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August 12th 2025 Plagued by setbacks, the release date of The Art of Rust has been pushed back again. For the fifth time since its announcement in March, the book has been delayed and has now slipped into next year. As spotted on the website of publisher Dark Horse, the new release date for the book is January 6th 2026, as you can find  here . Announced first for September 9th, the 192-page hardcover has been an unfortunate victim of setbacks, a situation in which some titles in the artbook world find themselves in. As with prior delays, no reason has been given, but there are a huge number of things that can cause delays, from missing assets, to scheduling issues. The upcoming book will feature the concept art for the FPS survival game, which includes a look at the characters, costume designs, wildlife, weapons, vehicles, and environments, highlighting the work from the art team at Facepunch Studios. It's a short update for this one, simply because I've written about this book being delayed multiple times and have no other new information. It is important to make a note of these release issues though, because they aren't mentioned elsewhere, despite artbook delays happening more often than new announcements. Hopefully for those that play the popular shooter, this will be the final update before the release. Those interested in The Art of Rust can pre-order it here for their own collection here; Tags; Based On: #Rust Publisher: #DarkHorse Studio: #FacepunchStudios #DoubleEleven

August 11th 2025 Oni Press have taken to the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter to launch their next book, a showcase and celebration of the work of comic book illustrator Lewis LaRosa. Launched today and available to back now, Carbon Based: The Art of Lewis LaRosa is an oversized hardcover book with over 250 pages of artwork that fans will no doubt want to add to their collection. Featuring line art, full colour cover illustrations, concept art, and more, this is a dive into the long and impressive career of LaRosa, boasting art for multiple publishers in one volume. Carbon Based: The Art of Lewis LaRosa cover LaRosa's talent for creating dynamically intense and wonderfully detailed art gets the spotlight it deserves in this new book and it has already smashed its funding goal, so is now confirmed to go into production. Inside the book, readers will be treated to a look at his art for comic series such as Punisher MAX, X-O Manowar, Divinity and Uncanny X-Men . Oni Press have managed to include his work for multiple publishers to allow a full exploration of his career, which includes Marvel Comics, Valiant Entertainment, Epic Games, BOOM! Studios, Creative Beast Studio, and more. The 10 x 12 inch hardcover comes with an introduction by Oni Press President & Publisher Hunter Gorinson. Inside readers will get addition insights with commentary by LaRosa and former Valiant Editor-in-Chief Warren Simons. Not only this, but other notable names in the comic book world also show their admiration of the artist, including Lee Bermejo (Joker), Dave Johnson (Superman: Red Son), Matt Kindt (BRZRKR), Jeff Lemire (Black Hammer) and Yanick Paquette (Wonder Woman: Earth One). The Kickstarter allows you to back the project with a multiple choices of tiers as expected, offering not just the book, but other extras too. Starting with a $20 Digital Edition, the options go on to include a t-shirts, a foil-stamped hardcover copy, a portfolio print set, a slipcase edition, a signed copy, and more. It's a great offering that allows people to pledge more in the return for some extras that will make many collectors happy. Visit the Kickstarter page to see more details and secure your own copy of the book - Kickstarter Page . Check out some page previews below and find more on the Kickstarter page. Speaking on the exciting new book, LaRosa said the following; "It's happening, guys! Thanks to the fine folks at Oni Press, a retrospective of my art spanning over 20 years is in the oven. What an incredible honor. From my early days at Marvel launching Punisher MAX  to my years helping relaunch the Valiant Universe, this will showcase some of my best work in one lovely tome. I'm making sure to include some rarely seen odds and ends, as well as insight into my old school analog process revealing how the sausage is made. Whether it's the muscly figure work, sleek robots or prehistoric dinosaurs, hopefully these images will inspire you to pick up the pencil and DRAW!" Lewis LaRosa made his full length debut working on comic books in 2002 on a Thunderbolts mini-series, along with Citizen V & The V Battalion: The Everlasting for Marvel Comics. He also helped launch their MAX imprint in 2004, helping to create Punisher MAX . After becoming a teacher, he joined Valiant Entertainment in 2013 and created characters and covers for comic runs such as Divinity , Unity , and X-O Manowar . He also worked on interiors for Valiant: Bloodshot Reborn and Bloodshot Salvation , continuing to showcase his stunning artwork. LaRosa continued to work in comics alongside Marvel, Image Comics, Hasbro, Mondo, and more. This year he became the first comic book illustrator to have his art features on the cover of Nature magazine. A signed Slipcase Edition is available on the Kickstarter Expressing his passion for the release, Oni Press President and Publisher Hunter Gorinson said the following; “When it comes to Lewis LaRosa, 'immense talent' seems like a titanic understatement. For more than a decade, I’ve had the great joy of working alongside Lewis at a number of publishers, and it’s an honor to finally collect his life’s work – so far! – for the first time between two covers at Oni Press. This is a comprehensive, career-spanning appreciation of Lewis' artwork in one heavyweight, coffee-table book-sized tome that's suitably oversized to capture all the grit and grandeur of his unique and unreplicatable style. We’re having a blast collaborating with Lewis on this one-of-a-kind collection spotlighting his unique and hard-fought position in the pantheon of comic book greats.” The book is expected to ship in March 2026 for those that back the artbook on the campaign page, which will be running until it closes on Friday September 5th. Be sure to visit the Kickstarter before then and secure your own copy of Carbon Based: The Art of Lewis LaRosa - Kickstarter Page . Tags; #LewisLaRosa #OniPress #Kickstarter #MarvelComics #ValiantEntertainment

Book Details ISBN: TBC Publisher: Oni Press Page Count: 250 Format: Hardcover Publication Date: March 2026 Other Editions: Slipcase Edition About Oni Press present a hardcover book with over 250 pages celebrating the art and career of illustrator Lewis LaRosa. Inside fans will find a collection of line art, full colour covers, concept art, and more across his over 20 year career. This volume includes incredible artwork for multiple publishers, including Marvel Comics, Valiant Entertainment, Epic Games and BOOM! Studios. It also includes commentary by LaRosa and former Valiant Editor-in-Chief Warren Simons. Carbon Based: The Art of Lewis LaRosa was launched on Kickstarter and came with extras such as a portfolio set, a slipcase edition and a t-shirt. Categories Tags Based On: #LewisLaRosa Series: #MarvelComics #ValiantEntertainment #BOOMComics #EpicGames #CreativeBeastStudio Publisher: #OniPress Platform: #Comics Genre: #SuperHero #Fantasy

August 10th 2025 The Toxic Avenger is headed to the big screen this month after impressing and disgusting viewers 2 years ago at Fantastic Fest, but those wanting the early art and insights on their shelf now have a little longer to wait. The Toxic Avenger: The Art and Making of the Movie has been delayed by publisher Titan Books, moving its release date from September 16th to November 11th, as spotted on their website. The 160-page book will dive into the dark comedy with a look at the artwork that helped bring the return of the series to life. Coming with a glow-in-the-dark hardcover, it will also provide commentary from the creative team and cast, giving fans details on how the craziness of Tromaville made a comeback. There aren't a huge number of movies that get the 'Art and Making of' book treatment, those that do are often the big blockbusters that studios love to make, which makes this an interesting release. Director Macon Blair’s reimagining of the 1984 cult classic may have had a large budget, but after being shown in festivals in 2023, it struggled to get a distributer for a theatrical release due to its graphic and over-the-top content. Fortunately it has now secured a distributer in Cineverse and is headed to cinemas this month, as well as joining studio friendly movies in getting this tie-in book. The Toxic Avenger stars Peter Dinklage as a janitor who is transformed after falling into toxic waste, becoming the strange mutant hero ‘Toxie’. The movie then follows his violent story taking on gangs and CEOs as he attempts to reach his son. This new version modernises the outrageous series, now the 5th movie in the franchise, which also includes 2 TV series, comics and a video game. If you're interested in adding the book to your own collection, you can pre-order The Toxic Avenger: The Art and Making of the Movie here; Buy Here (US) / Buy Here (UK) Tags; Based On: #TheToxicAvenger Publisher: #TitanBooks Studio: #Cineverse #LegendaryPictures

July 9th 2025 *Update July 24th Since writing this article, Dark Horse have said that they can only sell the book in US territories and some parts of Canada, confirming previous reporting it applies to all of Europe, while clarifying that parts of Canada can receive stock from them. As well as this, Penguin Random House has finally taken a position on the book, stating that the listings in Europe use the Dark Horse ISBN number and therefore should not be available. This only confirms the listings are for a restricted book though, not that the retailers won't be getting stock as they may be getting them from third party seller. Original story below. The upcoming artbook for Massive Entertainment's Star Wars Outlaws is set to give fans a showcase of the incredible artwork behind the open-world game. However, the release of the book came with troubling news not too long ago, as the publisher Dark Horse revealed they could not sell The Art of Star Wars Outlaws in the UK. This also seemed to be the case for other regions outside of the US too, but this may have been resolved. As reported exclusively on this site, which you can read in full here , due to their licensing agreement with Lucas Publishing, Dark Horse confirmed to me that they cannot sell or ship their Star War publications in the UK. This came after a retailer had informed me they were not selling the book for this reason. At the time, listings were limited elsewhere in Europe and Canada too, but even when it was on a website, it wasn't always available to order. Now though, a couple of sites have the book available in the UK and other regions have had more listings appear from retailers other than Amazon, who was previously one of the few or only website with the book for some countries. So Dark Horse must have secured a new agreement right? Well, it's not really clear. Cover art for The Art of Star Wars Outlaws In the UK, on sites such as TG Jones  (formerly WH Smith), the book has a new publisher, Random House Inc. This is also the case on the German online bookstore Thalia  and the Swedish site Bokus ,  among others. One retailer has come back to me via email and said that this new listing has no restrictions, which is great news for fans. Random House Inc is a part of Penguin Random House, who are responsible for over 300 imprints, including Dark Horse. Wanting further confirmation, I spoke to their UK team to make sure it is indeed the case they are able to sell the book here. They told me both over the phone and in an email that it is not under their team, but it is the the American branch who are responsible. So I spoke the Americans who state that they cannot speak to international publications, only their own. After going backwards and forwards, trying to get any form of confirmation on if they can sell outside of the US, or who is even responsible for Random House Inc, I got no answers and eventually no more replies. It seems odd that neither team at Penguin Random House can speak to, or take responsibility for the publishing of the book, the customer service unfortunately wasn't the most helpful. I tried to get an answer before writing this, but it's clear I won't be getting one and can only report what I have found. To make things more interesting, most of the listings are still under Dark Horse in other regions, so it may be that Canada and some countries in Europe will possibly receive the book from them. Having asked a couple of times, I've not had confirmation from Dark Horse if this is the case, but I will update the story should I hear any more. As it currently stands then, a couple of UK listings are up without restrictions and more websites in other countries are also selling the book. Although it is not clear where Dark Horse can sell the book, or how the mysterious Random House Inc has the license to sell in the UK, there is just enough here to have confidence that more players of the game will be able to grab a copy when it releases on August 19th. Hopefully more places will have the book available to pre-order in the coming weeks, to further confirm that restrictions are no longer a concern. Star Wars has a long legacy of artbooks for the movies, shows, games, and more, with arguably the highest consistent quality across its large catalogue of releases. Massive Entertainment get to add their own art to that now, exploring the adventures of Kay Vess and Nix through concept art for the characters and locations of the criminal underworld they find themselves in. Star Wars Outlaws was released in August of 2024 and is an open-world adventure game, combining stealth, action, and exploration. It also includes a loyalty system for crime syndicates that players can take on jobs for too, with decisions you make affecting how each one responds to you in the open world. Since its launch, Massive Entertainment have also released two story packs as part of their season pass, Wild Card and a Pirate's Fortune, adding more to its already large world. A copy will be joining the collection here, so expect previews and an deep dive review when it arrives. For those interested in ordering The Art of Star Wars Outlaws, you can do so below; Tags; Based On: #StarWarsOutlaws Series: #StarWars Publisher: #DarkHorse Studio: #MassiveEntertainment #Ubisoft

