Bundled, Tossed, Untied and Stacked By Tom Spurgeon
* the anthology Lapin is making another comeback (its third?), with a cover by Florent Ruppert and Jerome Mulot. The focus will be on young cartoonists, as it was in 1992 when the magazine -- through which many of the major alt-comics talents of Europe were introduced to audiences far and wide -- began.
* the best North American news of recent vintage has to be the approximate street date of April given for D&Q's publication of Yoshihiro Tatsumi's A Drifting Life, which looks astounding. Please go read about it.
* the former Blog@Newsarama team has reformed under the name Robot 6, hosted by Newsarama rival Comic Book Resources and sponsored by IDW. I imagine this is old news by now (I'm writing this entry back on January 1), but I see this more as a publishing news story than a strong, top-the-blog news story at this point. The official line-up is, according to John Parkin, "myself, Chris Mautner, Kevin Melrose, Melissa Krause, Lisa Fortuner, Tom Bondurant, Tim O'Shea, Michael May, Jennifer de Guzman and our newest addition, Larry Young." I wish them the best of luck.
* finally, the artist Joao Ruas has taken over for James Jean as the cover artist on DC/Vertigo's Fables. That's worth noting, I think, because of how many awards and how much attention Jean won for his cover work on the series. Ruas' first issue is #83. I think there was a bit of a splash when Jean announced his departure last Fall.
Matt Shane of D&Q's Librarie thought what he saw in Paris and Berlin looked not dissimilar to his place of work in Montreal. I've heard that D&Q's store was among those doing bang-up business over the holidays. While most of the comics shops to whom I've reached out (about two dozen total) seemed to be seeing the effects of the recession, about a quarter of them said they had surprisingly strong Decembers. I have no idea what this means, but that's good news, right?
Ben Ostrander is the former owner/publisher of Mojo Press and sent his list in to me with a note that he didn't feel enough people were naming the books he thought superior in the last calendar year:
* Scorchy Smith and the art of Noel Sickles, Noel Sickles
* Gus and His Gang, Chris Blain
* Willie and Joe, Bill Mauldin
* Journey, William Messner-Loebs
* Burma Chronicles, Guy Delisle
* Brush with Passion: The Art & Life of Dave Stevens, Dave Stevens
* Glamourpuss, Dave Simms
* Dororo, Osamu Tezuka
* Three Shadows, Cyril Pedrosa (#1 choice)
1. Acme Novelty Library #19, Chris Ware (Fantagraphics)
2. Abandoned Cars, Tim Lane (Fantagraphics)
3. Most Outrageous, Bob Levin (Fantagraphics)
4. The comics by Dash Shaw in Mome, Dash Shaw (Fantagraphics)
5. Bitterkomix #15, Various (Jacana Media Ltd)
6. Tonoharu Vol. 1, Lars Martinson (Top Shelf)
7. Capacity, Theo Ellsworth (Secret Acres)
8. Silverfish, David Lapham (DC/Vertigo)
9. The Walking Dead, Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard and Cliff Rathburn (Image Comics)
10. Why I Killed Peter, Alfred and Olivier Ka (NBM)
Confession: I Don't Wish You A Happy Birthday Just Because I Love You
One of the weird things about the previous two weeks where I posted a plea to get birthday information from creators and other comics industry folk making explicit I needed a birth date is that nine out of 10 people responding sent me the birthday without the date of birth. As far as I know, I've never posted anyone's birthday without knowing the year they were born. Noting how old people are in various facets of the industry is something I think is useful in an historical and a news context -- I like to know which creators are in which generation, which are astonishingly young, and which ones are reaching or nearing milestones. If they're an executive or other decision-maker, knowing someone's age helps me figure out the extent of her practical experience within comics history: what they remember, what was once normal to them, and so on.
I swear I'm not a grumpus: if someone gets some personal birthday wishes out of it, some joy of recognition, then I'm happy for that, too! It's Dave Kellett's birthday, today, for example. Happy birthday, Dave. Everyone likes Dave Kellett. I have no idea what Dave's date of birth, is, though, so he doesn't get an entry.
To be clear: I love wishing you a happy birthday, but if it were just about wishing you a happy birthday, I'd send you an e-mail or write on your Facebook wall.
1. Fishtown, Kevin Colden
2. Echo Moonlake, Terry Moore
3. Bourbon Island 1730, Apollo and Lewis Trondheim
4. The Alcoholic, Jonathan Ames & Dean Haspiel
5. Die Sache mit Sorge, Isabel Kreitz
Random Comics News Story Round-Up
* Tim O'Shea talks to the longtime Editor & Publisher mainstay David Astor about some of the general issues surrounding the cartooning profession as newspapers suffer the twin assaults of a general economic downturn and a seismic shift in terms of the effect of on-line media. I miss Astor's voice almost every day in blogging on these issues.
