Announcing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Ultimate Visual History!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles The Ultimate Visual History Bringing together the rarest art and artifacts from three decades of Turtles comics, television shows, and films, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Ultimate Visual History explores each iteration of the Turtles from past to present... Read More Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Ultimate Visual History By Andrew Farago; Foreword by Peter Laird June 2014 | 9.25 x 11 | 192 pages + 23 inserts Hardcover | $50.00 | ISBN: 978-1608871858

Celebrate 30 years of TMNT with us! Will you be in the San Francisco Bay Area this weekend? Join us for the book launch at the Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco thisSaturday, June 14th from 7-9pm! The opening reception and book launch is free and open to the public, and will feature many special guests and events celebrating three decades of TMNT, including an appearance by the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles themselves! Meet TMNT artists Mark Bode,  Ken Mitchroney, longtime Mirage Studios staffer Molly Bode, and talent fromNickelodeon’s hit Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series, including Executive Producer Ciro Nieli, characterIrineo Maramba, storyboard artist Felipe Smith, and Vice President of Current Series Animation Megan Casey as you enjoy refreshments and pizza from event sponsor Extreme Pizza! You can get more information and RSVP on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/280965982074386/

Exclusive Discount for Game of Thrones Pop-Up!

Game of Thrones Season 4 finale airs this Sunday, June 15, 2014 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO.

In celebration of the season finale this week, take 40% off the Game of Thrones: A Pop-Up Guide to Westeros with the code GOTPOPUP. Still want more? Snag the Game of Thrones House Journals!

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2014 Independent Publisher Book Awards

We are thrilled to announce, Insight Editions has six titles that appear on the 2014 Independent Publisher Book Awards!

The 2014 IPPY Awards medal ceremony was held on May 28th in New York. Congratulations to all!

Publisher and CEO Raoul Goff, IPPY Awards Director Jim Barnes, and Acquisitions Manager Robbie Schmidt

Biography

Gold: John Wayne: The Genuine Article, by Michael Goldman (also a gold winner of the IBPA Benjamin Franklin awards!)

Popular Culture

Gold: The SpongeBob SquarePants Experience: A Deep Dive into the World of Bikini Bottom, by Jerry Beck 

Silver: Iron Man Manual, by Daniel Wallace 

Sports / Fitness / Recreation

Silver: Sailing on the Edge: America’s Cup, by Bob Fisher and Kimball Livingston

Photography

Bronze: Keeping Time: The Photographs of Don Hunstein, by Don Hunstein; text by Jon Pareles; edited by Leo Sacks (also a gold winner of the IBPA Benjamin Franklin awards!)

Performing Arts

Bronze: House of Blues: A Backstage Pass to the Artists, Music, & Legends, by Daniel Siwek 

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We're also at Book Expo America this week! Stop by booth #1232, check out our award-winning books, and say hello!

Q&A with Matthew Reinhart

World-renowned, New York Times best-selling author and artist Matthew Reinhart studied industrial design at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn before finding his calling as a paper engineer. His books include the best-selling Encyclopedia Prehistorica: Dinosaurs, Star Wars: Pop-Up Guide to the Galaxy, The Pop-Up Book of Nursery Rhymes, and DC Comics Super Heroes: The Ultimate Pop-Up Book, among many other award-winning titles. He lives in New York City.

We asked him questions about his extremely impressive career, his latest book Game of Thrones: A Pop-Up Guide to Westeros, and what’s on the horizon:

1. What was your first pop-up creation, and what gave you the idea?

Pop-ups weren’t really a big part of my childhood, unfortunately – my little sister tore apart the only one I had, which was appropriately about dinosaurs, within 24 hours of receiving it!  That said, back then I was always building and constructing things out of paper and cardboard, whether I realized they were pop-ups or not.  Back before digital music media and even CDs, we used to make mixtapes of pop music (prophetic, huh?) and I always included a miniature comic to go with each cassette.  There was one person I was smitten with back then who inspired me enough to make a sort of pop-up comic scene for the mixtape package…amazing what puppy love will do, eh? I don’t know why I decided to make it, probably just wanted to enhance the scene a little.  That little pop-up scene, the first pop-up I constructed, is thankfully back in my possession.

