Past, present and future in today's Online Commentary & Diversions:
• List: Library Journal picks "Trina Robbins’s glam grab bag of Nell Brinkley serials," The Brinkley Girls: The Best of Nell Brinkley’s Cartoons from 1913–1940, as the best reprint on their Best Graphic Novels 2009 list
•List: Thanks to Zack Soto for naming West Coast Blues by Tardi & Manchette, Prison Pit: Book 1 by Johnny Ryan, and Pim & Francie by Al Columbia amongst his Favorite Books of 2009 (via)
• Review: "Imagine then what yesterday — or today's — right wingers would say about The Great Anti-War Cartoons… Sadly… what these cartoons have made us 'see' is how little things have changed 'round the planet, or within our species. … And while being the spark for various brilliant cartoons over the decades doesn't justify the institutional addiction to war (or its always-looming threat), these cartoons can at least provide some solace. Or good fallout shelter reading." – Mark London Williams, The SF Site: Nexus Graphica
• Review: "Jaime Hernandez’s side of the Love and Rockets anthology may have started in a world of futuristic fantasy, but [The Girl from H.O.P.P.E.R.S.] is the volume where he finds his feet and hits a groove. … Jaime’s illustration is beautiful and effortless. His characters mix a near perfect clear-line style with cartoonish expression, used with particular aplomb when emotions are running high. It’s a masterclass in comic illustration." – Grovel
• Review: "The illustrations [in Holy Moly] are so odd and random I burst out laughing at almost every page!" – Pop Culture Junkie
• Plug: Library Journal features May 2010's Artichoke Tales by Megan Kelso in their inaugural Graphic Novels Prepub Alert: "A coming-of-age story about a young girl from a family caught between sides in a civil war, set in a world similar to ours but where people have artichoke leaves instead of hair. … Its delicate, rather impish black-and-white line work comes from the creator of the subtle and poignant Squirrel Mother."
• Things to see: Stills from Lilli Carré's new animation in progress
• Things to see: Another great duck cover cover by Robert Goodin
• Things to see: Richard Sala posts scans of his 1990s illustrations for Seventeen and Sassy magazines etc…. Teen Girl Squad!
• Foreign Relations: Citizen reporter Mat Probasco of Allvoices approaches our own Jason T. Miles for expert analysis on the Hong Kong government's attempt to use comics to spur youth involvement