Midnight Snack: Pastis Giftbook Title: Da Crockydile Book O'Frendsheep Creator: Stephan Pastis Publishing Information: Andrews McMeel, hardcover, 92 pages, $9.99 Ordering Numbers: 9780740776274 (ISBN13), 074077627 (ISBN10)
I think I recommended this as a gift purchase for the just-past holiday season. That makes some sense: it's small enough to stuff in a stocking. I think it may work better as a backdoor introduction to Pastis' work. Although Pearls Before Swine is a successful newspaper strip, it isn't everywhere. Pastis' work is odd enough that everyday exposure might be the best way to absorb his rhythms and figure out where he places the stress points. I think this books could serve the same function. It focuses on the relentlessly dumb neighbor title characters. They embody the humor of the dumb and appetite-driven despite or perhaps even because of their relative level of viciousness. Since it's easy to get most of the main jokes, and the gags are solid, you can spend time picking up on the peculiarities of Pastis' approach: the way he uses cutaway panels transitions, or the manner in which the limited versatility of certain character designs becomes a strength. I look forward to my next encounter with one of Pastis' books.
Flipped!: David Welsh On Ten Books Scheduled For 2009 Release
By David P. Welsh
As 2008 comes to an end and industries of every stripe, comics included, seem to be in flux or actual crisis, it might be difficult to be optimistic about the year to come. So for some year-end spirit lifting, here are ten books slated for release in 2009 that should help any comics fan look on the bright side.
Ooku, by Fumi Yoshinaga (Viz), release slated for August 18, 2009, ISBN: 1-4215-2747-2, $12.99. Yoshinaga is already well known and much loved by English-reading manga fans for general-audience works like Antique Bakery and Flower of Life (Digital Manga) and yaoi titles like Gerard & Jacques (Blu) and Ichigenme: The First Class Is Civil Law (801). Ooku is a period fantasy about a woman shogun in a world where men are in short supply. Yoshinaga has a knack for turning predictable material on its head and infusing any story with a blend of narrative power and heartfelt charm. To be honest, I'd be excited by any announced license from this creator, but all early word indicates that Ooku is her most ambitious work to date.
Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka (Viz), release slated for February 17, 2009, ISBN: 1-4215-1918-6, $12.99; and 20th Century Boys, release slated for February 17, 2009, ISBN: 1-59116-922-4, $12.99. These two titles by Naoki Urasawa have been in Viz's hands for some time, but the publisher complied with the creator's request to schedule English-language release his work in the same order that it appeared in Japan. As a result, Viz completed its run of Urasawa's complex thriller, Monster, before rolling out these two titles. Given the ever-increasing level of craft on display in Monster over its 18-volume run, Pluto and 20th Century Boys should certainly be highlights of 2009.
Moyashimon: Tales of Agriculture, by Masayuki Ishikawa, (Del Rey), release slated for Fall 2009. Moyashimon won the Best General Manga category of the 32nd Kodansha Manga Awards and the Manga Grand Prize at the 12th Tezuka Cultural Prize program. Even before those developments, there was significant interest in this wacky tale of microbes and the agricultural student who can communicate with them. More manga for grown-ups is always welcome, but funny, award-winning manga for grown-ups is even moreso.
Oishinbo, by (Viz), release slated for January 20, 2009, ISBN: 1-4215-2139-3, $12.99. I'm of the opinion that a focus on food can make just about any manga better, and Oishinbo sounds like the heavyweight of the category. It follows a culinary journalist as he tries to assemble the "ultimate menu" for his publisher. Viz is cherry-picking from the series' 100-plus volumes to present collections dedicated to a specific culinary theme such as sake, sushi and pub food.
Ax (Top Shelf), release slated for Fall 2009. I've mentioned this sampler of work from the legendary bimonthly manga anthology before, but it bears repeating. Sean Michael Wilson will be editing the book for Top Shelf, and he talks about the project in this interview with Kai-Ming Cha at Publishers Weekly Comics Week.
Red Blinds the Foolish, by est em (Deux), release slated for January 3, 2009, ISBN: 1-9344-9628-6, $12.95: em's Seduce Me After the Show was one of the most pleasant surprises of 2008, offering richly drawn characters and angular, unconventionally attractive art. Red Blinds the Foolish is another collection of em's short stories, with the added bonus that translation and adaptation duties have been handled by manga scholar Matt Thorn. Thorn has always demonstrated an encyclopedic knowledge and abiding love of Japanese comics for girls and women, as demonstrated in this interview with ground-breaking creator Moto Hagio that appeared in The Comics Journal.
