Some days are better than others. A universal fact. The day I received a package containing Pac-Man Birth of an Icon Collector’s Edition from Cook and Becker was a very, very good day. Read on to find out why.
Prior to receiving my package, I had received an email from Arjan Terpstra, a name I knew, but couldn’t quite put my finger on where from (something a bit of Googling quickly sorted). The email was offering me a copy of his new book, co-written with Tim Lapetino, who I knew from the sublime Art of Atari book which I will belatedly review shortly.
The package was heavy. Way too heavy to just be a book. It transpires that they had decided to send me the Collector’s Edition which you will see, is no ordinary bundle.
You can watch the video below to see me unboxing the book, which is probably the best way of seeing just how special this publication is, but I will describe the contents here anyway.
Upon unpacking the Pac-Man Birth of an Icon Collector’s Edition, you immediately realise that this is a quality product. The outer slipcase (yes there are two!) has spot-varnished Pac-Man eyes and a cut out to mimick his open mouth, and within this slipcase there is another full slipcase printed with arcade graphics (both normal and level 256 corrupted) and the PBOAI logo. It is hard to put into words the sheer thickness and quality of the slipcases on this set. I’ve personally never seen any of this quality before.
Within the slipcases you will find the 335 page hardback book and another hardback folder printed in ‘Blinky red’ with Blinky’s eyes, again, spot varnished for that extra look of quality. The folder contains the limited edition reissue of Buckner & Garcia’s 1982 ‘Pac-Man Fever’ on yellow vinyl and a special Pac-Man arcade token and is a beautifully designed thing in itself.
The book is an absolute triumph. With a beautifully designed cover and full colour illustrations throughout, Pac-Man Birth of an Icon is an absolute treasure trove of Pac-Man related information.
Everything you could ever want to know about Pac-Man is covered within its pages – from the design of the character, its rise in Japan and world domination in arcades everywhere through to the merchandising craze and its subequent legacy and influence. All lavishly illustrated with period photographs galore and full of industry anecdotes and interviews, this is more than a coffee table book. This book is a work of art and ultimate reference work rolled into one.
In summary
If I had just received the book, I would be raving about it, but as a set with the beautifully printed folder and slip cases, this Collector’s Edition just became the favourite book in my collection. It is a joy to behold and the authors and publishers should be rightly proud of what they have achieved.
You can get hold of the book in either Standard or Collector’s Edition formats from the Cook and Becker store here: https://bit.ly/PAC-MANBook