2. Was there a moment when you realized that you could make a living out of pop-up design?

Yes.  After apprenticing with acclaimed pop-up book master and children’s book illustrator Robert Sabuda for a few years, I started to get the knack for paper engineering.  With his encouragement and patient guidance, I was able to see a path toward a real career in movable books.

3. Did you have a mentor or artists that inspired you?

I’ve taken inspiration from countless artists, from ancient times to current young artists just coming out of art school (seriously)—there’s too many to name, really, but I’ll try.

Paper Engineering inspirations: Vostech Kubasta, David Carter, Marion Bataille, and one of my former interns, Giovanni Iofrate.
Illustration inspirations: Peter Spier, Eric Carle, Maurice Sendak, Will H. Bradley, Charley Harper, Raiph McQuarrie...too many to mention!
Art movement inspirations: Art Deco, Grafitti – Urban Street Art, Photorealism, Impressionism, Superflat, Comic Book art (from the beginning to now), advertising artwork/graphics... even ancient Greek, Roman, Egyptian, and Babylonian!

4. We hear talk about the decline of print books due to the popularity of ebooks, but nothing digital could ever compare to what you create.  Was that a consideration when you first got started?

Not at all!  I was not that forward thinking in the least (kinda in my own world sometimes)—I just wanted to make cool movable books for readers of all ages.  Back then, it seemed to me the opinion was that print books would keep growing, ebooks weren’t a threat, Barnes & Noble would continue to keep opening stores and Borders Books would be around forever… but things changed.  Books went in a slightly different direction, and it taught me that an artist needs to continue evolving.  Pop-up books and paper engineering will always be a part of the work I do in some way, even though I have already started to broaden the types of books/stories/artwork/media I create in the future.  Ooooh, mysterious—huh?

5. Obviously, your new book is not designed for kids, but you’ve done a ton of children’s pop-up books in the past. What was the most fun to work on?

OK, I’m going to answer in a really corny way, but it’s totally true: Every book is fun for me in some way.  Admittedly, some are more fun overall than others.  Being a huge Transformers and Star Wars fan, both projects were pure love and joy, but also a huge amount of stress as well—everything had to be beyond perfect.  Seriously, though, I have fun with just about every book I create.  Making pop-ups is really fun, I’m not gonna lie!   I sometimes joke about my job being a prolonged ‘Arts & Crafts’ project, and at times I’m not far off.

6. Have you ever given pop-up tutorials? What’s a project you’d recommend for the novice pop-up artist?

Occasionally, I give tutorials if I’ve the time in my busy schedule.  School visits are the most enjoyable to me—kids’ art inspires me most.  Their imaginations are unencumbered by logic, and cynicism.

As for novice pop-up creators, there’s a bunch of simple Do-It-Yourself pop-ups on my website, www.matthewreinhart.com, to download, printout and build—complete with instructions.

7. Were there any creative challenges unique to the Game of Thrones pop-up that you hadn’t faced before?

Certainly, yes!  The unfolding book/map concept was once of the most difficult challenges I’ve ever met. When I came up with the idea, I thought it would be appropriately awesome and so unique, but had NO idea if it would actually work.  After many constructed concept models (most of which were tossed in the trash), I found a way to make it work, and our expert manufacturer, my friends at Sirivatana in Thailand, made the book’s mass production a reality.

8. How long did it take to construct?

The book took about four months to engineer from the beginning concept to final, although there was some lag time waiting to incorporate the incredible artwork of the uber-talented illustrator Michael Komarck.

9. Do you have a favorite pop in this book?

The pop-up for Winterfell I like quite a bit because it’s so intricate.  I also love the Wall pop-up, because it becomes so large and impressive.  The book/map transformation, though, remains my favorite paper engineering for this magnificent project.