The Color of Earth, by Kim Dong Hwa (First Second), release slated for April 2009, ISBN: 1-59643-458-5, $16.95. There's always something eye-catching in a new catalog from First Second, and the highlight for me is this slice-of-life comic from Korea. It's a coming-of-age story about the daughter of a widowed tavern-keeper in the Korean countryside. First Second has demonstrated excellent taste in international comics, so this should be a treat.
Orange, by Benjamin (Tokyopop), release slated for February 10, 2009, ISBN: 1-4278-1463-5, $14.99. Tokyopop launches its full-color line of international comics with this tale of a young woman in crisis by Chinese creator Benjamin. You can see an extensive preview of the comic at MangaBlog.
A Drifting Life, by Yoshihiro Tatsumi (Drawn & Quarterly), release slated for April 2009, ISBN: 1-897299-74-6, $29.95. Drawn & Quarterly has already delivered three volumes of Tatsumi's highly regarded short stories, and it will up the ante with Tatsumi's 840-page autobiography.
*****
David P. Welsh has loved comics since his parents first used Archie and Casper to sedate him during long trips in the family station wagon.
He's worked as a reporter and editor for daily and weekly newspapers, and later sold out for the glamorous world of public relations. Prior to relocating to The Comics Reporter, he wrote his Flipped column for Comic World News for just over three years. He's written articles on comics for print outlets and a variety of other web sites.
He lives in West Virginia, which he says has gotten a lot easier since the Starbucks and Barnes & Noble opened up.
You may e-mail David with questions or commentary You can write to this site about David's columns
Go, Read: Chris Butcher's Big-Picture Look At Manga's Present and Future
I don't have anything to say about longtime manga advocate and comics retail veteran Chris Butcher's take on that part of the industry other than that I enjoyed reading it and it provides a number of interesting avenues for discussion. Not yet, anyway. You shouldn't deprive yourself while waiting on me.
Mark Siegel On Assertions That First Second Is Becoming More Of A Kids Line
First Second Books' Mark Siegel wrote me a nice note about my act of wondering out loud, and Eddie Campbell doing approximately the same thing in an interview that ran soon after, about the future of imprints like First Second Books and related efforts at various traditional book publishers as a significant boost to literary comics of the kind literary-minded adults might get to read. Mr. Siegel:
There is no change with respect to First Second's editorial aims. Technically :01 remains an imprint of Roaring Brook Press; and I can promise you we're not veering from our mission of publishing across the comics spectrum, for children, teens, and adults; and First Second has not in any way been "designated as a children's publisher." Of course, it is part of my job to push back against the industry's historic inclination to pigeonhole anything out of the ordinary, but where it matters, First Second is very much its own creature. There's so much in the pipeline for many coming seasons, and part of that is the flowering of our adult titles. 2009 has a number of them, including Guibert's The Photographer and Adam Rapp's script Ballpeen Hammer with art by George O'Connor (as just two that couldn't be construed as young or teen or all-ages by any stretch of the imagination.)
I greatly appreciate Mark writing in and am glad to hear that he and his line remain devoted to books like Guibert's. As for the more general idea that book publishing is going to make a huge impact on that kind of comic book, I can't speak for Eddie Campbell, but I think this is one of those discussions the Internet fairly warps. In the end, I think we're best served by remembering the issues asserted and moving into a wait and see period, occasionally taking broad measurements and then discussing them without slipping into a framework of proof or guilt/innocence in individual cases. We have to get to the point where we can have more discussions of "did they" and fewer arguments about "should they," and that's going to take some time. Hopefully, I'll be better able to participate in such discussions in the months and years ahead in a manner that doesn't make one of the publishing figures involved feel I'm being unfair! Eddie Campbell, to my mind, shouldn't change a thing and should continue to inquire and agitate in precisely the directions he feels it's necessary to inquire and agitate. I'm personally going to wonder after the overall impact of traditional publishing on art comics until I see more work developed by US publishers as opposed to the publication of translated works or works cherry-picked from a smaller press, but I hope to do that -- and more, besides -- while being careful of turning that into easy indictments of the offhand variety.
I wanted to thank the creators and industry folk that were kind enough to participate in the 2008 CR Holiday Interview series, and encourage you to read and/or bookmark any and all you haven't read.
