, with a lot of effort being put into the book. Once again hard bound in leather straight away you are getting value for money. The writing is good, but recognisably comic dialogue rather than novel dialogue. Its snappish, witty, and not a word is ever wasted.

There are 2 bad points about this book though, as happy as i am with it. The first is that the plotline is very thin. not a lot really happens, i can see this being a set-up for another book down the line. The other thing is i dont see it being instantly accessible to those who have never read the novels. There are references to other books than the wizard and glass in here.

One final thing, at the back is a map, which shows the path roland took on his journey in wolves of calla, song of susannah and the dark tower.

Even if you arent a fan of graphic novels in the slightest if you want the dark tower you will enjoy this.

A long road ahead, 10 Oct 2008

"The Gunslinger Born" explored the origins and early struggles of young Roland Deschain, as well as the loss of his first true love, Susan Delgado.

And Stephen King's "Dark Tower: The Long Road Home" picks up right after that, showing us more devastating events that shaped Roland Deschain into the gunslinger anti-hero we know and love. While the first part is rather slow, it has plenty of horrific moments and the haunting quality of a "world that has moved on."

A devastated Roland takes down Susan's charred body, as Alain and Bert argue about whether they should be stopping. But suddenly Roland fires at Maerlyn's Grapefruit -- which suddenly turns into a tentacled eyeball that jumps on Roland's face, and enthralls his very soul before they can peel it off. His ka-tet is chased by a bunch of local thugs, the last Big Coffin Hunter, and a ghastly pack of mutated wolves.

Nearby, a mentally challenged boy named Sheemie was seen climbing into old war machines, only to encounter a strange robot that is somehow still "alive."And inside Maerlyn's Grapefruit, Roland is slowly being driven mad in his own memories -- right before being dragged to the hellish citadel of the Crimson King, who reveals a ghastly secret to the young boy from long ago, which will change him forever...

"The Dark Tower: Long Road Home" isn't quite as gripping as its predecessor, "The Gunslinger Born" -- partly because it's a briefer story, and partly because it's simpler. It's a tribute to Stephen King's original story -- and to the hauntingly vivid artwork -- that it's still such an intense rollercoaster ride.

After the heartbreaking first few pages, the plot speeds into a suitably confusing, desperate chase through a lonely wilderness, with plenty of gunshots and dying creatures. Things actually get rather gory as Roland's pals struggle over rickety bridges and across a red-tinged wilderness, since one of them almost gets his arm bitten off (and announces that he'd rather die than shoot left-handed forever. Hardcore, kid).

And since this is a world made by Stephen King, we have plenty of the eerie and the horrible -- Sheemie's confrontation with a baby-faced robot is just one example. King's rich, old-time narrative translates well into comic form, almost as if he were conversing with the readers ("But don't be laughing at Sheemie, I beg ya, because he's been through considerable trials").

And Jae Lee and Richard Isanove really bring this story to life -- they create a world split between bright bloody red mist and autumnal twilight, filled with shadowy faces, barren lands, and ghastly pursuers. And inside the Grapefruit, we get a full cornucopia of horrors, with Roland defiantly trying to keep his sanity and soul intact in a dusty, hazy landscape full of withered trees, tragic future selves, evil crows, lumpy castles, and the vaguely spidery King with his hellish magic and his suitably evil offers to Roland.

"The Gunslinger Born" introduced Roland as a boy, but "The Long Road Home" has undeniably made him a man. He has the guts and integrity to snarl not just at Marte but at the King himself. And after being in Roland's shadow for so long, Alain and Cuthbert also get to take center stage here -- we get to see just how strong and capable they are.

"Dark Tower: The Long Road Home" is not as tightly-written as its predecessor, but it's filled with a sense of overhanging horror and some solid action for the sidekicks. Definitely worth checking out.

Darkly funny, 08 Nov 2008
Ennis introduced us to The Boys, in a hail of violence and dark humour. In volume three we learn more about the world which The Boys exist and the political parallels to the Bush administration are more savage than satire. Butcher and his crew keep mixing it up the superheroes and things are coming to a head. By all means buy this book, but get volumes one and two to see how the story builds.

Maw does it again !, 09 Nov 2008
This was on show at the Good Food Show last week beside the original - Maw Broon's Cookbook. Same kind of nostalgic appeal - days oot ! Cookin' the catch o' the day, some really basic stuff too. Recipes not as old as the first cookbook perhaps, but real Broons humour and great memorabilia tucked in to the pages - a 'must-have' if you got Maw Broon's Cookbook. Compared with other cookbooks on the go this year, this is great value.

Horace writes poetry!, 09 Nov 2008
I gave this book five stars, but the Amazon thing only recorded two for some reason. Anyway, this book has recipes that date to 1940, and use more fresh ingredients than the original Maw Broon Cookbook. I wouldn't say it is 'better' or 'worse' - it is just a very different cookbook, so complements the first one. I use the first one a lot to cook from, as well as just to read, as it is funny and entertaining, and also looks like the cookbooks my mum had from her mother. The design of the second one is equally as strong as the first cookbook, and But an' Ben has poetry from Horace, which is inspirationally funny! But an' Ben has recipes for picnics and barbeques, as well as home made ginger beer. While I might not make ginger beer, it really reminded me of when I used to make it as a kid, with my brother, and the corks exploded off the bottles in the night in our cellar. Very funny. This cookbook is more seasonal, and has the scope to let you use more organic, local produce, than the first one. There is a recipe for perch, which is rather weird, as no one really eats perch anymore - because you can't buy it (fishermen still catch it of course), apart from in the US, but you can substitute salmon or trout for perch. The new cookbook has recipes for whisky marmalade and jams, as well as good soups and some game. It is a worthwhile addition to any collection of cookbooks - I currently have over 200 cookbooks and But an' Ben is a strong addition.

