Mark Cotta Vaz


Mark Cotta Vaz is an American author, editor and film historian. He has authored over thirty books, including four The [New York Times Best Seller list|New York Times bestsellers]. In 1989, he wrote Tales of the Dark Knight Batman's First Fifty Years: 1939–1989, which the Los Angeles Times noted "will delight comics fans." He has focused on documenting film special effects and other behind-the-scenes aspects of visual presentation. He has written about these aspects for both Star Wars and Star Trek. He has produced a number of movie companion books, such as those for The Spirit, Beautiful Creatures and four for the Twilight Saga (film series)|Twilight] series. Publishers Weekly said about his biography of Merian C. Cooper: ''The charismatic Cooper, "a man living his own movie," is no longer an obscure, remote figure, thanks to Vaz's exhaustive research and skillful writing.''

Selected works

Tales of the Dark Knight Batman's First Fifty Years: 1939–1989From Star Wars to Indiana Jones: The Best of the LucasFilm Archives co-authored with Shinji HataIndustrial Light & Magic: Into the Digital Realm co-authored with Patricia Rose DuignanThe Invisible Art: The Legends of Movie Matte Painting co-authored with Craig BarronThe Art of Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the ClonesLiving Dangerously: The Adventures of Merian C. Cooper, Creator of King Kong a Los Angeles Times bestsellerMythic Vision: The Making of EragonThe Spirit: The Movie Visual CompanionStar Trek – The Art of the FilmNew Moon: The illustrated companion to the movie based on the second book in Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight vampire romance series. A New York Times bestseller.The Inheritance Almanac: An A-to-Z Guide to the World of Eragon co-authored with Michael MacauleyBatmobile: The Complete HistoryBeautiful Creatures: The Official Illustrated Movie CompanionGodzilla: The Art of Destruction