While Chip Kidd was having fun partying at this week’s 2013 San Diego Comic Con (OK honestly, he was probably working like a dog) he was kind enough to share a few fun photos he took while running around.

The first one is of him standing in front of the Booth for Pantheon Books. Hey, take a notice of the banner in the background with the new “Pantheon Graphic Novels” logo!

Next, Chip ran into some super-awesome famous people. The 1st pic is none other than Neil Gaiman (The Ocean at the End of the Lane, Make Good Art Speech, & soon, Sandman Overture for DC Comics) and then we get to see the Fantasy Author, George R. R. Martin (The Game of Thrones). That’s cool!

Then, last but not least, he dropped by the HOT TOYS Toy Booth to see the brand-new Classic 1966 BATMAN TV Series Figures and Batmobile. These are coming out later this year and they are insanely beautiful…. actually, Masterpieces of ART!

Presented here, for your viewing pleasure, is an extremely in-depth interview recently conducted at Penn State University by the Host, Patty Satalia. She delivered a lovely, and very well researched, conversation with Book Cover Designer Chip Kidd. They talked about the History of Graphic Design, the Future of Books in General, and What are Some Important Issues Facing Publishers Today. They also discuss the importance of Penn State University on his life and work, especially his first novel, “The Cheese Monkeys, A Novel In Two Semesters”. Don’t believe us? Well, here’s the video to prove it, check it out!

Also, Please visit Patty Satalia’s official website CONVERSATIONS FROM PENN STATE because, there, they have a few more videos of “Conversations with Chip Kidd” that are well worth listening to. Also, while you’re there, you might check out some of her other interviews with other guests too. We promise, they’re ALL very interesting and really good stuff!! Just CLICK HERE!

Here’s some very exciting comic book news! DC Comics has created a special TV Commercial for their brand-new set of 4 BEFORE WATCHMEN Graphic Novels (The covers of which were all designed by Chip Kidd!). The commercial, featuring artwork from the series, will begin airing on cable stations including IFC, TruTV and TNT this week.

Then, the BIG NEWS, it will be on the Jumbotron in New York City’s TIMES SQUARE starting July 16th. Fitting, when you consider that it was the location of the original series' climax!

Oh, and if you’re headed to San Diego, you can watch it in the DC Comics, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros booths. Oh yeah, before we forget, here’s the VIDEO… Check It Out!!

Here are the titles we’re talking about and they are available right now in hardcover, with two series collected in each deluxe edition:

- Before Watchmen: Minutemen/Silk Spectre, by Darwyn Cooke and Amanda Conner
- Before Watchmen: Ozymandia/Curse of the Crimson Corsair, by Len Wein, Jae Lee, John Higgins and Steve Rude
- Before Watchmen: Nite Owl/Dr. Manhattan by J. Michael Straczynski, Adam Hughes, Andy Kubert, Joe Kubert, Bill Sienkiewicz and Eduardo Risso
- Before Watchmen: Comedian/Rorschach by Brian Azzarello, Lee Bermejo and J.G. Jones

Fans of the Author and Poet, John Updike, are now all getting pretty excited about a new publishing event that is about to happen! Around September 12th, 2013, we can all expect to see the publication of John Updike: The Collected Stories by the Library of America. The two volumes can be bought singly (John Updike: Collected Early Stories, John Updike: Collected Later Stories) or in a boxed set that includes a sturdy and colorful slipcase designed by Chip Kidd, featuring the 1982 oil-on-canvas portrait by Alex Katz that's housed at the National Portrait Gallery.

It's an extremely attractive set that features 186 stories, all totaled, and seems certain to be accepted by scholars as the definitive critical text(s). The boxed set (volumes #242 and #243 in the Library of America series) runs 1,872 pages and comes with a suggested retail price of $75.00. But, Amazon is offering the book for a limited time (at the time of this posting) for $49.83.

• ISBN-10: 1598532502
• ISBN-13: 978-1598532500

Hey! We have a bunch of abbreviations here so please let us explain that real quick, ha! First, SDCC is the “San Diego Comic Con”, which starts on July 18th (Thursday) and runs until Sunday. Then, the CBLDF is the “Comic Book legal Defense Fund”. They’re a non-profit group that helps support Comic Book Retailers and Creators. They also work to SAVE FREE SPEECH. Whew!

OK, the good news is that the Book Designer Chip Kidd will be appearing at the 2013 SDCC with the lovely Japanese Translator Anne Ishii. They will be making multiple appearances, both separate and together, at different times of the event. Also, Chip Kidd will mainly be appearing to sign available copies of Batman: Death by Design, Neil Gaiman's Make Good Art, and The Passion of Gengoroh Tagame.

So far the schedule looks like this:

THURSDAY - Chip Kidd will be signing books at the CBLDF Booth (#1920) at 5:00pm.

FRIDAY - Chip Kidd will appear with Anne Ishii for a Lecture and Book Signing at 12:00pm.

SATURDAY- Anne Ishii will have a performance at 12:00pm.

Of course the CBLDF will have many other Creatives, Authors, Writers, Cartoonists, and other Artists as well. For more information and a complete list of events, please CLICK HERE!

In a recent interview on The Leonard Lopate Show (WNYC Radio) Ira Glass, from THIS AMERICAN LIFE (NPR), spoke about his collaboration with Author David Rakoff on creating the Audiobook for Rakoff’s brand-new book titled: Love, Dishonor, Marry, Die, Cherish, Perish (Doubleday). Of course the regular format of the book is being released today, July 16th, and has already received a ton of praise and great book reviews. Please be sure to look for it on your next visit of your favorite bookstore. You’ll be glad you did. (We also want to mention that Chip Kidd designed this book’s cover and contents).

