Best Christmas Music Ever--our annual post

Hey, it's the time of year when you can play Christmas music without seeming crazy! In celebration, here's my annual rundown of my all-time seasonal favorites with mentions of new albums that seem like they may be good.

Click the title links to order CDs from Amazon. Proceeds help support this site.


A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector

Nothing says "Christmas" more than an album produced by a meglomaniacal accused murderer with a Napoleon complex. But, seriously, this is a great, charming album with lots of upbeat, exhuberant tracks from Darlene Love, the Ronettes, the Crystals and others--all backed by the fabulous Wall of Sound.


Complete Columbia Christmas Recordings by Gene Autry

I had Gene's original "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" album as a kid and listening to it was an annual tradition. His take on these seasonal favorites is so gentle and warm, plus his great spoken introductions--he nails what the season is all about: Family and friends and kids having fun.

This remastered, expanded collection was created in conjunction with the Autry estate and includes his original "Rudolph" album along with other Christmas tunes, including a couple of duets recorded with Rosemary Clooney.


White Christmas by Bing Crosby

C'mon! Do I really need to explain why everyone needs this? The seminal version of "White Christmas," anyone? Plus, better yet, "Mele Kalikimaka," baby.


Christmas Island by Leon Redbone

I got this one five or six years ago and it's become probably my most-played Christmas album. It's joyful and warm, just like Autry's Christmas recordings. The old timey arrangements and Redbone's one-of-a-kind mumbly vocals evoke a time when the snow was deeper, the air was colder, the fire was warmer and Christmas day seemed to last forever.


Elvis' Christmas Album

For crying out loud, read what I said about Bing Crosby's album up above! If you can hear music, you need this. It's nostalgic and campy but fun and beautiful to boot. Plus, it really shows the King's vocal range, from the the reverent gospel vocals of "Peace in the Valley," the blue crooning of "I'll Be Home for Christmas" to the rocking "Santa Bring My Baby (Back to Me)."


Beatles Fan Club Christmas Recordings 1963-70

Some day Apple will put this out as an official release and rest of the world (not just we Beatlemaniacs) will be able to experience the zany, funny Christmas recordings the Fabs' used to send out to their fan club members on flexi-disks each December.

If you haven't heard 'em, don't go in expecting a lot of Christmas carols and holiday standards. The "songs" that do appear--"Christmas Time is Here Again" and "This is to Wish You a Merry, Merry Christmas"--are dashed off and fragmentary. These releases are more about humor than music.

The records are full of "Goon Show"-style jokes and general goofing around. The group's exhuberance and joyfulness come through loud and clear. You can hear how much they enjoyed being Beatles. Until they didn't. The 1968 and 1968 recordings, you can tell, were all recorded individually, apart from one another. But the Fabs still cared enough about their fans to make an effort.

Like I said, they haven't been officially released. But Google around a bit and you can find sound files for them. The pic above is the cover of the compilation LP of Christmas recordings the Beatles Fan Club sent out to fans in 1970, after the group had broken up.


Christmas with the Beach Boys

The original 1964 Beach Boys Christmas LP featured lots of Four Freshman-style takes on holiday standards over big band and string arrangements along with a handful of excellent Brian Wilson-penned originals. The best-known of those, of course is "Little Saint Nick," but others, like "The Man With All the Toys," are great too.

This expanded version includes later, not as good, Christmas recordings by the band along with some outtakes but why not have the works?


Christmas with the Chipmunks

As a toddler, I threw a copy of this LP across the room and smashed it to bits. I'm not sure if that was due to my age or whether I was annoyed by the Chipmunks' sped-up, screechy singing. Either way, destroying the record meant that I was missing out on a lot of goofy, nostalgic fun. I should buy the CD so my kids can annoy me with it.