August 8th 2025 The latest preview on The Artbook Collector YouTube channel is a look at the book for the critically-acclaimed game, The Last of Us! Dark Horse Books and Naughty Dog partnered up to deliver The Art of The Last of Us , a showcase of the incredible artwork behind the post-apocalyptic survival game. The 184-page hardcover includes artwork for the characters, environments, world design, and the grotesque infected. The book was released in 2013 and is still available online over 10 years later, perfect for fans discovering the game after the 2022 remake and the TV series released on HBO. This artbook is another display of the talent of the team at Naughty Dog, who have had multiple artbooks released by Dark Horse, including The Art of The Uncharted Trilogy , The Art of Naughty Dog, The Art of Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, and The Art of The Last of Us: Part II . With this partnership lasting for over 10 years, as well other books being published by Dark Horse from PlayStation's other first party studios, there is a good chance that Naughty Dog's next game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, will also get the artbook treatment from too. The Art of The Last of Us explores the early designs for Joel and Ellie, a now iconic duo following the game's massive success and endless awards, as well as featuring the rest of the characters the player encounters. It has a lot of environment art too, showcasing their work on showing how nature has taken over the towns and cities in the wake of the deadly infection. The highlight for many though will be the early designs for the infected, the poor humans that have been taken over by the fungal virus, turning them into horrifying and relentless killers. The Last of Us was originally released in 2013 and follows Joel, a hardened smuggler, who is tasked with taking a young teenager called Ellie across the country after humanity was ravaged by a deadly virus. As possibly the only person that is immune to the fungal infection, Ellie could be their last hope, so Joel must protect her from both the horrifying infected and other not-so-friendly human survivors. The game uses stealth combat, gruesome action, and cinematic storytelling to create one of the most critically-acclaimed games of all time. Since its launch on the PlayStation 3, the game has been released two more times. First, as The Last of Us Remastered on the PlayStation 4 in 2014, then as The Last of Us: Part I in 2022, which was a remake of the game with improved visuals and gameplay for the PlayStation 5. Both of the rereleases included the DLC, Left Behind. A sequel, The Last of Us: Part II came out in 2020, also receiving industry praise. HBO have adapted the games into a TV show, simply titled The Last of Us, and the first season from 2023 covered the story of 'Part I'. If you are a fan of the game and enjoyed the preview, you can order The Art of The Last of Us here; Buy Here (US)   / Buy Here (UK) Tags; #TheLastOfUs #PlayStation #DarkHorse #NaughtyDog

Book Details ISBN: 978-1616551643 Publisher: Dark Horse Page Count: 184 Format: Hardcover Publication Date: 18/06/2013 (June 18th 2013) Other Editions: N/A Buy on Amazon here; About Naughty Dog gives fans a look at the art behind the critically acclaimed hit, The Last of Us. This artbook from Dark Horse highlights the talent of the art team and their concepts and designs for characters, enemies, the infected, environments and more. The Art of The Last of Us also comes with insights from the developers, making this the perfect companion to the post-apocalyptic action game. Preview Categories Tags Based On: #TheLastOfUsPart Series: #TheLastOfUs Publisher: #DarkHorse Studio: #NaughtyDog #PlayStationStudios Platform: #PlayStation #PC #PS4 #PS5 #PS3 Genre: #ThirdPerson #Action #Horror

Book Details ISBN: 978-1506749433 Publisher: Dark Horse Page Count: 320 Format: Hardcover Slipcase Publication Date: 08/07/2025 (July 8th 2025) Other Editions: Deluxe Edition Order the standard editions here; Order the Deluxe Edition here; About Dark Horse and Sony Santa Monica partner up to deliver a two book set that dives into the history of the God of War series, from the original release in 2005, through to Ragnarök in 2022. God of War: 20th Anniversary Retrospective is divided into two books, the Greek Saga and the Norse Saga, both featuring a wealth of concept art, included some never-before-seen pieces. Through the written history and interviews with the creators and developers of the games, readers can learn more about the series, including its original conception, changes to the teams, designing the characters, the casting, music, and more. This is the perfect book set for fans that have been conquering the Gods as Kratos for the last 20 years. Preview Book Review - God of War: 20th Anniversary Retrospective Categories Tags Based On: #GodOfWarII #GodOfWar #GodOfWarIII #GodOfWarRagnarok #GodOfWar2018 #GodOfWarChainsOfOlympus #GodOfWarGhostOfSparta #GodOfWarAscension #GodOfWarBetrayal Series: #GodOfWar Publisher: #DarkHorse Studio: #SantaMonicaStudio #ReadyAtDawn #PlayStationStudios #Javaground Platform: #PS2 #PlayStation #PS3 #PSP #PS4 #PS5 #Mobile Genre: #Action #Fantasy #RPG

Book Details ISBN: 978-1781169285 Publisher: Titan Books Page Count: 192 Format: Hardcover Publication Date: 05/11/2013 (November 5th 2013) Other Editions: N/A About With another entry in their hugely popular Battlefield series, developer DICE and publisher EA teamed up with Titan Books to release an artbook for Battlefield 4. The Art of Battlefield 4 gives fans of the game a look at the art behind key moments of the single player campaign, the characters, weapons, vehicles, locations and more. For players that want more from the award-winning series, this is a great look at the work of the artists that helped bring the game to life. Categories Tags Based On: #Battlefield4 Series: #Battlefield Publisher: #TitanBooks Studio: #DICE #EA Platform: #PC #PlayStation #Xbox #PS3 #Xbox360 #PS4 #XboxOne Genre: #Action #FPS

August 6th 2025 After being delayed just days ago, Marvel Studios' The Infinity Saga - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2: The Art of the Movie has been delayed again, as confirmed on the website of the publisher Titan Books. The Infinity Saga collection is a resized matching set of rereleases for the older Marvel Studios' artbooks, that began with The Art of Iron Man and ended with Spider-Man: Far From Home: The Art of the Movie. Despite the new books coming out at a quick pace, a second set back has hit their next release, which has moved from September 16th to September 30th of this year. The 318-page hardcover was originally due on July 8th, but was delayed August 26th along with other books in the series. However, while those other books were delayed just once, as reported here , this book has now been delayed an additional two times. Fortunately, as it hasn't move back past the date of October 7th, the current release date of Marvel Studios' The Infinity Saga - Spider-Man: Homecoming - The Art of the Movie , there has not been a domino effect on the other titles. Marvel Studios' The Infinity Saga - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2: The Art of the Movie includes concept art for the characters, otherworldly locations, ships, and aliens, which makes it an interesting book in the long-running series. Like the previous artbook for the misfit team, Marvel Studios' The Infinity Saga - Guardians of the Galaxy: The Art of the Movie , it showcases the creative work of the team when designing characters and locations in the strange cosmos of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The last entry released by Titan Books in the series was Marvel Studios' The Infinity Saga - Doctor Strange: The Art of the Movie ,  a book I reviewed with previews, including comparisons to the original. You can read that here . The top book is the original, below is the Titan Books Infinity Saga release. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2016) brought back new fan favourites Peter Quill, Gamora, Drax, Rocket, and Groot for another cosmic adventure packed with humor, heart, and high-stakes action. The team crosses paths with Ego, a powerful celestial being and Peter’s father—only to uncover a darker truth behind his intentions. Living up to their name, they find themselves again saving the galaxy. This upcoming artbook rerelease showcases the concept art that helped bring it to life, with all of the original content of the original. The Titan Books' series is the best way to collect the older books, as many of the originals are harder to come by and only available on second hand markets with a wide range of prices. It's also ideal for younger fans that may not have been buying artbooks as far back as 2008, making this a good way to collect the artwork for the earlier movies. These books come in a slightly smaller size and without a slipcase, but have improved binding and a high print quality. This format has reduced the price of the books, even being heavily discounted on sites like Amazon. A review will be shared here when it arrives on September 30th, with comparisons to the 2016 version, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2: The Art of the Movie. If you are interested in adding Marvel Studios' The Infinity Saga - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2: The Art of the Movie to your own collection, you can order the book below; Buy Here (US)   / Buy Here (UK) Tags; #GuardiansOfTheGalaxy #GuardiansOfTheGalaxyVol2 #MCU #Marvel #MarvelStudios #TitanBooks #MarvelCinematicUniverse

