Photo preview: Prince Valiant Vol. 1: 1937-1938 by Hal Foster

Here's your much-delayed photo preview of Prince Valiant Vol. 1: 1937-1938 by Hal Foster. Bask in the beauteousness of this lovely volume. The slideshow player is embedded below; if it's not visible to you, or to see it full-screen (recommended), click here; if you don't like slideshows, browse here. (Note: we usually have video previews as well, but I need to replace my broken camera before I can shoot any more of those. Sorry!)

Kaczynski & Shaw’s Resolution

Looking ahead into the Mome crystal ball, we see "Resolution," a story written and thumbnailed by Tom Kaczynski (above) with art by Dash Shaw (top). Holy cats, whatta teamup! Larger images and more info can be found on Tom's Transatlantis blog and Dash's Bodyworld blog. The 15-page story will appear in Vol. 17, due in approximately 6 months.

Daily OCD: 8/3/09

Let's see what kind of Online Commentary & Diversions the weekend held for us… a lot, apparently: • Review: "Carol Tyler is a unique figure in the world of comics… She's now put together the first volume of what promises to be her masterwork, a 'graphic memoir' about her father's experiences in World War II that effortlessly mixes media in a charming, affecting, and devastating package. You'll Never Know goes beyond biography, autobiography and even as a means a therapy to ask a number of deeper questions that may well not have ready answers. It's a stunning achievement, a perfect…

Webcomics update for 7/31/09

Once again our webcomics updates fell victim to other activities for a couple weeks (namely Comic-Con this time around), but we're back with a new batch today: Blecky gets some much-needed couch time in this week's Blecky Yuckerella strip by Johnny Ryan (visit Johnny's website for any strips you might have missed)… Picking up where we left off: you'll feel for Chubby as never before in this week's installment of Steven Weissman's in-progress pages from "Blue Jay," an epic 51-page story from Chocolate Cheeks, the next collection of the Yikes! gang's adventures…. And we're also picking up where we left…

Daily OCD: 7/31/09

Is July really over already? Hoo-ee, time sure flies when you're compiling Online Commentary & Diversions: • Review: "Based on his research, interviews, and personal experiences in Palastinian Occupied Territories in 1991 and 92, [Joe Sacco]'s comic [Palestine] takes you there and gives you a first-hand account of the atrocities and suffering in the conflict with Israel. He gives you a close up visual rendering of the physical and emotional conditions of the people, who struggle daily for survival… Sacco has rendered the terrible conditions of life into a compelling and sympathetic artistic documentary. It is sad, but most good…

Tim Lane preview page

Tim Lane posts another story page from his upcoming book over on his blog. Brutal stuff! Click through to see the whole thing and read Lane's thoughts on the page. Man, he just keeps killing it.

Now in stock: The Comics Journal #299

The Comics Journal #299 Edited by Mike Dean & Kristy Valenti; Gary Groth, executive editor The Pirates and the Mouse author Bob Levin tracks down the El Dorado of comics, a lost collection of unpublished strips by 190 of the world’s most important cartoonists, including Will Eisner, Vaughn Bodé, Jack Kirby, Harvey Kurtzman, Art Spiegelman, Arnold Roth, Bill Griffith, Ralph Steadman, Don Martin, Gahan Wilson, Jeff Jones, Guido Crepax — even William Burroughs, Tom Wolfe and Frank Zappa! The comics were assembled in the 1970s by Michel Choquette (creator with Neal Adams of National Lampoon’s Son o’ God comics) for…

Patton Oswalt hearts Ivan Brunetti

We were thrilled to have Patton Oswalt (the Funniest Comedian in America — I said it) provide the introduction to Ivan Brunetti's latest gag cartoon collection Ho!, and now Ivan returns the favor by providing the Chick tract-inspired cover art for Patton's new DVD/album My Weakness Is Strong. More info on Patton's website; hat tip to Robin of Inkstuds for pointing it out on his Twitter feed. Isn't it great when great things get together?

Comic-Con 2009: NEVER FORGET

As a Comic Book Salesman at this year's Comic-Con it was impossible not to feel the crushing presence of the latest and greatest bullshit Hollywood and beyond had to offer and I'm not sure why.  Why did this year feel any different from last year, or the year before?  Maybe I've gone to one-too-many Comic-Cons thus forcing me into a downward spiral of delusion and dread?  Or maybe the mainstream acceptance sought by the comics industry at large is really a Trojan Horse?  Regardless the cause, there were far too many injustices committed at this year's Comic-Con and yes I…

Daily OCD: 7/30/09

A quiet day for Online Commentary & Diversions in the wake of Comic-Con: • Review: "…A Mess of Everything surprised me. It turned out to be quite worthy: funny, insightful, and at times, moving. It’s not a revolutionary book — it doesn’t stretch or redefine the bounds of its genre — but [Miss] Lasko-Gross reminded me that the beauty of her chosen genre is that everyone’s story is, in fact, different and unique. If the author is a skilled storyteller, it’s as good as a reason as any to read yet another graphic novel about growing up, even if you’ve…