In the thirty years since its release, The Crow has become the ultimate cult movie, with a dedicated worldwide following, two sequels, and a persistent fascination owing to the tragedy that came to define its legacy, in which star Brandon Lee was killed in a strange on-set accident during the last days of filming. Long-anticipated remake of The Crow to hit theaters Fall, 2024 from director Rupert Sanders starring Bill Skarsgård "You won't find a more comprehensive, step-by-step account... a cult classic that continues to fascinate... A fitting and emotional tribute to the movie, and its late star, Brandon Lee."—Sean O'Connell, author of Release the Snyder Cut This "behind-the-scenes retrospective proves a haunting read, as Baiss skillfully escorts the reader through tragedy, despair, hope, and modern Hollywood resurrection.”—John Kenneth Muir, author of Horror Films FAQ, creator of Enter the House Between In the thirty years since its release, The Crow has become the ultimate cult movie, with a dedicated worldwide following, three sequels, and a persistent fascination owing to the tragedy that came to define its legacy, in which star Brandon Lee was killed in a strange on-set accident during the last days of filming. In this fully revised and updated edition, author Bridget Baiss tells the full story of The Crow, from the initial adaptation of James O’Barr’s graphic novel, through its production and Lee’s death, to its triumphant release, enduring appeal, and impact on on-set firearms safety. Drawing on unprecedented access to the film’s cast and crew, including new interviews and research conducted since the release of the original edition, this is a fascinating and revealing look at the troubled making of a modern classic.

A combination history, handbook, and love letter to nearly four hundred movies and television shows featuring swashbucklers Cinema of Swords is a history, guide, and love letter to over four hundred movies and television shows featuring swashbucklers: knights, pirates, samurai, Vikings, gladiators, outlaw heroes like Zorro and Robin Hood, and anyone else who lives by the blade and solves their problems with the point of a sword. Though swordplay thrives as a mainstay of current pop culture—whether Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings or Star Wars—swashbuckling was if anything even more ubiquitous during Hollywood’s classic period, from its foundations in the Silent Era up through the savage bursts of fantasy films in the ‘80s. With this huge cinematic backlist of classics now available online and on-demand, Cinema of Swords traces the roots and branches of this unruly genre, highlighting classics of the form and pointing fans toward thrilling new gems they never knew existed. With wry summaries and criticism from swordplay expert Lawrence Ellsworth, this comprehensive guidebook is perfect as a reference work or as a dazzling Hollywood history to be read end-to-end.

Superheroes! is the ultimate reference book about the men and women in tights who fight for what’s right and the comic book phenomenon that conquered the world. From their origins in stories created by barely grown men during an era of global war and printed on cheap paper for consumption by children, superheroes have grown into a popular culture whirlwind that has attracted millions of fans and crossed over into every form of media. Encompassing early coming books, indie outliers, and the mammoth fictional universes managed by DC and Marvel, Superheroes! chronicles the rise of a distinctly American invention, the modern-day evolution of the myths and legends of old. Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, Iron Man, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Captain America, X-Men, the Justice League and the Avengers—they all represent our greatest hopes, and sometimes our darkest fantasies. Pop culture expert Brian Solomon tells a story that goes from the Golden, Silver and Bronze Ages of comic book history right up to the Modern Age of multimillion-dollar Hollywood movies, and beyond. Perhaps no fictional genre has endured and blossomed over the past eighty years the way superheroes have. Learn all about the creators who have brought them to life: artists like Jack Kirby and Jim Lee, writers like Stan Lee and Alan Moore, actors like Christopher Reeve and Robert Downey Jr., and directors like Tim Burton and Joss Whedon. They’re all here, in all their high-flying, eye-zapping, goon-punching glory. Up, up and away!

The first biography of a major American cultural symbol ever written, Betty Boop: The Most Popular Female Comic Strip and Cartoon Character of All Time describes Betty Boop's creation and incredibly active romantic and family life as revealed in her numerous comic strips, comic books, cartoons, and movies since 1930. From the moment she uttered her first “boop-oop-a-doop!” in 1930, Betty Boop secured her place in history and in the hearts of countless fans. Whether spreading joy during the Depression, thwarting Hitler, running for US president, or flaunting sexual mores, Betty has always been a true American original, embodying and commenting on the culture and attitudes of her time for nearly a century. The Life and Times of Betty Boop is a lively account of the first female, fully human cartoon character, beginning with her creation by the rebellious and innovative young artists of Fleischer Studios, an upstart animation shop intent on competing with Disney. Author Peter Benjaminson traces Betty’s remarkable evolution (originally a dog character, she only gradually became the chanteuse we know today) and dives into the lawsuit that entertainer Helen Kane brought against the Fleischers for allegedly appropriating her image—only for it to come to light that Kane had herself lifted her act from various Black performers. Benjaminson follows Betty through successive historical eras, rebelling against Hollywood’s censorious Hays Code, finding her own path as a self-starting feminist icon, and spawning a merchandising empire that includes everything from watches to wine to Thanksgiving Day floats. Throughout, he shows how, for all her transformations, Betty’s verve and pluck have made her the object of enduring affection.