August 4th 2025 The Fantastic Four: First Steps is out now in cinemas, introducing us to Marvel Studios' take on the family of super-powered astronauts, as well as Silver Surfer and Galactus. As is tradition, an artbook is also on the way for the movie, titled Marvel Studios' The Fantastic Four: First Steps - The Art of the Movie . Currently set for release on November 18th 2025, preview pages are now available to give you a taste of what to expect. Marvel Studios' The Fantastic Four: First Steps - The Art Of The Movie placeholder cover The previews, as seen below, can be found on retailer websites and aren't typically shared for Marvel Studios' books, at most you get the cover art and the description. This is nice change, because these are artbooks after all, it's important to see what you are buying, especially as some can be wildly different from one another. Marvel sticks to the same formular for their movie artbooks, which isn't a bad thing, but potential new buyers of the long-running series won't know what to expect, so this is good way to get more people interested that come across a listing online. In the previews, you can see full spreads, which includes the artwork, insights, and artist credits that the books have always been good at implementing. The resolution isn't the highest, but it's enough to give you an idea of what to expect. In the first sneak peak you can see a double page spread of Galactus with Mr. Fantastic on his thumb, shown to be much larger here than he is in the movie. The credit for a large piece like this is given on the next page due to lack of space, but it is from Head of Visual Development Ryan Meinerding. The second preview is a spread of concepts for Silver Surfer, also with art from Meinerding. It explores her look with commentary on how Meinderding and Director Matt Shakman worked together to create her look, such as using 'age-tarnished versions of a mirror' while working on the iconic reflective design. Above art by Ryan Meinerding The third preview is an interesting look at a keyframe of Marvel's First Family taking on a giant robot created by Mole Man, a homage to Fantastic Four issue 1, originally featuring Giganto. The art was created by Rodney Fuentebella who is a long-time concept artist at Marvel. Those that have seen the film will notice Reed's use of powers as they are being used more significantly here than the on-screen depiction, wrapping around the robot multiple times. It also showcases drilling machines, with designs created by Thomas du Crest. The final page is a keyframe of the heroes together from artist Wesley Burt. The commentary on this page notes that 'Earth 828', the designation of this Universe's Earth, is in honour of the creator of the characters, Jack Kirby, as his birthday was on August 28th. Kevin Feige also speaks on this page about his choice to have Shakman as the Director and bringing on Production Designer Kasra Farahani, who both worked on Loki, which also had a unique retro-inspired visual design to its world. Top pages by artists Rodney Fuentebella and Thomas du Crest, bottom pages by Wesley Burt Previews aren't the only thing unique to this artbook in the series that began with The Art of Iron Man in 2008, but it's also the first to come with two volumes, 'The Art of the Movie' and 'Portfolio'. What this Portfolio book is isn't entirely clear, as in the description it is simply described as having ' a stunning gallery of never-before-seen artwork', which is true for the more than 50 artbooks they have already released. The early Infinity Saga books, running through to Spider-Man: Far From Home - The Art of the Movie, came with a slipcase and no page cap, often going above 300 pages. The slipcase was then dropped and the pages capped at 224, ending with the release of Marvel Studios' Loki: Season Two - The Art of the Series that is being published imminently on August 5th after series of delays. The slipcases came back and brought with them new lithograph prints, the last was for Marvel Studios' Captain America: Brave New World - The Art of the Movie , with the next being based on Thunderbolts. The unfortunate talking point about the book though will be the price. This was already increased to $100 to bring back the slipcase, which you can read in any of my reviews for these books doesn't feel justified from a value perspective. This release though is now $150/ £134, triple the price of most artbooks on the market. The final details have yet to be confirmed though, it was first revealed with a page count of 400, then 256, and now 288 on Amazon listings . Assuming that 224 will continue to be their page cap in the 'The Art of the Movie' volume, the additional value has to be tied up in this new mystery book, so it will be interesting to see what they finalised details are because it's unlikely to be just 64 pages. Outside of this and now putting on my hat as a reviewer of artbooks, my only concern is that in 3 of the previews there are images that cross the centre fold, which can and has caused image loss in previous Marvel Studios' artbooks. It can be avoided with good binding and positioning in the page signatures, but despite the high quality of the artwork and books in the past, Marvel have had the same issues reoccur multiple times in recent years. Examples of this can be seen below. Top page from Marvel Studios' Captain America: Brave New World - The Art of the Movie. Bottom from Marvel Studios' She Hulk: Attorney at Law - The Art of the Series. I point this out not to put people off buying the book, as I would still recommend the series in spite of the few issues they have, but to give my honest take as to what I see. To end on a positive though, everything else is looking great as expected with clear layouts, artist credits on the pages and, of course, the incredible talent of the visual development team on display. It's in a prime position to be a strong entry for the movie tie-ins because of First Steps unique retro-futuristic style of its world, no doubt putting this on the radar of those that enjoyed the movie. If interested in more from Marvel Studios, you can check out my reviews of their most recent releases here, which includes an entry from the ongoing Titan Books' rereleases for the Infinity Saga artbooks; Book Review - Marvel Studios' Loki: Season Two - The Art of The Series Review - Marvel Studios' Captain America: Brave New World - The Art of the Movie Book Review - Marvel Studios' The Infinity Saga - Doctor Strange: The Art of the Movie Book Review - Marvel Television's Agatha All Along: The Art of the Series If interested in ordering Marvel Studios' The Fantastic Four: First Steps - The Art of the Movie ahead of its release on November 18th, you can do so below; Buy Here (US)   / Buy Here (UK) Tags; #FantasticFour #Marvel #MarvelStudios #MCU #FantasticFourFirstSteps #MarvelCinematicUniverse

Book Details ISBN: 978-0785133308 Publisher: Marvel Page Count: 208 Format: Hardcover Slipcase Publication Date: 03/12/2008 (December 3rd 2008) Other Editions: 10th Anniversary Edition You can buy the rereleased edition from Titan Books on Amazon here; About This was the first book for the long running series of Marvel Studios artbooks. The Art of Iron Man gives fans a look at some of the earliest concept art for the MCU and comes with insights from the visual development team. It covers the characters, the Iron Man armor, enemies, settings and more. In 2023 the book was rereleased by Titan Books, titled Marvel Studios' The Infinity Saga - Iron Man: The Art of the Movie. Preview Categories Tags Based On: #Iron Series: #MarvelCinematicUniverse #MCU #Iron Publisher: #Marvel Studio: #MarvelStudios Platform: #Movies #DisneyPlus Genre: #SuperHero #Action

August 3rd 2025 The upcoming artbook based on the award-winning video game Still Wakes The Deep from developer The Chinese Room has been delayed. The book was expected to ship by the end of July, but the date has been moved back a month. The Art of Still Wakes The Deep from publisher Cook & Becker can be ordered on their website , which is where the delay was spotted as it is now listed with a date of August 31st 2025. This follows the previous update that moved it back to add an additional chapter. However, emails were received for that delay, but this time it was quietly moved. Although we can only speculate on the reason for this new release date, it is likely to continue work on adding the new chapter to the book at the request of The Chinese Room. It is unknown what the new content will be focused on, but it's about as good a reason as a publisher can give for needing extra time. We do know from the description from Cook & Becker that the hardcover book will feature a look at the development, artwork, themes, and inspirations of the game. You can read part of the email update for the last delay here; "Everything is print-ready and looking great - as you have come to expect from Cook and Becker and Lost In Cult. However, we received a last-minute request from The Chinese Room recently to add an extra chapter to the book... We can't yet reveal the content of that chapter, so you'll have to wait until the book arrives to discover it.  Unfortunately, this addition means we cannot ship the book this month as previously communicated, but in July." A lot of things can affect the release of a book, it could be a scheduling with the printers, waiting on assets, quality testing, and more. The book is also being designed by Lost in Cult, who are a publisher themselves and very busy with their Design Works book series, vinyl and now physical game publishing , making it possible that they need more time to make sure the new content is up to their high standards. Regardless of the reason, I'm sure those that pre-ordered are happy to wait a little longer for more insights and art for the horror game. Still Wakes The Deep is a first-person survival-horror game by The Chinese Room, released on June 18, 2024. Set in 1975 on a North Sea oil rig, players step into the role of electrician Caz McLeary as he attempts to survive an unknown organism that breaks out after a drilling incident. The psychological horror creeps in when the strange anomaly starts to spread and take over both the rig and the crew. Unable to use weapons or attack, players must navigate claustrophobic environments while solving puzzles and avoiding the now grotesque crew members. Praised for its authentic Scottish dialogue, level design, story, and use of sound, Still Wakes The Deep went on to be nominated for multiple awards, with wins for actor performances and Best Visual Art at the Develop: Star Awards. If you're a fan of the game and are interested in learning more about it, The Art of Still Wakes The Deep can be pre-ordered on the Cook & Becker website here . A copy will also be joining the collection here, so expect previews and a review when it arrives. Tags; #StillWakesTheDeep #TheChineseRoom #LostInCult #CookAndBecker #Delay

