EXTRACTS: Illustrators issue 14 © 2016 The Book Palace (96 PAGES in Full edition)

94 The Bookshelf: Vamps, Tramps and Illustration Champs The third volume in this excellent series continues the tradition of Dan Zimmer's presentation of illustration which might otherwise be consigned to the realm of obscurity. Published by Dan's Illustrated Press , these books present a great selection of illustrations that haven't, as yet, found a home within his other publishing activities—be that the pages of his long- running quarterly journal Illustration or any of the superb monographs of illustrators that he has published over the preceding years. In this book, we are again treated to deliciously vibrant scans of original artwork encompassing a variety of genres, from Willy Pogany's satyrs, through Joseph Leyendecker's paint- sculpted witch on a broomstick, through to Robert McGinnis' tartan-robed and smoky-eyed seductress. However, while it is great to see the work of famiiar names brought to life with such superb reproductions, it is often the work of the hitherto unfamiliar artists that makes one pause when leafing through these pages. For lovers of great art and great illustration, this is a really delightful and rewarding book. The Art of José Gonzalez By David Roach Foreword by Joe Jusko Hardcover 268 pages Dynamite £25.00/ $39.99 l Buy from www.bookpalace.com Vampirella is one of the most iconic figures in the horror genre, at once both vampire and beautiful woman, but it was in the hands of Spanish artist José Gonzalez that she transcended the comic book boundaries and saved a company from bankruptcy. Though not created by Gonzalez (known as ‘Pepe’ by his colleagues and friends), he was the artist who best defined her. At long last, Dynamite devotes a whole book to this rather erratic artist. Although considered ‘lazy’ by many in the profession, Pepe managed to produce quite a large selection of comic pages and illustrations during his lifetime, and this book easily attests to it. Favouring pencil and ink over other mediums, Pepe was certainly one of the top artists when it came to drawing beautiful girls. Here we get to see how he worked on different genres; westerns and romantic fiction for the British; horror stories for the Americans; erotic strips for the Spanish; move-star illustrations and covers for romance books around the world. Crammed with reproductions of his work, including many examples scanned from original art, this is a must for fans of 'good-girl' art and Vampirella . Paperback Parade # 89 Edited by Gary Lovisi Softbound 104 pages www.gryphonbooks.com Gryphon Books $15.00 For readers and collectors of 'hard- boiled' paperbacks, there is no better resource than Gary Lovisi's Paperback Parade. Packed with features dedicated to the lurid world of paperback collecting (sleaze, sci-fi, horror, fantasy and oodles of 'good girl' abound) each issue punches well above its weight in terms of satisfying the needs of the connoisseur. Paperback Parade knows how to appeal to its readership. Its authoritative and enlightening features are enlivened with colour reproductions of covers of variable merit, the works of Reginald Heade and Robert McGinnis rubbing shoulders with more pedestrian fare. For lovers of illustration, there is much to commend this publication, and Gary and his team often source samples of original artwork to display alongside the covers that appear on every page. There are also moments of unalloyed 'nerdism', such as a feature showing a succession of 'swipes' taken from a cover by Rudy Nappi. A lot of these informative nuggets are provided by the readership, which greatly adds to the fun of the occasion. Now in its 31st year of publication, this is an essential read for lovers of paperbacks and crime fiction. The Golden Age Volume 3 Edited by Dan Zimmer Hardbound 224 pages The Illustrated Press $44.95