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October 27th 2025 The third volume of art for Elden Ring has not yet been released in the west, leaving fans waiting on a release outside of Japan. Elden Ring: Official Art Book Volume III from Udon Entertainment was set to hit shelves soon and deliver that artwork, but the wait has been extended into 2026. The good news is that the 320-page book is coming just after the new year, with a publication date of January 6th 2026. Prior to this, the book was expected November 4th, less than a couple of weeks away. The delay was spotted on Amazon US and Barnes and Noble, with other countries still holding their November 4th date. Before Udon came back to me with confirmation that this date had changed, Amazon UK also moved the book back to January, confirming the delay. A delay in more than one country, or the official word from a publisher is what I aim to get before reporting a delay, and sadly that is the case for this book. The reasons for this push are unknown, as is the norm for artbooks delay, with no public post about the date change. Those that pre-ordered may have been notified by email. This delay is also interesting because it follows the exact same date changes as The Art of Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty , which was reported here yesterday. Both are also English translated editions of books published in Japan by Kadokawa and also come as hardcovers, as opposed to the paperback originals. This likely means that the delays are related, but there is still a large list of reasons as to why they have happened. Elden Ring: Official Art Book Volume III showcases art for the hugely popular open-world RPG from FromSoftware. This book follows the first two volumes for the base game, but this time focuses on the expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree . The Japanese original book release hit shelves in December of 2024, meaning that this English version is coming just over a year later. This isn't unusual though and has been the case with previous artbooks from the game developer too. Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree  was released in 2024 for the critically acclaimed game. It introduced the new region of the Land of Shadow and has the player pursue the demigod Miquella. Like the base game, it has a sprawling map to explore, filled with punishing enemies and secrets to discover. It continued the brutally difficult gameplay of Elden Ring , along with more environmental storytelling and the introduction of new boss fights. Shadow of the Erdtree is one of the highest-selling DLC of all time, being bought by over10 million players. It's an incredible achievement, but also not surprising given the success of the original release and loyal fanbase of the 'Souls' games. Future updates for the book will be reported here and a review will also be posted when it arrives January 6th. Those interested wanting a copy of Elden Ring: Official Art Book Volume III can order it below; Tags; #UdonEtnertainment #EldenRing #FromSoftare #Delay

Book Details ISBN: 978-1302958732 Publisher: Marvel Page Count: 224 Format: Hardcover Slipcase Publication Date: 08/07/2025 (July 8th 2025) Other Editions: N/A You can order the book on Amazon here; About This book comes full of art behind the fourth Captain America movie, Brave New World. It's the first solo movie featuring Sam Wilson as Captain America and also introduces other new characters/ alter egos, including the Red Hulk. It has 224 pages of art and insights for the movie and comes with a slipcase and lithographs. Preview Review - Marvel Studios' Captain America: Brave New World - The Art of the Movie Categories Tags Based On: #CaptainAmericaBraveNewWorld Series: #MarvelCinematicUniverse #MCU #CaptainAmerica Publisher: #Marvel Studio: #MarvelStudios #Disney Platform: #Movies #DisneyPlus Genre: #SuperHero #Action

October 26th 2025 Following previous delays, the English edition of the artbook for Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty has been hit with another setback. The Art of Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty from Udon Entertainment is now set for release in early 2026, leaving fans in the West waiting longer to see the artwork behind the role-playing game. The book was set for release in June, but the release date came and went and was eventually updated to November 4th. This was reported here when it happened, with Udon confirming the date change. Now though, the 192-page hardcover has had another 2 month delay, with listings now updated with a publication date of January 6th 2026. Retailers with the new date again include Amazon US and Barnes and Noble , who both are much faster at updating their details for this book than other sites. In the UK for example, retailers are still showing the November 4th launch date. This isn't unusual and they will no doubt be updated soon. As is also expected, there has been no reasoning given or public acknowledgement of the delay, it was only spotted when manually checking myself. Those that have pre-ordered the book may have already received an email notification from their retailer of choice. As my order is placed here in the UK and the date hasn't been updated, I'm unable to say when this delay happened. The Art of Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty features a look at the concept art and character profiles for developer Team NINJA's dark-fantasy RPG. Covered in the book are the designs for the characters, world, enemies, weapons, and more, across its 192-pages. With this new delay, the book is now coming two and a half years after the Japanese original from publisher Kadokawa. This is a long wait, with most wait times being under two years, often half of that time. However, the benefit here outside of being in English for the first time, is that it comes as a hardcover, not a softcover like the release in Japan. Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty was developed by Team NINJA and published by Koei Tecmo on March 3rd 2023 for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. The 'Soulslike' game is set in 184CE, during the collapse of the Han Dynasty, but with a dark twist on the history. It features demons and other fantasy elements to create a unique take on the events of that time. It's has a tough parry-based combat system and received positive reviews when it launched. If there are anymore updates for the book, they will be reported here and a review will also be shared once it arrives January 6th. Those interested in ordering The Art of Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty can do so below; Tags; #UdonEtnertainment #WoLongFallenDynasty #KoeiTecmo #TeamNinja #Delay

Book Details ISBN: 978-1772943832 Publisher: Udon/ KADOKAWA Page Count: 192 Format: Hardcover Publication Date: Japan - 13/07/2023 (July 13th 2023) English edition - 06/01/2026 (January 6th 2026) Other Editions: Original Japanese - ウォーロン フォールンダイナスティ 公式アートブック About Udon are again behind delivering an artbook to the West with the English translated edition of this book. It gives fans a look at the art behind the dark fantasy RPG, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty from Team NINJA. It also includes lore and profiles, as well as the art behind the characters, world, enemies, weapons and more. Preview N/A Categories Tags Based On: #WoLongFallenDynasty Series: #WoLongFallenDynasty Publisher: #Udon #Kadokawa Studio: #TeamNinja #KoeiTecmo Platform: #PC #Xbox #XboxOne #XboxSeriesS #XboxSeriesX #PlayStation #PS5 #PS4 Genre: #RPG #Fantasy

October 24th 2025 Artbooks for video games have become common place for the AAA space, giving a look at the concept art and illustrations behind some of the biggest releases out there. Call of Duty is responsible for many of the biggest selling titles in gaming, but is a series that has been noticeable restrained when releasing printed artwork. That changes next year though, with the announcement of Call of Duty Zombies: The Art of Treyarch ! Set for release June 16th 2026, the 256-page hardcover from Insight Editions will highlight the artwork of the popular Zombies mode, as well as the insights into its developments and growth from an easter egg, to a mainstay for Treyarch's Call of Duty releases. The book has an RRP of $50/ £40, which is very reasonable, and has already become the current top selling book on the Video Game Art list on Amazon. After making its debut in 2008, Zombies became a highlight of many players that spent endless hours taking on the infected with their friends. A book like this will no doubt be on the wishlist for many that are interested in finding out more about how the dead were brought to life by Treyarch, alongside over 15 years of artwork that helped make it happen. Authored by James Asmus, it will also feature interviews from the developers themselves too. Fellow collectors will be aware that the artbook boom started for video games around the time Zombies was introduced in 2008, but artbook shelves haven't been weighed down with books for the series' many games. Perhaps this is because Call of Duty always strived for realism early on and Activision didn't feel they needed to share military art, maybe the teams were simply too busy to consider it, even when they jumped to future setting. Whatever the reason, it's great that a book is coming. It's interesting to note that the official title doesn't match the cover, because Call of Duty Zombies: The Art of Treyarch is missing some of the key words seen above. This isn't unusual for artbooks though, Marvel Studios do this with their books too. According to the cover the title should be, Call of Duty: Black Ops - Zombies: The Art of Treyarch - Celebrating 15 Years', but there is always time for that to change before its release next June. That would be too long though, so I personally like it just how it is. With Zombies having grown a lot since its early releases, going from being trapped in an old house to over-the-top moments, cinematics, and larger campaigns, this book will no doubt show an interesting look at how that developed through the concept art. The book is a way off, but any future update will be reported here and a copy will also join the collection to be reviewed when it arrives June 16th. If you want to add a copy of the book to your own collection, you can pre order Call of Duty Zombies: The Art of Treyarch here; Buy Here   / Buy Here (UK) Tags; #IDWPublishing #SpongeBobSquarePants #Nickelodeon

Book Details ISBN: 979-8886630787 Publisher: Insight Editions Page Count: 256 Format: Hardcover Publication Date: 16/06/2026 (June 16th 2026) Other Editions: N/A Buy Here / Buy Here (UK) About Call of Duty enters the artbook space with a look at their Zombie mode, partnering with Insight Editions to release this 256 page hardcover volume. Call of Duty Zombies: The Art of Treyarch provides its many fans with a look at the history of the game mode that became a staple of the series. From its start in 2008, Treyarch shares the artwork and development insights that helped bring life to the undead for over 15 years. Categories Tags Based On: #CallOfDutyZombies Series: #CallOfDuty Publisher: #InsightEditions Studio: #Treyarch #Activision Platform: #PlayStation #PS4 #PS5 #PS3 #PC #Xbox #Xbox360 #XboxOne #XboxSeriesS #XboxSeriesX Genre: #Action #FPS #Multiplayer