August 2nd 2025 Titan Books has been quickly growing its Infinity Saga collection of artbooks with frequent releases, bringing back the original series that ran from 2008's Iron Man, to 2019's Spider-Man: Far From Home. A set back has hit their next release though, which collects the concept art for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Previously set to be published on August 26th, Marvel Studios' The Infinity Saga - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2: The Art of the Movie has been delayed to September 16th. This is only a delay of a few weeks and fortunately doesn't affect the rest of the books in the series. The hardcover comes with over 300 pages and features all of the content that was in the original book. The books are being released in the same order as the originals from Marvel, which also follows the release order of the movies. Marvel Studios' The Infinity Saga - Spider-Man: Homecoming - The Art of the Movie will be the next release in line and is due on October 7th, so as this delay still puts the book's publishing date before this, there has been no knock-on effect. Marvel Studios' The Infinity Saga - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2: The Art of the Movie showcases the talent of the art team that worked on the movie, while also providing commentary from the artists about their approach to the designs. As the movie includes a lot of otherworldly locations, ships and aliens, it makes it one of the more interesting in the series. Like the artbook for the first movie with the Guardians team, it highlights how the artists could be creative with their ideas, exploring strange landscapes and strange looking creatures that you don't get with most other movies in the MCU. The Titan Books' series is a great way for those that missed out on the books, or those that are new fans, to add them to their shelves at an often very reasonable price. Although a little smaller and without a slipcase, the books come with improved binding and a high print quality. Previous releases have been seen on sites like Amazon heavily discounted, going as low as $15/ £10, an incredible deal for a wealth of artwork, especially when some of that shows the early iterations of the now iconic on-screen depictions of heroes and villains. This is made more appealing as some of the original versions are harder to come by now, sometimes selling deep into triple digits. To get an idea of what to expect, you can read my review of their last release, Marvel Studios' The Infinity Saga - Doctor Strange: The Art of the Movie ,  which also includes comparisons to the original version with photos, such as the one below. Read it here . The top book is the original, below is the Titan Books Infinity Saga release. 2016's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 saw the return of Peter Quill, Gamora, Drax, Rocket Raccoon and Groot for another adventure filled with action, comedy and heart. After a botched job leads to a galaxy-wide chase, they encounter Ego, a powerful celestial being and Peter’s long-lost father. Of course, being a Marvel movie, especially one with group of troubled characters, things don't go smoothly and the Guardians find themselves having to be the heroes again. This upcoming book features a look at the art for each step of the story, including costumes, ships, locations, key frames, and the introduction of the fan-favourite character Mantis. A copy will be joining the collection, so a review will be shared here when it arrives on September 16th. The first two Guardians of the Galaxy artbooks are personal highlights for me in the Marvel published original series, so I'm looking forward to seeing how this one compares to that release. If you are interested in adding Marvel Studios' The Infinity Saga - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2: The Art of the Movie to your own collection, you can order the book below; Buy Here (US)   / Buy Here (UK) Tags; #GuardiansOfTheGalaxy #GuardiansOfTheGalaxyVol2 #MCU #Marvel #MarvelStudios #TitanBooks #MarvelCinematicUniverse

August 2nd 2025 Heroes in a Half Shell are getting the artbook treatment from IDW Publishing early next year, with a new release based on the Rise of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series. Fans of the animated show will be able to go behind the scenes of its creation with the artwork that helped bring it to life on Nickelodeon. Coming as a 256-page hardcover, The Art of Rise of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is set to be released January 20th 2026 with the below cover art. The foreword is provided by the series' co-creators Andy Suriano and Ant Ward and the book is authored by Colin Stein. The Art of Rise of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cover Diving into Nickelodeon Animation Studios' visually bold series, it chronicles the show’s entire creative journey, from original concept sketches to the final designs you see on screen. Within its oversized pages you’ll find background layouts, character art, and an exploration of the evolution for Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, Michelangelo, April, and the rest of the crew. It also features commentary from the series’ cast and creative team, providing further insights into the making of the show and visuals. This release will make for the perfect companion to the show that highlights the visual aesthetic that sets is apart in the TMNT franchise. Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a 2D animated series that aired on Nickelodeon from 2018 to 2020. It followed everyone's favourite mutant turtles, Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo as they discover their new ninja powers. Living in the sewers of New York, the brothers form a group called the 'Mad Dogs' and join forces with April O’Neil to uncover the city’s hidden magical realms. The reboot came with a comedic tone and shorter episode format. Fans of the series have praised this new take on the TMNT for its kinetic animation and character-driven storytelling. The animation was provided by Flying Bark Productions, with Nickelodeon Animation Studios producing the show. A movie was also released in 2022 on Netflix. IDW Publishing have been releasing single issue comics and books for TMNT for some time, with a lot on offer on their website, so if you're a fan and are looking for more from the pizza-loving turtles, visit their site here . The publisher also released comic books based on the show in 2018 and 2019. Those interested in The Art of Rise of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles can order the book below; Buy Here (US)   / Buy Here (UK) Tags; #TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles #IDWPublishing #Nickelodeon #FlyingBarkProductions

August 1st 2025 A new artbook preview is on The Artbook Collector YouTube channel with an early look at the long-anticipated artbook for the return of the God of Mischief in Marvel Studios' Loki: Season Two - The Art of The Series ! Back with another artbook on August 5th, Marvel Studios showcases the artwork and insights for return of Loki, Mobius, Sylvie and the TVA. The 224-page book is the last to come without a slipcase and lithographs, the previous format of the series before they were added. Originally due in October of last year, this deep dive into the incredible work of the artists has been worth the wait, as it delivers with unused designs, interesting insights, and more. You can read more about the book and what to expect in my positive review of the book . The book is heavy on costume design, exploring the different ideas and scenarios the characters could have found themselves in following the events of season one. It's worth noting that Victor Timely, played by actor Jonathan Majors, is featured very little in the book, likely a result of his firing from Marvel. The book also explores the technology of the show, including the Temporal Loom, with an interesting mix of styles throughout for the different time periods. The final section is dedicated to Loki in his final form as the God of Stories, with a large variety of concepts that readers will no doubt consider a highlight of the book. New character O.B. is also included, even having concepts of the character before Ke Huy Quan was cast, highlighting the freedom the artists have for their ideas before someone takes on the role. As always, artist credits are featured on each page and at the back of the book too, something that should be the standard for all artbooks. Loki Season 2 picks up after the death of He Who Remains’ at the hands of Sylvie. With Loki trapped in the TVA and experiencing uncontrollable time-slipping. The story has him join Mobius, as well as new and returning allies, to repair the Temporal Loom and prevent a multiversal collapse. The series has a large focus on the multiverse and time, making it an integral component of the ongoing Multiverse Saga the Marvel Cinematic Universe is currently in. The fan favourite character and series delivered again with its return, praised by fans and ending with a payoff that's been over 10 years in the making for the character. Although no third season has been confirmed, Loki, played by Tom Hiddleston, will return in 2026's Avengers: Doomsday. There's no doubt that Loki, now God of Stories, will be an important figure in the upcoming movie, which will be jumping universes and possibly breaking them, something that will surely catch his eye. If you are a fan of the series though and enjoyed the preview, you can order Marvel Studios' Loki: Season Two - The Art of The Series here; Buy Here (US)   / Buy Here (UK) Tags; #Loki #Marvel #MarvelStudios #MCU #Disney #DisneyPlus

Book Details ISBN: 978-1419771422 Publisher: Abrams Books Page Count: 224 Format: Hardcover Publication Date : US - 19/08/2025 (August 19th 2025) UK - 28/08/2025 (August 28th 2025) Other Editions: N/A About This is the second book for Star Wars: The High Republic and showcases the art for Phases II and III of the multimedia series from Lucasfilm Publishing. Official details below; " Collecting the very latest concept art of the new characters, worlds, ships, and creatures of The High Republic—designed jointly by the Lucasfilm visualists and a team of legendary comic book and Star Wars artists, including Phil Noto, Iain McCaig, and Ario Anindito, among many others—and presented alongside development materials and interviews with The High Republic architects, The Art of Star Wars: The High Republic (Volume II) is an essential guide to the creation, design, and realization of a new era of Star Wars storytelling." Categories Tags Based On: #StarWarsTheHighRebublic Series: #StarWars #StarWarsTheHighRebublic Publisher: #AbramsBooks Studios: #LucasfilmPublishing #PenguinRandomHouseAudio Platform: #Novels #Comics #Audio Genre: #Action #SciFi #Fantasy

August 1st 2025 With July now over, we look to August to deliver more artbooks to our shelves! But queue the sad music, there are only 4 this month. The summer has been a victim of a lot of book delays, leaving August light on releases as well, but giving the rest of the year a busy schedule. But, think of this as time to save your money for incoming wave of releases, with the below artbooks serving as an appetiser, 5th - Marvel Studios' Loki: Season Two - The Art of the Series It's been a long wait for this one, but it's finally here! After10 months of delays, the book has proven that patience is rewarded as the book is great. It includes a wealth of concept art for the characters, locations, items and key frames for the return of Loki. You can read my in-depth review of the book here . Marvel Studios' Loki: Season Two - The Art of the Series is one of the stronger releases in the series this year, so fans won't be disappointed in this one. For more of the book, check out my preview below; If interested in the book, you can order it below; Buy Here (US) / Buy Here (UK) 19th - The Art of Star Wars Outlaws Players of Massive Entertainment's open-world adventure game will be able to get their hands on the artbook very soon, as The Art of Star Wars Outlaws is headed to shelves on the 19th. Featuring a look at the art behind the locations, weapons, creatures, vehicles, and characters, this book will join the impressively large catalogue of Star Wars artbooks. The interesting story with this one is whether it will make it to fans outside of the US, as licensing restricts Dark Horse from shipping and selling the book anywhere else. However, listings have been appearing across Europe, so it may be the case that retailers have taken up smuggling themselves to get the goods! You can read more about that here . If you are one of those wanting to grab a copy, you can order it here; Buy Here (US)   / Buy Here (UK) 28th - The Art of Star Wars: The High Republic: Volume II Abrams Books are publishing another look at the art behind the multimedia crossover event for The High Republic series. Featuring a look at Phases II and III, this 224-page hardcover will showcase the talent of the artists with insights throughout. Artists featured includes Phil Noto, Iain McCaig, and Ario Anindito, and more to create the characters and worlds for the time period. You can add The Art of Star Wars: The High Republic: Volume II to your own collection using these links; Buy Here (US)   / Buy Here (UK) 31st- The Art of Still Wakes The Deep Still Wakes The Deep from The Chinese Room is a horror game set on an oil rig in 1970's Scottish waters, creating an interesting and yet disturbing visual design to the game. Its industrial environments create claustrophobic spaces, even when outside, made worse by the grotesque enemies encountered in the game as well! The book will explore this and more for the award-winning title. The Art of Still Wakes The Deep  was first due in May and is appearing on an upcoming list for the third time. It has previously received a last minute delay as The Chinese Room wanted to add another chapter to the book, a good a reason as any to postpone the release. Publisher Cook & Becker stated that the book would be out in July, but a new update on their website has moved it the end of August. A Deluxe Edition is also available with a slipcase and other extras. You can order both versions on their website here . Any changes will be reported as they happen, with more future artbook releases found on the Upcoming page ! Tags; #Marvel #MarvelStudios #Loki #DarkHorse #CookAndBecker #StarWars #TheChineseRoom #StillWakesTheDeep #AbramsBooks

