After I posted the Art of Destiny review a couple of weeks ago, Insight Editions asked if DBO was interested in doing reviews of the Destiny Poster Collection and Destiny Journal that they also publish. I said yes and promptly received some sample copies. So if you weren't one of the people who already won a copy in the contest we ran, here's a look at the products.

I really need to start reviewing video games, cars, and houses on the coast if people are going to send me free things...

The Journal

...Or "diary" if you plan to use it to write about that boy in 5th period with the cute smile.

The cover has a comfortable texture on it with an almost Vex-like design incised on it.

The usual Destiny symbol decorates the center.

With the band wrapped around it to keep it closed.

Opening the journal up led to a fun surprise. The endpaper is decorated with Guardian concept art. Neat! For some reason I wasn't expecting much inside.

A classy ex-libris:

The paper isn't too weighty so you're not going to be doing watercolors in it, but it will still handle some light marker work. Of course, pen and pencil works fine.

I'll skip all the photos I took of the 192 blank pages.

Testing the paper. Starting from the top: .5 pencil, Cool Grey 10% Prismacolor marker, Cool Grey 50% Prismacolor, and a few lines of a ballpoint pen pressed firmly at first then gradually softer.

The back of the page. The pencil mark is indiscernible. The light marker below that and the ink at the bottom are difficult to see. Press hard with an ink pen or use dark markers and you'll have to skip pages if you want perfect backgrounds.

At the end of the journal pages, you're greeted with another piece of concept art, this time of a Vex Hydra.

Afterwards you get a little pocket for notes to your girlfriend, or orders from the communist hegemony. Whatever floats you boat.

"What's it got in its pocketsss, Preciousss?"

Sliding in a few sheets of small or folded paper into the pocket will still allow the journal to close snugly. But with the band wrapped around it, you can put in a bit more, like say... a Bilbo Baggins.

The tricorn is embossed on the back cover...

...along with "Insights", the publisher.

A close-up of the cloth band that connects to the back.

With some other items for scale.

Seems to be a standard journal size. (8.3 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches)

I tried to get my dog involved in this review but he was not having it.

"Don't you dare post this on that glowing-box thing."

Continued in Post 2

Continued from Post 1.

The Poster Collection

The book feels larger than these photos convey...

All the things for the scaling of the things...

The details are not lost in the printing.

The spine:

Here you can see the cardboard at the back that keeps this giant notepad sturdy.

The endpapers feature faction symbols from the game.

See! Giant notepad!

Each poster is numbered and described on the back.

I was very happy to see they included the artists responsible for each piece.

This collection features some lesser-seen concept art...

...as well as more iconic pieces...

...and one I wasn't familiar with at all. Cool!

Detail of the previous image:

A detail from another page (featuring art you see when downloading an update in the game). This photo really captures the accuracy of the printing. All the details can be absorbed into the brain.

Sometimes I forget my friend TDSpiral didn't paint this one...

A less-cropped version of the art used for the cover of the collection. This version has richer colors too.

The last few posters feature the now-classic concepts of the three classes.

While I'm at it, here's a list of each poster inside:

• Valley of the Kings
  
• Black Garden
  
• Traveler's Rest
  
• Ghost Town
  
• Pike
  
• Cosmodrome (outside the wall)
  
• The Reef
  
• Restoration (finding your first jumpship)
  
• Back From The Wild (sitting against the wall)
  
• Riksis, Devil Archon
  
• Summoning Pits
  
• The Wall (inside, once the Lannister turns on the lights)
  
• Hellmouth
  
• The Fallen (the first concept we ever saw)
  
• The New Frontier
  
• Archer's Line
  
• Guardians (the cover of the collection)
  
• The Hunter
  
• The Titan
  
• The Warlock

A close-up of Gal-a-horn...

...And the Hive monstrosity that's about to receive one of its rockets in the face.

More details:

Tearing out a poster is painless.

Nothing was creased or torn.

The poster on a whiteboard.

I felt like there was reason I took this photo but I can't remember it now...

The only issue with the book is the first poster. Since it is attached directly to the wraparound of the glue-binding, you've got to peel off the tape very slowly. It leaves some glue residue on the poster, but that be rubbed off easily. You can either matte the poster so that you don't see the blank space underneath the black tape or simply cut off that portion with a paper-cutter. This is a minor, intentional issue.

More faction graphics dot the endpaper at the back.

The back cover.

While the usual posters you see on the endcaps at Wal-Marts or Targets are bigger, they're flimsy and can get bent easily. This poster collection uses thick paper that isn't going to fall over and crease itself. The clarity of the art is top-notch; none of the posters were blurry from enlargement or tampering. A number were cropped from the original dimensions though, which maximizes the use of the space but distorts the artist's composition slightly. While I personally might have preferred a letterbox-like matting of the art, I'm probably in the minority on this.

In Conclusion

Honestly, there's not much to say in this section because both of these products are pretty straightforward. They're well-printed, well-binded, and feature cool art. Ultimately it just comes down to if you need a journal or want some cheap (in price, not quality) posters to stick or frame on your wall.

Thanks for reading! Next time I'll review the new Star Wars movie a few weeks before it opens. Hint, hint.

I particularly like how they are just art: no text. I want that now.

Front and back?

It's pretty important.

Other questions:

What are the exact dimensions of both pages and journal itself?
How many sheets are there?
What can fit in the pocket and still keep the journal closed?
Is there a place for a pen?

...as well as more iconic pieces...

This looks like a fun game-play space. Lots of cover. I'm just saying the gate should be re-opened at level 35.

A less-cropped version of the art used for the cover of the collection. This version has richer colors too.

The last few posters feature the now-classic concepts of the three classes.

Make sure to wrap it in plastic.

Front and back?

Starting from the top: .5 pencil, Cool Grey 10% Prismacolor marker, Cool Grey 50% Prismacolor, and a few lines of a ballpoint pen pressed firmly at first then gradually softer.

The back of the page. The pencil mark is indiscernible. The light marker below that and the ink at the bottom are difficult to see. Press hard with an ink pen or use dark markers and you'll have to skip pages if you want perfect backgrounds.

Other questions:
What are the exact dimensions of both pages and journal itself?
How many sheets are there?

From Amazon:
Hardcover: 192 pages (so that would be 96 sheets)
Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches (the interior pages are about .2 less than the length and width)

What can fit in the pocket and still keep the journal closed?

Do you mean completely snugged tight? If so, a few sheets of small or folded paper. But with the band wrapped around it, you can put in a bit more, like say... a Bilbo Baggins. It's going to bulge a bit, so it's sort of up to the user, but I sometimes rely completely on the cloth band to keep my shit together.

Is there a place for a pen?

It probably wouldn't fit comfortably in the pocket. But if it has a clip, you can easily slide it onto the cover and still keep it closed. That's what I do with all my sketchbooks.

*Going to add some of this into my original post.*

Was the .5mm pencil HB? It looks light.

I know this is minor, but I'm a nerd. Please humor me. :D

Was the .5mm pencil HB? It looks light.

I know this is minor, but I'm a nerd. Please humor me. :D

One of those cheap Bic #2s. So a general HB. :)

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...but now I want to give them more of my money.

I've been carrying around a small spiralbound notebook for my ideas when I'm away from the computer. (Expect me to release a 1,000,000 word urban fantasy story in 2027 at this rate.) This, however, would be most excellent. I've been thinking about getting something with a better feel for a while now, and this is... very tempting.

AND I WANT THOSE POSTERS BLASFOHOIIOPOEIHLAGLNF

Bilbo Baggins as an accepted form of measurement. I have a pressing need to know how large things are in Bagginses now.

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