Book Details ISBN: 979-8887244419 Publisher: IDW Publishing Page Count: 352 Format: Hardcover Publication Date: 17/02/2026 (February 17th 2026) Other Editions: N/A About IDW Publishing is giving fans of everyone's favourite sponge a look at the world of Bikini Bottom and its many characters, covering 25 years of episodes, movies, and spin-offs. SpongeBob SquarePants: The Art of an Undersea World comes with over 350 pages of concepts for the characters and locations, as well as final art and storyboards. It also includes insights from the creative team, making this one of the best ways to get more from the behind-the-scenes of one of the most iconic cartoons ever created! Preview Categories Tags Based On: #SpongeBobSquarePants Series: #SpongeBobSquarePants Publisher: #IDWPublishing Studios: #Nickelodeon #NickelodeonAnimationStudio Platform: #Movie #TV Genre: #Comedy #Family

October 24th 2025 SpongeBob enters the artbook world with a big "I'm ready!", following a new announcement from IDW Publishing. With over 25 years of art to look back on, SpongeBob SquarePants: The Art of an Undersea World is sure to be on the radar of many fans and can be added to shelves of fans next year. Arriving February 17th 2026 in partnership with Nickelodeon, the huge 352-page book will showcase the art for not just the show, but the movies and spinoffs too. The dive into the world of Bikini Bottom comes with early character concepts, backgrounds, final art, storyboards, and more, giving a full look at what it took to create the massively popular show. There will be a look at the eclectic mix of characters of the show, including Gary the snail, Patrick Star, Squidward, and Mr. Krabs, alongside everyone's favourite sponge. Many of the locations will also be explored, from the Krusty Krab to Sandy's Dome, making this a must-have for people that grew up with the show, as well as younger fans. The new artbook will also feature a look at the upcoming movie, The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants , making it a complete and up-to-date collection of SpongeBob's adventures and art. This is exciting news for people wanting more SpongeBob in their life and long overdue for collector's. The show that started in 1999 quickly became a household name with its silly humour, eccentric characters, and superb voice performances. There are even many out there that will begin singing the theme tune from just reading "Ooooooohhhhh...". It's a wonderful show and so news of this artbook will be welcomed by many. SpongeBob SquarePants: The Art of an Undersea World is already available to pre-order online following its reveal yesterday. It comes with an RRP of $49.99/ £41.99, a very reasonable price for a book with over 350 pages. Better yet, reductions are already available for the book too, bringing only more good news from the announcement. Although the above previews are not final, if they are representative of what the team at IDW Publishing are going to release, it's looking like a great release with early sketches, full colour concepts and insights presented in clear layouts and full pages. In case you've been living under a rock like Patrick, the show follows the always enthusiastic SpongeBob, a sponge that lives in a pineapple under the sea and works as a fry cook at the Krusty Krab. Appealing to both children and adults, it includes classic slapstick humour, surreal and strange situations, and positive lessons of friendship. With so many memorable characters like Sandy, Squidward, and Plankton, it has stood the test of time and remains as popular now as it ever was. As well as being a TV and movie franchise, there are also toys, games, clothes, and an endless selection of internet memes that continue to spread its popularity. Future updates will be shared as they happen and for those interested in adding the book to your own collection, can pre-order SpongeBob SquarePants: The Art of an Undersea World here; Buy Here   / Buy Here (UK) Tags; #IDWPublishing #SpongeBobSquarePants #Nickelodeon

Book Details ISBN: 978-1419773990 Publisher: Abrams Books/ Cernunnos Page Count: 272 Format: Hardcover Publication Date : 04/07/2024 (July 4th 2024) Other Editions: N/A About Multiverse: The Art of Aleksi Briclot from Abrams Books is a look into the 20 year career of Aleksi. He has worked on a lot of IP and the book has, impressively, collected a good number of these. See his art for Marvel, Magic: The Gathering, Halo and more! It includes commentary in both English and French, as well as an interview. Preview Categories Tags Based On: #Marvel #Halo #MagicTheGathering #StrangerThings #Conan #Spawn #StarWars #RememberMe #TheDivision Series: #MarvelCinematicUniverse #MCU Publisher: #AbramsBooks #Cernunnos Platform: #Movies #TV #DisneyPlus #Xbox #PlayStation #PC #Comics Genre: #Action #SciFi #SuperHero #Fantasy

October 24th 2025 This week's preview on The Artbook Collector YouTube for the recently released book Insight Editions/ Titan Books, The Art and Making of Dune Awakening ! The 224-page hardcover was released on October 21st and showcases the artwork and 3D models of the survival game from Funcom. It also details the making of the game though interviews with the team that includes Creative Director Joel Bylos and Producer Nils Ryborg. You can check out the preview below. Inside you will find the development history and details of the game, including its early inception, creating the story, visiting the movie sets, the character creation process, gameplay mechanics, base designs, and more. On the art side, there is a lot packed in for the characters, vehicles, locations, bases and technology of Dune: Awakening . There's a mix of both digital art and 3D models that gets showcased, highlighting the talent of multiple teams at Funcom. For players that have braved the sands and would like more from Arakkis, there is some fantastic stuff to see here. I also wrote a review for the book, where I share that although I like the content and quality of the content, the binding creates a lot of image loss in the centre fold that is hard to overlook. You can read the full review here; Book Review - The Art and Making of Dune Awakening. Dune: Awakening was launched on PC in June 2025, with console versions expected to be released in 2026. The game from Funcom, in partnership with Legendary Entertainment, drops players on the harsh world of Arrakis with the goal of finding the Fremen, as well as surviving the planet. Threats come from other players, the weather, enemies, and of course, giant sandworms. The game allows fans to get immersed in the world created by author Frank Herbert, combining crafting, combat and exploration to create the online survival game. If you like the preview above The Art and Making of Dune Awakening, you can add it to your own collection using these affiliate links that help support the site; Buy Here   / Buy Here (UK) Tags; #Funcom #DuneAwakening #TitanBooks #InsightEditions

Book Details ISBN: 979-8337400754 Publisher: Insight Editions/ Titan Books Page Count: 224 Format: Hardcover Publication Date: 21/10/2025 (October 21st 2025) Other Editions: N/A About The Art and Making of Dune Awakening gives fans a deep dive into the creation of the survival MMO inspired by the film adaptation of Frank Herbert’s science fiction novels. Inside this artbook for Dune Awakening you will find concepts for the world of Arrakis and characters across the more than 200 pages featured in this hardcover. The book goes into detail about the mechanics and making of the game too, which includes interviews from the development team at Funcom. Previews Book Review - The Art and Making of Dune Awakening Categories Tags Based On: #DuneAwakening Series: #Dune Publisher: #InsightEditions #TitanBooks Studio: #Funcom Platform: #PlayStation #PS5 #PC #Xbox #XboxSeriesS #XboxSeriesX #XboxOne Genre: #Survival #MMO