A Jolly Christmas from Frank Sinatra

Nothing says Christmas like an LP of songs sung by a short-fused, pugilistic egomaniac with possible mob ties. Really, though, Christmas songs are some of the best songs around, and Sinatra was one of the best singers. The combination is pretty much what you'd expect. Nice to have on while you sip a glass of eggnog or something stronger. Plus, you gotta dig Frank's hipster ad libs, ring-a-dings and singing-behind-the-beat brilliance.


Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas by Ella Fitzgerald

See what I said with Sinatra re: matching great music with a great singer. This one's a beauty.


A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Original Sound Track Recording Of The CBS Television Special

It's Christmas, right? This one is a must if just for the melancholy "Christmas Time is Here." Plus you get the rollicking "Linus and Lucy."


Merry Christmas by the Supremes

Don't they look cute in their Santa hats? The sound great, too, especially on the hip "Little Bright Star," which coulda shoulda been a Motown hit as great as any other.


Someday at Christmas by Steve Wonder

Not content with standards, Stevie put a few originals on his Christmas LP, too, including the upbeat "What Christmas Means to Me."


The Ventures' Christmas Album

I don't know if these surfers ever saw snow, but they twang'n'reverb a good carol. Part of the fun of this one is spotting the then-current pop tune the group quotes before launching into the Christmas song--like the Beatles' "I Feel Fine" that turns into "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." What an insane, inspired idea.

New Christmas albums

And here are a few newer holiday albums and compilations that seem worthy of checking out:

Songs of Joy & Peace ~ Yo-Yo Ma

A Swingin' Christmas ~ Tony Bennett

A Lovely Way To Spend Christmas ~ Kristin Chenoweth

This Christmas ~ Aretha Franklin

This Warm December: Brushfire Holiday's Vol. 1 ~ Various Artists

Little Steven's Christmas A Go-Go ~ Various Artists

Gonna Let It Shine, A Concert For The Holidays ~ Odetta

The Hotel Cafe Presents...Winter Songs ~ Various Artists

The Complete Christmas Collection ~ Doris Day

Putumayo Presents: Jazz & Blues Christmas ~ Various Artists

Christmas Cheer ~ The Boxmasters

Stocking Stuffer ~ The Fleshtones

Pop links: Laugh-in memorabilia, DeCarlo's Saturn Girl, Dollhouse details

Jon's Random Acts of Geekery presents a gallery of vintage "Laugh-in" collectibles. Do I own that LP? You bet your bippy!

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From No Smoking in the Skull Cave, a Saturn Girl pin-up by Archie artist Dan DeCarlo.

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Eliza Dushku dishes on "Dollhouse" (sorry for the alliteration. Too much Stan Lee as a kid), her new Joss Whedon-created sci-fi series. Spoilers apply.

Whedon's Dr. Horrible out on DVD Dec. 19

Joss Whedon's straight-to-the-Web "Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-long Blog" will be out on DVD Dec. 19 for those who don't have broad enough bands to watch it online. You can order it now from Amazon. Proceeds help benefit this site.

Lost season 5 cast photo

Paperback cover parade: Let's go to the movies pt. 1

The Third Man


Forbidden Planet


The Big Sleep


My Man Godfrey

New X-Men Origins: Wolverine pics

Pop links: Pretty Things on film, remembering Odetta, Airboy, Hal Foster's Tarzan

Via Bedazzled: "The Pretty Things," a cool 14-minute, 1966 film of the Prettys in the studio.

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NPR remembers the legendary folk singer Odetta, who passed away yesterday.

Here she is during an early 1960s performance at the Newport Folk Festival:



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The Fortress of Fortitude presents a Dan Barry-illustrated Airboy tale from 1943.



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Golden Age Comic Book Stories shares some Hal Foster Tarzan comic strips.

Brian Wilson Lucky Old Sun DVD set for release

A DVD featuring a live performance and behind-the-scenes documentary of Brian Wilson's new album Lucky Old Sun is due out Jan. 27. You can pre-order it now from Amazon. A percentage of sales help support this site.

