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  Dan Goodsell uploaded an old Howard Johnson's Kids Menu comic book to his Flickr page. If you've sat through 2001 you know that HoJo's really had their hand on the pulse of childhood fun with that one.

Blake Bell joins the Inkstuds radio program to discuss all things Steve Ditko. A must-listen for Steve Ditko fans. Above image from Creepy #13, reproduced in STRANGE & STRANGER: THE WORLD OF STEVE DITKO.

Courtesy Roberta Gregory: 

This is the first review to hit of Blake Bell's STRANGE & STRANGER: THE WORLD OF STEVE DITKO. They seemed to like it. Out of dozens of film, tv, book, game and comic reviews in the issue, it's the only "A+" in the mag.  

As I prepare "BEASTS! Book Two" for Fantagraphics to release this fall (mostly at night and mostly while the baby sleeps) I am doing research that ends up with very little appearance in the books but keeps me motivated to wrangle 90 artists creating original art on a deadline. Art that has more to do with symbolic passion than literal interest. "Unproven" creatures like the Unicorn and Leviathan make frequent appearances in ancient texts, but what amazes me is how frequently they turn up in zoological and generally scientific texts– usually in proving terms. It's easy to dismiss these creatures…

We'd like to bring to your attention the first-ever east coast store signings by America's Sweetheart, JOHNNY RYAN. Johnny will be appearing in New York and Boston this June to promote the release of ANGRY YOUTH COMIX #14. In Boston, Johnny will be joined by fellow Fantagraphics author (and, coincidentally, America's other sweetheart) LEAH HAYES, who will be signing copies of her acclaimed new graphic novel, FUNERAL OF THE HEART. WHO: JOHNNY RYANWHAT: ANGRY YOUTH COMIX #14 release party! WHERE: Desert Island 540 Metropolitan, Williamsburg, BrooklynWHEN: Friday, June 13, 6PM – 9PM   WHO: JOHNNY RYAN and LEAH HAYESWHAT: ANGRY YOUTH COMIX #14 and FUNERAL…

Irwin Chusid notes the passing of jazz composer/arranger (and Jim Flora cover subject) Bill Finegan. 

THE CLASSIC ART OF CARTOON PIN-UP OPENS SATURDAY, JUNE 28

Matthias Lehmann (HWY. 115) is having a Spring Sale of original art. Even if you're too broke to buy any, go check it out because it's awful purty — Matthias is one of the few remaining practitioners of the ancient and crazy-making art of scratchboard, and he ups the ante by handcoloring it on top of that. And if you do want to buy some, don't worry, Matthias speaks and writes excellent English. One Euro is about a buck and a half these days. Buy them before it's two dollars!

The Number 73304-23-4153-6-96-8 By Thomas Ott Swiss horror master Thomas Ott returns with the first full-length graphic novel of his career. When clearing up the cell of a prisoner who has been sentenced to death and subsequently executed, a prison guard finds a small piece of paper with a combination of numbers on it. On the spur of the moment, he puts it into his pocket. As the guard lives a solitary, monotonous life, the numbers on the paper awake his curiosity. To find out their hidden meaning could add a new meaning to his life as well, so the…