October 20th 2025 *Update* It has been reported online that some of the early character portraits have been upscaled using AI. While this has not been officially confirmed as the method used, it certainly looks to be the case. It wasn't mentioned in the review that these images are not great, as they are such a small part of the book and I viewed them simply as lacklustre upscales, without considering the use of AI. However, if you are against the use of AI upscaling, please bear this in mind before buying. I will also mention that any book with artwork generated by A.I has no place in the collection here. The original and unedited review is below. Mortal Kombat has been an iconic series for over 30 years, delivery gloriously violent finishers and a huge roster of fighters, all while being one of the cornerstones of the genre since its launch. From arcades to modern consoles, the series has seen many changes in gaming and visuals is very much one of them. That of course comes with a lot of art. some of which can now be explored in Mortal Kombat: Flawless Victory , a new book from Insight Editions and developer NetherRealm Studios! The 304-page hardcover book is out on October 21 st 2025 and has joined the collection, so I can give you my thoughts on whether you should be shouting “Get over here!” and adding it to your shelf, or if you should mercilessly tear out its pages before kicking into oblivion. Build Quality Mortal Kombat: Flawless Victory: A Visual History of the Iconic Series, to give it its full title, comes in at a good size of 24.5cm x 33cm with 304 pages. It’s a good-sized book as you would expect and that’s great. The pages are thicker and glossy too, as seen in the majority of artbooks. The cover is pretty basic, but does have embossed lettering which is nice, but I still consider it a downgrade from the placeholder which you can see here . I think it could have been more than a spot varnished logo, but at least the red letters pop as intended. The binding is also fairly tight, there’s no flex in the backing to help pages lay flat, but that’s actually not too much of an issue as you will see in the Use of Space part of the review. Overall, the quality here is very good. Content There’s a lot to cover in a Mortal Kombat artbook, it could easily be multiple volumes to highlight all of the characters and stages, but the approach here is not to include everything, but focus on selected elements and fighters to give fans an in-depth look, rather than just a catalogue of content. Some may be disappointed that their favourite character was left out, but I think this was the best way to handle it and I like what they included. The early part of the book has a spread on the fatalities, giving details on how they have changed with some artwork and is a fun way to start. After that it hits its stride with a history of the series by going through the games in release order, from the original Mortal Kombat to Mortal Kombat 1 . Each of these details the games, stories, and gameplay innovations through interviews and insights, followed by stages. The text gives details on what it was like working on the game, the technology at the time, what they added to the sequels, how the visuals changed, and more. This is mostly done with interviews from the team behind the series, such as Creative Director at NetherRealm Studios Ed Boon, John Tobias co-creator of Mortal Kombat, and Senior Artist John Vogel. There isn’t a huge amount to read on each game, the book would be huge if there was, but it’s enough to get some interesting details and keeps the book flowing well. Moving on to the art itself, this is a fantastic mix of art styles and techniques from over three decades of game development. Here you will find screenshots, paper sketches, early colour concepts, 3D models, and modern digital art. I always love seeing art at different stages, but that also applies to different eras too, so I enjoy seeing this variety a lot. Insight Editions have helped elevate the art with an exceptional print quality that especially helps with the modern and more detailed concepts. The art for the stages is interesting as it changes a lot from the early games to the modern games throughout the book. The early games used paper sketches and art with less to showcase, possible due to them being hard to find and feature. As the book progresses and you get to the modern games, much more is shared, with spreads of digital concept art for the stages and assets. It’s a great look at not just the designs, but how the materials and approach changed over 30 years. The interesting choice was to not separate out the characters, but to highlight 2-4 ‘Featured Kombatants’ for each game. As mentioned, they can’t show over 100 fighters, but instead use 36 with 1-4 spreads each. The reason this works is that you get to see the mix of art styles and techniques on one page, as well as character backgrounds. Featuring all the fighter would have given them a couple of pieces of art with no details, which would have been a bad choice. For the characters chosen, which includes Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Johnny Cage, Baraka, Goro, Raiden, and many more, you get story backgrounds that cover the various eras and how they changed over time. It also features a list of their finishers and the games they were used in, with some of them getting a fun look at the concepts for a finisher that can be as simple as stickmen images. These pages are the highlight for me, with a look at their visual development and changes, as well as some incredible concepts from the more recent games that can be used in bigger sizes to highlight the finer details. Don’t expect a huge amount of keyframes though, the spotlight is very much on the character and costume design. The book ends with a look at Other Realms, which covers movies, a live tour, comics, TV shows, and merch. I like this inclusion because it highlights the series’ legacy across more than just games. Credits Sadly, there are no artist credits to be found in the book. It does feature 17 chapters for different games, not to mention the spin-offs that are highlighted in places too, so it’s likely that hundreds of people contributed to the art and 3D models seen here. However, it would have been nice to see a list in the back or front with their names if they know who did the work featured. Use of Space Mortal Kombat: Flawless Victory does a brilliant job of making the most of the space provided, it fits a lot in and doesn’t waste the pages. Given that it covers so many games, it would be a big issue if they still didn’t fill the book, so I’m happy to say they fully succeeded here. The layouts are simple and very readable too, with a simple background that looks like marble with small cracks. Less is more when packing a lot in, so I like the designer’s approach. As mentioned up top, the binding is a little tight and if you own other artbooks, you know this can spell disaster for double page spreads. The reason this isn’t an issue here though, is that outside of a title page at the start, only one smaller image crosses the centre fold (seen below), almost entirely avoiding the issue of image loss in the fold. I like to see a large image that takes up 2 pages, as I’m sure others do too, but here that would likely have been problematic, so I’m very happy they opted to not include them. Value The book has an RRP of $60/£45 which is unusual, because typically it would be $50/£45, giving people in the UK a lower price. Perhaps this is based on the current issues regarding tariffs and so is worth noting. At $60, it is on the high end, I’d have expected a book like this to be $55 at most. As always though, deals are always coming and going on artbooks and at the time of writing this the day before release on Amazon, it is down to $50 in the US and 40% off in the UK at £26, a huge reduction. Of course, you can shop around or check your local Amazon if located elsewhere to find a deal. $50 or £40 I would say is a fair price, so anything there or below is great. Verdict Mortal Kombat: Flawless Victory is great look back at the series and the art that helped give it life, so you can then take it from other players with brutal finishers. It can’t include everything, but the choices of what it does showcase, along with various art styles and techniques, makes it a worthy edition to the shelf of fans. The art from the teams behind the series is superb and Insight Editions have given it the presentation it deserves. Whether you are a long-time player, new to the series, or perhaps an artist looking for some good character references, this is a book I would be happy to recommend! If you like the previews and review and wish to add Mortal Kombat: Flawless Victory to your own shelf, you can do so here; Buy Here   / Buy Here (UK) Tags; #InsightEditions #MortalKombat #NetherRealmStudios

October 23rd 2025 Mark Simpson, better known as Jock by his fans, made a name for himself in the comic book world with his work on the iconic Judge Dredd . Since then, he has gone on to work on many more characters, but also on movies too, continuing to showcase his talent as an artist. Now there is a new way to add some of that art to your collection, with The Art of Judge Dredd by Jock , a look back at his work on the 2000 AD universe from Rebellion Publishing. It was released on October 21st and a copy has made its way to the collection here, so I can share some details and thoughts on this dive into the book! Build Quality The book comes as a 24cm x 31cm hardcover and has 224 pages. This is a good size and fits in alongside other artbooks on the market which is great. The paper is also very good; it’s of high quality and that comes with a nice print finish too, while being held in by strong binding. I also like the cover choice, the heavy black highlights Jock’s style, while its use on a white background with added red makes it pop. This would certainly stand out on a shelf in a book store and so I think it’s very effective too. Content The Art of Judge Dredd by Jock starts with an inside look back at the life of the man himself through interviews and details written by Michael Molcher. It’s 8 spreads of text with a smaller image or two on each one. I like that they put the heavy reading up front to then focus on the art later on, because it creates a nice follow up after hearing about how he first started. Here you learn about how he was creating art as a teenager, through to his first published work for 2000 AD in 1995, his career growth, influences, working on movie concept art, and more. Not only is it a good way to get to know his background, but the inclusion of both published and pre-published art is a thoughtful touch. The rest of the book is split into 3 chapters, Judge Dredd, Dredd (2012) and 2000 AD. In each one the work is presented in no particular order, as noted at the bottom of each page where it gives the details on what the art was for and the year. It’s a simple structure, but I do like that the concept art for the movie Dredd was placed in the middle to break up the comic book work. As for the art itself, you get all the goodies. For the comic book art you will find early layout sketches, inks, full colour pages, and cover design progression. It’s a fantastic showcase of Jock’s striking style and shines the spotlight on why he stands out in the profession. I particularly like pages that show the layout designs next to the finished pages, so you can see how ideas get tweaked and adjusted by the artist. Covers are shown in a similar way in places too and are a highlight for me. Seeing the loose sketches and layouts followed by the finished piece is always fun to see. It’s easy to have a book that acts as a gallery of the finished art, but seeing how it started is much more engaging. If you’re familiar with Jock, you know that part of his mastery of blacks and negative space are always incredible, both of which are displayed wonderfully with poster designs, covers and his inks. The choices of what was included will certainly be appreciated by fans. The Judge Dredd chapter also includes Shirley Temple and Lenny Zero artwork alongside everyone’s favourite enforcer. There are also no text bubbles on the pages, so you can fully take in the art. There is an interesting part with a written script of what is on each page and panel for Lenny Zero, followed by the pages in black and white. This gives a unique look at how ideas are executed from a description to life on the page. The 2000 AD chapter also showcases the inks, coloured pages, and covers. Here you will find his work on Reapermen , Red Tide , Bad Company , Tor Cyan , and more. I’m sure the book could have been filled up with nothing but Judge Dredd art, but I like there is a lot shown in this chapter too. Another highlight for me is the Dredd (2012) chapter, a change in style that showcases concept art for the movie. The more grounded tone, while keeping the same visual identity of Mega-City One is a brilliant example of someone transitioning their skills with a new goal. It includes art for costumes, locations and keyframes. You’re left understanding how Jock then went on to work on many more movies after this, because it’s all superb. Credits As this is an artist focused book, the credit is written in large text on the front cover! However, in the cases where someone else did the colours, such as those from Chris Blythe and Gary Caldwell, they are noted on each page. This is the best way to credit an artist and so a good job for this release. Use of Space Overall, I like design, the covers and interiors take up the full page, or share more than one in a smaller size. There are some pages that have some empty space where an early interior layout is smaller in size, but sketches shouldn’t stretch out too much for the purpose of maintaining the visual quality. The layouts and background are kept simple, making it an art first approach and that works perfectly here. There is a small amount of image loss in the centre fold where the art crosses over, but this doesn’t happen often and doesn’t detract from the wonderful job from the team. Value The RRP of the book is $50/ £40 and that puts it at a reasonable price in the artbook world, certainly at the lower end of the range of what you expect to see in 2025. This is never a bad thing and of course, discounts can always be found on top of this too. Using Amazon as always for consistency, the book is down to $46 in the US and £29 in the UK just a couple of days after its release. This will of course fluctuate, but with a good RRP and price drops already available, the value here for those that want some Dredd art on their shelf is very good. Verdict The Art of Judge Dredd by Jock delivers a fantastic mix of artwork to pore over, all of which highlighting why the artist deserves this showcase of his talent. Those that love the brutal world of Mega-City One will find a lot to enjoy here and even those less familiar, but are fans of Jock himself, will get a lot out of the sketches, inks, posters, and concept art throughout! If you enjoyed the review and previews and would like to add the book to your own collection, you can do so here; Buy Here   / Buy Here (UK) Tags; #RebelionPublishing #JudgeDredd #Jock #Dredd #2000AD

