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Well, I hope you're sitting down at your computer rather than using some sort of podium or standing desk arrangement, because Ryan Holmberg is going to blow your minds to bits. In today's column he introduces us (and I mean everyone) to the funk and frenzy of Akahon Manga. With three nameless early 1950s books he manages to rewrite some history. I can't say enough good things about this fresh territory he's staking out. But if you don't believe me, just look:

Ok? Ok.

If you really need to read more about comics after experiencing this piece then I suppose you could mosey over to The Comics Reporter for interviews with Steve Bissette and Rina Piccolo. And then stroll over to Robot 6 for a close look at Batman: Year One, from Matt Seneca. You might meander through part 3 of The Beat's year-end survey, and then click over to this cult-like add for a Grant Morrison convention.

And finally, you could end your internet morning/afternoon/evening with the utterly depressing news that the Village Voice has let go of the great film (and occasional comics) critic J. Hoberman, which is a huge loss for critical writing in general, though I imagine some smart media conglomerate will snap him up.

Have a nice day!

And we're still back!

Rob Clough gets things underway this morning with his review of Seth's G.N.B. Double C, one of the artist's lighter "sketchbook" comics, in the vein of Wimbledon Green.

Linkblogging's gonna be a little weird for a while, since we've been gone for so long and so much material has been missed and/or is already ancient in internet terms (by the way, spending no more than fifteen minutes a day using a computer and/or reading the internet is a highly recommended way to spend a week or two, if you can swing it). But here are a few highlights from recent days that are worth taking a look at if you're so inclined.

Joe Sacco has a new story out at Caravan magazine, about Dalit villagers in Upper Pradesh. It looks to be available in print form, as well. (Courtesy Ethan H.)

Steven Heller, the former New York Times art director who gave Bill Griffith his first job in comics while working for Screw, writes a brief profile of the artist for The Atlantic. I've been slowly making my way through an advance copy of Lost and Found, and I think it's really gonna be revelatory for a lot of people.

Here's a brief video interview with Maurice Sendak for the Tate, in which he tells people who want a sequel to Where the Wild Things Are to go to hell:

There's also a three-part video interview with Art Spiegelman from Angoulême that was posted recently. I haven't watched it yet, but plan to do so as soon as it's feasible.

Friends and family of the late publisher, cartoonist, and writer Dylan Williams have started a memorial site for him.

The Rumpus interviewed Adrian Tomine.

Domingos Isabelinho reviews the recent Carl Barks collection.

Finally, I really liked this Eddie Campbell blog post.

Happy New Year. We're back and getting into the groove here. Today on the site we bring you Frank Santoro's epic Motorbooty retrospective. I remember finding the magazine at Tower Records, where I found many good small press things, and it blew my mind. It was like it arrived from mars to make me happy. Well, Frank's gone back and interviewed the man behind the content and posted numerous images, too. Dig in. If that's not enough Santoro for you, then check out his year-end post from Sunday. As ever, no matter the holiday, there is Joe McCulloch with his first "This Week in Comics" of 2012

And today we're also re-publishing Gary Groth's 1998 interview with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles co-creator and Tundra and Heavy Metal publisher Kevin Eastman. It is so damn long, and so intense, that we had to break it into two parts and add a selection of letters that came in in response to the piece. In it, Eastman explains all about the Turtles, money, losing a ton on Tundra, friendships, ethics, and so much more. It's one of the all-time great TCJ interviews in its portrait of one man's journey into the heart of comic-dom. Part 1. Part 2. The letters.

Why, you might ask, are we only just now gifting you with this bounty of history, gossip and financial ruin? Well, Eastman's been in the news a bit lately. He's auctioning off his studio and its entire contents on eBay (the video must be seen) and is doing a series of events at Meltdown Comics in L.A. So, now's the time...

Speaking of Tundra, Steve Bissette is oft-mentioned in the Eastman interview, and he posted a brief note about the status of his 1963 comic book series and his relationship with Alan Moore.

Anyhow, it being the end of the year and all, there were a ton of year-end best-of lists. Sean T. Collins, AV Club, Robot 6, Comics Alliance, Tucker Stone/Flavorwire, Matt Seneca, and probably a million more. But those stuck out.