Manhattan perfect transfer, 01 Dec 2008
`Watching the Watchmen' is the hardback equivalent of all those extra features you get in a deluxe DVD movie package. Dave Gibbons delivers the text equivalent of the audio commentary and opens up his portfolio to offer us page after beautiful glossy page of early, revised or deleted scenes from key stages in the development of the greatest graphic novel of all time.

It is a refreshingly frank and humble guide. Despite already enjoying huge critical success on a variety of other projects, Gibbons recalls how he and (Alan) Moore did not take DC's exclamations of approval for granted as they began to submit pages and receive the glowing feedback.

If you've ever wondered how your favourite comic strips go from concept to critical acclaim, this is the book for you.

One word of advice, this may have the weight and girth of a coffee table book, but you may want to read it wearing white gloves. It really is a thing of beauty - and such beauty should remain untainted!


Worth Watching the Watchmen, 07 Nov 2008
For Watchmen fans, Watching the Watchmen offers a gorgeous companion to the comics masterpiece, revealing excised pages, early versions of the script, original character designs, page thumbnails, sketches and much more.

Gibbons deliberately skirts around the controversy that ensued the publication of Watchmen, which ultimately led to Alan Moore refusing to work for DC Comics because of royalty and character ownership disputes. While not averse to scandal, the consummate artist prefers instead to celebrate the work and its ongoing success.

While I would have liked to have seen more of Alan Moore's script for this seminal work, the art samples are stunning and a testament to Gibbons artistic skills. This is a beautifully packaged, superbly designed celebration of the Watchmen which should encourage fans to revisit the original work and see its pages and storytelling in a whole new light.


An essential companion for my favourite graphic novel, 05 Nov 2008
I must have re-read Watchmen once a year since I first bought it and loved it, and thought there was nothing new I could now discover about it, but this book has changed my mind. I found it's a book to dip into, not read from start to finish in one big bite, but there's so much to see and pore over on every page, I didn't want to gulp it down anyway, lots of colours and textures and so much fine detail in every frame. Alan Moore gets loads of kudos, and deserves it 100%, but it's good for once to see Dave Gibbons get his time in the sun - a fantastic artist.

Brilliant Collection, 17 Nov 2008
The product description here does not do this magnificent collection justice - to lift and shift from the better description on the US Amazon:
"This special slipcased collection--weighing in at more than ten pounds with 600 pages and featuring almost 4,000 strips--takes readers behind the scenes and into the early days of Scott Adams's life pre-Dilbert and on to the success that followed when Dilbert became an internationally syndicated sensation.
Divided into five different epochs, Dilbert 2.0 gives readers a glance at some of Adams's earliest strips, like those created for Playboy, and a peek at an abundance of special content ranging from numerous rejection letters to Adams's first cartooning check, and more.
Adams personally selected the material for this collection and offers original comments and humorous asides throughout. Also included is a piracy-protected disc that contains every Dilbert comic strip to date and that can be updated as new cartoons are released"
This is a fantastic bit of work, worth the money just for the book, but to also get the disc with every single strip published to date is a real bonus. To those of us who endure an office based life, Scott Adams sees straight through the nonsense and produces cartoons that makes you wonder if he is sitting in on your Board meetings.
If you are a fan (and if not, why not?) then this collection is an absolute must.


Dilbert gets the Deluxe treatment, 29 Oct 2008
Like many of the recent Dilbert releases this is reusing the old material, BUT this is something special. It's a nicely bound huge book (9pounds, over 4kg) with a sturdy slipcover.

Collection starts with small biography of Scott Adams along with drawings from his childhood and adult life before Dilbert. Then it's divided into different "ages" of Dilbert, as in the early strips it really wasn't a workplace comic and then evolves into workplace and so on.

Collection has over 2 000 strips from the 6000+ Dilbert catalog. Included on the back page of the book is also a DVD containing every single strip from 1989 to 2008 and a code that allows you to download future strips from their site.

well drawn and scripted just a little insubstantial., 02 Nov 2008
Set between the firefly TV series and the serenity movie this introduces dust devils, browncoat terrorists. If you have no idea what I am talking about watch firefly. Anyway because it is set between two established stories there is a limit to what the writers can do witht the characters. As a result the story isn't that strong, but the characters are excellenty written and it is a joy to read. roll on volume 3.


Fruba 21, 11 Nov 2008
Seriously from the end of volume 20, i was just dying to get this book. I can tell you all who are waiting for this,you are gonna be stasfied from this volume, espiscally when Tohru confesses to Kyo. And something happens Tohru..... but i don't wanna spoil it - just get it if i was you, lol/ ^_^

Consistently Gripping and Involving , 25 Oct 2008
As with all the previous editions, this latest collection of the Charley's War strips is made up of wonderful, detailed and moving artwork carrying along great story-telling.

Through Charley we see the effects and impact of the Great War on an ordinary bloke. Although a fictitious character, Charley goes through what real men did thanks to through research by the author and artists. The politics and social comment might be over done, or it might just be an accurate reflection.

Charley's War is about as far removed from Batman and Superman comics as you can imagine, but is all the more powerful and memorable for it. As this is the 90th anniversary of the