Frank Cho: Women, Book Two
Foreword by Geof Darrow
Artwork by Frank Cho
Image Comics
Release Date: January 16, 2013
Cover Price: $24.99

The second volume of Frank Cho‘s Women is, like the first, an art compilation of the talented illustrator’s work specifically focusing on his studies of the female physical form. Comprised of finished comic book cover artwork, the original penciled and inked versions, as well as outlines and other BOOBS ballpoint studies, the collection is fairly pleasing to the eyes (correction: MORE THAN pleasing to the eye), and will be a must-have for any aspiring comic book artists.

There is very little text in Women, Book Two. Aside from the descriptive captions and the book’s foreword, Image Comics has genuinely allowed Cho’s artwork to speak for itself and remain open to the interpretation of the audience viewing the work. This is great, because I can’t stand art books with far too much text. Just give me the description and more breathing space for your art – I don’t need your fucking history, just give me the art. Save the text for your biography. This book avoids all those traps and focuses on BOOBS Cho’s work.

The Covers Gallery focuses on work Frank Cho has done for 50 Girls 50, gathering some beautiful sci-fi work that holds a lot of homage for the retro looks of many space films from years gone by. The Astounding Wolf-Man, Guns & Dinos, and War Heroes also get a quick inclusion near the end of the section, giving the viewer not only a taste of the talent Cho has for the female form, but also gives a very good feel and overview for the issues they covered.

And then we come to the section on Brandy – a collection of artworks done by Cho, which focus on his character that is a composite of “Lynda Carter, Courteney Cox, and Bettie Page” and others. Essentially being his “dream girl,” Brandy is placed in a variety of situations (often humorous) that will be well-regarded by the geeky fans and artistic folks with an eye for talent; though probably not so by some of the militant feminists who have targeted Cho over the years. And I very much enjoyed the ‘dressing Brandy’ compositions, though I must admit that the Star Trek cosplay picture is the best though. Despite this, it’s all in good fun, and it’s amazing to see his talent.

The final section, designated “Natural Beauty,” is more-or-less a collection of Cho’s artwork depicting either the female form or intimate moments, sometimes penciled, sometimes inked, sometimes completed. Most of them include nudity, so this is a book for mature readers for the most part, but I’m sure you’ll hear of some youngsters trying to get a glimpse of the BOOBS Jungle Queen’s nipples.

Effectively, these are some of Cho’s finer works, which he refers to as Studies – works he has done to develop and refine his craft, with specific attention to media – be it colors, ballpoint or other. It’s a great compendium and worth a look.

As a collected work, Frank Cho: Women, Book Two is a great collection of BOOBS contemporary artwork – one that comic book fans and artists will appreciate. Cho has developed a style that totally suits the comic book media presentation, though has tinges that will remind you of artists such as Frazetta. This will be a must-have for aspiring artists and fans of Cho’s work, and I think the casual comic book fan might enjoy a glance. Besides, it is not like the images are hard to look at. :)

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5