July 31st 2025 Another monthly news roundup video has been posted on The Artbook Collector YouTube channel that looks back at July 2025! The third entry in the series collects the news stories featured here over the last month which includes 2 updates, 4 delays, 6 new book reveals, and 4 upcoming books for the month of August. Still getting into the swing of things with this new video series, but people seem to be responding well to them which is great. Feel free to leave feedback and let me know if you find it useful. Big titles featured this month include The Art of DOOM: The Dark Ages , Marvel vs. Capcom: Ultimate Complete Works , The Art of Star Wars Outlaws , Superman: The Art and Making of the Film , and more! Check out the video below and subscribe to discover more artbooks to add to your collection with future news roundups, as well as video previews of new releases and old gems. The monthly roundups may miss out on news from the end of each month because of when I record, but they will be picked up in the next video, as a couple have been this time, including the official reveal of the artbook for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 . All new items are featured here though, so be sure to check in from time to time to stay up to date. Happy collecting! Tags; #DarkHorse #TitanBooks #AbramsBooks #Marvel #MarvelStudios #CloverPress #Thunderbolts #DoomTheDarkAges #UdonEntertainment #StarWars #Loki #StarWarsOutlaws #MarvelVsCapcom #Gundam #Superman

July 31st 2025 After a long wait, the upcoming artbook for the second season of Loki is finally just around the corner with a release date of August 5th. Ahead of the release of Marvel Studios' Loki: Season Two - The Art of the Series , get a look at some of the pages of concept art for Loki in his new role as 'God of Stories'. Tom Hiddleston has played the character since 2011, making his debut in Thor, but despite being a villain, quickly became a fan favourite. Now a hero himself, Loki is arguably one of the most important characters in the MCU, because he is now what keeps the timelines from coming apart, putting him in a critical position in the current Multiverse Saga. The moment he steps into this role on the show was a fantastic moment that came with a new costume design too, but many looks were explored for the former God of Mischief, as you can see below. Above art by Jackson Sze As you can see in the images above from Visual Development Supervisor Jackson Sze, it wasn't just a cloak and extended horns that were explored for Loki, but more formal wear too. Although green remains the colour used in the series, there are concepts included in the book that feature a lot of white as well. Most of the art included features his horns, an iconic look the character has had in the comics, but used much less on-screen. They certainly seemed to be a much more integral look to Loki following the finale of the second season, as now confirmed by Hiddleston, who gave the follow quote in the book; " ...it's his version of a crown. But uneasy lies the head that wears the crown. The grow out of him from within rather than being something he puts on. But these ones are softer somehow. They're almost like antlers on a stag. They belong to him in some way. " Top page by artist Wesley Burt, middle by Belinda Leung and Christine Wada, bottom by Jackson Sze The Marvel Studios' artbooks are always great for insights as well as art, giving readers a look at the thought process behind the designs and ideas for the characters and worlds of their releases. Jackson Sze gives details on his approach to working on the Loki's new look; " At the initial stages, we knew that Loki was going to elevate to a cosmic level, having to do with the Multiverse, but we were not exactly sure how. [...] The great thing that we establish early on is that even though Loki attains his glorious purpose and becomes really, really powerful, it would be a heavy crown that he wears. That was the key point the filmmakers wanted to get across right from the get-go. So that's why you see versions of Loki's horns being double the size of what they were in his previous iterations. And some of the costumes I did, he is weighed down by how heavy his robes are just to make his movements slow and deliberate. " Top by Wesley Burt, middle by Karla Ortiz, bottom by Jeff Simpson Of course, the book doesn't just feature a look at Loki, but includes a wealth of concept art for multiple characters and locations, including O.B, Morbius, Sylvie, the TVA and more. Other designs are also included, such as the Loom and the the suits worn to protect from temporal radiation. Insights from the artists and showrunners are featured throughout for the time-slipping story, making this the perfect companion to the show. For more previews, check out my review of the book . Below is a peak at a page for Sylvie, from artist Mushk Rizvi. Marvel artbooks have been released for almost all of their projects since 2008's Iron Man. The releases that covered the Infinity Saga series came with a slipcase, but this was dropped early on for the Multiverse Saga, coming out as just hardcover books. This is the last to be released in that format, as the slipcases made a return last year with Marvel Studios' Deadpool & Wolverine: The Art of the Movie . Marvel Studios' Loki: Season Two - The Art of the Series was due to be released in October of 2024, but was an unfortunate victim of multiple delays, which is why there is crossover between the two formats. After a year and 10 months since the show aired, the book is finally here for fans that have been waiting patiently to see the artwork and insights for the series. The last release was for Marvel Studios' Captain America: Brave New World - The Art of the Movie , which hit shelves on July 8th. You can also check out a review for that book, as well as early and very strange designs for The Leader that were exclusively revealed here . It followed  Marvel Television's Agatha All Along: The Art of the Series that was released on June 3rd. Those interested in ordering Marvel Studios' Loki: Season Two - The Art of the Series ahead of its release on August 5th can do so below; Tags; #Loki #Marvel #MarvelStudios #LokiSeasonTwo #MCU

July 31th 2025 The God of Mischief returned in 2023 for Season Two of Loki, dealing with the complexities of variants, spaghetti-fication and timelines. It’s about time then that Marvel Studio’ Loki: Season Two – The Art of the Series has finally arrived so we can see the art that helped make it happen. With a release date of August 5 th  2025, fans can now dive into the concept art and designs behind the TVA and fan favourite characters, Loki, Sylvie, O.B., and Mobius. This is the last release to have no slipcase, so it’s hard not to mention the delays this book has suffered, because 3 have already been published that do. This was originally due in October of 2024, but Marvel, who are no strangers to delaying books, kept pushing this one back more than others, so it has felt like an Asgardian's lifetime of waiting to finally add this to the collection. Now being published a year and 10 months after the season first aired, is this book worth the wait? As a fan of the show and the artists at the studio, I was looking forward to this one and can now share my thoughts! Build Quality Coming in at a matching size of the others, 29.3 x 24.5 cm, it’s again a strong hardcover with a wrap-around piece of art. I like the art created here by Jackson Sze, it’s nice and vibrant and certainly a standout from the recent slipcase releases. Also like the previous books, the paper is a little thinner too, so you have to be more delicate with the 224 pages inside, but it’s good quality overall. This book does fall flat on the binding unfortunately. This has come up before, but not quite as bad as this, so isn’t usually worth bringing up, but there is no flexibility to help the pages open up fully, which results in text and images almost being lost in the centre fold. If it wasn’t for the paper being thinner, this would be a much bigger issue. You can see what I mean in the image below, where even when pushing down on the pages with my fingers, the binding is too tight to open the pages fully. Bottom image page art by Aleksi Briclot and Jeff Simpson Content It’s business as usual with content for Marvel and never a bad thing if you enjoy the books. Inside you get a wealth of concept art for the show that covers characters, locations, objects, key frames, and more for the series. I’m happy that there are more sketches included too, as these can often be left out and I am personally partial to seeing line drawings included amongst the full colour pieces. There could be more though, but I’ll take what they give me. Sadly no storyboards in this one, but so much is included this can be forgiven. I’m not an art critic, but it’s always worth pointing out the continued superb work from the team at Marvel Studios. Their detailed depictions of the characters when designing costumes, environments, and exploration of the weird and wonderful (the Loom and timelines in this case) are always an impressive showcase of their talent. Jackson Sze, Wesley Burt, Karla Ortiz, Jeff Simpson, Christine Wada, and many more get a well-deserved showcase in this book. Each element that is highlighted, from characters to the Temporal Loom, has a lot of unused designs highlighted, giving readers a look at what could have been, which is always the best part of these books. A section at the back is even dedicated to unused ideas which I wish was in every release. Character designs for O.B are featured that were done before Ke Huy Quan was cast, giving him the most variation. Sylvie also has good number of pages for her look too. It’s worth mentioning that Victor Timely is included, but only in a handful of images and with no exploration, almost certainly due to the actor being fired. Top page art by Liam Gerogensen, Dominique Sanglier, Jason Sweers, Christian Kessler and Kesra Farahani. Bottom page art by Aleksi Briclot A large section is devoted to Loki’s final form as ‘God of Stories’ and has a wide variety of looks for his costume and throne, as well as some stunning key frames of how the scene would play out. This transformation was a highlight of the show and is now a highlight of the book too. You can find more previews of this section in my early look here . The insights and interviews add a lot of value to Loki: Season Two – The Art of the Series, as they explain the approach to designs, how the story changed and influenced the art, and how the team and cast view the characters. The artbooks always do a good job in this regard, giving meaningful details and interesting perspectives, without becoming a novel or going the opposite direction and leaving short generic notes. As an MCU fan myself, it kept me engaged the entire time. Another bonus for this book is that there are less dark images, so the persistent problem with images being unclear due to prints being too dark isn’t a this time round. Some images do take a hit, but it’s certainly been much worse in other entries in the series. Top page art by Wesley Burt, Mushk Rizvi and Joe Studzinski. Middle page art by Mushk Rizvi. Bottom page art by Jackson Sze Credits Short and sweet as always for this part of the review because Marvel have always done this well. Each page credits the artists with surnames, with their full name listed in the back along with all the pages they are featured on. It’s a great way to do it and short of giving the full names on the page, should be the standard for all artbooks. Use of Space Good news again on this front as the designers of the book have stuck to simple layouts that make the most of the page space. There is very little empty space and the text and image placements make each page very readable. The only downside is a couple of double page spreads that are affected by the binding, so there is some image loss. Not many images cross the centre fold though, so it is minimised. Top page art by Jeff Simpson. Middle page art by Wesley Burt. Bottom page art by Jeff Simpson Value As the last book to come out in this format without a slipcase, people can breathe a sigh of relief because that means the price is much more reasonable too. Although still a little more than others on the market, at full price this is $60/ £54. Of course, this is assuming you pay full price, which most people won’t and these books can drop in price quickly. Although there is no discount at the time of writing this in the US, on the UK Amazon site it is already 21% off 6 days before release. Whether you buy it day one at full price, or later when it is reduced, I don’t think people will feel let down, so I have no problem at all with this price point. It’s sad to know it’s the last one like this, as the jump to $100, and soon $150 in the case of Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps – The Art of the Movie , is a huge mistake in my opinion, because they don’t provide enough value to justify it. Take advantage of this new book if you want some Marvel art on your shelf at a good price. Top page art by Jeff Simpson. Bottom page art by Wesley Burt and Jeff Simpson. Verdict Like Loki finally finding his glorious purpose, this book has also finally been released and delivers like I had hoped. It boasts incredible art, engaging insights and a look at the designs and ideas that didn’t get used, despite being superb in their own right. Fans of the show and collectors of the artbooks will find a lot to enjoy in Marvel Studios' Loki: Season Two - The Art of the Series and it makes me hope that we get to revisit the world of Loki and the TVA again, if only to get another artbook like this one. If you like what you see and are wanting to add this book to your own collection, you can order the book here; Tags; #Loki #LokiSeason2 #MarvelStudios #Marvel #MCU #Disney #MarvelCinematicUniverse

