Best Actor

The irresistible story of Hollywood’s first Black movie star, whose beauty, charisma, and drive swept him from his family’s Bahamian tomato farm to the silver screen, where he shouldered the responsibility of representing Black Americans in a rapidly changing nation

When Sidney Poitier died in 2022 at nearly ninety-five years old, tributes flooded the Internet from fans whose lives he’d touched. Barack Obama and Oprah Winfrey thanked him for opening the door to all the Black artists who followed him; ordinary moviegoers thanked him for modeling Black excellence, or for demonstrating through his grace and humanity the error of their racial prejudice. The first Black matinee idol and later the first Black commercially successful director, Poitier integrated American cinema—and with it helped transform the country. But in the late 1960s, when Civil Rights gave way to Black Power, the dignity, integrity, and kindness on-screen and off that won him the admiration of millions also earned him the ire of younger Black radicals who considered his saintly and accommodating roles an affront to the cause of Black liberation. Behind that infallible smile and preternatural calm, Poitier often felt trapped. The historical moment in which he made it both created opportunities and constrained him, and he bore the impossible burden of many other people’s dreams.

In Best Actor, Pulitzer Prize-nominated author and professor James Goodman brings us inside the life of Sidney Poitier the man, mining previously untapped sources to tell Poiter’s story in a whole new way. Best Actor follows Poitier from sleeping on the streets of New York City to filming amidst the dangers and indignities of Apartheid South Africa, from evading loyalty oaths in 1950s Hollywood to being chased by Klansman in 1960s Mississippi, from a lifelong brotherhood with Harry Belafonte to a tumultuous affair with Diahann Carroll while married to Juanita Hardy, the mother of his four children. In drawing the arc of a marvellous life and spectacular career, Goodman captures Poitier’s singularity with a scholar’s insight and a lifelong fan’s zeal.

Best Actor is a joyous, stirring, and remarkably relevant celebration of a life and career that reshaped America and the movies it loves.

Standard and Primary covers are widely available through general retailers. They often have higher print runs and can be cheaper, especially during sales.

In contrast, Direct Market (DM) and variant covers are primarily sold in comic shops. DM editions tend to have more limited availability and may be more valuable to collectors.

The main differences lie in artwork style, availability, price, and collector appeal. Ultimately, the choice between standard and variant covers depends on personal preference, budget, and individual collecting goals.

Comic book enthusiasts have various formats to choose from when collecting their favorite stories.
Here's a brief overview of the main types:

Omnibus

• Large, hardcover collections
• Usually contain complete runs or extensive story arcs
• Typically 800-1000+ pages
• Higher price point, often €100-€150

Oversized Hardcover (OHC)

• Similar dimensions to omnibus, but thinner
• Collect shorter runs or story arcs
• Usually 300-600 pages
• Priced between €30-€50

Hardcover (HC)

• Standard-sized hardcover books
• Collect 6-12 issues typically
• Similar dimensions to single issues, but with a hard cover
• Priced around €25-€35

Trade Paperback (TP)

• Softcover collections
• Standard comic book size
• Usually collect 4-6 issues
• Most affordable option, typically €15-€25

Other Formats

• Absolute Editions: Oversized, deluxe hardcovers (mainly DC Comics)
• Compendiums: Massive paperback collections
• Graphic Novels (OGN/GN): Original stories not previously released as single issues

The choice between these formats often depends on personal preference, budget, and collecting goals. Omnibus and OHC editions offer larger artwork and more content but at a higher price, while TPs provide a more affordable way to collect complete story arcs