R.C. Harvey outdoes himself with a new article about Archie, John Goldwater, and the end of the Comics Code:
It is serenely fitting that Archie should be the last publisher to leave the dismal Code room, turning on the light as it left. John Goldwater, one of the trio of founders of MLJ Comics out of which Archie emerged, was, as he himself claimed, “the prime founder” of the CMAA, which invented the Code and enforced it with the Comics Code Authority. Hence, this seems an appropriate moment to consider the dubious record of John Goldwater, the man who claimed to have invented Archie Andrews as well as the CMAA. About the latter there is less dispute than about the former. Let’s see whether his claims can withstand close scrutiny and the conflicting testimony of contradictory witnesses.
Elsewhere:
Maurice Sendak has a new book coming out in September (the first he's both drawn and written in 30 years), and talks with Dave Eggers about it in Vanity Fair.
Matt Seneca reads a tribute to the late Gene Colan in an issue of Daredevil, and is moved to recite a timeline of his professional life.
In a not unrelated story, Clifford Meth draws attention to a small fundraiser for comics creators via the Hero Initiative.
Nick Gazin at Vice interviews the mysterious Jonny Negron, everyone's favorite new porn cartoonist.
Alan Moore talks to Wired.
The Center for Cartoon Studies has been awarded a $255,000 grant, which it plans to use building the Inky Solomon Center, a "state-of-the-art industry center designed to help CCS alumni launch projects, incubate start-up companies and create jobs."
Kevin Czap looks at comic-book sound effects in the work of Jordan Crane, Brandon Graham, and various manga artists.
Finally, that Grant Morrison documentary from a while back is apparently available for free online viewing now.
