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Win a FREE Autographed Copy of ‘The Early Years of McFarlane Toys’ signed by author PAUL BURKE!

Win a FREE Autographed Copy of ‘The Early Years of McFarlane Toys’ signed by author PAUL BURKE!

Asylum Publications

*Special thanks to Paul Burke and Asylum Publications for this*

We are raffling off 3 autographed copies of ‘The Early Years of McFarlane Toys‘ signed by author and co-founder Paul Burke!

*3 winners will be selected at random. Enter now for your chance to win!*

https://detroitbookfest.com/enter-to-win/

The raffle will run from Monday, October 14 to Sunday, October 20.

Asylum Publications

Asylum Publications is a new publishing company located in Metro Detroit. Owned by serial entrepreneur Paul Burke, Asylum is slated to publish 100 titles by Summer 2020.

One of their most recent offerings is a beautifully rendered book called ‘The Early Years of McFarlane Toys‘.

Paul Burke worked closely with Todd McFarlane to co-develop McFarlane Toys and he has created a book about the unusual and ever-interesting twists & turns in bringing this multi-million-dollar toy company to life.

At the time, Paul was Co-founder / co-CEO / Vice Chairman of TMP International, which McFarlane Toys was a division of and, fun fact, they also had a partial ownership stake in the Edmonton Oilers NHL hockey team.

Image courtesy of Spawn

McFarlane Toys started in 1994 as Todd’s Toys, after they detached from Mattel and became independent. They quickly became the world’s 4th largest toy company and the largest US action figure company in Japan.

McFarlane Toys originally made Spawn action figures based on Todd’s comic book series called Spawn. After those were wildly successful, they started producing other general horror, movie and sports figures.

Span logo courtesy of Spawn

Fun Fact:

The Spawn comic book series just received a Guinness World Record for issue 301, making it the Longest Running Creator-Owned Comic Book in history.

‘The Early Years of McFarlane Toys’ is a fascinating book which you will enjoy immensely.

 

Biography of Paul Burke 

Paul Burke (left) and Jack Faragasso (right) at Jack’s apartment in Manhattan NYC

Paul Burke is a well-known behind the scenes serial entrepreneur and financier whom typically does business on behalf of creators and artists.

Paul currently lives in Metro Detroit but has lived and traveled all over the world for business.

He has been a businessman for five decades and was involved in the management of rock band KISS in the 1970’s and even went on to found his own music publishing company, Stabur East Music / Can-Am Music, Inc.

In 1983 he got out of management and into publishing when he founded Stabur Graphics / Stabur Press publishing companies.

Stabur worked with some of the top cartoonists in the world and published several high-quality books, art prints, specialty books, books for Disney, Rocky Horror Picture Show, etc, until eventually merging with Caliber Comics, a company owned by his pal Gary Reed.

Among many other endeavors, Paul co-founded and was chairman of an automotive design and fabrication company, Blue Fusion, which became the 44th Global Tier One supplier to Ford Motor Company.

He re-organized a security mapping and documentation company for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

And he formed a company to advise private equity firms, EverGreen Capital Management and The Gores Group.

Stabur Home Video ‘Comic Book Greats’ (image courtesy of Stabur)

Over the years, Paul has interfaced with an impressive cross-section of pop-culture titans ranging from Stan Lee to Mad Magazine (Jack Davis and Bill Elder) to Bob Guccione (Penthouse) and others.

Paul Burke and Stan Lee even co-produced a 13-episode video series called ‘Comic Book Greats‘ from 1991-1992 for Stabur Home Video.

Paul also co-developed Deadworld Zombie Soda with Gary Reed. It started as a fun novelty joke, but sales unexpectedly took off and it became internationally popular.

Deadworld Zombie Soda (image courtesy of Deadworld)

Paul is currently involved with Asylum Publications, Source Point Press, Binary Press, and more.

Asylum Publications is scheduled to bring a number of books to market in all facets of pop culture, including publishing the fine art of 91-year-old Jack Faragasso, renowned New York artist and educator, in a follow-up to his ‘Early Photographs of Bettie Page’ book.

Asylum is working to make people aware of this great artist who has devoted his life to art, through a series of books and prints.

Dedd Fredd holding bottle of Asylum Zombie Soda (image courtesy of Asylum)

 

Asylum Publications

https://www.asylumpublications.com/

 

Source Point Press

http://sourcepointpress.com/

 

Binary Press

https://www.facebook.com/binary.press/

 

McFarlane Toys

https://mcfarlane.com/

 

*Special thanks to Paul Burke and Asylum Publications for this*

We are raffling off 3 autographed copies of ‘The Early Years of McFarlane Toys‘ signed by author and co-founder Paul Burke!

*3 winners will be selected at random. Enter now for your chance to win!*

https://detroitbookfest.com/enter-to-win/

The raffle will run from Monday, October 14 to Sunday, October 20.

 

Stabur Home Video ‘Comic Book Greats’ (image courtesy of Stabur)

 

Asylum Zombie Soda (image courtesy of Asylum)

Bookfest Explorer Series # 1: Boston, Massachusetts

Bookfest Explorer Series # 1: Boston, Massachusetts

Boston waterfront (photo by: Ryan M. Place)

Here at Detroit Bookfest we are starting a new series called the Bookfest Explorer Series.

