“Anyone who loved KING KONG with Carl Denham and Ann Darrow in 1933 and hated DeLaurentis’ 1976 remake cannot help but love this new Kong book. Bravo!”

Ray Bradbury

KING KONG!

“What an honor to be asked to write about him for this long overdue book.

I was seven when the movie first came out in 1933. I still remember being terrified when Kong emerged from the jungle to claim his sacrifice, and when in New York he broke his chains and escaped to terrorize the city. These memories are ingrained in me.

During the early 1930s, Frankenstein, Dracula, and the Mummy were also released. What a golden time. These movies were of serious intent; not comic take-offs, and they have stood the test of time. Even with all the modern computer generated and digital movie techniques, the old King Kong movie was better. King Kong was the scariest of them all. He still is.

When I received Joe DeVito’s presentation it literally blew my mind. I didn’t think it would be nearly that spectacular, and I envied him because I would have loved to do King Kong.

In the 1960s, Bantam Books put out a paperback of the novel, King Kong. They asked me to do the cover after they had a screening at their headquarters. My wife posed for the Fay Wray character, the sacrifice for Kong. Also during that period, I did twenty-two monster kit covers for Aurora models. King Kong was among them. It was the most popular line of models they had ever released. So, this magnificent ape has been part of my career, too.

Having done King Kong twice, both as a book cover and as a monster kit, I honestly don’t think with all my skill and with all my access to reference, I could have done what Joe has done. The conceptuals are incredible, King Kong is ferocious and scary, and when I read the presentation I couldn’t put it down!

King Kong is a universal theme, and movies about him have been made and remade. But this book is different and delves into Kong’s lore with a thoroughness that no movie could. I had never wondered before where King Kong came from, and how such a creature could exist, until I saw what Joe had sent. It was all a revelation to me.

It is fantastic creations like this that have enabled me to remain a little boy.”

Jim Bama
Artist

"The word "epic" gets tossed around pretty casually these days, but in the case of KONG: KING OF SKULL ISLAND it is more than appropriate. Joe DeVito has taken the classic story we're all familiar with and looked at it from a fresh and excitingly new direction, adding a depth and compassion unimagined when Kong was first conceived in the '30s. This beautifully illustrated book is a rip-roaring (in more ways than one!) adventure that is also, conversely, thoughtful and moving. KONG: KING OF SKULL ISLAND is the first--and for my money, only--addition to the Kong myth that does the original proud."

Arnie Fenner
Spectrum Fantastic Art

“I had the extreme honor of seeing some of Joe DeVito’s wonderful art work for his forth coming book KONG: KING OF SKULL ISLAND. Being a die hard KING KONG fan I have to say this is a book that I can’t wait to have. Joe’s illustrations so completely visualize his incredible story
that you won’t be able to put the book down. I give this book a BIG two gorilla thumbs up and highly recommend it to anyone, especially, who wants to know more about the 8th Wonder of the World.”

Bob Burns,
Archivist of Fantastic Cinema

“AT LAST... Kong is safely cradled in the palms of the talented Joe DeVito! DeVito's love and sensitivity transport the mighty simian back to the heights that he so deserves to be at, in this, the ultimate tale of the greatest fantasy creature of all time!”

Michael J. Friedlander,
Creator of GOLIATH

“Joe De Vito's work seems to be ablaze. The sun always seems to be rising or setting, and when it's not, it's up to other tricks - creating deep blue shadow, dramatic highlights, or enhancing a misty haze. Of course, the moon is no layabout either and Joe seems to have it working full night shift, when he's not playing with matches himself.
Light is what Joe's work is all about.

Oh, and he's darn good at drawing big primates too.”

John Howe,
Illustrator

"The volume has old fashioned storybook appeal: soft edged mural-like illustrations, hazy color, sepia tones. It's all very nostalgic, wrapped in a deluxe package...KONG: King of Skull Island provides old-fashioned romantic adventure for Kong fans and neophytes alike."

Karen Haber, Locus, August 2005