Invasion of the Ozalids!

What could be inside this box from Hong Kong? It weighs 34 pounds!


Donna decides to find out...


It's the ozalids (low-res proofs) of the Bava book!

These are the components of the entire book -- cover, dust jacket, and the interior signatures -- shipped to us in a full color, low resolution format. We were sent two sets; we're supposed to look them over, make sure that the pages are set to be cropped correctly, that the page numbering is properly sequential, and catch any last mistakes we may want to change. Then we sign off on the pages and they go to press! (We noted with some amusement that the ozalids were dated Friday the 13th!)

What a stack! Did I really write all this?

Donna holds up the negative proof of the book's cover, as it will appear beneath the dust jacket. What you see here will be embossed in gold ink on the hardcover binding. The spectacular likeness of the Maschera del Demonio (you recognized it, didn't you?) is the work of VW's own Charlie Largent.

Photographic evidence that the Bava book will be possible to hold and read, even if you're standing up. We were so enamored of seeing even this low-res version of the dust jacket, we couldn't resist wrapping it around one of the blank books sent to us as a sample by our printer. This picture was taken as a joke, but I was truly feeling a great emotion; it was like seeing and holding this 32 year-old dream for the first time.

Donna previews one of our favorite interior spreads in the book: the opening of the chapter on HERCULES [Le fatiche di Ercole, 1958].

Here's a better look at the book's spine. See how thick it is? This proof isn't laminated or nearly as bright as the actual dust jacket will be, but I can already tell that this book is going to have the most handsome spine in my library.

A proud expectant papa.