This will be a collection of travel experiences whereby we will periodically document our literary travels, both domestic and abroad, to help highlight the global community of books.

First up, Boston.

Founded in 1630, Boston is the 7th oldest city in the United States. Featuring sunken red brick sidewalks and beautiful old buildings aplenty, the city is loaded with history and rows of opulent townhouses for blocks.

Heading from Logan Airport to the Park Plaza Hotel (photo by: Ryan M. Place)

 

Boston Athenæum

10 ½ Beacon Street

https://www.bostonathenaeum.org/

Open since 1807, non-members can tour the first floor of this exceptional private library for $10.00. All 12 floors are open to members.

The focus of the collection is arts and humanities. World-class paintings grace the walls and there are marble busts of philosophers on stands.

Through the rear window, you can see the grave of Paul Revere in the Granary Burying Ground! This old cemetery opened in 1660 and there are several historical grave sites here.

Also, as a bonus, check out the Paul Revere House (19 North Square). Built in 1680, it’s Boston’s oldest building. Paul Revere’s famous 1775 Midnight Ride started here.

Boston Athenæum (photo by: Ryan M. Place)

Boston Athenæum (photo by: Ryan M. Place)

Boston Athenæum (photo by: Ryan M. Place)

Image courtesy of James Cole

Boston Athenæum (photo by: Ryan M. Place)

Paul Revere’s Grave @ Granary Burying Ground (photo by: Ryan M. Place)

Paul Revere’s Grave @ Granary Burying Ground (photo by: Ryan M. Place)

old grave @ Granary Burying Ground (photo by: Ryan M. Place)

Granary Burying Ground (photo by: Ryan M. Place)

 

 

 

Brattle Book Shop

9 West Street

http://www.brattlebookshop.com/

Open since 1825, this great three-story used & rare bookstore also features an outdoor open-air courtyard full of books.

The third floor is the Rare Book Room. Marvelous stuff. Owner Ken Gloss is impressively knowledgeable.

Brattle Books (photo by: Ryan M. Place)

Brattle Books (photo by: Ryan M. Place)

Brattle Books (photo by: Ryan M. Place)

 

 

Boston Public Library

700 Boylston Street

https://www.bpl.org/

Open since 1848 and smartly situated in beautiful Copley Square, the BPL was the first large free municipal library in the United States.

Be sure to check out the gorgeous 2nd floor Bates Hall reading room.

Also located on the 2nd floor, the Abbey Room, looks medieval European ornate, walls adorned with giant murals of the Holy Grail tale and 150 life-size figures from Arthurian legend ring the room, staring down at you. Who says paintings can’t talk?

Boston Public Library (photo by: Ryan M. Place)

Bates Hall reading room @ BPL (photo by: Ryan M. Place)

Abbey Room @ BPL (image courtesy of BPL)

 

Parker House Hotel

60 School Street

https://www.omnihotels.com/hotels/boston-parker-house

This beautiful 14-floor hotel opened in 1855. Charles Dickens lived here on the 3rd floor from 1867-68. He read ‘A Christmas Carol’ in the Last Hurrah Bar inside the hotel for the first time in America. They have his original door (view it in the basement) and gigantic mirror (view it on the mezzanine level) here.

Also, of note, Ho Chi Minh was a pastry chef here 1911-13, Malcolm X was a busboy, the Boston Cream Pie was invented here, and President JFK was a frequent guest!

Parker House Hotel (photo by: Ryan M. Place)

Parker House Hotel (photo by: Ryan M. Place)

Parker House Hotel (photo by: Ryan M. Place)

Parker House Hotel (photo by: Ryan M. Place)

Parker House Hotel (photo by: Ryan M. Place)

Parker House Hotel (photo by: Ryan M. Place)

 

 

Ars Libri

500 Harrison Ave

https://www.arslibri.com/

Cool bookstore specializing in academic library collection development. You can buy books from the private research libraries of art scholars.

I bought a book called ‘Ancient Roman Monuments’ by Pignatorre with 61 beautiful hand drawn plates, very mild foxing and spotting.

Ars Libri (photo by: Ryan M. Place)

Ars Libri (photo by: Ryan M. Place)

Ars Libri (photo by: Ryan M. Place)

 

 

The Mapparium @ Mary Baker Eddy Library

200 Massachusetts Ave

https://www.marybakereddylibrary.org/project/mapparium/

Located next to the worldwide home of the Christian Science Church (which also houses the world’s 9th largest pipe organ), the Mary Bakery Eddy Library features a one-of-a-kind experience inside The Mapparium.

For only $6.00, you can tour The Mapparium for a delightfully psychedelic experience. The Mapparium is a 30-foot stained glass globe built in 1935 and features 608 glass panels. A walkway bisects the center of it.

At one point, they turn the lights off and there’s a light show around the world. Crazy how sound travels in here, sounds like every whisper is microphone-amplified, incredible.

Please note that photography is not allowed inside The Mapparium.

Mapparium (photo by: Ryan M. Place)

Mapparium (image courtesy of Mary Baker Eddy Library)

Hope you get to check out Boston!

Boston (photo by: Ryan M. Place)