Book Details ISBN: 978-1302956615 Publisher: Marvel Page Count: 224 Format: Slipcase Hardcover Publication Date : 05/08/2025 (August 5th 2025) Other Editions: N/A About The popular Marvel Studios show Loki returned with a second season on Disney+ in 2023 and an artbook has followed. Marvel Studios' Loki: Season Two - The Art of The Series features concept art and commentary from the team for the show as part of the long running series of MCU artbooks. Book Review - Marvel Studios' Loki: Season Two - The Art of The Series Categories Tags Based On: #Loki Series: #MarvelCinematicUniverse #MCU #Loki Publisher: #Marvel Studio: #MarvelStudios #Disney Platform: #TV #DisneyPlus Genre: #SuperHero #SciFi

July 29th 2025 Confirmed on the website of its publisher Dark Horse Books, the release date of The Art of Rust has been moved back a week in December of this year. This is unfortunately not the first delay either, so will only be a short update as this article can only be written so many ways. Cover art for The Art of Rust The hardcover book was last moved to December 16th, but is now slated for December 23rd, as you can see on the publisher's website  here . Originally announced for September 9th, the 192-page book has now been delayed 4 times, but fortunately this is only a week long setback. Again, no public acknowledgement or statement has been shared, so the reasons are up for speculation. As reported in the last delay, the book falls in the month of the game's 12 year anniversary, although it got its official release later on after leaving early access. This upcoming title will feature the concept art for the characters, costume designs, wildlife, weapons, vehicles, base props and environments of the game from developer Facepunch Studios. Those interested in The Art of Rust can pre-order it here for their own collection; Tags; Based On: #Rust Publisher: #DarkHorse Studio: #FacepunchStudios #DoubleEleven

July 29th 2025 Pix'n Love have now officially announced L'art de Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 . The book was already listed online, but now the publisher has unveiled the book with the final cover art and details for a collector's edition too. L'art de Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 cover The book will showcase the artwork behind the game from developer Sandfall Interactive, who despite being a small studio, have found themselves being recognised industry wide after launching the critically acclaimed game. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is considered by many to be one of the best games of the generation, with high praise for its story and interactive turn-based combat. It made sense then that this would get an artbook due to its popularity and was even featured on my list of Artbook Predictions for 2025 Video Games . The Amazon product page may have been pre-emptive, so it wasn't reported here as there was no indication that the details were correct. Now though, the French publisher has confirmed this is the listing is for the book and the date of December 5th was correct, but we now know the book will have 320 pages, more than previously detailed. The book will feature hundreds of pieces of art for the characters, environments, weapons, and more. It will also include insights from the development team through interviews with Sandfall Interactive, offering an in-depth look at the making of the game that many players will want to learn about. An Alicia Collector's Edition of the book will also be available to pre-order with the following extras; A cardboard box with cutting, luxury finish.  A gold metal medal. A cardboard folder including 10 lithographs on textured paper.  A numbered metal plate. Dedicated packaging.  Pre-orders for the book go live on Thursday and can be placed on the Pix'n Love website, though this is for the French edition. Find their website here and watch their announcement video for the Alicia Collector's Edition below. Pix'n Love have released artbooks in the past, but notably the last two came with text in both English and French. These were for The Art of Dordogne and The Art of Jusant: The Great Expedition , both authored by Marine Macq. She is also the author on this upcoming release too and spent time with the developers to work on the book. However, this one is not a bilingual and currently only available in French. However, fans of the game that don't speak the native language of the team behind Expedition 33 will still be able to enjoy the book soon too. The English account for the publisher has confirmed via X that the book will be translated into multiple languages, with their partners to be announced soon for these publications. The game was a huge success, so it makes sense that this would be made available in multiple markets. Pix'n Love artbooks have been well made and have a high print quality as expected too. Previously the downside has been the import costs, as shipping everywhere has spiked significantly, even when sending a short distance from France to the UK. But those that are able to get their titles won't be let down by what they receive. It's possible that the translated editions of the book for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 will be sold from more locations as well to circumvent this. To get an idea of what they have produced before, you can read a review of their last artbook release, The Art of Jusant: The Great Expedition here . Future updates for the book, including news on translated editions will be reported here, as well as a review and previews when the English edition of L'art de Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is published. Tags; #ClairObscurExpedition33 #SandfallInteractive #PixNLove

July 27th 2025 With San Diego Comic-Con underway and bringing news and surprises for video games, movies, comic books and more, it only feel right that an artbook should be revealed at some point too. Enter publisher Udon Entertainment, with a rerelease of their book Marvel vs. Capcom: Official Complete Works. Marvel Vs. Capcom: Ultimate Complete Works cover Now boasting a 8.25" x11.75" hardcover and over 140 additional pages, Marvel vs. Capcom: Ultimate Complete Works is not only making the book available to buy again after a decade, but improving on it too. It will allow fans to see the artwork behind multiple titles from Capcom across a total of 336 pages. Inside readers will find sketches, illustrations, marketing art, tributes and more for the fighting series. The book is expected to begin shipping in November 2025 with pre-orders expected to go live soon with retailers. The new rerelease will feature artwork for the following games; The Punisher X-Men: Children of the Atom Marvel Super Heroes X-Men vs. Street Fighter Marvel Super Heroes Vs Street Fighter Marvel vs. Capcom Marvel vs. Capcom 2 Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite Udon didn't stop there though, as a Deluxe Edition is also now available exclusively on their website to pre-order. Featuring the below alternative cover and 6 exclusive collectible metal cards featuring Cyclops, Psylocke, Doctor Doom, Ryu, Chun-Li and M. Bison from artist Panzer, as well as 6 enamel pins from Jeffrey 'Chamba' Cruz that features Captain America, Spider-Man, Mega Man, Captain Commando, Iron Man, and Morrigan. You can visit the website here to grab a copy for your collection - Udon Store . The exclusive cover, Women of Marvel vs. Capcom 2 by Panzer, can be seen below. Marvel Vs. Capcom: Ultimate Complete Works Deluxe Edition cover This is the perfect chance for those that missed out on the original release to pore over the large amount of artwork created for the series, especially newer players of the games. Capcom fans should also check out the Udon Entertainment store for more books too, as their partnership has been going for a long time and includes artbooks, comics, and more. The Marvel vs. Capcom series is a long-running fighting game franchise from developer Capcom that dates back to 1996. It combines characters from their own series that includes Street Fighter, Mega Man, and Resident Evil, with iconic Marvel Comics heroes and villains like Spider-Man, Wolverine, and Iron Man. It began with X-Men vs. Street Fighter that was released in arcades before being ported to consoles and featured the tag-team mechanics that would help define the franchise. This was then followed by Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter (1997), Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes (1998), Marvel vs. Capcom 2 (2000), Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (2011), and Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite (2017). The series' fast-paced gameplay and large rosters made them fan favourites with launches on multiple platforms, from arcade machines to PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. Future updates for the book will be reported here and check out the slider below for a few preview spreads below that were shared by Udon on social media. Tags; #MarvelVsCapcom #Capcom #UdonEntertainment

July 27th 2025 Udon Entertainment are making the most of San Diego Comic-Con this year with with a second artbook announcement, this time for the iconic mecha franchise Gundam. Hidetaka Tenjin's Artistry of Gundam cover Expected to release November 2025, Hidetaka Tenjin's Artistry of Gundam is a 144-page hardcover book that collects illustrations from artist Hidetaka Tenjin for the long-running franchise. It will collect his artwork created for magazines, video games, blu-ray covers, box art, and more. A standard retail edition will be available to pre-order from retailers soon, but there is also an oversized 'Udon Custom' edition available to order now. This version also comes as a hardcover, but is larger at 10" x 13.6" in size. This version can be found on the Udon Entertainments website here . Gundam is a popular sci-fi franchise from Japan that began as a mecha anime series in 1979, titled Mobile Suit Gundam. Created by Yoshiyuki Tomino and Sunrise, it was ground-breaking in the genre due to its concept of "real robots" - military machines involved in politics. There have been a lot of releases in the Gundam universe, across many timelines, but they mostly focus large-scale wars centred on the use of the Mobile Suits. There are a large number of anime series, movies, Gunpla model kits, manga, video games, and novels for Gundam, all of which helped it become an iconic franchise popular all over the world, not just in Japan. This book will no doubt have a large audience due to it's huge fanbase and will be most welcome on the shelves of collectors. Hidetaka Tenjin is a renowned Japanese mechanical illustrator and designer who has worked mecha franchises like Macross, as well as Gundam. He combines technical precision with storytelling, creating machine art for anime, model kit box covers, and more. He has also worked as a voice actor on animated shows and has already had a number of artbooks published based on his work. Future updates for the book will be reported here and be sure to check out the Udon Store to find more artbooks, including the recently announced book Marvel Vs. Capcom: Ultimate Complete Works . Tags; #Gundam #UdonEntertainment