October 22nd 2025 Titan Books has been reissuing the older Marvel Studios' artbooks as part of The Infinity Saga artbook series, with a new entry now getting a release date, but two more being removed from the line-up. The new listing is for Marvel Studios' The Infinity Saga - Ant-Man and the Wasp: The Art of the Movie , a look back at the return of Scott Lang, this time joined by a suited-up Hope van Dyne, aka the Wasp. The 288-page hardcover is set to for release on July 7th 2026, as spotted on the website of the publisher. The book is the 18th in the series and explores the concept art behind the characters, suits, locations, technology, and keyframes of the comic book movie. This of course includes the introduction of Ghost, who has since gone on to become a member of The New Avengers in the movie Thunderbolts . The artwork for the movies has some fun keyframes that explore the use of size, adding humour to the book just like the movie it is based on, Ant-Man and the Wasp . Despite coming out after Avengers: Infinity War , this artbook came first, so it's safe to assume the next book will be ' Marvel Studios' Avengers: Infinity War - The Art of the Movie'. However, collector's of the original books will know there is a book missing that should have been listed before this, which brings me on to the cancelled entries of the series. The Infinity Saga was noted as always having 24 books, but has been cut to 22. This has been confirmed with the team at Titan Books via email, after I asked if online listings are correct. The book that should have been up next, but was previously reported on this site as having been delisted, is Marvel Studios' The Infinity Saga The Road to Marvel's Avengers: Infinity War - The Art of the Marvel Cinematic Universe . But this also applies to the rerelease of the book, The Road to Marvel's Avengers: Endgame - The Art of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The cover for the Road to Avengers: Infinity War book was already revealed before the cancellation and can be seen below. The book had not been cancelled initially when delisted, but I was told it was "not in progress at the moment" by the press team. Now though, both books will not be going forward, just as the 'Road to' book for Age of Ultron was also never included in the series. For those that don't know, these collected art from multiple movies and were a great way at the time to catch up with a bit of art from each release if you had missed out. Given the availability of the books now that they have been reissued and released in a smaller window of time, as opposed to over a decade, it does make some sense that they aren't needed. Marvel Studios' The Infinity Saga The Road to Marvel's Avengers: Infinity War - The Art of the Marvel Cinematic Universe collected character art for the heroes featured in the movie, with some of it repeated from the previous single movie dedicated artbooks. This did also make it a great purchase for those interested in a book focused on character art at the time when was released in May of 2018. The Road to Marvel's Avengers: Endgame - The Art of the Marvel Cinematic Universe was released in April of 2019, but collected art in a slightly different way. It had a chapter surrounding the Infinity Stones, which included concept art and keyframes from previous movies. As well as more character art for the Avengers team, it also added artwork for Captain Marvel, Thanos and his other adopted children, known as The Black Order. The original cover can be seen below. Despite the couple of cancellations, each movie is still getting its own artbook and that continues to be fantastic for fans that missed out on the originals from Marvel. Titan Books have done a great job on the series, improving the print quality and binding of the books, but with all of the original content. They are a little smaller than the first editions and without a slipcase, but the the improvements and pricing makes them highly recommended. For those interested, you can read my review of their last entry in the series, Marvel Studios' The Infinity Saga - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2: The Art of the Movie, which also has comparison to the original book here . For more from Marvel Studios and their artbooks, you can check out reviews of their most recent releases below; 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 Book Review - Marvel Studios' Thunderbolts: The Art of the Movie Collectors of the new series can pre-order Marvel Studios' The Infinity Saga - Ant-Man and the Wasp: The Art of the Movie below; Buy Here   / Buy Here (UK) Tags; #SpiderMan #SpiderManHomecoming #MCU #Marvel #MarvelStudios #TitanBooks #MarvelCinematicUniverse #AvengersInfinityWar

Book Details ISBN: 9781835414439 Publisher: Titan Books Page Count: 288 Format: Hardcover Publication Date: 07/07/2026 (July 7th 2026) Other Editions: N/A About This book is part of the Titan Books rereleases of the Marvel Studios artbooks, originally released alongside the movies by Marvel. It is the 18th book in the series. Ant-Man returned and was joined by Hope van Dyne, aka the Wasp, for another another action comedy in 2018. Marvel Studios' The Infinity Saga - Ant-Man and the Wasp: The Art of the Movie explores the concept art of the suits, technology, locations, and keyframes for the movie, giving fans a look at the work that went into bringing them to life. Insights are also provided by the team behind the movie, including the artists themselves, each giving details on their approach to the shrinking and growing world of the unlikely hero Scott Lang. Categories Tags Based On: #AntManAndTheWasp Series: #MarvelCinematicUniverse #MCU #AntMan #Marvel Publisher: #TitanBooks Studio: #MarvelStudios #Disney Platform: #Movies #DisneyPlus Genre: #SuperHero #Action #SciFi #Comedy

Book Details ISBN: 979-8886635560 Publisher: Insight Editions Page Count: 306 Format: Hardcover Publication Date: 21/10/2025 (October 21st 2025) Other Editions: N/A About Look back at the history of Mortal Kombat through interviews and art in this book from NetherRealm Studios and Insight Editions. Mortal Kombat: Flawless Victory: A Visual History of the Iconic Series offers insights and interviews about the characters and making of the games with early art, renders and illustrations too. Preview Book Review - Mortal Kombat: Flawless Victory Categories Tags Based On: #MortalKombat Series: #MortalKombat Publisher: #InsightEditions Studio: #NetherRealmStudios #WarnerBros #MidwayGames Platform: #PC #Nintendo #PlayStation #Xbox #SegaGenesis #Arcade #SNES #GameBoy #Amiga #SegaSaturn #PS1 #PS2 #PS3 #PS4 #PS5 #Xbox360 #XboxOne #XboxSeriesX #GameGear #GameCube #DS #PSP #Switch #Mobile Genre: #Fighting

October 22nd 2025 On The Artbook Collector YouTube is a look at the new book from Insight Editions, Mortal Kombat: Flawless Victory ! Released on October 21st, the 304-page hardcover takes a look back at the iconic and brutally violent Mortal Kombat series from NetherRealm Studios. With over 30 years of artwork for the stages and characters to share, it takes readers through the many entries of the franchise with insights along the way. It also includes a chapter for the movies, shows, toys, and more. The book can't include everything, there are over 100 fighters that have been ripping each other apart over the years, so instead it features over 30 with their backgrounds and artwork, giving them more of a focus, rather than showing very little for all of them. The art that is on display ranges from early paper sketches, through to 3D models and modern digital concept art. It's a good mix that shows how the art has progressed, as well as the games themselves. If you want deeper thoughts on the book to find out if this is worth adding to your collection, you can read more here; Book Review - Mortal Kombat: Flawless Victory. The Mortal Kombat  series is a long-running franchise that started in the arcades in 1992, created by Ed Boon and John Tobias. The series quickly became known for its eclectic mix of fighters and violence, using Fatalities to finish opponents in gory fashion. In the world of Mortal Kombat , realms battle for dominance through tournaments of combat, pitting Earthrealm’s champions against Outworld’s rulers. Over more than 30 years, the series has maintained it popularity and has rebooted its story more than once for newer audiences. It's experimented with mini-games, 3D adventure games, and more outside of its classic 1 vs. 1 gameplay. The last release was Mortal Kombat 1 in 2023, the second reboot of the series. The fighters have also become iconic, with the likes of Sub-Zero, Raiden, Johnny Cage, Scorpion, Goro, and more, being some of the most recognisable names in the fighting genre. If you like the preview above of Mortal Kombat: Flawless Victory you can add it to your own collection using the links below. Also be sure to check out the rest of the YouTube channel for more artbooks you may want to add to your shelf! Buy Here   / Buy Here (UK) Tags; #MortalKombat #NetherRealmStudios #InsightEditions

