Comic Book Resources

Comics A.M. | The comics Internet in two minutes

Licensing | U.K. media-licensing company Entertainment Rights, which owns The Lone Ranger, Casper, Gumby, Little Lulu and numerous other properties, has cut one-third of its employees, and is reportedly scrambling to find an investor or a new owner.

The company, which acquired its U.S. competitor Classic Media in 2007, denied speculation last fall of a looming bankruptcy. In December, it received a loan that's expected to carry it through next month. [ICv2.com]

Awards | Nominations have begun for the World Science Fiction Society's prestigious Hugo Awards, which for the first time will include a category for Best Graphic Story. [Anime News Network]

Comic strips | The Seattle Post-Intelligencer has dropped Bill Griffith's Zippy the Pinhead as of today. Eric Reynolds asks for readers to write or call the newspaper to ask for its return to the comics page. [FLOG!]

Milestones | Jan. 10 marks the 80th anniversary of Tintin's first appearance, which sends writer Matthew Paris on a tongue-in-cheek investigation of the eternal teen-ager's sexual orientation. I knew the first anniversary was paper, and the 10th was tin, but I never would've guessed the 80th was outing. [Times Online]

Best of '08 | Publishers Weekly's Comics Week releases its third annual Critics' Poll, topped by Dash Shaw's Bottomless Belly Button. Manga Editor Kai-Ming Cha also names her Top 10 manga of the year. [Publishers Weekly]

Publishing | I just want to point out that one of the writers of the just-announced Marvel Assistant-Sized Spectacular miniseries is Daily Show correspondent Wyatt Cenac. [Marvel.com]

Pop culture | Hugh Hefner, aspiring comic-book artist. [Hero Complex]

Art and design | John Straun picks his best comic-book covers of the year. [Super Punch]

Websites | I don't think I knew about ComicsCareer.com -- "Essential Resources for Comic Creators" -- which today features a Q&A with writer B. Clay Moore. [ComicsCareer.com]

Weirdness | Manga Watchmen. In Northampton, a scream rings out. [via Mike Sterling]