BAT-MANGA: Deane Aikins’ BATMAN Figure Based on the Art of Jiro Kuwata

Over at our Friend Chip Kidd's Website the other day he posted some cool photos of an amazing BATMAN BAT-MANGA Figure created by Deane Aikins. It's really more like a small full-body Statue and it's based on the artwork style of Japanese Manga Artist, Jiro Kuwata. This thing is totally INSANE, just look at it!! Oh yeah, I want one of these real bad! For more details please visit the post at CHIPKIDD.COM

JAPANESE BATMAN BAT-MANGA TATTOO ART

Over at the Official CHIP KIDD Website they recently posted an awesome BATMAN TATTOO ART Photo that is based on the BAT-MANGA Japanese Comic Book Bat-Logo & it's really great! This tattoo is on the leg of a guy named Marcio, who lives in Rio de Janeiro, and I gotta say it's really cool. I like it a lot!

Chip Kidd's BATMAN DEATH BY DESIGN Graphic Novel Makes THE NEW YORK TIMES Best Sellers List!

OK, We could not be more proud or incredibly super-happy right now because it has just been announced that the new BATMAN: DEATH BY DESIGN Graphic Novel ( DC Comics ) by Chip Kidd and Dave Taylor is listed as #2 in the “Hardcover Graphic Books” Section of THE NEW YORK TIMES Best Sellers List!! Wow! It’s almost to good to be true and, on a serious note, a very distinct honor for Chip who can now brag ( ha ha ) about being "a New York Times Best Selling Author". Congrats Mr. Kidd!! Congrats also to Dave Taylor as well because his artwork for this book was amazing!!

Oh yeah, you can order this book now by clicking the TFAW Button down below an save 10% OFF!

BATMAN DEATH BY DESIGN - Chip Kidd Book Signing at Midtown Comics in NYC!

Mark Your Calendars! Chip Kidd will be making an appearance at the MIDTOWN COMICS Downtown Location in NYC on Thursday, June 7th, 2012. The Book Signing starts at 6:30pm and runs till 8:00pm. This Event is to celebrate the release the New Graphic Novel, BATMAN: DEATH BY DESIGN! 

Yes, this is your chance to get your copy autographed by the Author. For more details, click HERE!

Midtown Comics Downtown
64 Fulton Street NYC, NY
Date: Thursday, June 7th, 2012.
Time: 6:30pm until 8:00pm in EDT

New BATMAN DEATH BY DESIGN DELUXE EDITION Graphic Novel by Chip Kidd & Dave Taylor on Sale Tomorrow!

Oh man, Everyone here at the BAT-BLOG is so excited about tomorrow, May 30th, because it's the release date for the brand-new BATMAN: DEATH BY DESIGN Deluxe Edition Graphic Novel!! Now of course we're talking about the new book written by Chip Kidd & illustrated by Dave Taylor. Just check out some of the artwork up above, it looks totally amazing! Please be sure to click on them for larger versions. Also, the book is available RIGHT HERE or at your local Bookstore/Comic Book Shop.

NEW BATMAN MOVIE BOOK - Christopher Nolan's Batman - The Art and Making of the Dark Knight Trilogy

Around July 28th, 2012, Abrams is set to release "Christopher Nolan's Batman: The Art and Making of the Dark Knight Trilogy". This book tells the complete behind-the-scenes story of, what will be at the time this book is released, three monumental films. 

The book will be based on in-depth interviews with Director Christopher Nolan and all of the films’ Key Cast and Crew, including Co-Writers David S. Goyer and Jonathan Nolan, Cinematographer Wally Pfister, and more! The book reveals the creative process behind the epic Dark Knight Trilogy, supported by lavish art and never-before-seen photography.



One cool side note is that the foreword will be written by Christopher Nolan and Michael Caine will write the Introduction ( Love him, and besides being a great Actor, he's actually a very talented Writer so it should be very cool ). We can't wait!



Oh yeah, one last thing, you're seeing the COVER ART right here as a "Bat-Blog.Com Exclusive" way before anyone else! Also, if you click the TFAW Button down below, you can pre-order this book for 20% off the regular retail price.

BATMAN WALLPAPERS - Alex Ross Painting and Harley Quinn Kotobukiya Statue

Yesterday was "Wacky Wallpaper Wednesday" here at the BAT-BLOG but since I was wayyyy too busy to post anything I'm gonna share some BATMAN WALLPAPERS today. They both sort of celebrate 2 brand-new Bat-Products. So, here we go! The 1st one is a mock-up that uses the graphics of ALEX ROSS' cover art to the brand-new soft-cover edition of "ROUGH JUSTICE, The DC Comics Sketches of Alex Ross" edited by Chip Kidd. Then, here's a nice close-up photo of HARLEY QUINN from the new DC Comics Bishoujo Statue by Kotobukiya ( Japan ).

ROUGH JUSTICE - The DC Comics Sketches of ALEX ROSS - Now in Paperback!