And of course no holiday season is complete (well, at least for me and Tim) without Tom Spurgeon's interview series. They are all worth reading, but for me the highlights were: Todd DePastino on the author's work on Bill Mauldin. I agree with Tom that Wille & Joe: Back Home was one of the very best books of 2011 and DePastino is a game and lively conversationalist; TCJ-contributor Chris Mautner giving a big picture view on recent developments in art comics; The Secret Acres publishers Leon Avelino and Barry Matthews were very candid about the publishing life/vocation/spirit, and smart besides. Any interview with Kim Thompson is a hoot, and I confess that one of my favorite perks of working for TCJ is getting to bug Kim about stuff as frequently as he lets me. Tom, as usual, asks all the right questions. Ethan Rilly produced one of my favorite comic books this year, and I know nothing about him, so his interview was a treat. All right, that's enough about Spurgeon! We love him too much.

Elsewhere on the internet you will find TCJ-contributor Ryan Holmberg's latest piece, a review of A Drifting Life, quite fascinating. And wait until you see what he has later this week. Charles McGrath wrote about Tintin in the NY Times. Robot 6 has steamrolled into the new year with a ton of new content, including interviews with Tom Scioli, Sammy Harkham, and a ton more. And fresh off the internet is The Beat's Year-End Survey part 1 and 2011 in review.

And finally, the great British illustrator Ronald Searle has passed away. He was famous for his curling and darting line, and cutting observational wit. The Guardian has a brief obituary.

Well alright, dear reader, that's (almost) it for TCJ online in 2011! Here's our year-end post. Have a great holiday. Posting will resume Tuesday, January  3rd.

Well, folks, we're starting to close things out for the year here, but we've still got a few items in store for your 2011 reading year.

This morning, we present the great and inimitable Bob Levin's reflections on the one-of-a-kind "lost" anthology The Someday Funnies, which it probably wouldn't be too much to say he had some part in bringing to print, if only for revitalizing interest in the book through his great piece,“How Michel Chouquette (Almost) Assembled the Most Stupendous Comic Book in the World”, which you may remember from TCJ issue 299. Here, from Levin's new piece, is a brief explanation of just what he means by stupendous:

In 2004, it was suggested I write about Michel Choquette and The Someday Funnies, a veritable Lost Dutchman’s lode of comic history. The story, as it had come down over three decades, was that Choquette had been commissioned in December 1970 to produce a 20-page cartoon history of the 1960s for the May issue of Rolling Stone, and that he had tuned that into a contemplated several hundred-page book on which he spent nine years, receiving in the process contributions from William Burroughs, Salvador Dali, Stanley Kubrick, Federico Fellini, John Lennon, Frank Zappa, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Tom Wolfe, while squandering so many advances from so many competing publishers that he had made publication impossible. Then, the story spreaders said, he and the art he had collected vanished.

Our other offering this morning is my co-editor Dan's review of the same book.

First up,

On the site: Rob Clough on Papercutter 17.

Next up, a guest writer takes the wheel:

When Dan Nadel hit town it was an easy task to slip him a wipeout pill and slide him into the penetrator chair. After that pulling his thoughts out onto the chalkboard upload was as simple as peeling a banana. Today's Nadel brain reads smooth, a baby's bottom,

"I consider a parking ticket a badge of honer. In fact I am proud to have collected two of them whilst whisking about The City today before my trek north. North, where the ice giants live. North, where the water is clear, fresh, untouched by mongrel man. North, where Santa Claus greedily gobbles up the wishes and visions of youth, grown obese on the exchange of dreams for plastic, the exchange of hard earned cash for the unwanted sock/clock/pet rock. Out on the highway I commanded my Honda Not a Civic, sitting low, dancing past traffic jams like a mouse in the mall(food court). A cigarette lounges lazily on my lips. Just kidding hahaha. I don't smoke mom. But every travel writer knows that a cigarette is the portal to romance. The smoke a shield to block interaction, no, incarceration by the unworthy out to latch onto a man with a mission.  The haze obscures the gaze and when you can't see past your nose you're left with nothing but the imagination to reveal a path. Me? I choose imagination over reality any day. I choose the untrod lands. Give me a freeway to Providence and I'll take the drainage ditch. In fact, that's why I spent half the day upside down dangling in the stern grip of the seatbelt, my small two door passenger car wedged within the calloused arms of a poplar tree off 95 not so far from Groton, Connecticut. A town with a name that sounds and smells like cheese. Sounds and smells define a man. I sound, I smell. I survive. Thank the gods no one stole the tape deck, I'm reaching for Slayer Decade of Decadence, no need to hear the sirens call my name."

