Batman Collected

There's an unusual vigor and inventiveness to the graphic design of Batman Collected, which isn't surprising given that the author, Chip Kidd, is the book jacket designer who created the eye-catching jackets for Jurassic Park, All the Pretty Horses, Intensity and other Knopf titles. Here, Kidd, a dedicated collector of Batman memorabilia, presents hundreds of rare items from his collection, photographed in an appropriately bold and ominous manner by Geoff Spear, accompanied by Kidd's resourceful essay on the lure of Batman collecting and the evolution of the visual aspects of the character and his colleagues and foes. The array of products featured in the 500 photos, 460 in color, is extraordinary, from watches to cars to figurines to milk containers to corn chips. The book includes an exclusive blow-in Batman paper toy.