This revised edition of The Art of Horror Movies includes more films, rare images, and in-depth explorations to bring this award-winning book completely up to date, cementing its position as the definitive and essential guide to horror movies. Through a series of informative chapters and fascinating sidebars chronologically charting the evolution of horror movies for more than a century, profusely illustrated throughout with over 600 rare and unique images including posters, lobby cards, advertising, promotional items, tie-in books and magazines, and original artwork inspired by classic movies, this handsomely designed hardcover traces the development of the horror film from its inception and celebrates the actors, filmmakers, and artists who were responsible for scaring the pants off successive generations of moviegoers! Edited by multiple award-winning writer and editor Stephen Jones and boasting a foreword by director and screenwriter John Landis (An American Werewolf in London), this volume brings together fascinating and incisive commentary from some of the genre''s most highly respected experts. With eye-popping images from all over the world, The Art of Horror Movies: Revised Edition is the definitive guide for anyone who loves horror films and movie fans of all ages.

THE X-FILES FAQ:ALL THAT'S LEFT TO KNOW ABOUT GLOBAL CONSPIRACY ALIENS LAZARUS SPECIES The X-Files FAQ explores Chris Carter's popular 1990s science-fiction TV series, which aired on Fox for nine seasons and inspired spin-offs, including feature films, TV shows, toys, novels, and comic books. The book explores the series in terms of its historical context and analyzes how many of the episodes tackle the events of their time: the Clinton era. The X-Files FAQ also tallies the episodes that are based on true stories, selects touchstone moments from the almost decade-long run, and organizes the series by its fantastic subject matter – from serial killers to aliens, from prehistoric menaces to ethnic and religious-based horrors. In addition, the book recalls the TV antecedents ( Kolchak: The Night Stalker) and descendants ( Fringe) of The X-Files, examines the two feature films, and investigates Chris Carter's other creations, including Millennium, The Lone Gunmen, Harsh Realm, and The After. Featuring numerous stills and the show's most prominent writers and directors, The X-Files FAQ allows readers to relive the “Mytharc” conspiracy and the unforgettable monsters of the week – from the Fluke Man to the Peacocks.

From a veteran furry comes an immersive entry into the world of furries and furry fandom, with a colorful look at an amazing subculture, the timeless human instinct to identify with animals, and a wealth of photos and illustrations showcasing fursuits and furry art. Furries are the creative subculture of people who identify with animals. You can find them at furry conventions, furfests, worldwide—tens of thousands of people donning their most elaborate fursuit. In costume, at conventions, with friends or alone, furries unleash the animal within, letting their inner beasts roar and their inner cats purr, aware of the power—and joy—to be found in connecting with one’s animal side and encouraging others to do the same. In Furry Planet, long-time furry and a media staple for commentary on the culture, Joe Strike—a certified “greymuzzle,” as older furries are known—dives deep into this compelling subculture to share its appeal and rewards. Strike addresses stigmas and misconceptions head on and traces the history of the culture from forty thousand-year-old lion-man figurines through sixteenth-century legends of monkey kings to modern day television and movies starring anthropomorphized animals living human lives. He shares how furry fandom began in the United States but has spread across the globe and delves deep into the various iterations of the culture today, in the process covering events, media, art, storytelling, community resources, costume creation, and advice for newcomers. An unprecedented in-depth look at this intriguing, offbeat world, Furry Planet is complemented by colorful images throughout and is sure to inform and excite fans of the culture, as well as anyone who has ever been curious about it. Inside you’ll find: - Insight into the natural impulse to anthropomorphize animals and the joys of furry culture - A fascinating history of furry culture - A thorough guide to furfest conventions, fursuit costume creation, and resources for furries - A wealth of colorful photographs from furfests and of superb fursuits - Gorgeous furry artwork - Much more!

World Horror Grand Master Brian Keene returns to zombies in this relentless sword and sorcery horror epic! Einar, an enslaved barbarian, plots his escape from a war galley transporting troops and a mysterious weapon to far enemy shores. But when an apocalyptic storm at sea leaves Einar and his fellow captives shipwrecked on a strange, uncharted island, friend and foe alike must band together against a ravenous, steadily growing horde of the undead... and even worse dangers. Not even death is an escape from the... ISLAND OF THE DEAD

“Who put Ellen in the blackgum tree?” Decades after trespassing children spotted the desiccated corpse wedged in the treetop, no one knows the answer. Kate Thrush and her former college professor, Dr. Judith Kane, travel to Cinderwich, Tennessee in hopes that maybe it was their Ellen: Katie’s lost aunt, Judith’s long-gone lover. But they’re not the only ones to have come here looking for closure. The people of Cinderwich, a town hardly more than a skeleton itself, are staunchly resistant to the outsiders’ questions about Ellen and her killer. And the deeper the two women dig, the more rot they unearth … the closer they come to exhuming the evil that lies, hungering, at the roots of Cinderwich.