10. I’m guessing you’re a fan of Game of Thrones—what’s your favorite house? Character?

Totally House Targaryen all the way.  Daenerys rules (at least I want her to), and I find her development and journeys the most interesting.  I’ve also been a fan of Tyrion Lannister from the very beginning!  My other favorites—mostly lesser characters with complicated pasts—are Brienne of Tarth,  Davos Seaworth and Sandor Clegane a.k.a. ‘The Hound’.  They all go through such wonderful and surprising transformations of character, something those of us in the mundane world hope for ourselves (at least I do).

11. What does your workspace look like?

A mess!  Well, not entirely—I rent the far corner of a bustling multi-purpose workspace with an architecture practice and textile design studio.  It gets a little loud sometimes, but I enjoy the creative energy around me and the big windows with 15-foot ceilings.  What’s not to love?  No crazy artist hours for me—I  work normal workday hours typically (9am – 6pm) , except before deadlines when I am at work all hours!

12. What are you working on now? Book-related or otherwise. 

Wow—there’s a lot happening right now!  Just finished up a pop-up book about (drumroll please…)—My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic!  Yes, I know what you’re thinking, very different from Game Of Thrones, but I am a big fan (as are my sister Erin and niece Lillian, who would’ve been very cross if I didn’t do it) of the new cartoon from The Hub Network.  MLP has an unreal cult following (ever heard of Bronies?), and I understand why—it’s really well written, the characters are fantastic, and it has real heart.  Also prepping a series of fun movable non-fiction books, about creatures, history and science—which takes me back to my roots in publishing.  Lastly, there are some secret (possibly pop-up) projects in the future that I cannot yet reveal… more mystery!

Q&A with Sideshow Collectibles CEO Greg Anzalone

2014 marks the 20th anniversary of Sideshow Collectibles, the world-renowned specialty manufacturer and distributor of the most highly sought-after licensed and original collectible figures and statues from recognized properties including Star Wars, Marvel, DC Comics, Alien & Predator, Terminator, The Lord of the Rings, G.I. Joe and many more.

Since 1994, Sideshow’s team of artisans—including renowned sculptors, experienced model makers, painters, and costumers—have combined efforts resulting in the creation of outstanding original designs and intricately detailed likenesses of pop culture, including film and television monsters, villains, heroes, mystical creatures of fantasy, and legendary figures from history. A deluxe gallery of Sideshow’s best work from its beginning to present day, Capturing Archetypes: Twenty Years of Sideshow Collectibles Art showcases the stunning creations they’ve produced over the past two decades in one breathtaking collection.

We asked their CEO and President, Greg Anzalone, about Sideshow’s journey thus far, and what’s on the horizon for them.

1. What inspired you to start the company back in 1994?

I was inspired by the amazing talent that I saw, a sort of raw ability from sculptors and fabricators to fashion characters and creatures like I’d not seen before. I wanted to work with them and help bridge the gap between their talent and a commercial enterprise.

2. What kind of products did Sideshow start out creating 20 years ago? How has the company transformed since then?  

Our original vision was to be mass market, to create plastic figures that would be carried by the larger toy retailers such as Toys “R” Us and Walmart. After succeeding with that initiative I realized it was a dead end for our true calling, which was more or less the polar opposite: low run, limited edition figures produced for the discriminating buyer.

3. Sideshow is known for its direct-to-customer communication—you sell products from your website and frequently interact with fans and collectors. When did the company start adopting this business model and how has it helped your brand over the years?

While we service hundreds of retail store accounts, we are unabashed enthusiasts of the direct sales model. We think of ourselves as the best spokespeople for the products that we make and relish the responsibility to connect with our consumers around the world.

4. How do you find and recruit the creative talent behind your collectible products?

For the most part, the cream of the figure talent pool rises to the top. Artists know artists and there’s a shared respect for the work that’s being done around the globe. Many of the folks that currently work for us were referrals from friends in the industry, with a large pool of talent emerging from the film industry.

5. What’s your best-selling brand or product?

The legion of Star Wars fans around the world is quite well known. They are rabid, passionate advocates for the type of work that we do and highly supportive of the company. Within that Star Wars universe, it’s logical to see how Darth Vader has become the most successful character we’ve ever produced.