OK, is it called "Paperback" or "Soft Cover"? I'm confused, ha! But anyways, you might remember a post here awhile back reporting about a new book titled, "ROUGH JUSTICE The DC Comics Sketches of ALEX ROSS".  It's an amazing book with tons and tons of great color photos of the beautiful Artwork and Paintings done by Alex Ross. The book's main focus is work he did for DC Comics and there is a lot of great Batman stuff there. Plus, the book was designed by Chip Kidd so you know it's great. Well, this post is to announce that it's been issued again but this time in paperback, or soft cover, you know what I mean! Also, to change the book up a little bit, because it's a new format, they put BATMAN on the cover!! In fact, click on the photo up above for more detail. ( The Hardback featured Superman on the front ). Also, please be sure to ask for it at your favorite book store.

BAT-MANGA! BATMAN IN JAPAN - Chip Kidd Lecture at MoCCA Tonight

The Author/Designer Chip Kidd will be talking about BAT-MANGA tonight (Thursday, January 12th) at New York's MoCCA, or the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art. The lecture runs from 7:00pm to 9:00 but you should arrive there early because it will probably sell out! Now, for the first time ever in the US, original artwork and lavish cover art from the Batman-manga comics are on display at MoCCA, along with vintage era-specific memorabilia and toys. Admission is $7.00 (Free for Members). For more information click the link down below:



MoCCA

594 Broadway, Suite 401

(btwn. Houston and Prince)

New York, NY 10012

Phone (212) 254-3511

BATMAN - DEATH BY DESIGN - 2012 Release Date Announced For New Graphic Novel

DC Comics recently announced an official release date for the highly-anticipated brand-new BATMAN: DEATH BY DESIGN Graphic Novel by Writer/Designer Chip Kidd and Comic Book Artist Dave Taylor. It will hit the newsstands on May 2nd, 2012!

Down below is a complete breakdown of the creative process. We get to see the page where THE JOKER makes his first appearance! It starts at the "script stage" and then we get to see how it evolves into the final artwork, very cool! Well, this example is missing the "word balloons", but I'm totally loving the graphic design so far. Having it in black and white with a very small touch of color is completely beautiful. It really has a retro 1930's feel about it! Also, I know now that the debut of this new Batman book will be a major event!

CHIP KIDD Talks About His Future BATMAN Graphic Novel, DEATH BY DESIGN

Most Serious Batman Fans know who Chip Kidd is. He's a Graphic Designer who has created some really great Batman-related "History Books" that you might know about. His most recent book in that genre is "BAT-MANGA: The Secret History of Batman in Japan" ( 2008 ). But he has also done "Batman Collected", which is mostly about Vintage Toy Collecting, and "Batman Animated", which is about the creation of the popular TV Show. All really great titles that I recommend reading. But any how...

Well, now Chip Kidd is set to write his first actual BATMAN Graphic Novel titled "BATMAN: DEATH BY DESIGN". The plan so far is for it to come out around Summer 2012 and here's a recent video of him sharing information on it at an AIGA Conference. In his presentation we get to see some of the amazing artwork done by Dave Taylor, a Comic Book Artist living in the UK. We also get a better idea on the story line & it sounds like a really unique concept, check it out!

New BATMAN Book - DEATH BY DESIGN by CHIP KIDD and DAVE TAYLOR

Yesterday, DC Comics released the news of one of their future BATMAN Books that will be titled "Batman, Death By Design". They even showcased the beautiful cover art ( see pic up above ). This is the book written by Chip Kidd & illustrated by Dave Taylor. It will be a Deluxe Format Graphic Novel & is scheduled for release in Spring of 2012. I'm sure, as new information becomes available, we will have more news later. So, stay tuned to the BAT-BLOG.COM & we will let you know. In the mean time, be sure to check out the wonderful BATMAN artwork from Artist Dave Taylor ( Click on it for a larger version ).

Japanese Batman BAT-MANGA Desktop Wallpaper Background!

Check out this BATMAN BAT-MANGA Japanese Style Wallpaper!! Our buddy Saul sent us this graphic he found on the web that I thought would be totally beautiful as a desktop background ( Thanks Saul ). The artwork is totally inspired by the art of Jiro Kuwata, who was the Japanese manga comic book artist who created some original Batman stories back in the 1960's. His work was the focus of the recent "Bat-Manga! The Secret History of Batman in Japan" book by Chip Kidd. Speaking of artists, the guy who created this image is named Jordan Gibson and he lives in Austin, Texas. So, I wanna thank him for letting us use his artwork. If you wanna see more of his work ( and you should because it's cool ) then here's a LINK!

BATMAN - YESTERDAY AND TOMMORROW - The BAT-MANGA ART EXHIBIT at CARTOON ART MUSEUM June 17th

The Cartoon Art Museum ( San Francisco, CA ) and the Japan Society of Northern California will present a lecture with author / book designer Chip Kidd on Thursday, June 17th, 2010 for a special presentation entitled "Bat-Manga! A Secret Look at the Secret History of Batman in Japan". The exhibit will include some original art by Jiro Kuwata that has not been seen for almost 40 years. It really looks like a great event! For more information be sure to visit the Official CARTOON ART MUSEUM website by clicking HERE!

