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Coming soon in its 9th printing (and still available in its redesigned 8th printing), Stan Sakai's Usagi Yojimbo Book 1: The Ronin is the introductory chapter of this timeless all-ages classic, and we're pleased to bring you this multimedia preview glimpse for the first time. Click here if the embedded slideshow above is not visible, and/or to open it larger in a new window.

• Review: J. Caleb Mozzocco offers "Nine not particularly insightful thoughts about Beasts! Book 2" (which are more insightful than advertised) • Review: Ticket to Anywhere checks out Castle Waiting by Linda Medley • Review: Weltklasse Serier reviews Ganges #2 by Kevin Huizenga in Swedish and says "this is a fantastic series. Read it. Now," according to the Google translation • Review: I Love Rob Liefeld proffers a short review of Chance in Hell by Gilbert Hernandez, calls it a mind-reeling grand slam • Blurb: Sandbox World anticipates Sam's Strip by Mort Walker & Jerry Dumas • Blurb: Sacha Peet…

We're pleased to present another brilliant but short-lived comic strip from the mid-20th Century, rescued from obscurity and presented in a handsome softcover volume. Sam's Strip: The Comic About Comics collects the entirety of Mort Walker and Jerry Dumas's sharp-witted feature, ahead of its time for its use of fourth-wall-breaking meta-humor. Click here if the embedded slideshow isn't visible above, and/or to view it larger in a new window.

Just one today: • Excerpt/things to see: On his blog Anders Nilsen posts a sequence from his new book Monologues for Calculating the Density of Black Holes, along with a couple of other pieces

Here's a teaser for ya: Bob Fingerman has provided the image above, an outtake from his upcoming book Connective Tissue, for use on the exclusive signed bookplate that will be available when you order the book from us (we'll probably have it up for pre-order sometime in the next couple of weeks). Bob's the first — and won't be the last — artist to provide us with exclusive artwork for one of our free signed bookplates!

We're excited to introduce a new addition to our roster of online comics: Johnny Ryan's Blecky Yuckerella, as seen in Vice magazine, the Portland Mercury, and of course her very own collections from Fantagraphics! We'll be posting a new adventure starring America's smelliest, stupidest, stubbliest second-grader (and her disgusting friends) every week right here, starting right now! And of course it's time for the next installment of Steven Weissman's in-progress pages from "Blue Jay," an epic 32-page story from Chocolate Cheeks, the next collection of the Yikes! gang's adventures. In this week's installment: securing a meeting place. And don't forget…

PShaw tipped me off to this and I think he's right on. Read this, paying close attention to the name of the robot — 4-Playo 3000 — and the general design of the robot, especially the head. And then as well the concept — a marriage saving robot: For extra credit, here's another. Again, check the name — Spankio 3000 –and design:     Now, watch this Bud Light commerical created (but not aired) for the 2009 Superbowl: Both comics are taken from Michael Kupperman's Tales Designed to Thrizzle #2, published in 2006 by Fantagraphics.  This might not be the last you hear…

Anchored by a 32-page story from first-timer Lilli Carré, the upcoming new issue of Mome features sophomore turns from Laura Park, Olivier Schrauwen and Gilbert Shelton and more exciting debuts and return appearances. Click here if the embedded slideshow isn't visible above, and/or to view it in a new window.

By THE BUSK. Found via the Flickr blog.

• Blurb: Comics on the Brain found Hank Ketcham's Complete Dennis the Menace 1951-1952 at an unusual place and got a great bargain • Blurb: Manxom Vroom posts info about The Wolverton Bible by Basil Wolverton • Blurb: Newsarama looks at the April Previews, including glimpses at some of our upcoming releases • Oddity: A life-imitates-comics moment from Ellen Forney