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Phil Frost Book Is Out

Eccentric vandal turned contemporary artist Phil Frost has a new art book out. He’s one of the few artists who’s been able to successfully parlay his “high evolved form of tagging” and transform it into a signature style of art that’s highly recognizable and all his own. Frost describes his work as thus: “I believe [my work] is indigenous to myself. I believe that within every person there is an indigenous expression of themselves.” Sure, whatever you say Phil. The 162 page book features numerous full color images of the artist’s work and of course, the obligatory essay by Carlo McCormick as well as some words by artistic mystery man Pushead. $29.70, www.amazon.com

[Supertouch via C-Monster]

Stan Lee’s “Election Daze”

Superhero sellout creator Stan Lee, who’s ruined countless comic icons by taking them onto the silver screen has a whole new cast of characters to slay, this time setting his aim on politicians like Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, John McCain, President Bush, among other newfound political celebrities like George Clooney,
Chuck Norris, and Stephen Colbert in his new book “Election Daze.” Lee, who’s most often associated with superhuman idols like Spider-Man, Iron Man, Hulk, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men, took his famed comic book format and transposed it to political humor. His new book features funny dialogue balloons accompanied by eye-catching photos from Capitol Hill shutterbug, Lauren Victoria Burke. According to Lee, the political arena sometimes offers more unbelievable material than his best fiction, “It’s a great change of pace from writing fantasy tales, although sometimes politics seems more like fantasy than my own stories.” The caption-filled easy read will be available at the end of March and is available for pre-order online now. $9.95, www.atlasbooks.com

The Three Thug Mice “Bomb Hard”

As we mentioned, each week a new webisode of the Three Thug Mice will be released. Now showing is “Bomb Hard,” featuring the voices of Patty Dukes, plus graffiti writers: FUZZ ONE, KET, TEAM GO, MIN-ONE, GHOST, KIT 17, and STAK. Go watch it now or shoot pigs for fun instead.

Stagg Street Shop Opens Up To Raise Money For Book

“Courtney Cruz on the floor,” 8×10 glossy, signed

Ellen Stagg, the photographer responsible for lensing the erotic beauties on Stagg Street, has announced that she is publishing a book! To help raise money for her fleshly endeavor, she set up the Stagg Street Shop to sell, among other things, signed, 8×10 prints of her work including the above shot of the lovely Courtney for $100 a piece. The first 100 people to buy a print will also get a free copy of the book when it’s published later this year. The proposed 200 page coffee table book will feature countless erotic images and will showcase the full breadth of her sizzling shots. Do the right thing for yourself—as well as your fellow man—and contribute to a very just cause.

ESPO Is A ‘Studio Gangster’

When he’s not making signs in Coney Island, marching in the Deitch Art Parade, or writing his name on the wall, Stephen Powers aka ESPO is writing books. In his first mildly successful book, “The Art of Getting Over,” he documented graffiti and now the Philly-native turned New Yorker has got another art book in the pipeline, Steve Powers Is A Studio Gangster:

Powers records 5 years of paintings that distill the complete range of human emotion into readily recalled and related memes. These visual archetypes are aptly described by Powers as a synthesis of word and image to create a new emotional revelation . This book is published on the occasion of his Fall 2007 exhibition at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art.

Cop it here.

[Source]

Winding Down: Stuff Your Face

Who needs turkey when Krystal Forscutt looks good enough to eat? [Hollywood Tuna]

Both the “Magnetique” and “Storyline” shelves are great for books, vinyl toys, and all your other crap. [BoingboingGadgets]

Playboy: The Complete Centerfolds is a must read. [Uncrate]

We’ve already raved about the solar backpack, but if you need more power, check out these SolarRolls. [Oh Gizmo!]

Weekly Recap: Keeping the ‘Faith’

Norman Mailer passed, gave us ‘Faith.’ [Link]

Reebok reverse jammed. [Link]

Zune launched a new website and got artsy fartsy. [Link]

Supra flowered. [Link]

Dita got down and dirty. [Link]

Marveling At Marvel Comics

Good news for the comic book afflicted. Marvel is offering up a big selection of their comics online. Marvel Unlimited has 250 free samples to browse through now, and if you want full access to thousands of titles, they’re charging $9.99 a month or a discounted $59.88 for an annual subscription. They’ll be adding 20 new titles weekly and the collections include both contemporary and vintage Superheroes, including back issues of “Spider-Man,” the “Incredible Hulk,” “X-Men” and the “Fantastic Four,” among other crowd favorites.

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Norman Mailer Had ‘The Faith of Graffiti’

Pulitzer prized author, journalist, founder of the Village Voice, filmmaker and tireless button pusher Norman Mailer passed away this Saturday. Although he’s renowned for his countless award winning works, we’ve always known him for his lesser known essay that served as the text for the groundbreaking book, The Faith of Graffiti. It was an oversized masterpiece with photos by Mervyn Kurlansky and Jon Naar detailing the mysterious emerging art form on NYC’s subway trains. The notoriously tough guy author intellectualized the graffiti movement in its early beginnings—’Faith’ was published in 1974—when hand styles were still being developed and most of the letters were very primitive. Mailer was fascinated by the art form, writing, “What a quintessential marriage of cool and style to write your name in giant separate living letters, large as animals, lythe as snakes, mysterious as Arabic and Chinese curls of alphabet.” In honor of the pugilistic legman and the groundbreaking book on graff, we’ve assembled some excerpts and images:

Stylin’ And Profilin’ Hip Hop Culture

Although a lot of cats claim to be “80s babies” only a select few truly grasp the time period that spawned dookie chains, high-top fades and some of the best Hip Hop to ever hit the streets. Luckily for the young’ins photographer Janette Beckman has catalogued photos from when she was pounding the pavement taking flicks of the underground scene of DJs, b-boys, fly girls and graff writers in a new book titled “The Breaks: Stylin’ and Profilin’ 1982-1990.” Included in the book are top-notch photos of icons from an earlier era like Africa Bambaataa, NWA, Eric B and Rakim, EMPD, De La Soul, Rick Rubin, the Beastie Boys and a whole lot more. The book is now available and can be scooped up here, check some imagery after the jump.