Here's the press release skinny:

Capitol/EMI will release a new Brian Wilson DVD entitled That Lucky Old Sun on January 27, 2009. A companion to Wilson's critically-acclaimed That Lucky Old Sun album, released September 2 on CD, vinyl and digitally, the DVD features more than two and a half hours of content, including a full-length live performance of the album, a new feature-length documentary and additional behind-the-scenes footage from the album's recording sessions, and some of Wilson's recently filmed promotional performances and interviews.

The new That Lucky Old Sun DVD features a full-length performance of Wilson's latest album, filmed live at Capitol Studios on May 19, 2008 in 5.1 Surround and 2.0 Stereo audio, as well as a new feature-length film, Going Home, directed and edited by George Dougherty, which documents the making of the album and Wilson's return to his original record label, Capitol Records.

The DVD's bonus features include track-by-track audio commentary by Wilson and his That Lucky Old Sun songwriting partner and band member, Scott Bennett, for the live Capitol Studios performance, behind-the-scenes footage from the album's recording sessions, and recent promotional interviews and performances by Wilson for Yahoo! Music, MySpace and "Black Cab Sessions."

Filmed performance of entire album by Brian Wilson and his band (5.1 Surround / 2.0 Stereo)

-- That Lucky Old Sun
-- Morning Beat
-- Narrative: Room With A View
-- Good Kind OF Love
-- Forever She'll Be My Surfer Girl
-- Narrative: Venice Beach
-- Live Let Live / That Lucky Old Sun (Reprise)
-- Mexican Girl
-- Narrative: Cinco de Mayo
-- California Role / That Lucky Old Sun (Reprise)
-- Narrative: Between Pictures
-- Oxygen To The Brain
-- Can't Wait Too Long
-- Midnight's Another Day
-- That Lucky Old Sun (Reprise)
-- Going Home
-- Southern California


'Going Home'
Feature-length documentary about the making of That Lucky Old Sun and
an exploration of Brian Wilson's life long personal and creative
relationship with Southern California.
Directed and edited by George Dougherty.

Bonus Materials
-- Track-by-track Capitol Studios performance commentary by Brian Wilson
and Scott Bennett
-- The making of That Lucky Old Sun: additional behind the scenes
footage from the album's recording sessions
-- Yahoo! Nissan Live Sets performance with studio audience Q&A
-- MySpace "Artist On Artist" interview: Brian Wilson & Zooey Deschanel
-- "Black Cab Sessions" performance

New Lost season 5 teaser video

New comics Dec. 4: Creepy Archives, Showcase Presents Supergirl, Doctor Who Classics, Disney Christmas Parade

Comics are out a day later this week. Here's what looks interesting to me. Please click the title links to order books from Amazon. Proceeds of sales help support this site.

Creepy Archives Vol. 2

Showcase Presents Supergirl Vol. 2

SUPERGIRL COSMIC ADVENTURES IN THE 8TH GRADE #1

DOCTOR WHO CLASSICS Vol. 2

WALT DISNEYS CHRISTMAS PARADE #5

Pop links: Specials reunion a go, Faces reunion a go, George said no to Jesus and more!

One of my favorite bands, The Specials, is reuniting for a 2009 tour, the BBC reports.

The gigs will see the line up of Terry Hall, Lynval Golding, Neville Staple, Roddy Byers, Horace Panter and John Bradbury reconvene.

The band are largely credited with the popularity of ska punk in the late 1970s and the emergence of the 2-Tone sound.

Rumours of an announcement had grown after the majority of the band made a special appearance together at this year's Bestival festival in September.

It's too bad group founder Jerry Dammers won't be along, however.

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Meanwhile, the reuniting Faces are looking for a bassist.

