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A cheerful yellow smiley face keychain figure, wearing a red shirt with "Smile" written on it, sits prominently in the foreground. It is surrounded by many flat, round yellow smiley face discs, with a large, glowing red neon smiley face sign providing a warm backdrop.

The Secret Origin of the Smiley Face

Harvey Ball created the iconic smiley face in 10 minutes for $45. Here is how a simple insurance-company design became a global symbol and an Acid House icon.

Food & Life

Missing my innocence

Why Did We Put Missing Kids on Milk Cartons?

Why did missing children’s faces appear on milk cartons? We look at the strange history behind the campaign, the kids who recognized themselves, Milk Carton 2.0 and Canada’s famous milk bags.

Exploring Calvin and Hobbes

Bill Watterson's Calvin and Hobbes was always about the art. Now, original artwork from the beloved comic strip is going on tour, giving fans a rare look behind the panels.

The Odd & Curious

Jurassic Park The Original Topps Trading Card Series

Jurassic Park: The Original Topps Trading Card Series

This comprehensive collection of the original trading card series—timed to publish alongside the release of Jurassic World: Dominion—includes the fronts and backs of all of these classic cards, plus the special chase cards and rare promotional material. The book also includes text and commentary by Gary Gerani, editor of the original series, and an afterword by Chip Kidd, who created and designed the cover of Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park, which became the iconic logo for the franchise.

Hogans Alley 1

Hogan’s Alley #23 is out now

Hogan’s Alley #23 features a long examination of the legendary Frank Frazetta’s time working for Li’l Abner creator Al Capp, with gorgeous Frazetta artwork (some supplied by his family). The issue also features an in-depth look at the lawsuit that led to two versions of the seminal comic strip The Katzenjammer Kids, with new research into the legal archives. The issue has a feature on a short-lived attempt to produce a live-action sitcom based on Ernie Bushmiller’s Nancy. This issue also has a long interview with Golden Age comic book and comic strip artist Bob Fujitani.

Happiness is a four book classic box set

Happiness Is… a Four-Book Classic Box Set

All four books collecting Charles M. Schulz’s original comics of Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the rest of the Peanuts gang are now in one special box set. Find the meaning of friendship, love, and comfort in all the little things around us in I Need All the Friends I Can Get, Happiness Is a Warm Puppy, Security Is a Thumb and a Blanket, and Love Is Walking Hand in Hand. The box set also comes with four collectible cards with a Peanuts quote!

Special edition Yellow Submarine Playing Cards produced in collaboration with The Beatles2

Special edition Yellow Submarine Playing Cards – produced in collaboration with The Beatles

Join Paul, John, George, and Ringo as they take a journey on a yellow submarine to Pepperland to save the music-loving inhabitants from the Blue Meanies! Premium playing cards featuring fan-favorite characters and artwork from the iconic animated musical adventure. The decks are illustrated with remarkable details and colorful, vibrant imagery. “It’s all in the mind y’know!”

the art of Batman

The Art of Batman by James Field

The Art of Batman is the official behind-the-scenes illustrated tie-in book to the highly anticipated film The Batman by Matt Reeves, coming to theaters March 4, 2022. The Batman stars Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne/The Batman, Zoë Kravitz as Selina Kyle/Catwoman, Paul Dano as Edward Nashton/ The Riddler, Colin Farrell as Oswald Cobblepot/The Penguin, Jeffrey Wright as Lieutenant James Gordon, Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth, and John Turturro as Carmine Falcone.

camera man

CAMERA MAN: Buster Keaton, the Dawn of Cinema, and the Invention of the Twentieth Century by Dana Stevens

So many books and so little time. CAMERA MAN: Buster Keaton, the Dawn of Cinema, and the Invention of the Twentieth Century by Dana Stevens is a must read on my to-do-list. After listening to Dana on the Marc Maron show, the highly intelligent writer has got my interest. It also helps that I am a fan of Buster Keaton. It’s great to see new passion for Buster Keaton, who has garnished rightly deserved praise as a brilliant artist in recent years. This is one book that you should pick up and polish your knowledge on a much under appreciated silent cinema dominated by Buster Keaton.

revenge of the librarians

Revenge of the Librarians by Tom Gauld

Tom Gauld returns with his wittiest and most trenchant collection of literary cartoons to date. Perfectly composed drawings are punctuated with the artist’s signature brand of humor, hitting high and low. After all, Gauld is just as comfortable taking jabs at Jane Eyre and Game of Thrones.

rick and morty the complete seasons 1 5

Wubba-lubba-dub-dub! Rick and Morty: Seasons 1-5 Boxed Set coming to Blu-ray & DVD March 29th

From creators Justin Roiland (“Solar Opposites”) and Dan Harmon (“Community”), go on an intergalactic adventure across the multi-verse with the epic release of the Rick and Morty: Seasons 1-5 boxed set on Blu-ray™ and DVD from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on March 29, 2022. Get Schwifty while you binge on one of cables #1 watched comedies – and follow the misadventures of America’s favorite crazy scientist and his grandchildren with this outrageous boxed set which includes all 51 episodes from the first five seasons of the award-winning series, along with copious special features, including audio commentary, deleted scenes, “Inside the Episode” segments, numerous featurettes, past animatic sketches, and more.

how chet baker died poems by barry gifford 1

How Chet Baker Died by Barry Gifford

The first words in Barry Gifford’s new poetry collection say it all—“Here I am wasting time again / writing poems to keep myself company” — doing what he has ever done, surprising his readers in kaleidoscopic prisms of color, turning every breath into a story, and himself into his most colorful character.

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT COSBY

Showtime presents “We Need to Talk About Cosby”

SHOWTIME released the official trailer and key art for the upcoming four-part docuseries WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT COSBY, from Emmy-winning director W. Kamau Bell (United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell). Offering an in-depth look at the revolutionary career and personal descent of Bill Cosby, WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT COSBY will screen at the Sundance Film Festival on January 22, ahead of its SHOWTIME premiere on Sunday, January 30 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. All episodes will be available across all SHOWTIME streaming and VOD platforms on January 30.