Here is the ideal gift for any and every comics reader of the math and/or logic persuasion, as well as those intrigued by the developments in these fields that led to Alan Turing's breakthroughs that made computers possible and so indirectly gave birth to the information age amidst which we currently find ourselves.  This engaging and highly readable graphic account the history of mathematics and logic during the first half of the twentieth century is recommended for anyone looking for a solid read.  Employing the dramatic device of linking all the historical events to the life of the philosopher/mathematician, Bertrand Russell, and bracketing the story with a self-referential account of its creation in the present, the authors have managed the difficult feat of simultaneously educating and entertaining the reader in equal measure.  Needless to say (but, as all of you reading this well know, that has never stopped us before and we see no reason to let it start stopping us here) this book is packed with potential to be the perfect holiday gift for any mathematically inclined comics reader.  Learn plenty more about it at:  http://www.logicomix.com

Papadatos & Co.'s followup to their hugely successful Logicomix provides a look at democracy where it all started, in ancient Greece.  

Jim Rugg on Barry Windsor-Smith's 1991 classic, Weapon X!

This 192 page mass-market size paperback explores this Marvel classic featuring the "secret" origin of Wolverine.  It is heavily illustrated in full color, and is driven by a powerful comics fan energy that is still present within Rugg's fully fledged professional self.  It is packed with information and insights that only someone with the requisite combination of comics love, comics knowledge and comics-making experience (in other words, only Jim Rugg) would be capable of providing. A big chunk of the book is devoted to a close, chapter by chapter reading of the story and art, with the remainder delving into the history and legacy of both the character and the artist, and then the creative and production processes.  

All readers will come away from reading this with a deepened appreciation of Weapon X, Barry Windsor-Smith, and comics as a medium of communication.

Here's the table of contents:

1. Naked + Deadly
2. Story
3. Wolverine 1991
4. Creator
5. Storytelling
6. Violence
7. Cast of Characters
8. Animals + Monsters
9. Setting
10. Color
11. Production + Process
12. Legacy

 

MADE-IN-PITTSBURGH SPECIAL