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Mythology: The DC Comics Art of Alex Ross
THE EISNER AWARD-WINNING, NATIONALLY BEST-SELLING MYTHOLOGY IS HERE IN PAPERBACK, IN AN EXPANDED EDITION WITH 32 NEW PAGES.
Mythology returns, in a newly expanded paperback edition of the book Entertainment Weekly awarded a grade of A, “Alex Ross brings to his work an unparalleled sense of the real. His heroes–both super and mortal–have weight; they exist in space, and that space is affected by them in ways never before seen on the page.” And so here they are, the incomparable cast of the DC Comics Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Aquaman, the Green Lantern, and the rest of the Justice League as you’ve never seen them before. Mythology brings together the best loved comic characters in the world, brought to life by Alex Ross, one of the most astonishing young artists working in the medium today. The award-winning designer/writer Chip Kidd and photographer Geoff Spear have teamed up to create a book like no other, with an introduction by M. Night Shyamalan, the acclaimed director of The Village and The Sixth Sense .
Ross has often been called the Norman Rockwell of comics, and this book reveals not only his lifelong love of these classic superheroes but also his Mythology takes you into the studio for a behind-the-scenes look at his fascinating creative process. The combination of Ross’s dynamic art and Kidd’s kinetic design makes images from his most memorable stories–including Kingdom Come, Peace on Earth, War on Crime, and Uncle Sam–soar off the more than 300 pages.
The new material centers on Ross’s startling new comic book series, Justice , including sketches, preliminary art, prototype figures, and more. Mythology is a book in which every page explodes with the power of the icons it celebrates.
Mythology returns, in a newly expanded paperback edition of the book Entertainment Weekly awarded a grade of A, “Alex Ross brings to his work an unparalleled sense of the real. His heroes–both super and mortal–have weight; they exist in space, and that space is affected by them in ways never before seen on the page.” And so here they are, the incomparable cast of the DC Comics Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Aquaman, the Green Lantern, and the rest of the Justice League as you’ve never seen them before. Mythology brings together the best loved comic characters in the world, brought to life by Alex Ross, one of the most astonishing young artists working in the medium today. The award-winning designer/writer Chip Kidd and photographer Geoff Spear have teamed up to create a book like no other, with an introduction by M. Night Shyamalan, the acclaimed director of The Village and The Sixth Sense .
Ross has often been called the Norman Rockwell of comics, and this book reveals not only his lifelong love of these classic superheroes but also his Mythology takes you into the studio for a behind-the-scenes look at his fascinating creative process. The combination of Ross’s dynamic art and Kidd’s kinetic design makes images from his most memorable stories–including Kingdom Come, Peace on Earth, War on Crime, and Uncle Sam–soar off the more than 300 pages.
The new material centers on Ross’s startling new comic book series, Justice , including sketches, preliminary art, prototype figures, and more. Mythology is a book in which every page explodes with the power of the icons it celebrates.
320 pages, Paperback
First published October 21, 2003
About the author
Alex Ross
1,254 books432 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
March 9, 2021
Bloody fantastic. Alex Ross is absolutely talented and the things he can do with media, especially watercolor... WOW.
December 4, 2012
(More pictures at parkablogs.com)
This book on Alex Ross comic art is stunning. There are comics where the characters are brought to life by the art and story, but you know that they are still created from imagination. With Alex Ross, it seems like he's drawing a character that really exists. His sense of realism is unparalleled. He blurs the line between fantasy and reality.
He's compared often with Norman Rockwell and it's apt, but Alex Ross is in a class of his own too. He, too, uses photographic references to amazing results.
This book is packed with breathtaking paintings, many of which are full page. It's also filled with his sketches and accompanying commentary talking from anything about his childhood, comic characters and influences like Andrew Loomis and various comic artists. There are lots to read. There's also a section which details his drawing process, from getting a reference, to inking and then colouring.
Although there are no chapters, the content is grouped by the superheroes he drew, namely Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Shazam, The Justice Society, The Justice League, Aquaman, Martian Manhunter, Green Lantern, Plastic Man, Green Arrow, Hawkman, The Atom, The Flash, Supergirl, Batgirl and a whole lot more. These superheroes must have felt honored to be drawn by Alex Ross.
This book is really value for money — 320 pages of top quality art and awesome for only US$20. Highly recommended to all artists and comic fans.
