Is this a beautiful collection of some of pop-culture’s best, or is it a complete waste of your time?  Read on to find out.

The official description from Titan Books:

The best of Olly Moss’ Paper Cuts exhibition collected in a gorgeous gift book volume. Find your favourite pop-culture character in this collection of silhouettes from well-known movie, television, comics and video game characters!

This book, right off the bat, is a proverbial treasure trove for any willing fanboy or fangirl.  The work done here by Olly Moss is simply impressive as it seeks to stimulate our collective imaginations while pulling bits and pieces from our childhoods.  If you have even for a moment claimed to be in the know with regards to staples of pop-culture you need to own this book.

We start things off with a personal introduction that’s a brisk and quick read, written by Olly Moss.  Even though it’s short, the artist more than succeeds in penning a few paragraphs that introduce us to both him and his lengthy body of work.  You’ll be instantly engaged by the humor and honesty contained here, as you prepare to flip the proverbial page.

The individual works on display are nothing short of exceptional, as each character is given enough time and attention to detail for memory recognition.  Every line and curve contained in their unique physicality, right down to some obscure strands of hair, carries over seamlessly to the page.  There aren’t any pieces missing as objects act as clues to help highlight special attributes so viewers can attempt to realize who they’re looking at.  There’s even some subtle use of color on a few select works to help fans out.

You might ask yourself: Why do I need a collection of works that are simply the outline of characters that I’ve come to know and love?  The answer is easy enough, because what’s amassed here is an astounding body of work that flows from video games, movies, television and music which lends itself quite perfectly to a trivia game.  I’m not going to tell you guys to go grab a bottle of your finest brew, but it would be one awesome way to put this book to good use.

There is no glossary of names, and because of that there is absolutely no way to cheat.  All you can do here is gather around in a group and proceed to flip through the pages trying to figure out who is who.  It’s going to be some of the most fun you’ve had in awhile, because as you discover the characters or creatures contained here it’s going to be bring back some serious memories for you and your friends.  It might even be something you haven’t thought of in a really long time, and that right there is well worth the price of admission.

There are plenty of gimme ones in this book, faces and characteristics you’ll get right off the bat but trust me when I say, there are also quite a few that will stump people.  The end result will be you getting to marvel at your own magnificence as you prove your knowledge inebriated or not.  Just imagine the feeling when you spot a Disney character, the Dude or the Iron Giant while you’re friend tries and fails to recognize them (hence the potential for the drinking game).

Silhouettes From Popular Culture is an amazing collection that will be a dream purchase for any fan.  No matter whether you’ve dipped your toe in movies, video games, television or music you’re bound to find something in here that will just speak to you.  So grab your light cycle and dive right into this impressive book.  Highly recommended.

4.5/5