Chip Kidd's ARTBREAK Rock Concert Event in New York City - Dec. 29th, 2009

This post is to remind everybody that our friend Chip Kidd will be performing LIVE with his rock group ARTBREAK tomorrow night at DIXON PLACE in New York City. The concert is Tuesday, December 29th, 2009. They will be performing all new music from their up-coming album. For more information be sure to visit the DIXON PLACE website by clicking HERE!

CHIP KIDD presents ARTBREAK from gary nadeau on Vimeo.

New ALEX ROSS - ROUGH JUSTICE Art Book To be Published

Oh yeah, this is just a quick post to announce the future publication of a brand-new Alex Ross art book, Rough Justice, which will be published by Pantheon next March, in 2010. OK, I know it won't be released for awhile but I'm already stoked! If you're a big fan of Alex Ross' artwork then you're gonna love it. It's main focus will be the DC Comics characters & it's gonna be co-written / designed by Chip Kidd. So, you know it will be cool!

Chip Kidd Set To Write Full-Length Batman Comic Book Story

Graphic designer, novelist and Bat-Nerd Chip Kidd has announced that he will write a full-length Batman comic book story for DC Comics. He gave out this information at the recent Chicago Tribune Printers Row Lit Fest. You might remember his recent "Batman Japanese History" book titled Bat-Manga! He also wrote a book about Vintage Batman Toys called Batman Collected. This is his 1st attempt at actually writing the comic book. No exact date has been set yet but it's something to look for in the future.

RADIO INTERVIEW: SAUL FERRIS Batman Toy Collector & ANNE ISHII Bat-Manga Book Translator

A very good friend to the Bat-Blog has just recently been interviewed on NPR Radio so I thought I would proudly share it here. His name is Saul Ferris & besides being a pretty nice guy he's also a Super-Collector of all things Batman ( Just so you know, his picture really didn't have a Batman Mask on it, that's just me being wacky! ). His main focus is on the Super-Rare Vintage 1960's Batman Toys & Memorabilia. He was a major contributor to the publication of Chip Kidd's latest book "Bat-Manga!: The Secret History of Batman in Japan". In fact, the Bat-Manga book is a large part of the radio show but also includes a lot of tips about collecting toys & comics. Also included in the interview is Anne Ishii, who served as the Japanese translator for the book project. To hear this show on either your iPod or PC just click on the link button down below. When you arrive at the website just look for a show titled "The Sweet Smell of Yesteryear" recorded on January 4th, 2009. Click on the "audio button" & it magically appears in your media player. Also, if you want to contact Saul about any old 60's Batman Toys you have for sale he can be reached at ICOLLECTBATMAN@aol.com. ( Someday I'm gonna have to tease him about still being on AOL, ha ha ). Oh yeah, one last thing. I had a photo of Saul Ferris that I could post here but apologize for not having one of Anne. I tried to find one on Google, but couldn't find one that wasn't copyrighted. Just so you readers know, she is very very cute!

Video: INTERVIEW WITH CHIP KIDD "Bat-Manga The Secret History of Batman in Japan" Book

Over at MySpace a new friend named Tamika sent this very cool video she made where she had an interview with Chip Kidd about his new "BAT-MANGA: The Secret History of Batman in Japan" book. The video was shot during the book tour while he was at the Meltdown Comic Book Store in Los Angeles, CA. She wrote, "I was searching for Batman blogs and yours was one of the first to show up. I just produced this video piece on Chip Kidd's Bat Manga and I wonder if you could pass it on to your friends, I'm glad someone is an enthusiast too." Of course! Thanks Tamika for sending me this video. It's pretty interesting & very well-edited. Also, I'm a HUGE FAN of this Batman book, it's great!

VIMBY - Chip Kidd's Bat-Manga

BAT-BLOG CONTEST: Chip Kidd's New BAT-MANGA THE SECRET HISTORY OF BATMAN IN JAPAN BOOK Signed Copy

OK, This morning I drew the very last name out of the hat for the recent BAT-BLOG CONTEST where we have been giving away Signed-Copies of Chip Kidd's New BAT-MANGA THE SECRET HISTORY OF BATMAN IN JAPAN BOOK! The responses have been totally crazy & I think this is the most successful contest so far. For the last month or so we have been giving away a free Autographed Copy of this amazing book. Today, we pic the last winner of the 5th book. It goes to Mike M. of Hamilton, Ontario ( Canada ). Congrats Mike & please contact us so we can confirm your address. Then, we will mail you the book. I wanna thank everybody who entered & if you didn't win, I'm sorry. But the good news is we will always have more contests in the future soo keep an eye out for those. I also wanna thank Chip Kidd for personally autographing all the books & his publishing company for supplying us with this great material. These books were an incredible item to be giving away & I really appreciate that.