6. When did Sideshow start collaborating with filmmakers and special effect houses like Guillermo del Toro and Legacy Effects, and how closely do you work together?  

Our intention was always to work closely to the source material, or with ingenious talent that were creating film content. That attitude has led us to numerous collaborations with filmmakers, writers, and illustrators.

7. Why publish Capturing Archetypes now? What was your ultimate goal with the book?

We’re proud of what we’ve created over the years—in most cases, the best 3D representation of a character for the collectible market. While typically humble in our approach, after 20 years we felt both the need and the right to showcase some of the work we’ve done for folks that may not know of us or who may not have seen the breadth of our work.

8. Will you be unveiling anything new and exciting at Comic-Con: San Diego this year?

Absolutely. Comic Con is always an opportunity for us to present many new things, including original characters and content, which have been borne from the creative genius that makes up the nucleus of Sideshow.

Q&A with Author Rob Auten

Rob Auten is a video game writer who cowrote Gears of War: Judgment with Tom Bissell and who contributed creatively to numerous games including James Cameron's Avatar: The Video Game, Far Cry, and Aliens vs. Predator. He lives in New York City.

His new book, Gears of War™: Judgment: Kilo Squad: The Survivor’s Log, was published on March 4, 2014. We asked him questions about his career thus far, his new book, and what he’s working on now:

1. How long have you been in the video game industry?

I got started working in game animation and cinematics after several years of being an editor for music videos and commercials. The first game I worked on was Rainbow Six: 3 for the original Xbox which was released in 2003.

2. When and how did you start working with Epic Games and Tom Bissell on Gears of War: Judgment?

Tom and I had been friends for a while and had a few other projects in the hopper, most of which still have yet to see the light of day. He was asked by Epic to write a short book about the development of Gears of War 3, during which time he heard that Epic was starting to talk to some writers about the next installment. Tom asked if we could write a pitch and we ended up getting the job.

3. What excited you about the franchise?

Gears of War was the game that defined my 360. I remember all too clearly that I was away from home and without a console on the day the game was released. When I finally got back, it was just as great as I had expected. When I sat down with one of my best friends to play the campaign in co-op, it even further exceeded my expectations.

4. How does your new book help further immerse players in the game?

The book isn’t going to be a very easy read unless you know the Gears universe. That probably goes without saying. But for those who do care, the book tries to help fans better understand the mentality of Seran citizens around the time when giant monsters started pouring out of holes in the ground. There’s also plenty of detail about Baird and Cole prior to their joining Marcus Fenix and Dom in Delta Squad.

5. What has been your favorite property to work on so far (you don’t have to say Gears of War!)?

I’ve been lucky enough to work on a few of my favorite properties. I still wish the world had been given a chance to play the Aliens RPG that was in development at Obsidian a few years back. The most eye-opening project (and one in which I only played a very small role) was Avatar. I was fortunate enough to be around the filming process and seemingly every week a new technological challenge was being surmounted. I’ve never seen technologists race so fiercely to fill a vision. It was remarkable.

6. What’s on the horizon for you? 

The life of a games writer is filled with nondisclosure agreements and I think my inability to talk about virtually anything I’m doing has made me even more of a bore to be around. Right now, I’m most looking forward to watching my girlfriend finish her doctoral thesis. That is no secret.

Exclusive Pre-Order Discount for Game of Thrones Pop-Up

We're thrilled to announce our Game of Thrones: A Pop-Up Guide to Westeros, available March 25th! Check it out:

Pre-order your copy of Game of Thrones: A Pop-Up Guide to Westeros and receive $25 off and a free house journal of your choice! See below for details.

Visit www.insighteditions.com and add both the Game of Thrones: A Pop-Up Guide to Westeros and the House Journal of your choice to your cart. Upon checkout, simply enter your house's promo code:

For House Lannister fans: GOTPOPLA

For House Stark fans: GOTPOPST

For House Baratheon fans: GOTPOPBA

For House Targaryen fans: GOTPOPTA