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Rough Justice: The DC Comics Sketches of Alex Ross (Pantheon Graphic Library) Paperback – September 11, 2012

by Alex Ross (Author), Chip Kidd (Editor)
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 256 ratings
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 **NOW IN PAPERBACK, WITH COLOR AND BLACK-AND-WHITE DRAWINGS THROUGHOUT**

Alex Ross opens his private sketchbooks to reveal his astonishing pencil and ink drawings of DC Comics characters, nearly all of them appearing in print here for the first time in paperback.
 
Thousands of fans from around the world have thrilled to Alex’s fully rendered photo-realistic paintings of their favorite heroes, but, as they may not realize, all of those works start as pencil on paper, and the origins of the finished images are rarely seen—until now.
 
From deleted scenes and altered panels for the epic Kingdom Come saga to proposals for revamping such classic properties as Batgirl, Captain Marvel, and an imagined son of Batman named Batboy, to unused alternate comic book cover ideas for the monthly Superman and Batman comics of 2008–2009, there is much to surprise and delight those who thought they already knew all of Alex’s DC Comics work.
 
Illuminating everything is the artist’s own commentary, written expressly for this book, explaining his thought processes and stylistic approaches for the various riffs and reimaginings of characters we thought we knew everything about but whose possibilities we didn’t fully understand.
 
As a record of a pivotal era in comics history, Rough Justice is a must-have for Alex’s legion of fans, as well as for anyone interested in masterly comic book imagination and illustration.

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Previous page
  1. Print length
    224 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Pantheon
  4. Publication date
    September 11, 2012
  5. Dimensions
    8.51 x 0.61 x 10.77 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0307378780
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0307378781
  8. See all details
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The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“For any artists wanting to break into comics, Rough Justice is a visual treasure trove to guide them, as surely as any by Da Vinci or Michelangelo. But more important, it’s a volume that gives comics fans a rare opportunity to celebrate a top artist in action. Alex Ross is a master shaper of superhero worlds.”
—denofgeek.com

About the Author

ALEX ROSS studied illustration at the American Academy of Art in Chicago, then honed his craft as a storyboard artist before entering the comics field. His 1993 miniseries Marvels created a wider acceptance for painted comics. He moved on to DC Comics to produce the equally successful Kingdom Come, the Earth X projects for Marvel, and a series of tabloids for DC, which have been collected in The World’s Greatest Super-Heroes. Receiving critical acclaim and multiple awards for these best-selling works, Ross made a name as both an artist and a storyteller, dedicating himself to bold experiments within the comics medium. Most recently he has worked on Flash Gordon and The Shadow for Dynamite Entertainment. His non-comics work includes creating the poster for the 2002 Academy Awards, the opening credits for Spider-Man 2, and multiple covers for TV Guide. Ross lives in the Chicago area.
 
CHIP KIDD is the four-time Eisner Award–winning designer and author of Batman: Animated, Peanuts: The Art of Charles M. Schulz, and Mythology: The DC Comics Art of Alex Ross. As an editor of graphic novels for Pantheon Books, he has worked with some of the very best talents in the medium, including Chris Ware, Dan Clowes, Art Spiegelman, Charles Burns, and David Mazzucchelli. Kidd is also the recipient of the National Design Award for Communications, the design industry’s highest honor. His first graphic novel as author is Batman: Death by Design, published by DC Comics and featuring art by Dave Taylor.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pantheon; First Edition (September 11, 2012)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 224 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0307378780
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0307378781
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.51 x 0.61 x 10.77 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 256 ratings

About the author

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Alex Ross

Alex Ross

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Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Nelson Alexander "Alex" Ross (born January 22, 1970) is an American comic book writer/artist known primarily for his painted interiors, covers, and design work. He first became known with the 1994 miniseries Marvels, on which he collaborated with writer Kurt Busiek for Marvel Comics. He has since done a variety of projects for both Marvel and DC Comics, such as the 1996 miniseries Kingdom Come, which Ross co-wrote. Since then he has done covers and character designs for Busiek's series Astro City, and various projects for Dynamite Entertainment. His feature film work includes concept and narrative art for Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2, and DVD packaging art for the M. Night Shyamalan film, Unbreakable. He has done covers for TV Guide, promotional artwork for the Academy Awards, posters and packaging design for video games, and his renditions of superheroes have been merchandised as action figures.

Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Photo by Ruby Bradford [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
256 global ratings
Great sketches and a lots of them!
5 Stars
Great sketches and a lots of them!
Great book! Its my second Alex Ross book and I will definitely get more.Lots of sketches, big clear images.. and a lot to study from.
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Top reviews from the United States

Brook Miller
5.0 out of 5 stars Woo, so pretty!
Reviewed in the United States on August 13, 2020
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I confess I haven't read all of it because I am too busy drooling over the pictures. Alex Ross it so good, dang it! I stumbled across an Alex Ross documentary on YouTube and I went on a bit of a spending spree. Seeing the sketches is very cool and I appreciated the glimpse into his process. Also, this is a big book, so I felt like it was worth the price tag.
2 people found this helpful
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DLM watchman
5.0 out of 5 stars excellent book
Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2024
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wonderful book to enjoy to read or instructional for someone to learn to draw
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DJ
5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect gift for the friend who has everything
Reviewed in the United States on December 25, 2017
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Not a lot of copy on the pages - just mostly beautiful and richly detailed sketches that gives you an idea on how Alex Ross thinks as an artist. When I say mostly, I mean 99% sketches vs 1% copy - it’s a ton of eye candy for art geeks to have eyegasms over, again and again. Perfect for that friend who has everything.
2 people found this helpful
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©~K.I.S.S`E.S.S~Just. For. You.~©
5.0 out of 5 stars ~The ROUGHest Justice you'll ever enjoy~
Reviewed in the United States on December 23, 2015
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More than the finished works themselves, the sketches our favorite artists produce are often sought after more than the published masterpieces given to the public domain. We all just want to know, "Is he or she REALLY that good?!" In the case of Alex Ross, the answer is a resounding YEEEESSSS!!!!! He's got it in spades, and I actually went through this book in one evening: I am on a mission. It is quite easy to take the masters for granted; you know, the ones that you are willing to pay the BIIIIIGGGGG! bucks to own what they create. Here, you discover even more why Alex Ross is truly R.O.U.G.H.~~Re-defining Our Understanding of Great Hands~~and you'll appreciate his outstanding ability even more. The book explains that much of what is presented has never been for our consumption, but I guarantee that once you taste it, like me, it will become a necessary part of your dietary nutrition, both mentally, expressed through the hands physically. He shows us, he teaches us, literally, Practice makes Perfect.

~No diggity, No doubt~
2 people found this helpful
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breathespink
5.0 out of 5 stars I spent roughly three years searching for something like this and finally found it
Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2014
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I bought this as a present for a family member who is obsessed with comic books and superheros, as well as an art graduate and current art teacher. I spent roughly three years searching for something like this and finally found it! The description of the item and preview doesn't do it justice. It is just absolutely perfect and the sketches are amazing. It's like a look into not only the superhero and comic book world, but a look into the behind the scenes process of developing the characters along the way.
3 people found this helpful
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Sunnie Renee
4.0 out of 5 stars Must have item
Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2018
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The item itself is wonderful! My boyfriend loved it. The only issue I had was that the item arrived quite beaten up. All 4 corners were dented, the dust jacket had a tear in it, and it had some kinda sticky gunk on the back.
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Rowein
5.0 out of 5 stars One of best graphic books that have passed through my hands
Reviewed in the United States on October 6, 2012
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I think it was the best graphic books that have passed through my hands this year. Excellent, the graph of Alex Ross is remarkable and see how he has trouble doing a cover design and make it accepted by the Editorial suggests how difficult it's the work of artist, even if you are so good like Ross. Also interesting are the projects that never saw the light (as Batman Jr., lol). Good book for lovers of graphic art and for those who don't, too.
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Jon Coleman
5.0 out of 5 stars BUY THIS NOW
Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2016
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I feel like I need to write a lot to tell you how great this book is. I haven't even actually read the book Justice (of which this is something of a "making of" book). However no matter how much I say it can't convey how awesome this man's talent is. Even his rough sketches (which there are plenty of) have more life and character than pictures I work on for a long time.

He might just be the comic book equivalent of Norman Rockwell. He’s that good.
3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Alberto Carvalho
5.0 out of 5 stars Boa compra para desenhistas ou fãs do Alex Ross.Top.
Reviewed in Brazil on September 8, 2022
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Excelente coletânea dos esboços do artista!
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roberto
5.0 out of 5 stars bellissimo
Reviewed in Italy on October 23, 2022
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bellissimo, must have per i fan di alex ross, con copertina rigida anche meglio
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Cliente Amazon
5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente libro lo recomiendo.
Reviewed in Spain on March 6, 2022
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Calidad y precio excelente compra.
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Rick IV
5.0 out of 5 stars No es lo que buscaba.
Reviewed in Mexico on July 3, 2019
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El libro es fenómenal. Es increíble ver el proceso de Alex Ross desde el boceto inicial hasta la ilustración final. Recibí el producto sin contratiempos, pero tuve que devolverlo ya que no era lo que buscaba en ese momento. Pero sigue siendo un excelente libro de arte, perfecto para servir de inspiración a dibujantes de cómics, y dibujantes en general también.
2 people found this helpful
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Shankar Bhat
5.0 out of 5 stars From a fan... To Fans. Get it
Reviewed in India on June 6, 2020
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If you are a comic book fan. And have gone deeper into comic Nerddom...
If you know your Jack Kirby and your Boris Vallejo, then this is a Book you'll love.

Alex Ross is one of the.. if not the most respected Comic artists out there with award winning works for both DC and Marvel. His art is not Pencil, Inks and Colour. Rather every panel is sketched and hand painted.
Having said that, this book is a collection of his sketches. Before the brush touches the paint.

A collection of Superhero form study.
One person found this helpful
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