Online Commentary & Diversions:
• Review: "I opened [West Coast Blues], got sucked in and blew through it in one sitting. Then I went back a few weeks later, in preparation for this review, and re-read it. I found that I liked it even better the second time around, as I was able to spend a little more time with it and take in the subtleties of the work. I suspect I will read it again soon and I would definitely recommend it. Fans of great artwork and crime stories should give this book a shot." – Chad Derdowski, Mania
• Review: "Now, as a teacher and father, I see that Schulz' reflections on childhood were more accurate than I could have understood from a younger perspective. Some characters I either didn't like or didn't understand when I was a kid are much more sympathetic now, and I still love Schulz' clean cartooning style. … The most recent [Complete Peanuts] release covers the years 1973 and 1974, which are good years for Peanuts." – Quinn Rollins, Epinions.com
• List: Sandy Bilus of I Love Rob Liefeld names Ganges #3 by Kevin Huizenga #7 on his top 10 Best Comics of 2009: "Huizenga's comics are just really enjoyable to read. The full page image of Glenn inside his own head is really something else."
• List: Our own Eric Reynolds (and some other small press folks) tells The Morning News's Robert Birnbaum 4 books he wishes we'd published last year
• Awards: Love and Rockets: New Stories #2 by the Hernandez Bros. is nominated for a Gem Award, Diamond Comics Distributors' industry awards voted on by comic shop owners, in the category of "2009 Indie GN of the Year," reports Newsarama and The Comics Reporter
• Interview: Publishers Weekly's Sasha Watson talks to the ever-busy Dash Shaw
• Things to see: At Comics Comics, is it the Breakfast Club? No, it's Rick Altergott, Dan Clowes & Mort Todd hawking Psycho Comics at a con in 1981 — those crazy kids!