"We had a few fantastic rehearsals last week and we’re ready to go," revealed Ronnie Wood. "It’s like no time has passed by”. Original bassist and enigmatic Small Face Ronnie Lane passed away in 1997, meaning a whole list of four-string fanatics are lining up to join Wood, Rod Stewart, Ian McLagen and Kenney Jones onstage next year. "There’s a lot of guest bass players that want to do it - including Flea" says Wood.

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Bigger than Jesus: A newly unearthed interview with George Harrison reveals that the ex-Beatle was the original choice to play Jesus in "Monty Python's Life of Brian."

"They wanted me to play the part of Christ. At the beginning, when he's doing the sermon on the Mount. That's what they tried to get me to do. But I thought it was a bit too controversial,” Contactmusic quoted Harrison as saying in the interview.

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Speaking of Monty Python and/or Indiana Jones, I need one of these on my desk:



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And now for something completely different, a walrus playing saxophone:

New music I like: The John Henrys

More here.

New DVD, CD releases Dec. 2, 2008: the real Frost/Nixon, Yogi, Flintstones, Neil Young rarities, Colbert Christmas and more!

Here's what looks interesting this week. Click the links to order from Amazon. Sales help support this site!

DVDs:

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

Frost/Nixon: The Original Watergate Interviews


Perry Mason - The Third Season - Vol. 2

Saturday Night Live - The Complete Fourth Season

The Day the Earth Stood Still (Two-Disc Special Edition)

The Man Called Flintstone

A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All

Casablanca (Ultimate Collector's Edition) Blu Ray

Hey There, It's Yogi Bear

CDs:

Sugar Mountain-Live At Canterbury House 1968 (CD/DVD) by Neil Young

The Hits by Dave Clark Five

Easy Come Easy Go by Marianne Faithfull

Grimm's & Hans Christian Anderson Fairy Tales by Danny Kaye

Best Of Chess: Original Versions Of Songs in Cadillac Records by Various Artists

Pop links: Elvis Costello Spectacle, Dr. Who calendar, more Space Pirate, Supergirl preview and more!

The New York Times checks out Elvis Costello's new music interview show, "Spectacle," which debuts on the Sundance Channel this Wednesday.

Stylistically it is a blend of “The Dick Cavett Show,” “Inside the Actors Studio” and “Charlie Rose,” with singers like Tony Bennett, Lou Reed, Rufus Wainwright and Smokey Robinson discussing their history and influences at length.

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The BBC's annual Doctor Who online advent(ure) calendar is up!



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A Cincinnati radio station TV station has changed its call letters to WKRP. There's no Johnny Fever on staff, however.

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Steve Buscemi may star in a Martin Scorsese-produced series on HBO.

Written by Terrence Winter and to be directed by Scorsese, "Boardwalk Empire" is based on Nelson Johnson's nonfiction book, which chronicles the 1920s origins of Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Buscemi would play Nucky Johnson, a cunning businessman who runs a liquor distribution ring at the onset of Prohibition.

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Via Occasional Superheroine: The not-so-original origin of Emily the Strange.

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Pappy presents another Star Pirate adventure.



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Read about 20 pop song references in "Doctor Who."

* 4. I Am The Walrus (The Beatles) – The Three Doctors

Okay, you don't actually hear a sample, but when guesting Doctor 2 (Patrick Troughton) tries to explain who he is in relation to incumbent Doctor 3 (Jon Pertwee) he states “I am he and he is me,” to which baffled yet fab'n'groovy Jo Grant replies “And we are all together, goo goo coo choo?” She explains it's a song by the Beatles, and recorder-clutching Troughton is delighted - “Oh, how does it go?” putting it to his lips. Sadly the exciting drama of evil reality-eating antimatter, which looks a bit like Space Blancmange, cuts short the music lesson.

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Hey, there's a new Guns'n'Roses album out. Where's my Dr. Pepper?!


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Newsarama previews the pretty fun-looking Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures in the Eighth Grade #1.

Amazon Black Friday Deals!