October 16, 2020
Alex Ross is probably my favorite modern comic artist. The art he produces is not even really comic art to me and becomes something bigger and better. Excellent collection of his work for DC. Highly recommended
April 9, 2017
a beautiful book with great art. A must have coffee table book for those who love comics. You can spend hours just slowly turning the pages. If you don't have it yet, run out and get it now :)
June 4, 2008
This is great as a coffee table book -- its large size, the flashy colors, the ornate artwork... it was meant for casual perusing. I've probably flipped through this book a few dozen times, but only recently decided to read it cover to cover, page by page.
The result was a confirmation that this is indeed a very segmented read, each page respectable as standalone works of art and observation. If you come over to my house and sit on my couch without picking this up for a few seconds, you're missing out!
Inside this book is an excellent insight into the creation process of Alex Ross and his skill set. Even if you're not a comics fan, you'll find this intriguing as a study of art and how it's made. Ross's ability to use photographs as a reference for lighting and proportions is singular in his industry, and the results he provides are legendary.
Though this book focuses on his comic book work for DC Comics, I really do think anyone will appreciate his interpretations of classic American icons we've all come to know and love, taking the mythological Superman and turning him into a real-life father figure with actual weight and visible responsibilities that keep him grounded and human.
Take a look!
The result was a confirmation that this is indeed a very segmented read, each page respectable as standalone works of art and observation. If you come over to my house and sit on my couch without picking this up for a few seconds, you're missing out!
Inside this book is an excellent insight into the creation process of Alex Ross and his skill set. Even if you're not a comics fan, you'll find this intriguing as a study of art and how it's made. Ross's ability to use photographs as a reference for lighting and proportions is singular in his industry, and the results he provides are legendary.
Though this book focuses on his comic book work for DC Comics, I really do think anyone will appreciate his interpretations of classic American icons we've all come to know and love, taking the mythological Superman and turning him into a real-life father figure with actual weight and visible responsibilities that keep him grounded and human.
Take a look!
April 26, 2011
Wow. Only a talent of this caliber can present some of the most iconic figures known in our cultural sphere as being more than 2D images, but flesh and blood. It's a testament to the talent of Alex Ross that he can create such vibrancy through the use of gouache. The only reason why I didn't give this book a five-star rating was that it could have benefited from more material documenting his process from inception to end and all the steps inbetween--similar to how creation of the cover image was presented.
March 30, 2013
My "second" look of 2013 of...
The DC Comics Art of Alex Ross
Pretty much says it all.
If you're a fan of Ross and DC (like moi)... this is a great addition to your collection.
OK, so after getting The Dynamite Art of Alex Ross, I just had to pull this back off the shelf and give it another look-thru.
Great looking book with great looking art. I think I may be over-dosing on Ross's paintings though, so time to put it aside and move on to something else.
The DC Comics Art of Alex Ross
Pretty much says it all.
If you're a fan of Ross and DC (like moi)... this is a great addition to your collection.
OK, so after getting The Dynamite Art of Alex Ross, I just had to pull this back off the shelf and give it another look-thru.
Great looking book with great looking art. I think I may be over-dosing on Ross's paintings though, so time to put it aside and move on to something else.
August 24, 2013
An amazing story! It's with mythology we find our basis for truth and reality. In this tome we are given the beautiful art of Alex Ross to boot! Check out this wonderful book. You will be glad that you did!
February 5, 2012
Met Ross at an event held at the Random House office promoting the publication of Mythology (Kingdom Come also signed).
June 2, 2018
THE EISNER AWARD-WINNING, NATIONALLY BEST-SELLING MYTHOLOGY IS HERE IN PAPERBACK, IN AN EXPANDED EDITION WITH 32 NEW PAGES.
Mythology returns, in a newly expanded paperback edition of the book Entertainment Weekly awarded a grade of A, saying: “Alex Ross brings to his work an unparalleled sense of the real. His heroes–both super and mortal–have weight; they exist in space, and that space is affected by them in ways never before seen on the page.” And so here they are, the incomparable cast of the DC Comics universe: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Aquaman, the Green Lantern, and the rest of the Justice League as you’ve never seen them before. Mythology brings together the best loved comic characters in the world, brought to life by Alex Ross, one of the most astonishing young artists working in the medium today. The award-winning designer/writer Chip Kidd and photographer Geoff Spear have teamed up to create a book like no other, with an introduction by M. Night Shyamalan, the acclaimed director of The Village and The Sixth Sense.
Ross has often been called the Norman Rockwell of comics, and this book reveals not only his lifelong love of these classic superheroes but also his vision: Mythology takes you into the studio for a behind-the-scenes look at his fascinating creative process. The combination of Ross’s dynamic art and Kidd’s kinetic design makes images from his most memorable stories–including Kingdom Come, Superman: Peace on Earth, Batman: War on Crime, and Uncle Sam–soar off the more than 300 pages.