July 26th 2025 Clover Press are at it again with another entry announced for their Marvel artbook series, with the great Mike Del Mundo next in line to get 'The Marvel Art of' treatment. Like the 7 other books in the series that came before this one, The Marvel Art of Mike Del Mundo is going to be funded through the crowdfunding website Kickstarter. The campaign has not yet gone live, but fans that are interested can sign up to be notified for when it does on their page here - Kickstarter page . The Marvel Art of Mike Del Mundo cover This will be the 8th release in 'The Marvel Art of' series, with previous books featuring David Mack, Alex Maleev, David Nakayama, Russell Dauterman, Michael Turner, Michael Allred and Tyler Kirkham. The Kickstarter campaigns for each book were a huge success for Clover Press, flying past their funding goals very quickly. The publisher makes the most of the platform, using it to offer backers signed copies and extras, such as prints, slipcases, and more. Last month I interviewed Publisher Hank Kanalz about The Marvel Art of Tyler Kirkham , where he spoke about that release, as well as working on the book and using Kickstarter, you can read that here to find out more about the series - Hank Kanalz Interview . The upcoming book will feature over 200 pages of art from Marvel Comics artist, which is confirmed to include art for X-Men, Elektra and Spider-Man. Like previous books in the series, it will come as an oversized 9" x 12" hardcover that will be available at retail after being funded on Kickstarter, which it no doubt will be based on previous campaigns. Those that choose to back the project will have the option to add extras too, which according to the press release will include 11" x 17" prints, posters, stickers, signed copies, a puzzle, and more. Also expect editions with a dustjackets and slipcase too, as seen in previous projects. One item that is new to the series is a 5" x 7.5" softcover sketchbook that will show how Mundo's created the artwork featured in the book through his early sketches. Mike Del Mundo has created art for Marvel Comics as far back as 2010 and has worked on popular series including Uncanny X-Men, Immortal Hulk, X-Men Legacy, and The Vision. He has created incredible cover art for a huge number of comics, as well as putting his talent to work on interiors too. Outside of Marvel, he is currently working on the 3 Worlds/ 3 Moons universe with Jonathon Hickman and Mike Huddleston for the creator platform Substack. His bold use of colour along with creative, and sometimes surreal, cover designs allow his art to stand out, making him another great choice for an artbook release. A copy of The Marvel Art of Alex Maleev is in my collection here and I was very impressed with the quality of the book, so those that are fans of Mundo's work should definitely consider backing the project when it goes live. You can check out a preview of that book below, which will give you an idea of what to expect from the upcoming release. More about The Marvel Art of Mike Del Mundo will be shared here when the campaign goes live. Be sure to sign up to get a notification here . If you are unfamiliar with Mundo's artwork you can visit his Instagram and website to see why he is deserving of being a part of this artbook series. Tags; #MikeDelMundo #MarvelComics #Marvel #CloverPress

July 25th 2025 After failing to end their streak of missing 25 original release dates in a row, Marvel Studios' Thunderbolts: The Art of the Movie became book number 26 to suffer a delay at the start of the month. Now, less than 4 weeks later, another has been spotted through retailer listings for the book. Originally set to be published on August 26th, the artbook based on this years movie Thunderbolts* was pushed back a week to September 2nd 2025. Sadly, this has happened again, as seen on sites like Amazon US and Barnes & Noble, with a new release date of September 9th 2025. Other websites, including most in the UK, have yet to update their listings from the original release date, though this will likely happen soon and is typical for most upcoming books when they are sadly moved further back in the year. As reported in the last delay here , at the time there was only one other book that had received just one delay before hitting shelves, Marvel Studios' Deadpool & Wolverine: The Art of the Movie . Unfortunately though, this upcoming release joins the many others that were pushed more than once. The good news though, is that these are very short delays comparatively to others that got pushed a month or more at a time and it is still coming within 6 months of the movies premier. As is typical with most publishers, including Marvel, no reason is given and nothing is shared to address the change of date. That can make it hard to track dates, with this website keeping up with them through the painful process of manually checking from time to time for any changes. Even this allows some to slip through the net though and in this instance, a site visitor spotted it first and notified me. Marvel Studios' Thunderbolts: The Art of the Movie will be released in a slipcase with lithograph prints, retailing at $100. Like all other artbooks post-Endgame, it will have 224 pages of concepts for the characters, locations and key frames. It's possible it will include sketches and storyboards too if their last artbook is anything to go by, both of which, especially early sketches, have been left out of recent entries artbook series. To find out more about what to expect, check out the review of Marvel Studios' Captain America: Brave New World - The Art of the Movie . Despite not selling the number of tickets Marvel Studios had hoped for, Thunderbolts* was received well by audiences, with the performances of the cast and story being a large reason for that. The movie follows Yelena, Bucky, Red Guardian, Ghost and John Walker as they find themselves in an unlikely team-up situation to take on a new threat. The movie was released in May of 2025 as the 36th movie in the long-running Marvel Cinematic Universe, which also includes TV shows too. Those interested in seeing the art behind the movie can pre-order Marvel Studios' Thunderbolts: The Art of the Movie for when it arrives on September 9th here; Tags; #Marvel #MarvelStudios #MCU #Thunderbolts #Disney

Book Details ISBN: 978-1781162477 Publisher: Titan Books Page Count: 176 Format: Hardcover Publication Date: 06/08/2013 (August 6th 2013) Other Editions: N/A About Neill Blomkamp's follow up to District 9 delivers another artbook, Elysium: The Art of the Film from Titan Books. This release offers a look at the concept art, set photography and insights behind the sci-fi hit Elysium, starring Matt Damon and Jodie Foster. The artbook also has input from the iconic designer Syd Mead, making it perfect for not just fans of the movie, but sci-fi art in general too. Preview Categories Tags Based On: #Elysium Series: #Elysium Publisher: #TitanBooks Studio: #WetaWorkshop #TriStarPictures #SonyPictures Platform: #Movies Genre: #SciFi #Action

July 25th 2025 This weeks preview on The Artbook Collector YouTube channel is Elysium: The Art of the Film ! This 176-page hardcover from publisher Titan Books dives in the 2013 sci-fi movie from director Neill Blomkamp. The book offers a look at the concept art and photography behind Elysium, alongside insights from the creatives to give more details on how the movie came to life. Legendary designer Syd Mead also has input in this release too, as well as interviews from the cast of the movie. The art included covers the characters, weapons, locations, vehicles, robots, key moments, and more, making the book is perfect for fans of the movie and sci-fi in general. Elysium was released in 2013 and is Blomkamp's follow up to District 9, again using inventive sci-fi designs and concepts as a backdrop to look at real-world social issues, this time class divide and inequality. Matt Damon play Max Da Costa that suffers an accident and is left in fatal condition on the surface of Earth, which is overpopulated and has left people in poverty. With help from others and technology, he fights the elite classes and their mercenaries to make his way to Elysium, a space station with advanced technology to get medical treatment. Those interested can order Elysium: The Art of the Film here; Tags; #Elysium #TitanBooks

July 22nd 2025 The Art of Invincible Season Two from publisher Image Comics is set to give fans a look behind the scenes of the animated series, but the wait to get a copy has unfortunately been extended again. The 232-page hardcover book has been subject to multiple delays already, at one point being scheduled for April of this year, but the scheduling of this book has changed at least 4 times, with dates found online also depending on where you look and the country you are in. The last update from the publisher had the book listed on their website for August 6th, with some sites having it set for release today, July 22nd. Now though, the book has been pushed to November. When in November? Again, it's not clear. Image Comics has November 12th on their website, but retailers, including Amazon US and Barnes & Noble, state November 25th. In the UK the dates have yet to be updated, with Amazon marking it as unavailable and removing it from search results, though it can be found with a direct link. Why these delays have happened is up for speculation as always, as there has been no public acknowledgement from the publisher, the norm for artbook delays. It's tough to even guess why this happens though, as delays aren't specific to just Image Comics, it's widespread to the point that the vast majority of books featured on this website will or have been delayed more than once. This book will be coming a long time after Season Two aired, which ended in April of 2024. This doesn't bode well for the release date of an artbook for Season Three if they move ahead with it, because that ended in March of this year, with the next season expected in 2026. A 5th season has also been greenlit too. Despite the delays, there is a large potential audience for The Art of Invincible Season Two as the show based on the comic book series has been a huge hit. Season Two has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 100% from critics and 90% from viewers, highlighting that the great work of the teams behind the adult rated animation has nailed the superhero landing. Amazon Prime has found great success with this show, as well as the live-action adaptation of The Boys, finding an audience for violent comic book shows. When it does arrive, it will showcase key art and concept art for the characters, locations and more, like the previous release, The Art of Invincible Season One. Also expect commentary from the teams behind the show for further insights into the art and development of the show. For those interested, you can pre-order The Art of Invincible Season Two on Amazon here; Tags; Based On: #InvincibleSeason2 Series: #Invincible Publisher: #ImageComics Studio: #AmazonStudios #PointGreyPictures #SkyboundEntertainment #SunSkyEntertainment

July 18th 2025 This week on The Artbook Collector YouTube channel is a preview of the recently released God of War: 20th Anniversary Retrospective ! This two-volume hardcover book set from Dark Horse was released on July 8th in partnership with Sony Santa Monica. It's a deep dive into the history and making of the series, with a lot of artwork included too. This was added to the collection not knowing so much art would be featured, as it wasn't advertised as an artbook, in some descriptions the art wasn't even mentioned, yet as you'll see, there is a huge amount here. Unlike most videos posted on a Friday, this is not a simple flip through, but rather a review style video. The reason for this is that while an 'Art of' book is ideal for a full preview, being something you can infinitely revisit with a strong focus on the art, this book is about what is written and just happens to be filled with concept art too. Rather showing the entire book and spoiling the main reason for buying it, you can see parts of the book with my overall thoughts. This will also be the case for other books too, such as the Design Works series from Lost in Cult. You can also read my written review for the book here . For those that don't know, which is highly unlikely if you're reading this, God of War is a long-running 'hack and slash' series from developer Sony Santa Monica that began in 2005 on the PlayStation 2. It follows Kratos, a Spartan warrior and son of Zeus, who made a deal with the Greek God Aries, only to be betrayed. This lead to a violent path of revenge that saw him take on mythological beasts and Gods. His destructive path eventually leads him to an entirely new world of Norse mythology, changing the tone of the games in a new RPG-lite style. This book set is split between the two sagas, Greek and Norse. The Greek series is made up of 7 games that ended on the PlayStation 3. The Norse Saga began in 2018 and ended in 2022 with Ragnarok, being made up of just 2 games. It makes God of War: 20th Anniversary Retrospective the perfect set for fans that have been following Kratos since the very beginning, offering art, insights and interviews for those wanting more from the iconic games. This interested can order God of War: 20th Anniversary Retrospective here; Deluxe Edition; Tags; #GodOfWar #DarkHorse #PlayStation #SonySantaMonica #GodOfWarRagnarok