Hey pop culture fans, here's your link to Black Friday deals at Amazon. Any sales help support this site:

Happy Thanksgiving!

There's just something creepy about ducks eating turkey...

Hulk Vs. straight-to-DVD cover art

Here's the cover art for the straight-to-DVD animated film "Hulk Vs.", due out Jan. 27 and available for pre-order now from Amazon for $14.99.

The disk features the Green Goliath squaring off against both Thor and Wolverine.

The Family Way, featuring McCartney soundtrack, due on DVD

"The Family Way," a 1967 film starring Hayley Mills and featuring a soundtrack composed by Paul McCartney and arranged by George Martin is finally DVD-bound.

The DVD is due out Jan. 27 and is available for pre-order at Amazon for $22.49.

Pop links: Wally Wood, 60s Marvel

Wally Wood Week continues over at the Fortress of Fortitude with Animan!



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Golden Age Comic Book Stories has a gallery of favorite 1960s Marvel Comics covers.

Captain Britain Omnibus on way from Marvel

Marvel Comics has announced a "Captain Britain Omnibus by Alan Moore and Alan Davis" collection due out next April.

Here's the skinny:

This is one of the Marvel Universe's most staggering sagas from two of Britain's most remarkable writers, reprinted in total for the first time! Captain Britain fights to save a universe...and fails! But a single reality is small change in the game Merlyn's playing against Mad Jim Jaspers, who's rewriting reality so he's the center of the universe! Worlds collide, heroes and villains die, and Captain Britain's beside himself - except when he's fighting himself...to the death!This title is featuring the first appearances of the metamorphic Meggan, Opal Luna Saturnyne, the Captain Britain Corps, and more! Plus, Psylocke joins the X-Men, and the X-Men join Captain Britain on a cosmic quest into the secrets of life and death! The fiendish Fury, the horrific Horde, and the malevolent Mojo are only a few of the adversaries who await within! Also guest-starring the New Mutants and Captain America! This title collects "Marvel Super-Heroes" (UK) Numbered 377-388, "The Daredevils" (UK) Numbered 1-11, "Captain America" Numbered 305-306, "Mighty World of Marvel" (UK) Numbered 7-16, "Captain Britain" (UK) Numbered 1-14, "New Mutants Annual" Numbered 2, and "Uncanny X-Men Annual" Numbered 11.

The book will total 672 pages.

Click the title link above to pre-order at $69.99 from Amazon. Regular price is $99.99.



See more Marvel Omnibus books here.

More DC Comics Classic Library Collections on the way: Flash of Two Worlds and Perez JLA

DC has some more entries in its new hardcover series, which collect key storylines from various series. Coming up we have:

DC Comics Classic Library: The Flash of Two Worlds

DC Comics Classic Library: Swamp Thing: Dark Genesis

and

DC Comics Classic Library: Justice League of America by George Perez

Also on the horizon:

Golden Age Starman Archives Vol. 2

Click the title links to pre-order these books from Amazon--and help support this site.

More DC Comics Classic Library books.

New comics Nov. 26: Buffy, Sgt. Rock, Frazetta

Here's what looks good to me this week. Click title links to pre-order items from Amazon--and support this site!

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #19 $2.99

SHOWCASE PRESENTS SGT ROCK Vol. 2

FANTASTIC WORLDS OF FRANK FRAZETTA

Pop links: Still no Beatles on iTunes, White Album at 40, Dr. Who at 45, more Sarah Jane, Wally Wood and more

Plans to post the Beatles catalog on iTunes have hit a snag, says Paul McCartney. The problems seem to be between the band and its label, EMI, not the Fabs and Apple.

Sir Paul explained that EMI couldn't agree with The Beatles on the terms that should be set for iTunes and other download services. He was oblique about the exact points of contention: "They [EMI] want something we're not prepared to give them. Hey, sounds like the music business." For its part, an EMI rep told BillboardBiz that they have been "working very hard" on a deal that would bring The Beatles' tracks to iTunes to no avail. The rep added, "but we really hope that everyone can make progress soon."