The new material centers on Ross’s startling new comic book series, Justice, including sketches, preliminary art, prototype figures, and more. Mythology is a book in which every page explodes with the power of the icons it celebrates.
Mythology returns, in a newly expanded paperback edition of the book Entertainment Weekly awarded a grade of A, saying: “Alex Ross brings to his work an unparalleled sense of the real. His heroes–both super and mortal–have weight; they exist in space, and that space is affected by them in ways never before seen on the page.” And so here they are, the incomparable cast of the DC Comics universe: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Aquaman, the Green Lantern, and the rest of the Justice League as you’ve never seen them before. Mythology brings together the best loved comic characters in the world, brought to life by Alex Ross, one of the most astonishing young artists working in the medium today. The award-winning designer/writer Chip Kidd and photographer Geoff Spear have teamed up to create a book like no other, with an introduction by M. Night Shyamalan, the acclaimed director of The Village and The Sixth Sense.
Ross has often been called the Norman Rockwell of comics, and this book reveals not only his lifelong love of these classic superheroes but also his vision: Mythology takes you into the studio for a behind-the-scenes look at his fascinating creative process. The combination of Ross’s dynamic art and Kidd’s kinetic design makes images from his most memorable stories–including Kingdom Come, Superman: Peace on Earth, Batman: War on Crime, and Uncle Sam–soar off the more than 300 pages.
The new material centers on Ross’s startling new comic book series, Justice, including sketches, preliminary art, prototype figures, and more. Mythology is a book in which every page explodes with the power of the icons it celebrates.
January 18, 2018
My favorite art book. There’s just no comparison to Ross. His talent mixed with his more realistic flare and style simply cannot be matched, and this book shows you his best work in all its glory. His wax figures are also shown, which are downright mind-blogging. A fantastic collection from a fantastic artist.
November 15, 2022
A wow book. And that's with me having given up on DC a long time ago. And entirely too much Kingdom Come. I wish I had something even a little like this for other comic book artists. Almost overwhelming. And yet I can't say I like every picture. And the same poses appear just too frequently. And there are two other books!
December 17, 2016
Gorgeous artwork, printed here in wonderful bright colours. Even if you don't read it, worth looking through it.
June 14, 2017
Beautiful art and a fascinating story about the artist.
July 2, 2018
Wonderful art and story to go with
December 30, 2019
A great book showcasing the amazing art by Alex Ross.
October 11, 2021
A collection of Alex Ross's DC work. There are some pieces in here that you can't find anywhere else. There is also some behind the senses information.
January 31, 2023
A great look at the art of Alex Ross and how his view of superheroes guided his landmark work over the years.
March 19, 2017
Proof that, with time and patience, the comic can be a thing of true art and beauty.
May 15, 2016
Vale la pena solo per il grosso formato che permette di apprezzare le tavolo di Alex Ross, veri e propri quadri iperrealistici con tema supereroistico.
Sono tre storie, incentrate sui tre massimi personaggi DC: Wonder Woman, Batman, Superman. Sono dei lunghi monologhi interiori dei tre personaggi, cosa che rende la lettura piuttosto pesante, visto il carattere prevalentemente dialogico del mezzo fumettistico (e Dini non è in grado di sostenere in maniera interessante dei monologhi così lunghi).
Il tema non sarebbe male, ma viene portato avanti in maniera un po' semplicistica: i supereroi riflettono sul loro desiderio di fare del bene, accorgendosi, però, che aiutare a tutti i costi, a volte, può risultare cosa sgradita. Ogni eroe che aiuta, infatti, impone all'aiutato una visione del mondo e della giustizia. Sottilmente, sembra dire che esiste un carattere 'violento' alla base dell'aiuto dei supereroi: con i loro poteri, impongono un cambiamento che loro considerano migliore, senza però aver interpellato coloro che devono ricevere l'aiuto. Ma la critica a un pietismo superficiale da Occidente che si considera 'il migliore dei mondi possibili', sfocia in un'ulteriore pietismo che solo apparentemente sembra includere anche l'altro, ma che in realtà è solo una visione Occidentale più consapevole, che continua a non immischiarsi col pensiero altrui.
Sono tre storie, incentrate sui tre massimi personaggi DC: Wonder Woman, Batman, Superman. Sono dei lunghi monologhi interiori dei tre personaggi, cosa che rende la lettura piuttosto pesante, visto il carattere prevalentemente dialogico del mezzo fumettistico (e Dini non è in grado di sostenere in maniera interessante dei monologhi così lunghi).
