The Art of Brian Bolland [Hardcover]

Brian Bolland (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 12, 2006

Often referred to as the "artist's artist," Brian Bolland has spent the last quarter century producing some of the most memorable and inspiring illustrations the comic industry has ever seen. This handsome volume is a retrospective of this astonishing artist's career and a look at the man himself.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 312 pages
• Publisher: Image Comics; 1 edition (December 12, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582406030
• ISBN-13: 978-1582406039
• Product Dimensions: 12.3 x 9.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #918,825 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Joe Pruett has worn a lot of hats. He has worked in the comic book industry as an art assistant, a letterer, a writer, an editor, a creative director, a designer, and, finally, as a publisher. He has written over 100 titles, including his own KILROY IS HERE series from Caliber Comics and stints on Marvel Comics' X-MEN family of titles.

He is an Eisner Award winner (for editing/designing THE ART OF BRIAN BOLLAND) and a five-time Eisner Award nominee; as a writer ("Best Short Story" for his adaptation of Neil Gaiman's "We Can Get That For You Wholesale"), as an editor (for "Best Editor" and "Best Anthology" for NEGATIVE BURN), and, again, as an editor/designer (for THE ART OF P. CRAIG RUSSELL). In addition, his publishing company, Desperado Publishing, has received five individual Eisner Award nominations since 2006.

Realizing that the comic marketplace no longer offered many choices for writers and artists to create and nurture their own properties, Joe formed Desperado Publishing in the summer of 2004 to become a home for today's top talent to bring to life their own personal creations. Desperado Publishing partnered with Image Comics from 2005-2007, published solo from 2007-2009, and have partnered with IDW Publishing since 2010.

He still lives the dream to this day.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive with nice personal touch, March 18, 2009

By 

Parka (Singapore) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Art of Brian Bolland (Hardcover)

Length:: 0:24 Mins

The biography and all the text in the book are written in first person by Brian Bolland. It feels very comprehensive and personal.

Brian Bolland collected a vast amount of work he has created over the years, right from when he was a kid to the 21st century. They are arrange chronologically. The portfolio consists of comics, covers, illustrations, sketches, nude drawings, side commissions and some of his travel photos. Every piece of work is captioned and filled with interesting information.

Some of the more notable works created by him are Judge Dredd, The Killing Joke, Camelot 3000, Tank Girl etc. There are simply too many to mention but all included in the book, making it quite thick at 312 pages.

The biography details his journey in the comics industry from his childhood, including influences, education, people he met at comic fairs, the relationships he built with other artists (Dave Gibbons wrote the introduction).

This is a recommended art book for fans of his works.

(More pictures are available on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for the link.)

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An outstanding tribute to a great illustrator's work!, January 9, 2007

By 

Jared A. Zichek "Author/Editor/Illustrator, A... (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Art of Brian Bolland (Hardcover)

This is easily my favorite art/illustration book of the last several years! Bolland is an outstanding illustrator and this thick hardcover book offers a very comprehensive look at his work over the course of his career, from obscure early art in UK underground comics to the beautiful covers he is doing these days for DC/Vertigo. The quality of the paper, binding and reproduction is top notch - a must for any serious fan of Bolland, modern comic art, or quality illustration generally!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best Celebrations of Any Comic Book Artist, May 3, 2008

By 

CB - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Art of Brian Bolland (Hardcover)

For those of us who are self-taught artists and look to the work of other artists for inspiration and guidance, Brian Bolland's work is, in a word, intimidating. One of the deans of comic book artists working today, Bolland's clear, clear, virtuoso style is one of the most recognizable on the comics page, and looking at his work - deceptively simple - you can't help but ask yourself "How did he do that?" The Art of Brian Bolland showcases Bolland's work and will no doubt have you asking the same question.

Published by Image Comics - which has produced a number of excellent "art of..." books over the past few years - The Art of Brian Bolland is a retrospective of Bolland's career thus far, starting with his childhood drawings and continuing to the present day. There is a lot of text in this book discussing Bolland's career but, unlike so many "art of..." books, Bolland himself actually wrote the text, and he is amazingly honest and quite droll in his writing.

While this book is certainly on the expensive side, it is well worth it - at more than 360 pages, it seems to stretch on forever (in a good way) and showcases just how talented Bolland truly is. A good number of the pieces center on his Judge Dredd and DC Comics (largely Wonder Woman) work; also, most of the work pictured is in black and white. The book itself is exceptionally well-produced: sturdy and hefty, it is printed on nice, glossy paper and all of the images are reproduced with exceptional clarity. Any fan of Bolland or of comic book art in general, should pick this book up. Highly recommended.