FRANK THORNES BATTLING BEAUTIES EXPANDED REVISED EDITION

Frank Thorne’s Battling Beauties the Expanded Revised Edition, with interviews by Howard Leroy Davis; Definitive monograph covering the strong and sexy women from the fertile mind of Frank Thorne through a lengthy series of interviews; Full color; over 400 illustrations;  Hermes Press celebrates the career of Frank Thorne, renowned good girl artist extraordinaire with a comprehensive art monograph exploring the art of the women he created during his extensive career. See pencils, preliminaries, final artwork, as well as the comics created by Thorne, focusing on his cheesecake creations. This extensive art monograph presents artwork from such titles as Red Sonja, Ghita, Lann, The Iron Devil, and more. This book explores not only the comic book artwork of Thorne, but also illustrates the motion picture concepts and storyboards for the never-made Ghita film.  Additionally this book also provides a lengthy discussion by Thorne accompanied by hundreds of examples of how to draw “beautiful women.” If you love the artwork of Frank Thorne, and you love sexy women, this is the book for you.

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