July 14th 2025 The son of Zeus has returned to conquer your book shelf again, this time with a look at back at his 20-year journey as a video game icon. God of War: 20th Anniversary Retrospective is now available from Dark Horse in partnership with the series' developer Sony Santa Monica, after being published on July 8th 2025. The book is now part of the collection and I’ve been able to jump into this look at the history Kratos' change from a rageful Spartan to a wise demigod.   This is an interesting review for me, because it’s not one I was expecting to be writing. As a huge God of War fan I had ordered this two-book release thinking it was a look at the history of games, with some artwork along the way. However, I wasn’t expecting that artwork to be featured so prominently, making it essentially another addition to the artbook collection too. So, with this being the case, find out here what I think of this look back at the last 20 years of God of War! Build Quality The two-book set comes in a solid slipcase with a simple design that is more than decorative, it’s protective too. It’s not as thick as some on the market, such as those you get with the Marvel movie artbooks, but it securely holds the weight of the two books and feels well made. The books themselves are what you expect from Dark Horse, 9” x 12” hardcovers with strong binding, so business as usual and that continues to be a good thing for the publisher. The covers are simple, black and printed to look like they are made of leather, with gold font. It’s a minimalist approach that I don’t mind in this case (I'm partial to gold on black though as seen in the logo and design here!). The paper is typical of what you get in most artbooks, thicker with a gloss finish, giving the book a good quality feel. It's worth noting this is the standard version and that there is a Deluxe Edition available too, which comes with a slipcase that opens at the top, premium textured covers and a couple of prints. I can’t speak to their quality, but if it’s as good as what you get here then that’s a win, as I have no complaints with this edition. Content The books are split into sagas, the Greek Saga and the Norse Saga. The former covers God of War (2005) to God of War: Ascension, an 8 year period that explores the creation of the series and its games across PlayStation 2, 3, PSP and mobile. The Norse Saga includes just 2 games, God of War 2018 and God of War Ragnarök, looking at return of Kratos to a new world and pantheon of Gods. Each book includes the history of the games, from who was on the team and the early ideas, to the development, and finally each release. It’s a comprehensive deep dive that God of Wars fans will learn a lot from. Author Rick Barba did a great job at getting interviews from the people involved too, even the creator of God of War himself, David Jaffe. As well as the directors like Corey Barlog, there are interviews with artists, actors, producers, combat designers, and more. There is a lot to take in, making it a true celebration of the series. In the Norse Saga book, there is a very nice inclusion of a short story that didn't get used for the 2018 game, the type of thing you don't get to see for other titles. The negative here for me is the organisation of the text. There is a running telling of the history throughout each book, but there are also inserts that break this up titled ‘Inside Look’. For me personally it stops the flow of information, halting the main text on page and continuing it up to multiple pages later. In other cases, on one spread you will have the main text, an Inside Look and another interview insert too. Sometimes the inserts do correlate to the main text, such as an Inside Look about the changing of a director, while the main text speaks to the start of a project, but other times it doesn’t. This leads to repetition of information in a couple of places as a result. A more organic approach to having all of the insights interwoven into the writing would have worked better in most cases. Moving onto the surprise highlight for me and the reason for this review – the artwork. You can find it on every spread in the book, with almost all of them having multiple pictures, or at the very least one piece of art along with behind-the-scenes photos. Some spreads are nothing but artwork, highlighting the odd choice to not promote this at least in part as an artbook, especially as it has just as much as some ‘Art of’ books. It goes without question that the talent from the art teams is exceptional. I don’t critique art, but it was God of War II that led to my discovery of concept art and eventually my first artbook after seeing images in a magazine almost 20 years ago. The epic environments, brutal enemies and illustrations could all be framed and put on your walls, it’s a joy to see so many printed like this. In the Greek Saga book, there is a huge amount of concepts and illustrations. As someone that owns multiple God of War artbooks and searched the web during the games’ releases for art, there is a good amount that I’ve never seen before, which is fantastic as a fan. This includes images for God of War, God of War II, Chains of Olympus, Ghost of Sparta and Ascension. The mobile game Betrayal is also featured, but includes screenshots as opposed to artwork. This volume especially is perfect for those that missed out on earlier artbooks, as it highlights the earliest designs for Kratos, the many enemies he violently tears through, and epic environments he finds himself in. There is a lot to be found in the Norse Saga book too, but as it focuses on only two games, not seven, it does include more photos. There is still a wealth of art here though and also worthy of being considered an artbook as well. As each game takes up more pages and were also developed in an age where everything is documented, more photos are of course expected. These are nice inclusions, from seeing the faces behind the series, to the actors on set in their mocap suits. Art and photos are a huge part of each Saga and in combination with the written insights, makes for an outstanding love letter God of War. Credits Although Dark Horse haven’t described this as an artbook, crediting the artwork is something that should still happen, but unfortunately doesn’t. On occasion there is a note that names the people who are in a photo, but even this is not consistent. There is even a page that has photos of two people, but the text only ends with a name the quote came from, leaving you guessing as to which of the two people are the artist that wrote it and who is placed unnamed and without purpose. There are no credits at the back of the book either, so an unfortunately downside for this part of the review. Use of Space Each page in God of War: 20th Anniversary Retrospective is full, leaving no wasted white spaces. The text is clear and well placed amongst the photos and artwork, with layouts changing from page to page. The previously mentioned Inside Look sections use a different coloured background too, so it’s clear when you are reading the main text and these inserts. Overall they did a fantastic job with making sure you get as much from the series as possible within each book, while presenting it in an easy to read way. Value The standard edition retails for $99.99/ £89.99, which puts it up at a premium price, but broken down that’s $50/ £45 per book, not including the slipcase, which is fairly standard pricing for Dark Horse. At full price this is a lot to ask, but the presentation and content does justify this to the God of War fans that would be interested in a collection like this. As always though, places often sell books at below the RRP and this is no different. Using Amazon as always for consistency, this can be found on Amazon US at the time of writing this with 20% off from one seller. In the UK this book was over 30% off from Amazon themselves on the day of release and is 26% off there at the moment, so the price is fluctuating, but highlights that this can already be found discounted. For the £61 I paid, it was an undeniably great deal for you get. Discounted or not, players of the series won’t feel let down by the pricing. Verdict God of War fans will find a lot to enjoy in this retrospective of the series, it’s like opening a chest full of red orbs to level up your knowledge and love for the games. Incredible artwork, interesting stories, and wonderful insights are collected in this two-volume set that fans of games will no doubt revisit for years to come. Although the organisation of the history is at times disjointed, this is a brilliant celebration of Kratos’ journey from PlayStation 2 to PlayStation 5 as one of gaming's most iconic and beloved characters. As a huge fan of God of War myself, I’m very impressed with what is included. Dark Horse and author Rick Barba have done a superb job at gathering details and art that even the biggest fans will not have seen before. If you’re looking for more from the Ghost of Sparta, or missed out on the earlier artbooks, you can’t go wrong with God of War: 20th Anniversary Retrospective. If you are wanting to add this release to your own collection, you can order the book here; Deluxe Edition; Tags; #GodOfWarII #GodOfWar #GodOfWarIII #GodOfWarRagnarok #GodOfWar2018 #GodOfWarChainsOfOlympus #GodOfWarGhostOfSparta #GodOfWarAscension #GodOfWarBetrayal #GodOfWar #DarkHorse #SantaMonicaStudio #ReadyAtDawn #PlayStationStudios #Javaground

July 17th 2025 The upcoming artbook for the survival video game Dune Awakening now has an official front cover, as spotted on retailer listings. The Art and Making of Dune Awakening , from publisher Insight Editions (Titan Books in the UK) and game developer Funcom, is set for release on October 21st and comes as a 224-page hardcover. The book will feature the concept art and illustrations for the world of Arrakis, as well as insights and interviews for the making of the survival multiplayer game. The updated cover can be seen below and shows two pieces of environmental art, a simple yet great way of giving fans an idea of what to expect inside. It also puts the names of the contributors on the cover too, starting with the author Andrew Farago and Joel Bylos, the Creative Director of Dune Awakening, who provides the foreword. The Art and Making of Dune Awakening book cover. Noted as well are the four people that give introductions, first being Brian Herbert, the son of Dune creator Frank Herbert, who also wrote books for the Dune series. Kevin J Anderson is also credited and is the co-author of the Dune prequel series. Last is Byron Merritt and Kim Herbert, grandchildren of Frank Herbert and producers of the recent Denis Villeneuve movies and the HBO series, Prophecy. This is an impressive group of names, highlighting the support Awakening has received from some of the minds behind the Dune universe, but also the family of its creator. Dune has found popularity among newer audiences recently because of the Denis Villeneuve film adaptations of Frank Herbert’s classic novel. Dune Part One, Part Two, and the prequel series Prophecy are already available, with Part Three planned for release in theatres on December 18th 2026. Dune Awakening was officially launched on PC on June 10th 2025 and console versions are expected to be released in 2026. The game from Funcom is an online survival third-person game set on the harsh world of Arrakis. Players must survive the desert planet and the threats that come from other players, sandstorms, and of course, giant sandworms. This involves crafting, combat, and exploration of the large world the developers created, allowing people to get fully immersed in their take of the Dune universe. Any future updates for the book will be reported here and a copy will also make its way to the collection, so a review will becoming for its release October 21st 2025. Those interested in pre-ordering The Art and Making of Dune Awakening can do so below; Tags; #Dune #DuneAwakening #Funcom #InsightEditions #TitanBooks