The audio we have here is the interview with Ira Glass. He was interviewed by Guest Host, Martha Plimpton. She did an amazing job and they both covered the book, and David’s life, extremely well. Please give it a quick listen!

The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF) will be in San Diego for the 2013 Comic-Con International (SDCC). You can find them at Booth #1920 and you’re going to NOT want to miss them because they will have a bunch of exciting things going on!

First, the CBLDF will have a few Exclusive items you can only get at this event. One such item is a brand-new T-Shirt with the face of EC Comics/Mad Magazine Creator, William Gaines. The shirt also has the motto, “Bill Gaines Was Right”, which relates to the censorship of comic books and supports free speech. Right On!

They will also have some exclusive variant-cover comic books, really great stuff like:

Adventure Time #18, with art by the amazingly talented Chrystin Garland!
Liberty Variant of Quantum and Woody #1, with a cover by Tony Millionaire!
Comics Code Variant of Lazarus #1, by the Creative Team of Rucka, Lark, and Arcas!
Also, don’t miss their authoritative guide book on Manga Art titled, Manga: Introduction, Challenges, and Best Practices!

Aside from these variants and exclusives, the CBLDF will also have in-booth book signings featuring designer Chip Kidd and translator Anne Ishii, among other exciting appearances! “Chip Kidd” related books on hand will include: Batman: Death by Design (DC Comics), Neil Gaiman's Make Good Art, and The Passion of Gengoroh Tagame. Of course they will have many other Creators, Artists, Writers, etc, as well. For a full signing schedule, CLICK HERE!

Here’s a friendly reminder that PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE Books and their other groups (Pantheon, Knopf & Schocken, Doubleday, and Vintage Anchor) will be exhibiting at the next 2013 SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON (SDCC), which at the time of this posting is next weekend! I mean, it starts on Thursday, July 18th, and runs until Sunday, July 21st. Their booth numbers are 1514 & 1515 and are located just a few spaces from the DC Comics Booth. For a more detailed EXHIBIT HALL MAP please CLICK HERE!

Please be sure to visit the PANTHEON Graphic novels Booth because they will be giving away “Cartoonist Buttons” and “Pantheon Bookmarks” which were designed by Chip Kidd. The Pin-Back Buttons feature portraits of Charles Burns, Art Spiegelman, and Chris Ware. They will also have a preview of Pantheon's next graphic novel, THE ADVENTURES OF LOVELACE AND BABBAGE by Sydney Padua, set to be released next fall in 2014. Also, as an added bonus, they will have LIMITED giveaway copies of other Pantheon titles including Hanan al-Shaykh's ONE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS , PZ Myers' THE HAPPY ATHEIST and Jesse Ball's SILENCE ONCE BEGUN (early copies in advance of the January 2014 release!).

Also, in the Random House Booth, they’re gonna have a ton of great Authors who are not only selling books but will be available for book signings. Check out the list down below!

Author Roger Hobbs will appear on the “Keep 'Em at the Edge of Their Seats” panel on Thursday at 4 pm, and he will sign copies of GHOSTMAN at the Random House booth (#1515) on Friday, 4:00 - 5:00pm.

Chuck Palahniuk will be on the “Ode to Nerds” panel on Thursday at 1:45 pm, and he will signing books at the Random House booth (#1515) on Friday, 10:00 - 11:00am.

Anne Rice will be back at SDCC this year to meet fans and promote her werewolf series, The Wolf Gift Chronicles. The next installment, THE WOLVES OF MIDWINTER, pubs on October 15th. Her signing will take place on Saturday, 3:00 - 5:00pm in the Autograph Area #AA03. Also, be sure to watch for a fun giveaway at the Knopf Pantheon booth, while supplies last.

Andrew Vachss will be signing copies of his new AFTERSHOCK Book at the Random House booth (#1515) on Saturday, 10:00 - 11:00am.

Hey, if you’re reading this post and visiting this website then there’s a pretty good chance that you either love reading books or enjoy Graphic Design. Well, we’re happy to announce that we have recently posted a ton of brand-new photos of work done by the Designer, Chip Kidd. Of course all the new stuff is mostly all book covers but they’re fun to see. So, please visit our GALLERY PAGE by clicking RIGHT HERE, or you can always just click the “Gallery” TAB Button up above, just below the header. Enjoy.

Oh yeah, hey wait! We almost forgot to ask… PLEASE remember to share this site with all your friends on Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media you might use. Our goal is to attract a lot of traffic to this site and we would appreciate ANY help you can give.Thanks!

Neil Gaiman seems to be having an amazing year so far. He just recently teamed-up with Chip Kidd to produce a book based on a speech he gave and it instantly became a major hit! It’s titled, “Neil Gaiman’s MAKE GOOD ART Speech” book (William Morrow). This book is available now and it makes a wonderful Graduation Gift. It’s based on a famous YouTube Video that went crazy-viral and it’s extremely inspiring.

Then, Neil Gaiman has another new book, a Novel actually, called “The Ocean at the End of the Lane” (Also, by William Morrow). The reviews on this new novel have been totally amazing so far (whew!) and we’re looking forward to reading it soon. Yeah, sorry Neil, I’ve been extremely busy lately but I swear I want to read this really really bad, ha!

Now the reason for this post. Over at the CURIOUS BOOK SHOP Website they recently posted TWO Neil Gaiman Book Reviews at the same time. They are for the 2 books mentioned up above. They are short but very concise and also very well-written. They give you a really great idea what these two books are all about. So, if you would like to read those then please CLICK HERE!

The CURIOUS BOOK SHOP is a used and rare book store located in downtown East Lansing, Michigan. Originally started in a basement in 1969, the store has since expanded to three floors with over 50,000 well-organized books, magazines, and other paper items. If you would like more information about this famous book store then just CLICK HERE!