-Brian Chippendale, live from the arm of the penetrator

Joe McCulloch, exhaust contrails still streaming off him from his recent Inkstuds appearance, delivers a look at the week in comics, as well as an extended take on the title he claims was the best superhero relaunch of 2011. His answer will probably surprise—not to say baffle—you.

And Sean T. Collins takes on the final issue of MOME.

Elsewhere:

One of my favorite regular events of the holiday season has begun: Tom Spurgeon's annual series of extended interviews with comics figures. Yesterday, he put up the first one, a long discussion with Art Spiegelman. Today he put up the second, talking to Tom Neely, Emily Nilsson, and Virginia Paine about the future of Sparkplug.

Paul Gravett presents a translation of his own French (!) essay on Joe Sacco.

Chris Pitzer celebrates nine years of publishing AdHouse. That is a hard number to believe!

Derik Badman gives us his short list of the best webcomics of 2011. He has very unusual and individual tastes, and these are probably all worth at least looking into.

Luc Sante has written a brilliant brief bio of the French crime author Jean-Patrick Manchette, best known to American comics readers for his collaborations with Jacques Tardi.

Finally, Spanish comics scholar Pepo Pérez takes the McLuhan/Baudrillard approach to analyzing Frank Miller's politics (not those of this year but of a decade ago).

Today we have a bit of c. 1995 Harv: A profile of cartoonist Betty Swords. And if that's not enough for you, click over to Mike Lynch's site to read Swords' profile of Virgil Partch, as printed in the 1962 issue of Pro Cartoonist & Gag Writer. Also onboard is Rob Clough's review of the anthology Gay Genius.

Speaking of history, here's a profile and a video of Irwin Hasen over at The New York Times. Not to far south of Hasen was artist Joe Brainard, who made his own kinda comic-based work.

In TCJ-related news, Tim, Joe McCulloch and Matt Seneca talked with Robin McConnell for nearly two hours on Robin's year-end Inkstuds. This is fine entertainment. And Jeet Heer writes about Herge.

Finally, Tom Spurgeon has an obituary of Eduardo Barreto.

It's been a bad couple of weeks for comic books. As I'm sure most readers of this site know by now, Joe Simon has died. Steve Ringgenberg has written an extensive obituary of the man for us:

If Joe Simon had only created Captain America back in 1940, he would still be a comic book legend. However, Simon’s career lasted for decades and encompassed the creation of dozens of memorable characters and thousands of pages of stories and art. Simon, both with and without his partner, Jack Kirby, was an innovative writer, editor and artist, responsible for some of the most influential characters and trends in comic book history. He was nothing if not versatile. Indeed, it’s impossible to consider Joe Simon’s career without looking at the entire history of the comics business, since he was there almost from the industry’s inception.

Also, Gary Groth interviewed Simon for the Journal in 1990:

GROTH: How did you see yourself? Did you see yourself as an artist, or was it more of a job that you were just lucky enough to get?

SIMON: Oh, no. We saw ourselves as artists. That’s all. Just artists.

GROTH: But even though you saw yourselves as artists, you didn’t think the work would really have any lasting value.

SIMON: No. We thought that the comic books were at the bottom of the heap. On the totem pole we were the lowest rung. Matter of fact, a friend of mine at an advertising agency once told me that. And the truth of the matter is that nobody remembers this guy any more, but everybody remembers someone like Kirby.

Today we have Kristy Valenti's interview with Tom Neely, author, most recently, of The Wolf.

And elsewhere, Bill Kartalopolous writes about The Death-Ray in the context of comic book-based publishing and film. Also on the Bill K. front, he alerted us to this Dutch documentary on comics which features a rare look into Jerry Moriarty's studio. Speaking of legendary cartoonists, here's a typically fun post from Drew Friedman on his time with Jack Davis at The Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Festival. We'll have a recording of Gary Groth and Drew's conversation with Davis very soon. And more legends ... Mike Lynch posted a bunch of Jerry Robinson-centric articles from the National Cartoonists Society newsletter.

In newer things news, there's now a complete look online at Brian Chippendale and Jungil Hong's current exhibition in Providence. And Deb Aoki previews her 25 most anticipated manga titles of 2012.