October 21st 2025 Dune: Awakening dropped players onto the harsh world of Arrakis, tasked with surviving and finding the Fremen. While avoiding the Sandworms, enemies, and other players can be dangerous, learning about what it took the team at Funcom to make it has been made a much easier task thanks to the arrival of The Art of Making of Dune Awakening ! The book from Insight Editions (or Titan Books in the UK) was published on October 21 st  and invites players to enjoy the art and insights behind the online survival game set in Frank Herbert’s Dune universe. Now I can share my thoughts on whether this is as valuable as spice, or should be left behind in the sands. Build Quality The 224-page book is a little larger than most, coming in at 9.5” x 13”  (24.1cm x 33cm) with a hardcover. This makes it a good size and I really like the cover, the images online don’t highlight that it shines like the spice covered sand in the movies because it’s reflective. The lettering is also embossed too, helping to make it feel like a premium book. Beware though, it’s not finger print friendly! The paper quality is also very good as you would expect too. The problem here is the binding as it is tight to the spine, meaning that the ribbons and backing do not flex, preventing the pages from laying flat, which becomes an issue later on in the review as it affects some of artwork. You can see below the how the pages sit, with the second image highlighting that even while pressing down, the issue persists. Content As the title suggests this isn’t just an artbook, but also a deep dive into the development of the game. It strikes a nice balance throughout and isn’t an overly heavy read either, it uses large text so it doesn’t overwhelm a page. It’s detailed and interesting, without becoming a long novel which I like. Author Andrew Farago did a great job and I appreciate the spread dedicated to the life of Frank Herbert at the end too. Within the text there are many interviews from the team at Funcom too, including Creative Director Joel Bylos, Producer Nils Ryborg, VP of Interactive Media at Legendary Entertainment, Sam Rappaport. This makes up the bulk of the details about the game and covers a lot about its early inception and development. You learn about how they not only wanted to match the visual design of Denis Villeneuve’s 2021 Dune movie, but that they even visited the set and shared concept art and other materials. They discuss the alternate timeline choice, gameplay, factions, tools, story, and more. It’s very comprehensive and those that have spent many hours wandering the sands will find some fun details here. The art in the book covers a lot too, ranging from sketches to 3D models used in Dune: Awakening that fans will enjoy seeing. It showcases designs for the suits, tools, characters, bases, architecture, vehicles, and other details of the survival game. The pieces used also play to the books size, because despite lots of room given to the text, they fit a lot in, striking the healthy balance mentioned before. The type of concepts you see are balanced differently in certain chapters, as seen in the Traversal chapter that uses a lot more 3D models over 2D art for the vehicles like the ornithopter. The artwork and models are fantastic and you can see that the designs fit in right at home in the movies’ universe, despite being in a separate timeline. The detail across the board is impressive, but the characters art and architecture stood out the most to me personally. The different visual styles of the bases highlight the difference across the factions just like the movies and shows the care that went into creating meaningful differences for the players choice in the game. What I noticed immediately is the very high print quality, helping to elevate the art. It can be tough when printing dark colours, as they can be washed out, but you get some true blacks here that I can only compare to looking at a OLED screen next to a standard TV. Both are great, but this is step up which is fantastic. However, this all begins to fall apart over the next couple of sections… Credits Sadly, there are no artist credits to be found, not just absent on pages the art is featured on, but in the entire book. No list at the front or back of the book highlights the names of the people that contributed to the work you are seeing, which is a real shame. I prefer to see each image credited, but at the very least the names should be noted somewhere, there's certainly room to do it as there are small descriptions on each page of the art being shown. It’s not a big deal to everyone, but there’s no game without them, let alone a book. Use of Space The biggest let down here is the page design, which isn’t the fault of the layout choices. In fact, I like what they did here. The placement of the art works well and the background design is simple, allowing the art to shine. A lot of space is given to the text, which I don’t mind here as the arrangements look clean and they still fit a lot of images in at good sizes too. All of this is great, but it’s the binding that lets it down. Page design is everything, but it has to account for how it will be displayed in a physical book as opposed to on a screen. Unfortunately, this suffers from a large amount of image loss in the centre fold, because so many images cross the middle of the spread. The front and back are hit the hardest, where this problem affects many artbooks and can be seen in the photos below. I’ve learnt that the riskiest move is crossing the fold, because if the pages do not lay flat, you can obscure parts of images as seen here. The middle of the book isn’t as bad, but still not ideal and it’s painful to see good art let down by a binding issue. A good portion of the art can still be fully enjoyed, but it is a bigger issue here than in most artbooks. Value The artbook has an RRP of $50/ £40, which is a reasonable price in the artbook world. At 224 pages this is expected, but it does come in a slightly bigger size and with a well-made cover. As always, prices fluctuate and as spotted on Amazon UK, the book is already down to £29.99 a handful of days before its release. There is no discount currently on the US site, but these will come and go and other retailers may have offers already too. Without the previously mentioned issue, this would be a great price for the book. Verdict The Art and Making of Dune: Awakening had the potential to be perfect for fans, a wonderfully presented book with a variety of art and an insightful look at the game’s development. However, that all comes undone because of the binding issue that affects so many pages. Sadly, with a large portion of the book using art that crosses the centre fold, it’s hard to overlook. It’s tough to write reviews sometimes and this is one of them because it was so close to being great. It doesn’t completely ruin the book, but it does make it hard to recommend. If you're a fan of Dune: Awakening and would like to add the book to your own collection, you can do so here; Buy Here   / Buy Here (UK) Tags; #InsightEditions #TitanBooks #DuneAwakening #Dune #Funcom

Book Details ISBN: 978-1506733494 Publisher: Dark Horse Page Count: 240 Format: Hardcover Publication Date: 27/12/2022 (December 27th 2022) Other Editions: Deluxe Edition Buy Here / Buy Here (UK) About Sony Santa Monica and Dark Horse teamed up again to publish a second artbook for God of War, this time for the return of Kratos and Atreus in Ragnarök! Filled with concept art and insights for the game, fans can get a look at early artwork for the cast of characters, the deadly enemies and beasts you encounter, and the variety of environments from the realms players visit. God of War has a rich history with artbooks and stunning concept art, with The Art of God of War Ragnarök now adding to that legacy. Categories Tags Based On: #GodOfWarRagnarok Series: #GodOfWar Publisher: #DarkHorse Studio: #SantaMonicaStudio #PlayStationStudios Platform: #PlayStation #PS4 #PS5 Genre: #Action #Adventure #Fantasy

October 17th 2025 This week on The Artbook Collector YouTube is a look at the latest artbook from Dark Horse, The Art of Borderlands 4 ! Gearbox Software are back again with another look at the Borderlands universe, this time for the fourth entry in the mainline series. The 224-page hardcover was published on October 7th and features the early art and designs for the characters, enemies, weapons, vehicles, and locations of the game, highlighting the work of the artists and how they created the new world of Kairos. The Art of Borderlands 4 also comes with interviews from the team at Gearbox with insights on their approach to the designs of the character and world, adding an additional peak behind the curtain of the looter-shooter. It's an interesting book to go through and highlights that the art style you see on screen isn't required in the concept art, as there are a variety shown across its pages. I have also written an in-depth review of the book with my thoughts on why it is worth of being added to your inventory, which you can read here; Book Review - The Art of Borderlands 4 . Previous artbooks for Borderlands includes The Art of Borderlands 2  from BradyGames, The Art of Borderlands 3  from Titan Books, and the first book from Dark Horse, The Art of Tiny Tina's Wonderlands  for the spin-off. This is now the fourth artbook for the series, with hopefully more to come for future entries. Borderlands 4 launched on September 12th 2025, just a month before before the release of this book, which is always welcome. The game continues looter-shooter gameplay on the new planet Kairos, ruled of a tyrant known as the Timekeeper. Again introducing four new Vault Hunters to play as, you enter the open world and take on missions and enemies with more chaos and eccentric characters, as well as the huge number of guns the series is known for. It added new movement mechanics to navigate its larger open world too, while maintaining the same visuals and style that won players over back in 2009. If you like the preview above of The Art of Borderlands 4, check out the rest of the YouTube channel for more artbooks and order a copy for your own collection here; Buy Here   / Buy Here (UK) Tags; #DarkHorse #Borderlands #Borderlands4 #GearboxSoftware #2kGames