Il tema non sarebbe male, ma viene portato avanti in maniera un po' semplicistica: i supereroi riflettono sul loro desiderio di fare del bene, accorgendosi, però, che aiutare a tutti i costi, a volte, può risultare cosa sgradita. Ogni eroe che aiuta, infatti, impone all'aiutato una visione del mondo e della giustizia. Sottilmente, sembra dire che esiste un carattere 'violento' alla base dell'aiuto dei supereroi: con i loro poteri, impongono un cambiamento che loro considerano migliore, senza però aver interpellato coloro che devono ricevere l'aiuto. Ma la critica a un pietismo superficiale da Occidente che si considera 'il migliore dei mondi possibili', sfocia in un'ulteriore pietismo che solo apparentemente sembra includere anche l'altro, ma che in realtà è solo una visione Occidentale più consapevole, che continua a non immischiarsi col pensiero altrui.
July 31, 2009
"Mythology" is not only a superb collection of the breathtaking comic-book artwork of Alex Ross (he's known for his photorealistic paintings of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and their brethren -- pictures that have to be seen in high-quality reproductions, such as those in this book, to be properly appreciated), it's also a lovely recounting of both his lifelong love affair with the comics and his obviously close relationship with both his parents. His childhood drawings of Superman are as charming as his adult paintings are gorgeous, and his depictions of his father in comic-book form demonstrate Ross's respect for him more clearly than any words could.
August 28, 2007
Alex Ross brought fine art to comic books, and really revolutionized comic book art. This is a collection of many of his works. It's a marvelous piece for any art fan, any comic book fan, or for anyone who is both. Sometimes you look at his art and find it unbelievable that someone did that with a paintbrush and paint. You actually get to meet the real Superman and real Batman in his paintings. They're so lifelike and wonderful to look at.
January 7, 2013
The art is, of course, gorgeous. But the likelihood is that anyone who is fan enough to read the book will also have read "Kingdom Come", and so much space could have been better spent on "behind the scenes" images and harder to find pieces than on blown-up panels from his more famous books. That and it seemed that the last chunk of the book was one big plug for the then-forthcoming "Justice" series.
March 30, 2016
A large portfolio collection of Alex Ross--from the very first superhero drawings at age 3 (pretty damn good) to how he creates his work now. In my opinion he's one of the all time greats of comics, who elevates whatever he touches, to another level. He takes the same level of care with random magazine covers and TV guides as he does insane spreads. Highly recommend and a must have for any of his fans.
September 26, 2007
My wife gave me this book for my birthday by mistake, I'd say it was one of the best mistakes she's made. This book is amazing and Alex Ross has rekindled my interest in comic books by creating pictures that are so real, at times you have to remind yourself it is only a painting, and a watercolor at that.
February 9, 2008
"norman rockwell did comic books?"
a great coffee table book and an intersting read to one of the comic industry's premiere and iconic artists, alex ross. his art is so human and his portrayal of these larger than life superheroes makes them seem so real. just look at any of his batman renditions. nuff said.
a great coffee table book and an intersting read to one of the comic industry's premiere and iconic artists, alex ross. his art is so human and his portrayal of these larger than life superheroes makes them seem so real. just look at any of his batman renditions. nuff said.
May 27, 2016
No hay palabras para describir el arte de Alex Ross. Observar sus ilustraciones es ingresar a un mundo fantástico (el de los Super Héroes), pero a la vez real, es un sentimiento muy extraño. Este libro me encantó, porque muestra el proceso de las ilustraciones, su trabajo con los modelos y cómo fue esculpiendo de a poco las figuras icónicas del mundo DC. El Superman de Ross ES Superman.
April 29, 2021
El arte de Alex Ross es inconfundible y en muchos sentidos es impecable, pero lamentablemente su estilo me resulta poco dinámico e impersonal. Sin duda es un gran artista pin-up, pero una de las grandes fortalezas del cómic y la novela gráfica es la hipérbole dramática a partir del movimiento, la emoción de la imagen secuencia, atributos que no puedo encontrar en Alex Ross.
August 7, 2007
This one is The Holy Grail for any Alex Ross fans, as most of his important paintings are collected here. It also provides access on how Ross paints his masterpieces.
His paintings are simply breathtaking, and superheroes will never look the same again once they're painted by Alex Ross.
His paintings are simply breathtaking, and superheroes will never look the same again once they're painted by Alex Ross.
October 29, 2008
I've only perused certain parts of this book, but I know enough to say that this is an absolute keeper. Alex Ross has revolutionised comic book art with his hyper-realistic illustrative style, imbuing all his characters with a mythological and heroic pathos. Amazing.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews