Pim & Francie In Golden Days

• The Comics Comics crew are having another cage match, although this time they're calling it a round table, about Al Columbia's Pim & Francie book.

• Curt Purcell continues his examination of the Blackest Night event, this time looking at some of the tie-in books.

• Ng Suat Tong examines the pleasures of owning original art and how that can change our appreciation for a particular cartoonist.

• Also at HU, Noah Berlatsky looks at the psychosexual underpinnings of the superhero genre, and how it's shifted over time.

• NPR's Glen Weldon talks about why Neil Gaiman's Sandman series matters: "[It] remains one of the most literate, imaginative and intricately plotted accomplishments in long-form comics storytelling out there."

• Sandy Bilus recommends Town of Evening Calm, Country of Cherry Blossoms: "The book never feels preachy, but it certainly forces the reader to focus on this issue and raises his or her level of understanding about what the people of Hiroshima have endured."

• Joe McCulloch compares/contrasts the new Astro Boy movie with the original Tezuka manga.

• Johanna Draper Carlson reviews the first volume of The Lizard Prince: "This manga, a romance in a magical fantasy setting, has enough humor to make it an enjoyable read for the young and young-thinking."

• Tangognat on Vol. 5 of 2oth Century Boys: "Everytime I pick this series up I’m reminded again how great it is."

Black Dossier

Libraries | The library board in Jessamine County, Kentucky, heard public comment last night about acquisition and borrowing policies and the recent firings of two employees who kept a copy of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier out of circulation. The hourlong meeting was marked by shouting, crying and the presentation of petitions, including one that called for the removal of two books and two DVDs -- Black Dossier among them -- from county library shelves. No action was taken by the board. [Lexington Herald-Leader]

Awards | A controversy emerged just a day before the National Book Awards ceremony as author/blogger Janice Harayda suggested that Kathi Appelt, a judge in the Young People''s category, should recuse herself because finalist David Small had illustrated her novel. In her response Appelt was cryptic, at best, saying that as committee deliberations are private, "I or any other judge might well have excused ourselves from voting on any particular book, if conflict of interest were an issue.” In the end, Small's celebrated graphic memoir Stiches didn't win last night; Phillip Hoose's Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice did. [ArtsBeat, Jacket Copy]

IDW storefront

Publishing | IDW Publishing has launched a digital-storefront application for iPhone and iPod that now features 10 free comics and more than 200 for purchase. Titles will be added regularly. [IDW Publishing]

Publishing | SLG Publishing is holding a "pre-holiday recession sale" through Monday, during which time all items online are offered at a 40-percent discount: "The economy tanking combined with some bits of bad luck has taken it's toll on our small company. We're finding ourselves in a bit of a jam due to some things that are beyond our control. ... Since we are not a bank or a car company we aren't going to get any bailout money from any source other than our loyal fans." Cartoonist Evan Dorkin has more. [SLG Publishing]

Publishing | Speaking of SLG, cartoonist Andy Ristaino writes that low pre-orders for Escape From Dullsville could mean the collection of his seven-issue Life of a Fetus won't see print. [Livejournal]

The Phoenix Requiem

Webcomics | Robot 6 contributor Brigid Alverson spotlights a selection of science fiction and fantasy titles for teens. [School Library Journal]

Manga | Kami no Shizuku ("Drops of God"): Savior of wineries the world over. [Kyodo News]

Comics | This article looks at how "recession-proof" comics -- POW! SPLAT! -- "seem to flower during periods of economic stress." Sigh. [DailyFinance]

Creators | Eddie Campbell chats briefly about Alec: The Years Have Pants, autobiographical comics and what recent releases have interested him. [Speakeasy]

Fables: The Deluxe Edition

Creators | Ron Hogan posts a three-part interview with Bill Willingham in which the writer discusses the popularity of the Fables franchise, the state of the industry, politics in comics, Justice Society of America and his fondness for the character Obsidian. It's a solid interview; go read it. [Graphic Novel Reporter]

Creators | Artist Danijel Zezelj talks about process, influences and working with writers like Brian Azzarello, Jason Aaron and Brian Wood: "Some scriptwriters use more descriptions, some less. For instance, Brian Azzarello, his scenarios are almost exclusively dialogues. ... He uses very little descriptions, more like description of the situation, where and what happens, but practically everything else is left to the drawer. But he can do this, because Brian Azzarello is a big master of dialogue. Basically, through dialogues the characters are being formed. I like the most those kinds of scenarios, because in such cases you have completely opened space for composing images and layouts. I have a lot more freedom within that form." [Personal Cyber Botanica]

Weekly Astro Boy Magazine

Publishing | Tezuka Productions and D-Arc Inc. has launched Weekly Astro Boy Magazine, a service that delivers manga by Osamu Tezuka to iPhones and iPods in the United States. Announced last month, it's the first English-language manga service for mobile devices.

If I'm reading the site correctly, the premier "edition" of Weekly Astro Boy Magazine offers the first volume of Astro Boy for free. Subsequent volumes of that title, and other Tezuka classics like Phoenix, Dororo, Black Jack and Buddha, cost 99 cents each, and are available in weekly installments. [Weekly Astro Boy Magazine]

Education | Ryan Sohmer and Lar deSouza, creators of the webcomic Least I Could Do, have established The Rayne Summers Webcomic Scholarship at The Center for Cartoon Studies in Vermont. Named for the protagonist of their nearly seven-year-old comic, the scholarship will cover tuition for one student each year who is working toward a career in webcomics. [Least I Could Do, via The Daily Cartoonist]

Eisner Awards

Awards | The judges have been named for the 2010 Eisner Awards: Craig Fischer, associate professor of English at Appalachian State University and comics critic; Francisca Goldsmith, director of branch services at the Halifax Public Libraries, Nova Scotia, and author of The Readers' Advisory Guide to Graphic Novels; John Hogan, editor of Graphic Novel Reporter; James Hudnall, comics writer and publisher; and Wayne Winsett, owner of Time Warp Comics and Games in Boulder, Colorado. [Comic-Con]

Awards | Neil Gaiman has been awarded the Booktrust Teenage Prize for his novel The Graveyard Book. The award was established in 2003 to celebrate contemporary fiction in the UK written for teenagers. [Booktrust Children's Books]

Publishing | Publishers Weekly profiles five-year-old publisher Dynamite Entertainment, focusing on successes like The Lone Ranger and The Boys, and touching upon the risks associated with licensed properties. [PW Comics Week]

Hagar the Horrible: The Epic Chronicles

Publishing | Titan's Hägar collection pillages Seth's design for The Complete Peanuts. [FLOG! Blog]

Graphic novels | George Gene Gustines spotlights 11 graphic novels as part of The New York Times' holiday gift guide -- among them, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Bloom County: The Complete Library, and Criminal. [The New York Times]

Creators | Colleen Mondor chats with Jim Ottaviani about his latest graphic novel T-Minus. [Chasing Ray]

Creators | Author Kevin Baker discusses his Vertigo graphic novel Luna Park on NPR's Talk of the Nation. You can listen to the interview, or read the transcript. [NPR]

Creators | Brian Heater wraps up his three-part interview with Neil Swaab. [The Daily Cross Hatch]

Creators | Andi Ewington answers five questions about his graphic novel Forty-Five. [ArtPatient]

Comics | Graeme McMillan looks at seven superhero stories that are simply "too big for movies." [io9.com]

On the first issue front, Wildstorm kicks off a new Sherlock Holmes mini called Victorian Undead, while Marvel has an Inhumans mini tying into their Realm of Kings event. Red 5 has Drone (which I think came out last week, didn't it? At least at my local shop), BOOM! has a Farscape ongoing and a mini called Nola, and IDW has a tie-in for the upcoming Legion movie ... which isn't about Saturn Girl, but about angels. There's also a Dr. Horrible one-shot from Dark Horse, a new creative team on Thunderbolts and, I believe, the last of the List books from Marvel ... this one featuring Spider-Man. Oh, and country star Trace Adkins gets his own comic. Hey, if it worked for Tori Amos and Gerard Way, why not?

Looking at the stuff with a spine, Dark Horse brings Alien Legion back into print, DC's Battle for the Cowl and Marvel's Destroyer get collected, and AdHouse releases what's already being named one of the year's best books.

And there's much, much more ... click on the link below to see what Chris, Kevin and I have to say about this week's releases.

*****

The 'Nam

Chris Mautner's pick of the week: The 'Nam TPB Vol. 1

Well here's another potential "Collect This Now" column I can scratch off my "to do" list. Back in the 1980s, when Marvel was drunk with money, they took the chance of publishing this rather realistic and occasionally gritty comic about the Vietnam War. Written by Doug Murray with art by Michael Golden, this series managed to rather accurately portray the war from the foot soldier's point of view surprisingly well, especially since it avoided any explicit violence or language. Until Marvel ruined everything after about the 12th issue, that is. It looks like this trade collects the "magazine" edition, which were just black and white reprints of the original run. I'd prefer to see a "colorized" version that matches my original impressions of the book, but I suppose I'll have to just be happy this is coming out. (Marvel)

Kevin Melrose's pick of the week: Rip Kirby, Vol 1 hardcover

Rip Kirby

IDW Publishing expands its impressive comic-strip archive with this series devoted to Alex Raymond's famous investigator -- "the first modern detective" -- Remington "Rip" Kirby. Best known for creating Flash Gordon in 1934, Raymond followed the now-legendary space adventure with Jungle Jim (with Don Moore) and Secret Agent X-9 (with Dashiell Hammett). But in 1944, Raymond joined the Marines and served in the Pacific Ocean theater. When he returned two years later, he set to work not on his established strips but on the adventures of a bespectacled, pipe-smoking Marine turned private detective.

Raymond (with co-writer Ward Greene, the King Features editor who suggested the strip) broke with the hardboiled tradition, creating a cultured, sophisticated detective who would rather sip brandy than brandish a weapon. His sidekick wasn't the typical hired muscle, either; just the opposite, actually. And the string of female clients/love interests? Forget about them. Rip Kirby was a one-woman man; granted Honey Dorian was a fashion model. (So perhaps you can see why "the first modern detective" appears on the cover of the collection.) Raymond worked on the strip, which in 1949 received a Reuben Award from the National Cartoonists Society, until his death in a car accident in 1956.

This 320-page hardcover, which collects the strips from 1946 to 1948, includes an essay by cartoonist and cartooning scholar Brian Walker, and an introduction by Raymond biographer Tom Roberts. (IDW Publishing)

Driven by Lemons

JK Parkin's pick of the week: Driven By Lemons

Joshua Cotter's amazing Skyscrapers of the Midwest comic was collected by AdHouse last year and ended up on many "best of" lists for 2008. Although it was first self-published by Cotter a few year back, I didn't read it and fall in love with it until getting the hardcover last year.

And now AdHouse brings us Cotter's next work, Driven By Lemons, which is also popping up on "best of" lists for 2009. And according to our own Sean T. Collins, was the "book of the show" at SPX this year, while Chris called it "stunning" and "powerful stuff."

So what is it, exactly? Well, it's a replica of a sketchbook Joshua did of "recent multimedia explorations in intuitive narrative." I have no idea what that means, to be honest, but after reading the rave reviews and seeing the short preview on the AdHouse site, I'm really looking forward to learning. Hell, he had me at the Lefty Lemon reference in the preview. (AdHouse Books)

Alien Legion

Alien Legion Omnibus Volume 1

JK: Dark Horse brings the classic Epic series back into print. Absolutely loved this when it first came out, especially those first dozen or so issues. USA Today has preview pages. (Dark Horse)

MAD Magazine #502

JK: This is the annual "20 Dumbest People, Events and Things of the Year" issue; if you're curious to see who tops the list, Comics Alliance has the spoiler. (DC Comics)

Victorian Undead

Victorian Undead #1

JK: Ian Edgington and Davide Fabbri pit Sherlock Holmes against a zombie plague. Although I'm sure many will dismiss this as being a bit behind the zombie curve, I like to think they're getting a jump on the Sherlock Holmes hoopla the new film starring Robert Downey Jr. might usher in. (DC/Wildstorm)

Vigilante #12

Kevin: Bring out your dead! (DC Comics)

Black Knight

The Black Knight #1

Kevin: This collects the origin of Black Knight/Dane Whitman -- a character seen most prominently in the canceled Captain Britain and MI13 -- that previously had been serialized online at the Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited hub. (Marvel)

Kookaburra K #1

Kevin: Easily the title on this week's shipping list that's the most fun to say, this space opera by Crisse Hicks and Humberto Ramos is part of Marvel's deal with French publisher Soleil, which released the first volume ("Big Bang Baby") in 2006. (Marvel)

Powers Encyclopedia

Powers Encyclopedia, Vol. 1

Kevin: I drifted away from the Brian Michael Bendis/Michael Avon Oeming superhero-crime series quite some time ago, but I'm intrigued by what's being billed as "the definitive Powers handbook." Granted, I've always been a sucker for guides like Who's Who in the DC Universe and the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe. Still, this 64-page encyclopedia seems like a smart way to reintroduce lapsed readers to the Powers universe. (Marvel)

Thunderbolts #138

JK: Jeff Parker picks up where Andy Diggle left off, as he tells the story of Norman Osborn's team of 'bolts, as well as the originals, who are none too happy with the current team. (Marvel)

24 Omnibus, Vol. 1

Kevin: On the heels of its CSI Omnibus, IDW Publishing releases a hefty collection of its comics based on the mayhem-and-torture television drama 24. (IDW Publishing)

Jesus Hates Zombies featuring Lincoln Hates Werewolves

Jesus Hates Zombies featuring Lincoln Hates Werewolves

Chris: James Buchanan and Pontius Pilate, meanwhile, hate gimmicky comic book titles. But who cares what they think? (Alterna Comics)

Luke McBain #1

JK: I know what you're thinking ... it's another celebrity-inspired comic. On the plus side, however, it's written by David Tischman with art by Kody Chamberlain, so it could end up rising above its pedigree. (12 Gauge Comics)

Miss Don't Touch Me

Chris: Offered again for your reading pleasure, Hubert & Kerascoet's tale of sex and murder set in a high-class bordello with an S&M-inclined prude as the heroine who must solve her sister's slaying. I gotta review of the thing here. (NBM)

Oishinbo Vol 06 Joy Of Rice

Chris: I haven't been following this cooking manga series at all yet but I understand it's pretty good and I look forward to eventually checking it out. This latest volume collects assorted stories about that essential staple, rice. (VIZ)

Pluto Vol. 6

Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka, Vol. 6

Chris: The next volume of Naoki Urasawa's Astro Boy riff arrives. I think it's pretty close to nearing the end at this point, with one, maybe two, more volumes to go. I heavily expect this to be a front-runner in the "best manga of 09" contest. (VIZ)

RASL starter pack #1-5 with tattoos

Chris: Fallen behind on Jeff Smith's new noir/sci-fi series? Here's your chance to get caught up and get some (I'm assuming) washable tattoos to boot. Man, wouldn't it be great if a real tattoo was included with the comics? Like, there was a greasy biker guy waiting by the cash register to put a little Phone Bone on your shoulder? Well, I think it would be kind of cool anyway. (Cartoon Books)

The Talisman: The Road of Trials #1

The Talisman: The Road of Trials #1

Kevin: Del Rey adapts the bestselling 1984 fantasy-horror novel by Stephen King and Peter Straub. I've read just one King book (The Stand), and no Straub novels, so I don't know much about The Talisman, which I guess somehow ties into King's Dark Tower epic. Which I also haven't read, obviously. (Del Rey)

Tezuka's Black Jack TPB Vol 08

Chris: Oh what medical wonders will the mighty surgeon Black Jack perform this time? More great scenes of high melodrama, slapstick comedy and detailed shots of people's innards from the mighty Tezuka no doubt. (Vertical)

Treasury 20th Century Murder softcover Vol 02: Famous Players

Chris: Here's the paperback edition of Rick Geary's latest tale of murder most foul, this time taking place in the silent era of Hollywood. It's a pretty solid entry in the series, though, honestly, not quite as stellar as The Bloody Benders or the recent Lindbergh book. I interviewed Geary about the book and other stuff here. (NBM)

Wasteland, Vol. 5: Tales of the Uninvited

Kevin: Antony Johnston and Christopher Mitten's post-apocalyptic Western epic gets a fifth trade paperback. That's an impressive achievement, particularly considering that it's a monthly sci-fi series released by a smaller publisher. This collection features guest art by Carla Speed McNeil, chuck BB and Joe Infurnari. (Oni Press)

Take a look at Diamond's shipping list and let us know what you're getting this week.

Dong Xoai, Vietnam 1965

Kevin linked to this New York Times profile on comics legend Joe Kubert earlier today. While the article is focused mainly on Kubert's original art being sold, it also mentions a new Kubert project coming next May -- Dong Xoai, Vietnam 1965.

What's interesting is how this is being published. The Times said it is a Vertigo book, but actually it'll be published by "The Joe Kubert Library," according to all three of DC's blogs. EDIT: This isn't the first time the imprint has been used.

Here are some details on the project from those blogs:

DONG XOAI, VIETNAM 1965 tells the story of a team of Special Forces soldiers who were on what was to be a simple assistance and observation mission in the village of Dong Xoai that suddenly turned deadly. Written as an original graphic novel with text and illustrations, DONG XOAI, VIETNAM 1965 is based on extensive first hand information from the surviving members of the Special Forces group involved.

Blue Bloods: Masquerade

Publishing | Italian movie producer Domenico Procacci has purchased Bologna-based graphic novel publisher Coconino Press, adding it to his Fandango filmmaking and book-publishing company. In addition to its own titles, Coconino publishes the Italian editions of works by such artists as Charles Burns, Daniel Clowes, and Garon Tsuchiya and Nobuaki Minegishi. [Variety]

Publishing | Young-adult novelist Melissa de la Cruz has signed new contracts with Hyperion, the Disney Book Group imprint that publishes her bestselling Blue Bloods series. The deal calls for three companion books to the teen-vampire drama, including Blue Bloods: The Graphic Novel. [Variety]

The Last Unicorn

Publishing | IDW Publishing will adapt Peter Beagle's bestselling 1968 fantasy novel The Last Unicorn as a six-issue miniseries. The comic, by writer Peter B. Gillis, artist Renae De Liz and colorist Ray Dillon, will debut in April. [ICv2.com]

Publishing | Simon Jones offers commentary about declining manga sales in Japan: "Some blame was again placed at the industry’s increasing focus on niche genres (just as comics is a spandex ghetto, manga is facing a crisis of the moe slum), but I think this is being overstated as a cause, when it’s really a symptom that is self-feeding.  Manga sales have gone down … it could be lower birth rates, or competition from other media, or internet piracy (come on guys, we don’t need to couch this in flowery language), or any combination of those.  But it all comes down to fewer companies being able to produce mainstream products, because a growing segment of mainstream audiences are no longer willing to pay for them despite increasing demand." [Icarus Publishing]

Publishing | Micha Hershman, former graphic-novel buyer and marketing executive with Borders Group, has joined Dark Horse as the company's senior director of marketing. [press release]