October 17th 2025 After teasing the official announcement on social media, publisher Cook and Becker have now unveiled their latest artbook, Into the Glade of Dreams: The Art and Design of Rayman , a look back at the history of the iconic video game character and his series of games. The book is being made in partnership with fellow publisher and book designer Lost in Cult, and of course the developer of Rayman, Ubisoft. Expected to ship in Fall 2026, the 250-page hardcover will dive into the now 30 year history of Rayman and his friends, from the earliest designs of the character, through to the last release, Rayman Legends from 2013. It will feature the sketches and pixelated look of his origin, through to the colourful HD worlds seen in his latest outings, giving fans a look the growth and development of the characters and universe the teams have created. As well as artwork, there are insights and anecdotes from the talented people that worked on bringing the series to life, telling the history of one of gaming's most recognisable mascots and the friends that have joined him along the way. You can place an order for the book on the Cook and Becker website here . Two version of Into the Glade of Dreams: The Art and Design of Rayman are available to pre-order, a Standard Edition at $54.95, and a Collector's Edition for those that want to splash out on some extra features for $149. This Collector's Edition comes with a slipcase that you can see below with detachable feet so it can be stood up and displayed for all to see. It also boasts a concept art print with a holder to display this as well. The interesting feature here is the inclusion of magnets for 7 characters that can be placed on the slipcase ring, allowing you to display them how you like. The Collector's Edition can be seen below. The original Rayman was released on the Atari Jaguar, PlayStation, Sega Saturn, and MS-DOS in 1995 from Ubisoft. This game was later rereleased on more platforms, but more importantly, it marked the start of the series that went on to launch 4 more mainline titles, as well as creating the Raving Rabbids spin-off games too. Rayman's unique limbless design with floating hands and feet make him a visual stand-out, matched only by the fun and colourful designs of the world he finds himself in, alongside the characters and enemies within it. If you have played a Rayman game, you are already familiar with the charm of the character and the fantastic level design from the developers, all of which makes it perfect to receive the artbook treatment. Publisher Cook and Becker is no stranger to video game artbooks, having released Killzone Visual Design , The Art of Still Wakes The Deep , and more, in the past. They are also set to release WORLD OF TANKS. Journey Through Art at the end of this month. Also working on the book is Lost in Cult, a publisher themselves, but also a studio that works on the designs of other artbooks. They recently announced Cocoon: Design Works , a look at the development of the world-hopping puzzle hit. Be sure to grab a copy of Glade of Dreams: The Art and Design of Rayman on the Cook and Becker website below, and any future update will be shared here as they happen. Buy Here Tags; #CookAndBecker #Rayman #LostInCult #Ubisoft

Book Details ISBN: TBC Publisher: Cook and Becker Page Count: 250 Format: Hardcover Publication Date: Q4 2026 Other Editions: Collector's Edition About Into the Glade of Dreams: The Art and Design of Rayman showcases 30 years of the series with a 250-page hardcover from Cook and Becker and Lost in Cult, in partnership with Ubisoft. The book features early sketches from the series' inception, through to the latest release, Rayman Legends. It also includes insights from the development team behind the games, giving fans details on bringing the character and his friends to life. A Collector's Edition for the book comes with a slipcase, detachable feet that allows it to stand, magnets that can be attached to the slipcase, and a print with a holder. Previews Categories Tags Based On: #Rayman Series: #Rayman Publisher: #CookAndBecker Studio: #Ubisoft #LostInCult Platform: #PC #PlayStation #Xbox #PS4 #XboxOne #Xbox360 #Mobile #Nintendo #Switch #GameBoy #SegaSaturn #Mobile #AtariJaguar #Nintendo64 #Deamcast #PS2 #NintendoDS #GameCube #PS3 #Wii #WiiU #PSVita Genre: #2D #Platformer #Sidescroller

October 16th 2025 Publisher Udon Entertainment have shared on social media that a new version of Shovel Knight: Design Works is on the way, making the book available again for fans of Yacht Club Games' 2D side-scrolling hit. This new version is titled Shovel Knight: Ultimate Design Works and can be pre-ordered exclusively on Udon's website right now, but it will also be making its way to other retailers soon. If you do choose to order through the Udon store, you will also receive an exclusive Shovel Knight Metal Card with art by Edwin Huang. The book is expected to ship in May 2026 and comes as a 8.25" x11.75" hardcover, an upgrade of the paperback original from 2017. It will include over 100 additional pages with art and designs from all Shovel Knight games, making this release not only the perfect those that missed out on the original, but also for fans that want more from the Shovel Knight world. You can check out some page previews below that include character art for the game. For those that didn't pick up the original book, Shovel Knight: Design Works showcases the early designs and sketches for the game, which includes the characters, bosses, enemies, weapons, and levels. It was a fantastic book that was very generous with sharing concepts that were not used, perfect for players that wanted a peak behind the curtain at the development of the designs. This is not the first 'Ultimate' artbook from Udon, as they revealed Marvel vs. Capcom: Ultimate Design Works in summer for release in November, which also upgraded the original to a hardcover and increased the page count. Very few publishers go back and reprint their books, let alone upgrade them, but Udon Entertainment does both, as they have also recently announced on social media that they would be printing more copies of the three Dark Souls Design Works books too. The publisher previously rereleased The Art of Darksiders and The Art of Darksiders II as hardcovers, matching the other two in the series. They also publish many Japanese Kadokawa books for the West as hardcovers too, translating them into English to make them available for a larger audience, as seen with the artbooks for Elden Ring and the upcoming release, The Art of Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty . Fellow collectors will know that hardcovers are almost always the preferred option, as it allows for more reliable binding and is much better for the preservation of the book. When featuring a large number of pages, especially with higher quality paper, a softcover can in many cases prevent pages from opening flat and in worst case scenarios, slowly come apart or have the cover come loose. I'm happy to see Udon continue its trend of using this format and revisiting past books. Future updates for Shovel Knight: Ultimate Design Works will be shared here and be sure to visit the Udon store to place your pre-order and find other items for your collection here . Tags; #MarvelVsCapcom #Capcom #UdonEntertainment #ShoveKnight #YachtClubGames

Book Details ISBN: TBC Publisher: Udon Entertainment Page Count: TBC Format: Hardcover Publication Date: 05/2026 (May 2026) Other Editions: Udon Store Exclusive Edition About Udon Entertainment give players a look at the early art, designs, and illustrations behind Yacht Club Games' 2D side-scroller, Shovel Knight . This time though, Shovel Knight: Ultimate Design Works is a rerelease of the original Design Works book from 2017, adding more than 100 pages and giving it a hardcover too. The additional pages add art for all of the Shovel Knight games, as opposed to just the original release. Categories Tags Based On: #ShovelKnight Series: #ShovelKnight Publisher: #UdonEntertainment Studio: #YachtClubGames Platform: #PlayStation #PS4 #Xbox #XboxOne #PC #Nintendo #Switch Genre: #2D #Sidescroller #Platformer

October 16th 2025 Back with another entry in their ongoing Design Works series of books, Lost in Cult has revealed that their latest addition will be focused on the 2023 puzzle-action game Cocoon . Cocoon: Design Works was shared on social media as is tradition by the book publisher, with the pre-orders now live for the 200+ page hardcover book on their website . It's being made in partnership with the game's developer Geometric Interactive and publisher Annapurna Interactive. The book will feature a look at the development of world-hopping game from early inception to release, perfect for fans wanting a peak behind the curtain at how the universes came to life. Veteran games journalist Rachel Watts is authoring the book, which also comes with interviews with the development team and Geometric Interactive, including Director Jeppe Carlsen, composer Jakob Schmid, Art Director Erwin Kho, and more. As expected, the book will also include art and 3D models too, giving a full look at what it took to create the award-winning game. Lost in Cult have a couple of versions of the book available, a Standard Edition and a Deluxe Edition. The Deluxe Edition is only available for a limited time, but can be pre-ordered until Tuesday the 16th of December, so be sure to get your order in if you want some extra goodies. Both versions of Cocoon: Design Works are expected to start shipping Q3-Q4 of 2026. The Deluxe Edition will include the 200+ page hardcover book seen above, as well as the following as extras; A slipcase A clamshell presentation box Alternative cover with iridescent holographic foil Art prints A sticker sheet A large holographic sticker Silver-foiled bookmark A preview of this version can be seen below, as well as some page previews of the book. Cocoon  is a puzzle-adventure game designed by Jeppe Carlsen, lead gameplay designer of critically-acclaimed indie hits Limbo and Inside. Players take the role of a small, insect-like creature exploring strange alien worlds contained within orbs. The orbs each hold their own unique universe and can be moved around, as well as entered, creating intricate puzzles that once completed, reveal the cosmic story. Cocoon uses the environment and sound to tell its story, while boasting incredible visuals and wonderfully designed puzzles. It went on to win multiple awards, including Best Debut Indie Game at the 2023 Game Awards. Lost in Cult are frequently announcing new vinyl and physical video game releases, as well as books, all as part of their ongoing commitment to game preservation and physical media. Previously revealed books in the Design Works series includes Alan Wake: Design Works , Animal Well: Design Works ,   VA-11 Hall-A: Design Works , Ultros: Design Works , and Outer Wilds: Design Works , and Mundaun: Design Works . Last month they revealed Mouthwashing: Design Works which you can read about in the reveal article . Future updates for the book will be reported here as they happen and be sure to check out the Lost in Cult website to order Cocoon: Design Works, as well as much more here . Tags; #Cocoon #GeometricInteractive #LostInCult #DesignWorks #AnnapurnaInteractive