The interviews were run in the order completed, with two exceptions. Kim Thompson was used as the kick-off and Matt Fraction the conclusion on purpose. I find it encouraging that our industry offers a place of prominence and value for two talented individuals who sport such different skill-sets, that hail from divergent backgrounds and who happen to be several years apart in age. Everyone benefits because Kim and Matt each have something exciting or interesting to do at work every day. It's the sense that comics can accommodate so many of the talents brought to it that makes me positive about the months and years ahead.
20. Slam Dunk Vol. 1, Takehiko Inoue (Viz)
19. All Star Superman #10, Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely and Jamie Grant (DC Comics)
18. MOME Vol. 12, Various (Fantagraphics)
17. Speak of the Devil #5, Gilbert Hernandez (Dark Horse)
16. Kramers Ergot 7, Various (Buenaventura Press)
15. The Drifting Classroom Vol. 11, Kazuo Umezu (Viz)
14. Fight or Run, Kevin Huizenga (Buenaventura Press)
13. Powr Mastrs Vol. 2, C.F. (PictureBox)
12. Swallow Me Whole, Nate Powell (Top Shelf)
11. Gus and His Gang Vol. 1, Christophe Blain (First Second)
10. Omega: The Unknown #10, Jonathan Lethem and Karl Rusnak and Farel Dalrymple and Paul Honrsehemeier and Gary Panter (Marvel)
9. Angry Youth Comix #14, Johnny Ryan (Fantagraphics)
8. Three Shadows, Cyril Pedrosa (First Second)
7. Ganges #2, Kevin Huizenga (Fantagraphics)
6. Cryptic Wit #2, Gerald Jabalonski (Self-Published)
5. BodyWorld, Dash Shaw (Self-Published)
4. ACME Novelty Library #19, Chris Ware (Self-Published)
3. Travel, Yuichi Yokoyama (PictureBox)
2. The Amazing Remarkable Monsieur Leotard, Eddie Campbell (First Second)
1. What It Is, Lynda Barry (D&Q)
1. Joker, Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo
2. Local, Brian Wood and Ryan Kelly
3. Chumble Spuzz Vol. 1: Kill the Devil & Vol. 2: Pigeon Man & Death Sings the Blues, Ethan Nicolle/Isaiah Nicolle
4. Freddie & Me, Mike Dawson
5. Sentences: The Life of M.F. Grimm, Percy Carey/Ronald Wimberly
Chloe Cruchaudet has won this year's Prix Goscinny, as announced last December 8, for what I'm taking from the article to be her first comics work, Groenland Manhattan. The prize is designed to recognize an up and coming writing talent with three albums or less on their resume, and I believe is one of the awards given out during the Angouleme Festival.
The writer-about-comics J. Caleb Mozzocco has posted a top ten list at Blog@Newsarama. The books selected are:
1. The Amazing, Remarkable Monsieur Leotard, Eddie Campbell and Dan Best (First Second)
2. Bottomless Belly Button, Dash Shaw (Fantagraphics)
3. The Burma Chronicles, Guy Delisle (Drawn & Quarterly)
4. Get Your War On, David Rees (Soft Skull Press)
5. The Goddess of War, Lauren R. Weinstein (PictureBox, Inc.)
6. Gumby: The Collected Edition, Bob Burden and Rick Geary (Wildcard Ink)
7. The Last Musketeer, Jason (Fantagraphics)
8. Omega The Unknown, Jonathan Lethem and Karl Rusnak and Farel Dalrymple (Marvel Comics)
9. Swallow Me Whole, Nate Powell (Top Shelf)
10. Venice Chronicles, Enrico Casarosa (AdHouse Books)
The nominee list for the Prix Tournesolwere released right before Christmas. That's the prize that's not a part of Angouleme although given out roughly near the end of that festival (this year's goes out January 30). It honors a work with something to say about environmental or related social justice issues. The nominees include:
* Assis Debout, Stephane Plottes and Vincent De Raeve (Des ronds dans l’O)
* Auto Bio, Cyril Pedrosa (Fluide Glacial)
* Ecolo Attitude Waltch, Shuky (Maka)
* Gingko Various (Cafe Creed)
* No Comment, Ivan Brun (Glenat)
* Papa & Sophie Volume One: La Jeune Fille et le Negre, Judith Vanistendael (Actes Sud-L'An 2)
* Terre de son nom Volume One: La Cite Enceinte, Mathieu Trabut (Tartamudo)
* Terre Rouge, Julie Blanchin and Laurent Sick (Quae)
The nominees were selected by a panel of what looks like a mix of arts organization officials and creators. It's been given out since 1997.
* the former Blog@Newsarama team 
Title: Da Crockydile Book O'Frendsheep
Moyashimon: Tales of Agriculture, by Masayuki Ishikawa, (