AOL

Business | Time Warner has set Dec. 9 as the date to complete its separation with AOL, ending one of the worst media deals of the decade. The spinoff, which comes just shy of 10 years after the merger, is expected to be followed by massive layoffs at AOL. [Variety]

Legal | Again? The heirs of Stephen Slesinger, the man who in 1931 signed a licensing deal with Winnie-the-Pooh creator AA Milne, are again taking Disney to court, this time over accusations of unpaid royalties. The moves comes on the heels of a judge's September ruling that confirmed Disney as the rights holder. [BBC News, via The Daily Cartoonist]

Retailing | Industry veteran KC Carlson takes a lengthy look at the early days of the direct-market system. [Westfield Comics]

Retailing | Did you know that Ryan Sohmer, co-creator of the webcomic Least I Could Do, opened his own comic store about a month ago in Pointe-Claire, Quebec? [The Chronicle]

Retailing | A comic-book store also has turned up in Old Bridge, New Jersey. CJ Comics will have its grand opening on Nov. 21. [MyCentralJersey]

Gunnerkrigg Court

Webcomics | El Santo compiles his list of the 10 best webcomics of the decade, including Hark! A Vagrant, Gunnerkrigg Court and High Moon. [The Webcomic Overlook]

Comics | At least once a year a newspaper in the U.K. declares one character or another "the first gay superhero." This time it's a gay super-team/comic named Spandex. [The Sun]

Comics | John Geddes spotlights Alien Legion, the early-'80s Epic Comics series whose Dark Horse ominbus edition hits stores this week. [USA Today]

Creators | George Gene Gustines profiles the legendary Joe Kubert, who's permitting "a large trove" of his original art to be auctioned on Friday. [The New York Times]

Creators | Robert Kirkman discusses his first exposure to Image Comics, the history of the company, becoming a partner, and writing Image United. [Techland]

Creators | Brian Heater continues a multi-part interview with Jerry Moriarty. [The Daily Cross Hatch]

Comics | Brandon Thomas launches a multi-part examination of the Morrison-Era New X-Men and Whedon/Cassaday-Era Astonishing X-Men. [Fiction House]

Flight Explorer, Vol. 1

Publishing | Retailer Christopher Butcher catches word that Flight Explorer, the younger-readers spinoff of the long-running Flight anthology, is without a publishing home. Although the first volume, published in March 2008 by Villard, reportedly sold through its 20,000-copy first printing, editor Kazu Kibuishi tweeted last week that "the project remains orphaned." Butcher provides commentary on his blog. [Comics212]

Legal | Google and groups representing publishers and authors on Friday filed a revised settlement they hope will resolve a dispute over the Internet giant's controversial plans to make millions of out-of-print books available online.

The original agreement, created to resolve a 2005 lawsuit, was opposed by parties ranging from DC Comics to the U.S. Justice Department to the governments of France and Germany, who argued that its terms could violate copyright law. The revisions address the handling of orphan works, restrict the Google database to books published in the United States, Britain, Canada or Australia, and allow other companies to license the digital catalog.

U.S. District Judge Denny Chin is expected this week to set a date for a "fairness hearing" in which arguments about the settlements will be presented by b0th sides. [The New York Times]

Dragon Ball, Vol. 3

Publishing | More details have emerged on plans by Japanese publishing giant Shueisha to sell manga on mobile phones in 28 countries, including the United States, beginning in spring 2010. ICv2.com reports that Shueisha, co-owner of Viz Media, will launch the digital initiative with 20 to 30 titles, including Dragon Ball. [ICv2.com]

Publishing | A writer at Sankaku Complex examines the declining sales in Japan of manga magazines and tankobon, and declares that the country's manga industry is in "dire straits." [Sankaku Complex]

Internet | This morning Time.com launched Techland, a free-standing website devoted to "geek culture," with coverage ranging from science-fiction movies and video games to gadgets and comic books. [Techland]

