Just in time for Christmas (and definitely priced for Christmas), Steeles Publishing is releasing The Art of Tim Burton, a massive collection of Burton’s beautifully creepy artwork. This is coming out in two editions, a standard and a deluxe.

Click to visit Steeles Publishing.

“Standard Edition

• Hardcover with over 430 pages plus foldouts
  
• Over 1000 illustrations by Tim Burton
  
• Text contributions from over 20 of Tim’s friends and collaborators”

$69.99 at the Steeles Publishing website.

Click to visit Steeles Publishing.

“Deluxe Edition

• All features of the Standard Edition PLUS:
  
• Cloth slipcase and hand signed inside cover
  
• Includes limited edition (series of 1000) numbered and signed lithograph (ready for framing, not folded)”

$299.99 at the Steeles Publishing website.

The deluxe looks great, yes, but I’d be perfectly happy with the standard edition of the book. This is one I hope to find in a store so that I can flip through it.

Source: Teoh YC’s Twitter feed. And don’t miss Parka Blogs, his sit devoted to art books.

Hiroko and I spotted this tiny swallowtail (actually a Red Ring Skirt butterfly, an Asian variant of the "Painted Courtesan" found in Europe) sheltering from the wind on a fence in Inokashira park. We had our first cold snap last week and were surprised to find this guy (?) out so late in the year, particularly in such "mint condition." Perhaps he hatched too late? Or early? 

Whatever the case, he seemed very cold and eager to hang out on our warm hands. We brought him home, fed him some sugar water (which he drank greedily, for a solid ten minutes, using his krazy straw-like tongue), and sent him back on his way.

A prized possession. Thank you sifu. Thank you brothers.

Hulk. Skin turns green. Remembers nothing. Hulk smash. Much like Oni. Behold.

I’ll let Minister Alt take it from here:

“”Oni” means “demon” or “goblin” in Japanese, and they’re a staple in Japanese myths and legends. The Sakura Oni is actually a character toy, licensed from the long-running animated show “Manga Nihon Mukashi-banashi,” or “Animated Japanese Fairy Tales.” The piece is oversized and bulkier than the average “standard” diecast, and features a battery-powered flashing eye gimmick. There are two colors, red and green. The red version seems to be slightly less common. The box of the Oni is striking; the chunky, hand-drawn kanji characters on the box are an instant standout.”

Well this is a change. Not unexpected, but definitely a change. It seems that someone at Entertainment Earth* has recognized that there are girls who love toys, comics, and related stuff.

Click to visit Entertainment Earth.

“It seems that, occasionally, people forget that geeks come in all shapes, sizes, types, and genders. So, we decided to dedicate some space to the Geek Girls out there. We asked for your feedback on the types of items you liked, and you responded. (Boy, DID you!)”

“Based on your input and a few additions from our own in-house Geek Girl Diva, Entertainment Earth proudly presents a section made by Geek Girls for Geek Girls. Check out over 90 great items, and follow her on Twitter!“

*Affiliate link: Orders using this link earn battlegrip.com cash, which is applied to buying toys.