Publishers

Archie is going to publish its first OGN -- and its in the foolproof "Archie Babies" format. Mike Kunkel (Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam) writes and Art Mawhinney does the art. The project was previously announced as a regular comics series but the new format allows them take advantage of Archie's new distribution deal with Random House, says co-CEO Jon Goldwater:

Artist James Stokoe continues his assault on the predictable tedium of corporate comics with a huge art post including an ORC STAIN preview, pages from a WONTON SOUP spin-off and FIRE FOR EFFECT, a complete story he once submitted to HEAVY METAL. The latter is NSFW.

 If you missed the earlier stops, you can still see the one and only phenomenal Lynda Barry talking and inspiring: DO NOT MISS Lynda Barry...

Geoff Boucher got to ramble around the X-MEN: FIRST CLASS set yesterday, and hear about Matthew Vaughn's anxiety about getting it finished, and James...

After months of speculation, we now know that Christopher Nolan isn't giving up the Batman franchise without going into the sexy feminine side of the myth: Anne Hathaway will play Catwoman in THE DARK KNIGHT RISES -- and yes, that sounds pretty dirty. And the previously announced Tom Hardy will play back-breaker Bane, an escaped criminal who gets super strength after getting jacked on drugs. (Bane was responsible for breaking Batman's spine in a '90s comics storyline.)

Always outspoken creator Joe Casey has another crack at pissing people off with his take on marketing, surviving in Hollywood, and his own brand of career advice in this exclusive interview.

We'll see you there!

Here's a small preview of DENIS KITCHEN'S CHIPBOARD SKETCHBOOK, which presents some of his distinctive work from another medium -- cardboard! The book, published...

A few set photos floating around this afternoon are of interest for various reasons. ¶ A fan on the street snapped a shot of a...

Via PR, official confirmation of Sarah deLaine replacing Betsy Gomez as Image Comics' PR & Marketing Coordinator. deLaine is a long time Image staffer and formerly worked at Comic Relief.

Belgian cartoonist Brecht Evens made quite a splash with THE WRONG PLACE from D&Q, and the upcoming NIGHT ANIMALS (Top Shelf, March) looks to continue the buzz.

Some changes at Image Comics, which had a dynamite 2010 with the success of WALKING DEAD and many new series. As announced in a press release, Top Cow, which has functioned pretty much independently of Image for marketing and PR, will be moving some of its operations to the Image Central office, coordinating more production, marketing and sales efforts. Top Cow had a big hit in 2010 with ARTIFACTS, a big event crossover for their long running WITCHBLADE and DARKNESS franchises, but they don't have a huge publishing program and some consolidation seems like a move to strengthen both companies.