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Speaking of the Beatles: Here's an NPR program documenting the band's "white album," released 40 years ago this week.

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"Doctor Who" spin-off "The Sarah Jane Adventures" will be back for a third season, according to the BBC.

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Speaking of "Doctor Who," the series marked its 45th anniversary this week. Check out this list of the top 45 (interesting number) moments of that phenomenal run.

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Wally Wood. Sirens of Space. What more do you need to know?

New DVD, CD releases: Colbert, Beatles, Gomer, Fireman, Mod Squad, David Lynch and more!

Here's what looks good this week. Click the links to order from Amazon--and support this site!

DVDs

A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!

Bottle Rocket - Criterion Collection

Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C. - The Final Season

Spy Who Came in from the Cold - Criterion Collection

The Mod Squad - The Second Season, Vol. 1

David Lynch The Lime Green Set

The Beatles: Composing the Beatles Songbook

CDs

Electric Arguments by Fireman (Paul McCartney)

40th Anniversary Singles Collection by Tommy James

Upcoming pop culture books

Here are some new and upcoming books that may be of interest to readers here. Click the title links to order from Amazon--and help support this site!


Brush with Passion: The Art and Life of Dave Stevens

This work offers an introduction to the first retrospective popular comic film illustrator David Stevens. "Brush with Passion" charts the career of beloved and influential artist David Stevens. Encouraged by legendary creators like Jack Kirby, Milton Caniff, and Burne Hogarth, Stevens talks about his work as a storyboard artist for Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video and Steven Speilberg's "Raiders of the Lost Ark", his days drawing comics, and the trials and tribulations of bringing his character to the big screen in the 1991 Disney film, "The Rocketeer". Renowned for his wink-and-flirt pin-up art, Stevens is credited with revitalizing interest in, championing the rights of, and befriending the reclusive 1950s model Bettie Page and he recounts their first meeting and subsequent adventures together - including a trip to the Playboy Mansion.Featuring a wealth of iconic paintings and previously unpublished art, "Brush with Passion" also features commentary by comic book greats Todd Schorr, Richard Hescox, Michael William Kaluta and William Stout.


Al Williamson's Flash Gordon: A Lifelong Vision of the Heroic

Flash Gordon, introduced as a Sunday newspaper comic strip by King Features Syndicate in 1934, remains after more than 70 years, one of the best-known and most beloved epics of heroic fantasy produced in America. Initially envisioned and drawn by the brilliant Alex Raymond, the strip’s mélange of alien wonders, beautiful damsels, interplanetary evil and peerless derring-do remains potent today, as witness its many adaptations in print, motion pictures and television. It has been cited by no less a popular fantasist than George Lucas as a primary influence on his Star Wars series. Beyond the lasting impact of the strip’s heroic themes, the drawing skills of Raymond inspired a small army of succeeding cartoonists to take up his illustration-based stylistic mantle. Al Williamson is arguably the foremost of these acolytes, widely acclaimed as the artist who best exemplifies the original spirit of Raymond’s creation, as well as being the most distinctive and lyric. His vision of the character, formed in childhood and deeply personal, captured the hearts of Flash Gordon readers like no other. Al Williamson’s Flash Gordon: A Lifelong Vision of the Heroic, collects all the major works of the artist featuring the character. At 256 pages, it encompasses Williamson’s three stints of depicting Flash in comic book format: the legendary King Comics stories from the 1960s, the 1980 adaptation of the Universal Flash Gordon motion picture, and the Marvel Comics miniseries of 1994. In addition to these classics of sequential storytelling, Al Williamson’s Flash Gordon features Williamson’s Flash drawings done for commercial illustration and prints, his assists on the Flash Gordon comic strip, a variety of Flash images contributed to amateur publications, and a selection of largely unpublished images spanning his interest in the character from childhood to the conclusion of his career. With an introduction by Sergio Aragones, text by Mark Schultz, and images reproduced directly from the artist’s original drawings, this long-overdue collection of evocative artwork documents the lifelong impact that Flash Gordon had on Williamson and the particular impact that Williamson had on Flash Gordon.