This morning we have a real treat for those of you who may have missed it in the print edition of the Journal a few years back (and also for those of you who haven't reread it for a while, for that matter): Gary Groth's 2006 evisceration of Eisner/Miller, a classic of the form.

Kevin Huizenga goes Santoro on us, and lets everyone in on the process he's developed over the years to help him lay out his comics. Very nice.

Over at Nerve, Grace Bello wrangles sex advice out of cartoonists Emily Flake, Rick Altergott, and Anders Nilsen. Very strange.

The A.V. Club has a nice if short interview with Mad legend Jack Davis.

The gang at Mindless Ones have thrown together a long, conversational group review of ten million comics, ostensibly focusing on DC's New 52 titles, but in effect covering just about everything.

Eddie Campbell continues his exploration of romance comics, this time including a look at EC's attempts at the genre. I have to object to his description of Al Feldstein's art though. "Wooden" I'll grant, but "charmless"? There's something very comfortable and calming about Feldstein's work, as if it was drawn by an old friend who makes up with energy what he lacks in craft. (I can't believe I'm defending Al Feldstein.)

Today we have Steve Ringgenberg's obituary of Jerry Robinson. And, as ever, Joe McCulloch brings us the week in comics.

And so let's go for a stroll: Evan Dorkin posted some awfully nice looking "sketch cards" he did for the CBLDF. Over at D&Q there's another preview of Guy Delisle's upcoming book, Jerusalem.

Somehow I missed this incredible post about a 1944 nurse story by Jack Cole... or is it? I couldn't begin to tell you why I like this photo so much -- three guys, one photo, an anonymous office. It's a good set up. And on the same nerdy tip, here's an article over at the venerable Mindless Ones about The Daleks. Just the right dose for me.

I've enjoyed Brian K. Vaughn's comics quite a bit in the past, so the news of a new series is intriguing. All the more so since he's taking it to Image, which seems a good choice for someone who wants to own something.  Not comics, but same business model: David Berman, of Silver Jews, has begun posting the internal files of Gulas/Welch Wrestling Enterprises. Amazing.

Patrick Rosenkranz takes stock of the lot of today's comics business, by looking and talking to people at four prominent retailers: Meltdown in Hollywood, Desert Island in Brooklyn, Quimby's in Chicago, and CounterMedia in Portland, Oregon.

Frank Santoro recruits Gabby Gamboa for this week's "scene report," this time covering the San Francisco bay area.

And Comics Journal co-founder Mike Catron passes along word that he's just uploaded a four-part video featuring Jerry Robinson from San Diego in 2009:

Elsewhere:

Jordan Shrively has started a new Tumblr featuring cartoonist's studio spaces. So far profilees include Jim Woodring and Tom Neely.

Speaking of Woodring, last week he posted a video tutorial explaining how he draws Frank:

Series editors Jessica Abel and Matt Madden have released the full list of "notable comics" from The Best American Comics 2011. (Woodring is on it.)

Dean Haspiel has donated a huge number of minicomics to the Library of Congress.

Brandon Graham is interviewed over at Bookslut.

Tucker Stone begins a series of tournaments between comics old and new. His first entry puts a Michael DeForge story up against Tim Vigil's Faust. And based on his final judgment, I think Tucker's refereeing skills need work. This should be fun to follow.

Just so you know, a big internet-style king of the mountain-sized molehill fight is brewing in the part of the comics world that we tend to ignore here when we can: J. Michael Straczynski vs. Marvel editor Steve Wacker (with help on the sidelines from Mark Waid and Dan Slott). They are arguing about Spider-Man sales figures, in case you don't care to look into it further.

And finally, Jeff Newelt at Heeb magazine gets Al Jaffee to perform Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions live on stage.

On the site:

Shannon Wheeler wraps up his diary in Portugal.

And in the comics world the big, sad news is that Jerry Robinson, longtime cartoonist, Batman artist, and tremendous advocate for creator's rights and free speech has passed away at the age of 89. We will have a full obituary shortly. In the meantime, we're pleased to re-present Gary Groth's definitive interview with artist from 2004. Chris Mautner conducted a more recent interview in 2010 for TCJ. And here is Tom De Haven's recent review of the reissue of Robinson's The Comics.

For more on Robinson I recommend Christopher Irving's profile at Graphic NYC, Alex Dueben's 2010 interview at CBR, which covers the recent Jet Scott and The Comics reissues, and the NY Daily News obituary, which covers the highlights of the artist's life.

In old-time-comic-book-companies-that-were-once-very-bad-still-are-and-we-shouldn't-be-surprised news:

-Laura Hudson scores an interview with Marvel editors on the lack of female titles/creators at the company.

-And there's a battle on at Archie over who gets to run that wholesome company. Somewhere Dan DeCarlo is smiling.

Today we have the fourth day of Shannon Wheeler's entry into the Cartoonist's Diary game, in which he tries to escape from New York, as well as Sean T. Collins's review of Levon Jihanian's Danger Country.

At other web sites:

Over at Comixology, the Journal's own Kristy Valenti writes about Richard Marschall's Sunday Funnies book.

I don't know how I missed this before, but legendary animator and cartoonist Gene Deitch has been posting a long series of memoirs, organized by different people he has known throughout his life. Like his son Kim, Gene Deitch has had a pretty amazing life, and knows how to tell a story. (The semi-recent "Deitch family" Journal issue is one of the best magazines you will ever read.)

Peter Blegvad, creator of the amazing comic strip Leviathan (another must read), created and appeared on a BBC radio play about memory loss last weekend, and there are only two more days in which you can listen to it for free online.

Mike Lynch profiles the semi-forgotten Punch cartoonist J.W. Taylor, posting lots of samples of his work.

In that same post, Lynch mentions that Percy Crosby's Skippy is one of the archival reprinting projects he'd most like to see published, and coincidentally, yesterday IDW announced they were going to do just that.

Secret Acres, Kevin Czap, and AdHouse Books have BCGF reports. The AdHouse one in particular is worth looking at, if only because of the off unfortunate news that Chris Pitzer had art stolen from him, and the chance that you might be able to help him recover it.

Two lists at the far ends of the critical spectrum from each other: Time's top ten books of the year (featuring Daniel Clowes and Kate Beaton), and the Poopsheet Foundation's list of the best minicomics of 2011.

I haven't listened to this yet, but Tucker Stone recruited two other Journal writers, Joe McCulloch and Matt Seneca, for a podcast in which, I guess, they talk about comics?

And finally, something else I haven't been able to fully absorb yet -- the Mindless Ones' Doubtful Guest turns in a ginormous take on the current state of the direct market, and it looks to be the kind of lengthy link-heavy MO essay I like best from them.

Here's where we are:

Shannon Wheeler rolls up with Day 3 of his diary while Mike Dawson talks to Sarah Glidden over at TCJ Talkies.

Meanwhile, Josh Neufeld has a good and topical new comic up at Cartoon Movement about "two young Bahraini editorial cartoonists who found themselves on opposite sides of Bahrain's short-lived Pearl Revolution".

Writer Brian Wood posted some thoughts on the current market vis a vis digital distribution as experienced by a working professional in a few different areas of the market. He begins with:

Everyone I know loves comic shops.  Everyone I know who makes comics, especially creator-owned comics, is hurting, financially. EVERYONE is bleeding, its a bad time. So to what extent does digital as a publishing format represent an additional revenue stream, one on top of print sales through shops, one that can ease some of the suffering?

Over in what seems like a world of abundance, Noel Murray at A/V Club has a lengthy review round-up of titles including Someday Funnies, The Definitive Flash Gordon And Jungle Jim, Vol. 1 and Lost in the Andes.

And here are a couple BCGF reports from Drawn & Quarterly and Publishers Weekly.

Office holiday party last night, and the train home was brutal.

Not brutal? Joe McCulloch's always great column on the week in comics, this time with a mini-report of last weekend's BCGF attached.

Shannon Wheeler gives us day two of his diary, this time taking us with him to The New Yorker on cartoonist submission day.

Tom Spurgeon wrote a lengthy report on the Brooklyn festival, too, and Chris Mautner has a photo diary of the event of his own. If you see him, ask for a copy of his daughter's minicomic.

The digitalpocalypse for the direct market continues its approach.

The New York Times had three comics-related reviews in last Sunday's book section: one on MetaMaus, one on caricature (linked to an exhibit at the Met in New York), and one on R. Crumb's album covers.

A nine-year-old's correspondence with Hergé.

After a short break, Eddie Campbell is back with two new installments in his series on romance comics.

Another week, another enormous Alan Moore interview. Fatigue is setting in now. It's in three parts.

There is also a new interview with comics academic Roger Sabin and a conversation between Neil Gaiman and Shaun Tan.

And finally, Al Jaffee is profiled by CNN. (via)

Top of the site today: Shannon Wheeler joins us for a week-long stint on Cartoonist's Diary. Shannon most recently published Oil and Water (written by Steve Duin) with Fantagraphics. He is the author of  I Thought You Would be Funnier and is well known for his character Too Much Coffee Man.

Well, The Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Festival is all done. I was, as luck would have it, knocked out with the remainder of a bad cold, so it was all a bit of daze for me. But for everyone else all that's left are back aches, hangovers and a lot of comics. It was packed and cheery, and I was happy to get to spend some time with Tom Spurgeon, Phoebe Gloeckner and a few other long distance travelers. Sightings and stories of Jack Davis were legion. He was like a visiting dignitary who turned normal people into quivering fans; myself included. We'll have his conversation with Gary Groth and Drew Friedman on the site just as soon as we can. And of course I had the pleasure of launching Kramers Ergot 8.

Frank Santoro has filed a brief report already for which he mercilessly swiped my best pictures of the signing, so here's a few others from the fest.

The rock show Friday night was jammed and a ton of fun. Here's Gary, Devin and Ross tuning up. The next day Gary managed to draw excellent dinosaurs in copies of Kramers with his head down on the table.

Sammy Harkham and CF attempt "blue steel".

Here's a life TCJ (knights of the) round table: Chris Mautner, Joe McCulloch, Tim Hodler (with TCJ NJ-branch intern Ramona). 

And here's Tim with Matthew Thurber.

Sorry, that's all I have. It was busy!

Via Snarky McSnarkenhood comes a link to a piece of music written from Marc Bell's The Stacks.

And here's news of an exhibition featuring work by occasional comic book scripter and possible Kona writer, Lionel Ziprin.

Finally, in comics-is-often-gross news, looks like there's gonna be a Watchmen 2.

Today, we've got Sean T. Collins reviewing Matthew Thurber's 1-800-Mice, a book he told me he had expected to dislike. But, like a certain special Somebody whose birthday is coming up, Thurber rarely plays to expectations, and certainly didn't in this case.

Elsewhere:

The L.A. Weekly talks to Ben Jones, of Paper Rad and Problem Solverz fame, regarding his new gallery show. He's into old video games, it seems.

Tintinologist Michael Farr picks five titles he'd suggest to people interested in the character. And only two of them were written by Hergé.

I didn't know until Alan Gardner pointed it out yesterday, but Lynn (For Better or Worse) Johnson has been posting a long series of video podcasts, often involving advice on making comic strips and the creative process.

Robin McConnell of Inkstuds has published the full-length transcript of his great interview with Geof Darrow from last winter. If you never listened to that (or even if you did) this is worth checking out. Darrow's a unique figure. And it's always rewarding to read written-out versions of old radio programs. It's the way they were meant to be experienced. (I love you, Robin.)

Tucker Stone reviews a very early issue of The Comics Journal (#38, to be exact), and it's really smart, and good good fun for longtime Journal fans (or foes). My favorite part is where Tucker claims not to enjoy it when "critics criticize other critics," right in the middle of a lengthy post reviewing almost every page of criticism in a 33-year-old issue of TCJ. Maybe he just doesn't like it when the other critics might argue back... Seriously, this is great, and I hope he writes a hundred more like it. (I love you, Tucker.)

Matt Seneca has posted the last two days of his multi-part interview with cartoonist and would-be provocateur Blaise Larmee. These are smart guys (Seneca's easily the best under-30 comics critic I can think of), and it's worth reading, but by this point in the series, I'm beginning to get tired of the constant back-and-forth about whether or not comics are "cool"—especially since they seem to mean the word in the Fonzie sense, not the Marshall McLuhan one. I mean, imagine that Hitchcock and Truffaut (whose famous interview book I'm guessing is being referenced with "Larmee/Seneca") had spent half their time together talking about whether or not movies were cool. But when Matt and Larmee's talk veers in less conventionally teenaged directions, it gets much more interesting. (I love you, Matt.)

When I first came across Tom Spurgeon's annual Holiday shopping guide a week back, it was completely blank, and apparently had been posted without having been written. And so I forgot to go back and check to see if "Mr. Focus" ever decided to write it. Turns out he eventually did, and it's as mind-bogglingly wide-ranging as ever. I don't really give comics-related gifts to anyone (my family and friends are too cool to be into comics), but this is still a great read every year, listing plenty of obscure and/or overlooked material, whether or not you use the guide for its ostensible purpose. (I love you, Tom.)

And here we go:

On the site today Sean T. Collins continues his column and introduces Noel Freibert, of Closed Caption Comics and numerous other crews. It's been fun watching Noel develop his work these last buncha years.

Elsewhere in the web-verse:

I'd be remiss if I didn't tell you that this weekend is the big damn Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Festival, which I co-organize with Desert Island & Bill Kartalopolous. And speaking of which the legendary (I know, overused, but actually apt this time) Jack Davis will be interviewed by Gary Groth tonight at The Strand, 7 pm. Then he'll have an art opening at Scott Eder Gallery on Friday, and on Saturday will be at the Fest. Davis takes NYC!

Just a few other links today, as it seemed a slow news moment or something. I found this list of Dr. Doom stories endearing. And, well, let's go less links and more, "here's some interesting stuff coming up": This anthology looks good, and features work from personal fave Megan Kelso and TCJ writer Katie Haegele, too. Evan Dorkin announced yesterday that he's going to be producing new work for Dark Horse Presents. I always like seeing Evan's work, and am psyched to see his Mike and Cheese collection, too. Finally, straight outta Canada, Marc Bell compatriots Shayne Ehman and Seth Scriver are working on an animated film called Asphalt Watches and need some funding. Marc talked about the scene they're all a part of in yesterday's interview. Shayne and Seth say:

In 2000, we hitchhiked across Canada together. The animation captures our crazy journey, full of hilarious and amazing encounters. Using music and songs we make ourselves, alongside hand-drawn Flash animation, we tell the tale of making our way from a 7-11 near Chilliwack BC where a guy was hanging out with a knife in his belly... to meeting one of only "two real Santas" in the world outside Calgary... to barely escaping death near Regina SK. Our style is to turn real-life characters and settings into funny and poetic abstractions that depict the feeling and essence of what happened.

Sounds good to me! Anyhooooo, below is a preview. See ya this weekend, New Yorkers.

We got a nice one for you today, Dan's interview with Mr. Hot Potatoe himself, Marc Bell. Here's an excerpt:

Sometimes I look at a work and won’t be too interested. The way I will respond is, “Well, they needed to throw a wrench in it.” They need to throw a wrench into what they’re doing, and maybe it would come out more interesting. The thing that I liked about doing collaborations is that someone is interfering with what you’re doing. I’ll be drawing something and then someone adds to it or they take it in a different direction or because it’s a different person, it’s kind of an interference. So I think that led me to try to interfere with myself in the way I’m working, like with drawing and collages and stuff, trying to create something more interesting by creating a bit of a problem that has to be solved.

Also on the site, Rob Clough reviews Melissa Mendes's Freddy Stories.

Elsewhere, there are a lot of links, too many for any one person to read in one day. You will have to pick and choose. I will try to help you decide when I can.

Dept. of Drug Abuse. Everyone will want to read Justin Green's thoughts on marijuana—comic strip included.

Dept. of Process & Comics History. Adrian Tomine talked to Comic Book Resources about the latest issue of Optic Nerve, an abandoned graphic novel, and learning to accept classic comic-strip techniques as valid for his own work.

Blaise Larmee continues to make gnomic replies to Matt Seneca's questions in days two and three of their week's worth of interviews. On Monday I said that this discussion would be catnip to some and provoke blank stares from others. Today, I have to admit that I have had both reactions to the talk, often within the space of a few sentences.

Dept. of Cartoonists on Video. Kate Beaton appeared on another Canadian internet video thing, and Drew Friedman showed somebody who calls himself "Mr. Media" how he draws. (I know I referred to Mr. Media the same way the last time I mentioned him, but it's really hard not to be surprised all over again every time I am reminded.)

Dept. of Grant Morrison Worship. Grant Morrison maniacs who haven't slavishly departed from the premises after he tried to pull a Pearl Harbor on us last summer will be interested in two Marc Singer-related items. Singer of course is a formerly very active comics blogger and academic who is now releasing a book called Grant Morrison: Combining the Worlds of Contemporary Comics. The Mindless Ones interview Singer at length about the book here, and Singer himself excerpts a section on his own site.

For those who aren't yet Morrison maniacs but want to become one for some reason, Chris Mautner provides a guide to his entire oeuvre.

Dept. of Alan Moore Talking at Length. Moore talked to Fast Company about Harvey Pekar here (Top Shelf has more on the Moore/Pekar relationship), and his recent interview with The Independent has been republished entirely uncut here.

Dept. of Speaking of Uncut... Fantagraphics has published the complete R.C. Harvey essay on Pogo that was far too long to include in its entirety between the two covers of their recent Pogo collection (at least without losing some of the strip).

Dept. of Comics Internet Bashing. Tucker Stone goes on a tear near the end there, while Jones (O.O.T.J.B.) keeps things short and sweet.

Dept. of Pleasant Surprises. I'm going to steer clear of the comments thread underneath it so as not to ruin things, but Noah Berlatsky's review of Ben Saunder's Do Gods Wear Capes? is really good!

Indeed it is. And like every Tuesday for the rest of your life, Joe McCulloch is telling you about this week in comics releases. He does this not because he wants to. No, he does it because he needs to. He can't help him. Joe is a great human comic reading machine.

Elsewhere in the comics world: Our own Frank Santoro, currently en route to NYC via the great Amtrak network, has announced another session of his comics correspondence course for March 2012. It's go time. Speaking of Frank, this blog seems plucked from his brain once upon a time. A chronicle of shitty 80s genre comics. Gotta love them. I know I do. You know else does? Jim Rugg. He has some fine holiday gift suggestions on his own blog! And James Romberger looks at Alex Toth's classic genre work of the 50s.

Some other fun things I've tripped over. Thanks to JH, I now can anticipate Dave Sim's next book. I remember Tim gave me Sim's collected letters (vol. 1) for my 30th birthday. I forgave him eventually, and now hope ol man Hodler will give me this tome for... Halloween 2012? Hanukah?

Finally, the great Spanish cartoonist Max has an exhibition up in Mexico. I love Max's transformation from new wave 80s dude to classic form-based artist these days.

Hello everyone, and I hope all our US readers survived the feasting and family. First up today comes a feature article on something you most likely weren't expecting to read about: Now You're Logging, an early graphic novel on the Canadian logging industry created by an outdoorsman and self-taught cartoonist. Brad Mackay has more.

And Frank Santoro's regular column plays host to Jacob Berendes's scene report from Providence, Rhode Island.

Elsewhere:

In anticipation of his on-stage interview with Mad legend Jack Davis this weekend, Drew Friedman presents an online gallery of the artist's work.

The Guardian, which seems to really be saturating their culture section with comics coverage lately, has two stories about comics and Occupy Wall Street: First, a not entirely coherent (but not necessarily wrong) essay by Ice Storm novelist Rick Moody, linking Frank Miller's work and political commentary to Hollywood propaganda, and second, a really surprisingly good short interview with Alan Moore about the prevalence of V for Vendetta masks at Occupy protests. (The enjoyability of the piece may be linked to the fact that he isn't asked for the five-millionth time to give his take on movies made from his books and/or current superhero comics.)

Here are outtakes from a profile of underground comics hero Spain Rodriguez.

Chip Kidd reviews a book about the Joker for the Wall Street Journal (and in a sidebar, gives a short list of his favorite books about Golden Age comics).

And finally, this will be catnip for some and provoke blank stares from others: Matt Seneca has just posted the first of a week's worth of posts reprinting an online conversation with the Young Lions cartoonist and internet personality Blaise Larmee.

Well, it's almost that time and so we're taking a break. That's right, you won't have us to kick around or complain about for 4 whole days! Posting will resume, with a long sigh, on Monday November 28th.

Until then, "friends", we leave you with a fine interview with Anders Nilsen, as conducted by Hayley Campbell. Starting with his London tour stop, Hayley takes us through Anders' working process and then has him reflect on Big Questions as it happened via each cover of the series. And Sean T. Collins turns in a review of the latest installment of the always hilarious Tales Designed to Thrizzle.

Otherwise, well, I liked this analysis of Jack Cole's Playboy comics. No analysis needed of this awesome new Drew Friedman print.  I went to LA last week, but Chris Oliveros was there the week before me, and lived to tell the tale. And if he doesn't find LA, LA is gonna fine him. Ben Marra's Night Business is back for another issue. Finally, sending you off, Lisa Hanawalt's excellent Thanksgiving NY Times cartoon. Old medication. Perfect.

See you next week. Have a great holiday!