The true—and often shocking—stories behind some of the biggest names in business.We live our lives immersed in name brand products. What most of us don't know is that the origins of many of the most well-known and beloved brands in the world are shrouded in controversy, drug use, and sometimes even blatant racism.A Secret History of Brands cuts through the rumors and urban legends and paints a picture of the true dark history of famous brands, like...

Thirteen sensational tales of sex, lies, violence, and murder from the early decades of Hollywood.The dawning of the nineteenth century brought with it a new era for entertainment. Vaudeville was the preferred form of entertainment, until the popularization of the silent film. This new medium proved to be a draw for many of the stars of the Vaudevillian stage and soon they migrated to the exciting possibilities that the movies had to offer. Audiences were instantly ...

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles has been a powerhouse franchise ever since the debut of the indie comic book back in 1984. The TMNT have captivated kids and those young at heart for over thirty years now with several movies, multiple cartoon series, ongoing comics and one of the most extensive and playable toylines in history. The golden era of TMNT for many fans was from 1988 to 1995 and it’s that vintage era that this book aims to focus on. When you’re dealing with such an expansive fra...

The film Ghostbusters was released in June 1984 and became a cultural phenomenon and an instant classic, reaching No. twenty-eight in the American Film Institute’s top 100 comedies of all time and voted funniest film of the past twenty-five years by Entertainment Weekly in 2008. The release of the film marked the beginning of a franchise that would include a sequel (with a third film being released in 2016, more than thirty years later), comics, television series and action figures. In thi...

Disney/Pixar's Toy Story has been a magical part of our lives for over twenty years now. The film put Disney back on track and ushered in a new era in animation. John Lasseter's brainchild about Andy's toys that come to life when he's not around has given us beloved characters like Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Bullseye, and Jessie. The trilogy about toys naturally spawned immense amounts of collectible toys for fans to collect and enjoy. Toy Story Collectibles features highlights from the past t...

We live our lives immersed in name brand products. It's hard to drive down the street without seeing a plethora of chain restaurants, car dealerships, branded clothing they're all around us. What most of us don't know is that the origins of many of the most well-known and beloved brands in the world are shrouded in controversy, drug use and sometimes even addled with blatant racism.A Secret History of Brands cuts through the rumors and urban legends and paints a picture of...

The story of Nintendo's rise and the beloved icon who made it possible.Nintendo has continually set the standard for video-game innovation in America, starting in 1981 with a plucky hero who jumped over barrels to save a girl from an ape.The saga of Mario, the portly plumber who became the most successful franchise in the history of gaming, has plot twists worthy of a video game. Jeff Ryan shares the story of how this quintessentially Japanese company found...

Trivia-on-Book: All the Light we Cannot See by Anthony DoerrTake the challenge and share it with friends and family for a time of fun!You may have read the book, but not have liked it.You may have liked the book, but not be a fan.You may call yourself a fan, but few truly are. Are you a fan?Trivia-on-Books is an independently curated trivia quiz on the book for readers...

Mastering Manga, How to Draw Manga Faces is an excerpt from Mastering Manga With Mark Crilley. True manga style is about more than big eyed characters, but Mark's lessons ensure that you can get them right, whether the character is facing you straight on, at an angle, or in profile. With lessons on hair styles for boys and girls, and different expressions, you'll get everything you need to know to begin drawing perfectly proportioned manga faces right away.

A guide which explains how to create advertising that works, how to run an agency, how to write successful copy, and what the future holds for the advertising industry.

The journey to become a successful writer is long, fraught with peril, and filled with difficult questions: How do I write dialogue? How do I build suspense? What should I know about query letters? How do I start?The best way to answer these questions is to ditch your uncertainty and transform yourself into a KICK-ASS writer. This new book from award-winning author Chuck Wendig combines the best of his eye-opening writing instruction--previously available in e-book form only--with ...

Through the stories of gaming's greatest innovations and most beloved creations, journalist Harold Goldberg captures the creativity, controversy--and passion--behind the videogame's meteoric rise to the top of the pop-culture pantheon.Over the last fifty years, video games have grown from curiosities to fads to trends to one of the world's most popular forms of mass entertainment. But as the gaming industry grows in numerous directions and everyone talks about the advance of the mo...