The Don Rosa Library Volume 1: 1987-1988

This is it! Duck fans worldwide, wiggle your webbed feet for joy - the complete, chronological Keno Don Rosa collection is here! Uncle Scrooge McDuck, Donald Duck, and Huey, Dewey, and Louie headline a cast of classic Carl Barks bit-players, reinvigorated in fighting trim for Don's first 1987-1988 triumphs: "Son of the Sun," "Nobody's Business," "Mythological Menagerie," "Last Sled to Dawson," "Metaphorically Spanking" and more. Restored, recolored, and furnished with numerous editorial features, here's the first in a cracking, wakking Gemstone multi-volume series!


Frazetta: The Definitive Reference

The work of Frank Frazetta, the greatest fantasy artist of all time, has influenced generations of artists, fans, designers, and movie directors. Now, collected in Frazetta, The Definitive Reference, are essays and illustrated data in a one-of-a-kind volume tracing the entire arc of Frazetta’s career with more than 800 of his unforgettable images. From his early 1950s comics, to Tarzan, Pellucidar, and John Carter of Mars book covers; to his 1960s monster mags, Creepy, Eerie, and Vampirella; to his major movie posters, including After the Fox and What’s New Pussycat; to, of course, his revolutionary Conan paintings--it’s all here. Frazetta overflows with fantastic images, insightful commentary, and the most complete index of artwork ever compiled on this fantastic icon.


The Rough Guide to Graphic Novels 1

The Rough Guide to Graphic Novels is the ultimate companion to the expanding world of the “literary comic book”. Written by comic industry insider Danny Fingeroth, it includes the mediums history, from sequential art in Egyptian tombs, through the superhero boom of the 1940s to the birth of the graphic novel movement and the latest online offerings. All you need to know about the best and rest with 60 must-read graphic novels, including the genre-defining Maus and A Contract with God, plus modern classics-in-the-making Fun Home and Alice in Sunderland. The guide profiles the movements legends including Harvey Pekar, Chris Ware, Denis Kitchen and other amazing illustrators, writers and publishers who’ve helped win respect for this once marginalised art form. And everything else you need to know from “how to make a graphic novel” to Persepolis and the lastest film and television offerings, manga, documentaries, conventions, books, magazines and websites.


Pop Surf Culture: Music, Design, Film, and Fashion from the Bohemian Surf Boom

From original beachcomber personalities like the Waikiki Beachboys to the rise of Venice Beach as a creative center for music, art, and film, this insightful chronicle traces the roots of the surf boom and explores its connection to the Beat Generation and 1960s pop culture. Through accounts of key figures both obscure and popular, such as Mike Dormer, Rick Griffin, the Trashwomen, and the Beach Boys, the book illustrates why surf culture is a vital art movement of the 20th century. The entire spectrum of pop culture is covered, including discussions of the advent of surf magazines and the immense popularity of the “beach” movies starring Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon.


Rogue Leaders: The Story of LucasArts

In 1982, Lucasfilm wanted to branch out into other forms of entertainment and formed an agreement where videogame pioneer Atari provided $1 million in seed capital with only the vague directive of "see what you can make." The resulting two games sold 100,000 units, twice as many copies as had been projected, and were a critical and commercial success. In 2005, LucasArts' Battlefront II game sold 2.1million copies and generated an estimated $200 million in revenue. In the past 25 years, LucasArts has cemented its place in videogame history though a combination of the two strengths of its parent company: master storytelling and innovative technology."The Magic of LucasArts" reveals its illustrious history, including more than 250 samples of never-before-seen art, including storyboards, concept paintings, and character developments from its cherished games, as well as art from cancelled projects that were never announced to the public. George Lucas contributes a rare foreword on his vision for interactive entertainment. Original interviews with key team members past and present make this book a must-have for gamers young and old.