Book Details ISBN: TBC Publisher: Lost in Cult Page Count: 200+ Format: Hardcover Publication Date: Q4 2026 Other Editions: Deluxe Edition About Lost in Cult partnered with Geometric Interactive, developer of the award-winning puzzle game Cocoon , to create a in-depth look at its development, art and more, as part of their ongoing Design Works series. Authored by game journalist Rachel Watts, Cocoon: Design Works features a wealth of insights through interviews with the creative team behind the world-hopping game, as well as a look at the art and assets that helped bring it to life. A Deluxe Edition of Cocoon: Design Works was also created that includes a slipcase, presentation box, art prints, a bookmark, and stickers. Preview Categories Tags Based On: #Cocoon Series: #DesignWorks Publisher: #LostInCult Studio: #GeometricInteractive #AnnapurnaInteractive Platform: #PlayStation #PC #PS5 #Nintendo #Switch #PS4 #Xbox #XboxOne #XboxSeriesS #XboxSeriesX Genre: #Puzzle

September 30th 2025 Lost in Cult continue their relentless schedule with another Design Works book being added to their ever-growing catalogue. In partnership with developer Wrong Organ and game publisher Critical Reflex, the new book will dive into the development of the indie-horror Mouthwashing . Mouthwashing: Design Works was revealed on September 18th on social media for the 1 year anniversary of the game, but very little was known at the time. Now that the book has gone live for pre-orders , we know it will have approximately 200 pages, comes with a hardcover and will explore the creation of the game, including how it went from an expansion, to its own title. The book is written by Khee Hoon Chan (Polygon, The Verge) and delivers development insights and interviews with designer and programmer Jeffrey Tomec, art and narrative design Johanna Kasurinen, audio designer Martin Halldin, and producer Kai Moore, the founders of Wrong Organ. It will give fans a peak behind the curtain of the dark and creepy game, including its cast and the unsettling freighter, Tulpar. As always, Lost in Cult are offering two versions of the book, a Standard Edition and a Deluxe Edition. The Deluxe Edition is only available to order up until Friday the 28th of November, with both versions expected to start shipping in Q4 of 2026. The Deluxe Edition will include the 200+ page hardcover book seen above, as well as the following as extras; Slipcase Micro RPG designed by DNGN Club Games Presentation box 3D papercraft set A patch A poster Postcards Psych Evaluation Form A preview of this version can be seen below, as well as some page previews of the book. Mouthwashing  is a 2024 psychological horror game by Swedish studio Wrong Organ and published by Critical Reflex. Players find themselves on a crippled freighter called Tulpar, following crew as they struggle with dwindling supplies and paranoia. The gameplay is built on exploration, dialogue, and puzzle elements, with each helping to tell the story. It's presented with low-poly, retro aesthetic and was well-received by gamers and critics, even winning awards that included Best Narrative at the Horror Game Awards. Lost in Cult are frequently announcing new products, which includes books, vinyl, and physical video games. Alan Wake: Design Works  was the last in the series to be revealed, which can be found on their website . You can also pre-order other upcoming books in the series too, including Animal Well: Design Works ,   VA-11 Hall-A: Design Works , Ultros: Design Works , and Outer Wilds: Design Works , and Mundaun: Design Works . The Design Works series may not be typical artbooks, but their focus on all aspects of development, which includes the visuals, is the reason they are always worth highlighting. It's also an opportunity for smaller titles to get to shine in the spotlight too, especially as creating books is an expensive endeavour and sometimes out of reach for developers. Lost in Cult have been a champion of the indie scene though, helping make these books a reality. Future updates for the book will be reported here as they happen and be sure to check out the Lost in Cult website page here . Tags; #Mouthwashing #WrongOrgan #LostInCult #DesignWorks #CriticalReflex

Book Details ISBN: TBC Publisher: Lost in Cult Page Count: 200+ Format: Hardcover Publication Date: Q4 2026 Other Editions: Deluxe Edition About Mouthwashing: Design Works from Lost in Cult is a deep dive into the development of the creepy indie-horror from developer Wrong Organ. Trough interviews, art, and more for the game, readers can get the full details on its development, from inception as a planned DLC release, to a full standalone title. A limited Deluxe Edition was also made for the book that includes a presentation box, a slipcase, a micro RPG, a papercraft set, a poster, and more. Preview Categories Tags Based On: #Mouthwashing Series: #DesignWorks Publisher: #LostInCult Studio: #WrongOrgan #CritialReflex Platform: #PlayStation #PC #PS5 #Nintendo #Switch #Xbox #XboxSeriesS #XboxSeriesX Genre: #Horror

Book Details ISBN: 978-1506748405 Publisher: Dark Horse Page Count: 224 Format: Hardcover Publication Date: 07/10/2025 (October 7th 2025) Other Editions: N/A About Borderlands 4 brought with it another artbook in The Art of Borderlands 4 from Dark Horse. The hardcover features a look at the sketches, concept art and renders for the world of Kairos, the new setting for this entry in the 'looter-shooter' series. Along with insights from the development team, readers can find art for the characters, environments, enemies and of course, the weapons. Previews Book Review - The Art of Borderlands 4 Categories Tags Based On: #Borderlands4 Series: #Borderlands Publisher: #DarkHorse Studio: #GearboxSoftware #2K Platform: #PC #PS5 #PlayStation #Xbox #XboxSeriesX #XboxSeriesS Genre: #FPS #Action #SciFi

October 13th 2025 Borderlands is back with more chaos, action, laughs, and of course, guns! Hot off the heels of the release of Borderlands 4 in September 2025, The Art of Borderlands 4 from Dark Horse Books and developer Gearbox was published on October 7th, delivering a look at the art behind the latest team of Vault Hunters and their story on the new world of Kairos. Now that a copy has joined the collection, find out here if this book should be left behind to save room in your inventory, or if it glows with the same orange as a Legendary weapon! Build Quality Dark Horse deliver their standard 9” x 12” hardcover format and that’s not a bad thing. The cover is strong, the binding is secure, and they have again used good quality paper. The book comes with 224 pages this time round, which falls within the normal range for an artbook from the publisher. This is a nice short and sweet part of the review, because you cannot go wrong with what they deliver here, their consistent quality should always be praised. Content Borderlands fans are treated to a fun mix of content that includes early sketches, colour concepts, and 3D models that explore the new world of Kairos that Gearbox have created. The book is split into the following chapters; Vault Hunters, Non-Player Characters, Guns, Environments, Bad Guys & Monsters, and Vehicles. Each of these is self-explanatory and what you expect from a video game artbook, which is always a good thing as it covers a lot of what you see in the game. The series is known in part for its cell-shaded visual design, but The Art of Borderlands 4 is an example of the concept art style not needing to match what you see on screen. The black outlines you see in the game aren’t features across all of the designs, there are even some concepts made up of only block colour, because it’s not required to explore ideas. What you end up with here is a variety of styles that all look great in their own right, all working towards a common goal— creating characters and a world players will want to spend time in. Not only is the art superb, but the print quality is also excellent too, giving the art the showcase it deserves. It's not often that a book doesn’t have a stand out section, but this release has a fantastic balance of art for the characters, environments, and technology. In each section you see early concepts through to more detailed renders, as well as the inclusion of 3D models and art, as opposed to just 2D. Nothing feels neglected and they fit a lot in on each page too, as you can see in the previews. There’s a consistency here that I like, but of course if you prefer character art then that will be the highlight for you, same goes for fans of environment art. However, if like me you have no specific preference, you’ll appreciate the shared focus here. The character and enemy chapters include a lot of the earlier iterations of each design, giving readers a look at a lot of unused concepts, which is always a big selling point of any good artbook. The non-human creatures and enemies in particular are fun to look through for this reason. Borderlands 4 offers a wide range of environment types and that is reflected here too. It lends itself to an interesting artbook for this reason and you get a wonderful mix of barren wastelands, nature filled locations, and different architecture styles for the man/alien-made settings too. The colour palettes change from page to page and that also helps to highlight the work Gearbox put into its new world. On the technology side, weapons and vehicles flood the pages with a lot of artwork, especially for the guns that even include a look at specific components too. Each arms manufacturer is featured here and given a couple of spreads to shine the spotlight on the work of the team. The Vehicles chapter is the smallest, but you also get to see early sketches and unused material that is always appreciated. The text throughout gives insights into the characters and world, with the main focus being on the approach to the design choices made to create the final designs, which includes updates for returning characters. Rick Barba has done a great job here at getting details across in bite-sized chunks, as well as through interviews with the team. You get insights from lead game designer Nick Thurston, lead artist Chris Kuhner, associate art directors Dax Davenport and Chris Neeley, among others, with this being where the bulk of the details come from. The book definitely has an art heavy focus, but the amount included here still offers a lot to readers. Credits In the case of The Art of Borderlands 4, the credits are found across 3 pages in the back of the book. It would have been nice to see the individual pieces of art get a credit, as this is always the best option, but they can at least be found on a credits page. It doesn’t just include the credits for what is in the book either, but all artists for the game, including those that worked on tech art, mocap, animation, UI, lighting, and more, as well as across multiple companies that contributed to Borderlands 4 . Use of Space I’m a big fan of the design of the book, the team at Dark Horse and Alan Jones at The Story Division have created a book that fits a lot in, while keeping the page layouts clean and easy to read. Some artwork is boxed together to keep them organised and this works very well. The placement of text is unobtrusive, even when placed in the corner of an environmental piece of art. The big win here is the art that crosses the centre fold, as it avoids image loss and that is usually not the case. Images are often at risk if they cross the middle of a spread, but thanks to the binding and designers, all of the art can be fully enjoyed as seen above. A great job all round here. Value The book has an RRP of $55/ £50, which is a small increase from previous releases and likely due to the economic landscape. However, as with previous artbooks, prices for the book online can fluctuate, often even before release. The Art of Borderlands 4 is no different, with Amazon US selling it at the time of writing this for $53 and on the UK site it can be found at £38, so it’s worth looking around before buying. Given how expensive things have become for people, the RRP seems very reasonable for another solid Dark Horse release, with lower prices being great if you find them. Verdict The Art of Borderlands 4 shines like a rare gun after being dropped by an enemy. It features fantastic art and insights that are delivered in a well made and designed book, allowing the work of the artists to shine. I like the mix of styles and its balanced focus for each chapter, while fitting a lot in too. Some loot should be left in the wastelands, but fans can't go wrong making space in their inventory for this one! If you like the previews and review and want to add The Art of Borderlands 4 to your own shelf, you can do so here; Buy Here   / Buy Here (UK) Tags; #Borderlands #Borderlands4 #Gearbox #2KGames #DarkHorse