Female Force: Princess Diana

Publishing | Darren G. Davis, publisher of Bluewater Productions, responds to recent criticism in the U.K. of the company's Female Force: Princess Diana biographical comic. [Hero Complex]

Publishing | James Hudnall takes a broad look at shifts in comics distribution channels, from the newsstand to the direct market to "the digital age." [Big Hollywood]

Retailing | Here's an odd article that's part profile of newly opened comics store, part attempt at a snapshot of the marketplace. The assessment of the industry is a bit ... rosy. [The Boston Globe]

Sales charts | R. Crumb's The Book of Genesis Illustrated remains the No. 1 hardcover on The New York Times' graphic books bestseller list as the eighth volume of Matsuri Hino's Vampire Knight debuts as the top manga and Logicomix: An Epic Search for Truth climbs to the top paperback slot. [The New York Times]

Events | Matthew Brady covers an appearance on Friday in Chicago by Dean Haspiel and Tim Hall for a screening of The Act-I-Vate Experience, a short documentary about the comics collective. [Warren Peace Sings the Blues]

Comics | Tim Macavoy counts down the Top 10 gay superheroes (though he ends up with more than 10). [Queer Sighted]

Stuck in the Middle

Libraries | There's still more follow-up to the removal this week of Stuck in the Middle: Seventeen Comics from an Unpleasant Age from two middle-school libraries in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Teachers still have access to the anthology -- it depicts language and sexual reference that at least one parent found objectionable -- and may use it in class.

An editorial in the Argus Leader calls the school board's decision "a reasonable approach that balances the need to provide suitable guidance for kids when dealing with sensitive topics without falling prey to censorship." CBS affiliate KELO, meanwhile, continues its coverage of the story with a look at how books are selected for libraries. Tom Spurgeon also has reaction from two of the anthology's contributors. [Argus Leader, KELOLAND.com]

Creators | Jeet Heer digs up writings by a young Dave Sim expressing, in no uncertain terms, his disdain for the work of Jack Kirby. [Comics Comics]

Creators | Cartoonist Jeff Keane discusses the evolution of The Family Circus, IDW Publishing's new archival collection, and the future of newspapers. [ICv2.com]

Batman and Robin, by Frank Quitely

Creators | Thought Bubble interviews artists Frank Quitely and Charlie Adlard. "When you work on a title or character that everyone knows loads of people say 'I hate his Wolverine' or 'I hate his Superman' or whatever," Quitely says, "because it jars with their own favourite versions of the characters -- no one ever says 'I hate his We3 animals' because they didn’t start reading it with any preconceptions or prejudices. From that point of view it’s always easier to work on new stuff, or your own stuff, but I enjoy the challenge of getting to do well-known characters and I generally don’t really care if some folk don’t like what I do, it’s personal taste, and I’ve got a pretty thick skin." [via ArtPatient]

Creators | Collaborators Martin Conaghan and Will Pickering talk at length about their historical graphic novel Burke and Hare. [Forbidden Planet International]

Creators | Warren Ellis offers for download his scripts for issues of Fell, Desolation Jones and Ministry of Space. [Warren Ellis]

Webcomics | El Santo spotlights a handful of politically conservative webcomics. [The Webcomic Overlook]

Comics | The Son of Satan is back, baby! [The Cool Kids Table]

Stuck in the Middle

Libraries | There is, of course, follow-up on the decision by the Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to remove the anthology Stuck in the Middle: Seventeen Comics from an Unpleasant Age from middle-school libraries. Local CBS affiliate KELO reports on the reactions of parents and highlights some of the better-known challenged and banned books.