Fall Out: The Unofficial and Unauthorised Guide to The Prisoner

The impact of The Prisoner upon society was explosive, transforming art, storytelling and popular culture like no other television programme before or since. Patrick McGoohan spearheaded the project in his role as an unnamed man, held against his will in a strange isolated Italianate village, tormented by a succession of individuals, each calling themselves Number 2, whose true motivations and intentions towards him remained a constant mystery.

The man, known only as Number 6, attempted escape, was befriended and betrayed, underwent hallucinogenic journeys, and experienced many strange revelations, before the series achieved its cathartic climax.

The Prisoner was ahead of its time, and in this book, Alan Stevens and Fiona Moore take on the task of debriefing the programme and attempting to make sense of the many interpretations and readings which have been placed on it. This is not the book with all the answers but it may help you ask the right questions.


The Best Music You've Never Heard 1

The Rough Guide to the Best Music You’ve Never Heard is a winning collection of amazing stories of tragic mavericks and unlucky contenders, with hundreds of lost classics and hidden gems. The guide traces the musicians that fell by the wayside from the bands that could have been The Beatles to the acts that were better than the acts that made it. Find out why David Ackles is the Elton John that never was (and why Elton John agrees). Whether they were psychedelic hippies, lost soul divas, geeky prog-rockers, hell-raising rockers or pop-star wannabes, they are all in this book for one reason: they made truly fantastic music. Frank and opinionated, the guide is packed with playlists, includes stylish archive photos as well as contributions from music industry insiders including Bat for Lashes. Clue-up on the infamous lost albums from some of rock’s biggest stars and discover the tails of the famous-name side-projects that got away, not forgetting the cult albums reviled at the time… that are actually really good. If you’re looking for great new music, this book will show it to you. If you think you’ve heard it all, it’ll put you to the test.

More Star Trek movie posters

IDW plans Star Trek movie prequel

IDW Publishing will publish a prequel comic for the upcoming Star Trek movie.

The first comic in the series, Star Trek: Countdown #1, will be released in January 2009 to the comic book direct market. The story is presented by Abrams and plotted by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman. It is written by Mike Johnson (Superman/Batman) and Tim Jones, and features stunning art by David Messina (Star Trek: Mirror Images). Messina also provides covers for the series.

“There was a lot of back and forth about doing this project, how to do it, what it would be about, but what all parties agreed on was that we needed the right story and that it needed to matter. It had to count both on its own merits and when read in conjunction with the new movie,” said series editor Andy Schmidt. “I couldn’t be happier with the project and what it means to the overall Star Trek franchise!”

Pop links: Walt Kelly, Disney Menagerie, Wally Wood story, Dr. Who at 45, TV Get Smart outtakes

Pappy presents Walt Kelly's "Berried Treasure."



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More on the funny animal front: Those Fabulous Fifties features the Disney Studio one-panel strip "Merry Menagerie."



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Fortress of Fortitude begins a three-day tribute to the great Wally Wood.



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Here's a YouTube video celebrating 45 years of "Doctor Who."



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Classic Television Showbiz offers up some "Get Smart" TV show outtakes.

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Check out a new site celebrating the Catwoman's Kitty Car!

Black Adder cast returning for TV special

The cast of Rowan Atkinson's hilarious, time-spanning "Black Adder" series is reuniting for a BBC Christmas special.

The broadcaster said "Blackadder Rides Again" would feature the first in-depth interview with actor Rowan Atkinson, who played Edmund Blackadder and his descendants in the show's four series between 1983 and 1989.

Other stars from the historical comedy taking part in the behind-the-scenes feature include Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Miranda Richardson and Tony Robinson, who played Blackadder's long-suffering sidekick Baldrick.