October 12th 2025 New York Comic Con brought an update to the upcoming dive into art of the hugely popular Star Wars series Andor , in the way of new cover art. The Art of Star Wars: Andor from Abrams Books is set for release on May 19th 2026 and will showcase the art and insights for both seasons of the show. The 272-page artbook and is being authored by Phil Szostak, who also worked on previous Star Wars artbooks. Following the reveal of the artwork seen below, he has now confirmed that it will be on the dustjacket of the upcoming release. Prior to this, there was a different cover being used for the book, including on the website of the publisher. When asked if the new art would be used as the official cover, Szostak said the following on X; " Yes, this is the official jacket cover illustration. But the previously revealed concept art cover will still be under the dust jacket. Every Art of Star Wars book technically has two covers! " That previous cover was used when the book was revealed and can be seen below. As he explained, Star Wars artbooks from Abrams books do have artwork under the dustjacket like many other releases for movies, video games, shows, and more. It's nice to know this will continue following the 4 year gap of artbook releases from Lucasfilm and Abrams Books. The Art of Star Wars: The Acolyte  that is coming on January 13th 2026 will no doubt also have two covers too, as will The Art of The Mandalorian and Grogu , which was just announced at New York Comic Con yesterday. The Art of Star Wars: Andor will feature the concept art for the characters, locations, ships, key frames, and more for the series. It will also showcase the production art and props, alongside interviews and insights from the creative team. It will cover the development of both seasons of the show too, from the release of Rogue One , to finishing Andor's story. The last artbook release for a live-action Star Wars projects was The Art of Star Wars: The Mandalorian Season Two, which hit shelves in 2022. The books had been curiously absent until the reveal of The Art of Star Wars: The Acolyte in summer of 2024. Season three of The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett will also be highlighted in The Art of The Mandalorian and Grogu, leaving just Obi-Wan Kenobi , Ashoka and Skeleton Crew without an artbook. First premiering in 2022, Star Wars: Andor  premiered on Disney+ in 2022 and quickly became a fan favourite series. It follows Cassian Andor at the beginning of the rebellion, following his story 5 years before his appearance in the movie Rogue One: A Star Wars Story . It features darker and more adult themes than prior projects, including rebellion and oppression. The show includes many characters and a variety of locations that make it well suited for an interesting artbook. Future updates for The Art of Star Wars: Andor will be reported here and if you are wanting to pre-order the book for you own collection, you can do so here; Buy Here / Buy Here (UK) Tags; #AbramsBooks #StarWars #Disney #Lucasfilm #StarWarsAndor #Delay

October 12th 2025 New York Comic Con is underway and as always it brings a lot of news and reveals for many universes in nerd culture, including Star Wars. This year it brought the announcement of another entry in Lucasfilm's vast artbook catalogue, The Art of The Mandalorian and Grogu . Authored again by Phil Szostak and published by Abrams Books, this release will not only dive into the upcoming movie, Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu , but also the third season of The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett . The book is set for release on April 28th 2026 and currently has a placeholder cover. Retail listings for the book are not yet live, but expect these to appear soon with updates on the page count too. The official description from stawwars.com is as follows; " Author Phil Szostak gives insight into the concept and creation of the visual elements of the Clan of Two’s first big screen adventure. The Art of The Mandalorian and Grogu also includes a look back at artwork from season 3 of The Mandalorian as well as moments from The Book of Boba Fett. " The inclusion of two TV series is an interesting one, as prior to this, the first two seasons of The Mandalorian got the artbook treatment and left fans wondering where the third was, as well as The Book of Boba Fett that also went without one. Din Djarin was featured heavily at the end of that series, making it a continuation of his own story and so it makes sense that if it isn't going to get its own book, it would be featured in this release too. It does highlight in the description that it's only moments from this show included, so it may only focus on the last few episodes with Din and Grogu. Other series are also without their own artbook, as currently Obi-Wan Kenobi , Ashoka , and Skeleton Crew are also missing from the line-up. The Art of Star Wars: The Acolyte was announced in the summer of 2024, the first book revealed after the release of The Art of Star Wars: The Mandalorian (Season Two), and it set for release January 13th. Since then, The Art of Star Wars: Andor was also unveiled and plugged one of the previous artbook gaps, as it will cover both seasons of the show when it arrives May 19th 2026. With Abrams Books now down to a few shows left to showcase the concept art for, it wouldn't be a surprise if Ashoka had multiple seasons covered in a future artbook as seen for Andor . The Obi-Wan Kenobi and Skeleton Crew series are still up in the air though, because there is no news on more seasons. Another thing of note is that 'Star Wars' is not featured in the title of The Art of The Mandalorian and Grogu, which would be a first, though this could change when listings go live for pre-orders. It's good to see Star Wars getting back into the swing of releasing artbooks in 2026 after a 4 year gap. The releases for the live-action movies and series have always delivered fantastic artbooks in the past and were sorely missed. The video game world have had a couple of great releases though, with The Art of Star Wars Outlaws and The Art of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor from Dark Horse offering a superb look at other corners of a galaxy far, far away to fill the shelves of fans during the gap. A copy of The Art of The Mandalorian and Grogu will be joining the collection here to be reviewed, but until then, any future updates on the release will be shared as they happen. Tags; #AbramsBooks #StarWars #Disney #Lucasfilm #TheMandalorian

Book Details ISBN: TBC Publisher: Abrams Books Page Count: TBC Format: Hardcover Publication Date: 28/04/2026 (April 28th 2026) Other Editions: N/A About Author Phil Szostak takes fans through the concept art and insights behind the return of the Clan of Two for their big screen debut. The Art of The Mandalorian and Grogu also features artwork from season 3 of The Mandalorian, as well as moments from The Book of Boba Fett. Categories Tags Based On: #TheMandalorianAndGrogu #TheBookOfBobaFett #TheMandalorian Series: #StarWars Publisher: #AbramsBooks Studio: #Lucasfilm #Disney Platform: #DisneyPlus #TV #Movies Genre: #SciFi #Action

Book Details ISBN: 978-1419775680 Publisher: Abrams Books Page Count: 272 Format: Hardcover Publication Date: 19/05/2026 (May 19th 2026) Other Editions: N/A About Star Wars: Andor fans can jump into the art and insights behind the show with this book from Lucasfilm and Abrams Books. With a look at the concept art for the characters, locations, ships, key frames, and more, readers will get to see how the visuals came together for the series. As well as this, the book also includes a look at the production art and props, along with interviews and insights from the creative team. The Art of Star Wars: Andor covers all 24 episodes of the show in one volume and will include deep dives into how the show was made, from the release of the movie Rogue One, to wrapping up the second season. This is the ultimate companion to the show that celebrates and showcases the incredible artwork from the team behind Andor. Categories Tags Based On: #StarWarsAndor Series: #StarWars Publisher: #AbramsBooks Studio: #Lucasfilm #Disney Platform: #DisneyPlus #TV Genre: #SciFi #Action