As we noted yesterday, teachers will still have access to the 2007 collection of stories about life as a teen-ager (by such contributors as Gabrielle Bell, Daniel Clowes, Joe Matt and Dash Shaw). That's because, in the words of School Board President Kent Alberty, "There is value in the book. One of the subjects addressed is bullying, something the district is very interested in making sure is handled appropriately, and the book does address that." [KELOLAND.com]

Publishing | Japan's NHK television network reports that publishing giant Shueisha, a co-owner of Viz Media, plans to develop plans to sell manga via mobile phones in the United States beginning in spring 2010. [Anime News Network]

eManga

Publishing | Digital Manga Publishing is seeking submissions of original manga, graphic novels, prose novels and short stories in all genres for its eManga manga-rental website. [About.com]

Publishing | Leyla Aker, a senior editorial manager at Viz Media, talks about the company's SigIKKI imprint. [Japanator]

Business | Peter Lauria draws a dotted line between Disney's not-yet-finalized purchase of Marvel (as well as the poor performance of A Christmas Carol) and the ongoing restructuring of Walt Disney Studios. [New York Post]

Passings | George Gene Gustines pens an obituary for Comic-Con co-founder Shel Dorf, while Mark Evanier addresses the estrangement between Dorf and event organizers. [The New York Times, News From Me]

Muramasa

Events | The Smithsonian's Freer and Sackler Galleries in Washington, D.C., on Friday kicks off a monthlong retrospective called "Osamu Tezuka: God of Manga, Father of Anime," featuring a discussion by manga scholar Frederik Schodt, film screenings and performances. The event's website also has downloadable essays by Schodt, Helen McCarthy and others. [Freer and Sackler Galleries]

Events | Todd Allen attended Saturday's discussion at the Chicago Humanities Festival by Jules Ffeifer, Matt Groening, Lynda Barry and Chris Ware: "The level of pessimism at this panel was a bit depressing. Nobody was really suggesting alternate venues. I think it was Barry that compared comics to having a baby and wanting the baby to make money and pay the rent. Ware went a step further, saying 'it’s a problem to make a living' and 'do it for yourself, don’t expect to make a living'." [Indignant Eclectica]

Retailing | This preview of a local signing by creators Brian Michael Bendis, Michael Avon Oeming and David Mack transforms into a very nice profile of Jermaine Exum, owner of Acme Comics in Greensboro, North Carolina. [News & Record]

Retailing | Georgetown University's news magazine provides a brief overview of Washington, D.C., comic stores. [The Georgetown Voice]

Luna Park

Creators | Author Kevin Baker and artist artist Danijel Zezelj discuss their Vertigo graphic novel Luna Park. [USA Today]

Creators | Cartoonist Art Baltazar is interviewed in advance of his appearance tonight at the University of Central Oklahoma. [UCO360]

Comics | Shaenon K. Garrity re-examines Scott McCloud's Zot!, and the nature of superheroes. [comiXology]

Internet | Time.com is shuttering its pop culture/sometimes-comics blog Nerd World and replacing in on Monday with Techland. [Nerd World]

Internet | Now that it's official, congratulations to Kiel Phegley on his well-deserved promotion to news editor of Comic Book Resources. [The Cool Kids Table]

Footnotes in Gaza

• Tom Spurgeon once again beats everyone to the punch with a review of Joe Sacco's new book, Footnotes in Gaza: The first good news to report ... is that the cartoonist is in top form throughout." He also has good things to say about Prison Pit.

• Christopher Allen offers 60 ways of looking at Watchmen.

• Critics critique critics -- Robert Boyd reviews Bart Beaty's Unpopular Culture: "This is a thought-provoking book, and I recommend it to anyone who is interested in comics-as-art."

• David Welsh gets schooled in college manga.

• Rob Clough calls MK Reed's new book, Cross Country "the most complex, ambitious and visually interesting of her comics."

• Perhaps if I link to Sean Collins' review of Refresh, Refresh, he'll forgive me for accidentally (I swear) stealing the title of his review feature.

• Nina Stone enjoyed the first issue of Cinderella: From Fabletown With Love: "All the pieces of the story just started to fit together perfectly."

• Grant Goggans declares The Art of Osamu Tezuka "very highly recommended."

• Finally, Kristy Valenti looks at a 1999 graphic novel drawn by Mia Wolff and written by acclaimed sci-fi author Samuel Delany.