Veteran animator Will Vinton dives into the two dimensional comic world with JACK HIGHTOWER, a new action/adventure/comedy graphic novel about a very unique secret agent.

From the University of Minnesota Press for $19.95, MECHADEMIA, a new annual edited by Frenchy Lunning, begins a conversation among scholars, critics and fans about the complexity of art forms like Superflat, manga and anime. The premier issue features the interactive worlds that anime and manga have created, including the origins of cosplay, depictions of werewolves, forgotten images from a founding manga artist, videogame interactivity, the nature of anime fandom in America and the globalization of manga.

animate!, the commissioning project established by Arts Council England and Channel 4 that supports risk-taking and experimental animation works for television, is the focus of the ANIMATE! BOOK, published in December 2006 by LUX in collaboration with Arts Council England. Since 1990, animate! has commissioned 84 diverse films including works from David Shrigley (WHO I AM AND WHAT I WANT), Run Wrake (RABBIT) and AL + AL (PERPETUAL MOTION IN THE LAND OF MILK AND HONEY, INTERSTELLA STELLA), amongst others. The ANIMATE!

Nicolas Cage and his 15 year-old son, Weston Cage, are teaming on two comicbook thrillers -- ENIGMA and THE SADHU.

Infinity Studios Llc. has shipped graphic novels, UNBALANCE UNBALANCE Vol. 1 as well as CHUN RHANG YHUR JHUN (CRYJ) Vol. 2.

UNBALANCE UNBALANCE Volume 1 is a 200-page Korean color graphic novel with artwork by Soo-Hyon Lee and story by Dall-Young Lim. The title begins as a young man finds and returns a lost wallet and cell phone to a beautiful young lady, beginning the destined relationship between two strangers. The young lady turns out to be the young man’s future homeroom teacher, who has a twisted sense of right and wrong.

Veteran animator and former Animation Guild president Tom Sito has written his first book, DRAWING THE LINE, THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE ANIMATION UNIONS FROM BOSKO TO BART SIMPSON, published by the University Press of Kentucky, list price $32.

Russian animator Andrei Doubrovski has released an animated e-book, MEET THE FLASH.

Composed as a course for Flash newcomers, every lesson features a movie clip, showing some practical usage of the text.

The course is published as a "flash-book, " he says. It is a Flash movie that can be played on Windows, Mac and Linux systems.

The 34 embedded clips can be played as a single full-length and full-size movie (total running time about three hours). The elaborated controls allow you to instantly find any fragment — by time or by topic.

Titan Books will publish THE 4400: THE OFFICIAL COMPANIO, SEASONS 1 AND 2, the first of a series of behind-the-scenes books about USA Network's sci-fi series THE 4400.

The first companion is set to coincide with the premiere of the fourth season on USA and the release of the season-three DVD set in summer 2007.

The tome will include behind-the-scenes interviews, factual nuggets, quotes, trivia, extensive episode guides, exclusive photos and a 16-page full-color supplement. It will sell for $14.95.

Research and Markets has published the Asian Animation Industry: Strategies, Trends and Opportunities 2006 (www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c42556) report.

In his first book, DESIGN FIRST FOR 3D ARTISTS, Geoffrey Kater taught emerging production designers and animators how to create and nurture their own personal design style. Now, in his second book in the series, DESIGN FIRST FOR 3D SKETCHBOOK, Kater provides hundreds of full-on designs and thumbnail sketches that serve to inspire designers, 3D artists and filmmakers alike. DESIGN FIRST FOR 3D SKETCHBOOK can be ordered through the Design First site, www.designfirstfor3D.com or at www.lulu.com.