§ Brian Hibbs uses his part-time work at a library to observe that BONE is popular:

Those always always always go back out the moment they come in (not even counting the Hold requests) — even when the kids have to read them OUT OF ORDER, they freaking fly off the shelf. Our library has two full sets, and the Librarian is getting at least a third one in because they circulate so fast.

The only other books (at least during my shift) that circulate as fast are the Lemony Snickett “A Series of Unfortunate Events” books.. but even those aren’t quite (to my eye) as consistent — usually you can find 3 or 4 of the 13 volumes on the shelves (they also have two sets of those… I think)

§ Tucker Stone begins the arduous task.

All that being said, This Ship, Which Didn’t Get To Sink In 2008, But Will Certainly Have To Repair Some Of The Lower Decks Despite 2009 Looking Like An Iceberg Made Of Layoffs and Disappointment, will not start up on its official Best Comics of 2008 until next week. But because comiXology and this column love you in a way that your mother never will, because we’ll forgive you for that time you looked around furtively and said “Hey man, you got any copies of that issue where the Transformers fought Wolverine? I know I’m 35. Just put it in the bag and keep your mouth shut”—because of that love, here’s some comics that won’t make it onto the list and the reasons why.


§ Marc-Oliver Frisch analyzes things that have been said about the ending of BATMAN: RIP

§ Jog talks about FINAL CRISIS:

But you know, I kind of like guts behind this. It’s like Morrison’s backed himself deeper and deeper into a corner, and now suddenly — in the friendly form of Dan Didio — he’s brushing off his jacket sleeves and facing his pursuers to declare that he, in fact, has trapped them. Woah, looks like Caped Crusader won’t ever die! And sure, that doesn’t make me like those recent Batman issues any more, but it’s got a way of keeping the spark of hope alive, you know?


§ I guess you have to read Marvel comics to totally get this, but anytime Sub-Mariner turns into a skeevy old dude, it is totally funny.

§ Larry Marder catches Frank Miller guest-hosting Turner Classic Movies:

Anyway, the movie on TCM was The Naked City, which happens to be one of those films that no matter what point the movie is at when I stumble across it–I’m almost certainly going to watch it until the end. And I did.

And lo and behold, when the film ended and Robert Osborne came on screen, sitting next to him was Frank Miller. Frank was the guest programmer last night and he picked four excellent films. I watched ’em all except during the Taking of Pelham One Two Three I dozed off for the night.

What a treat and good going Frank!


§ Noah Berlatsky breaks comics into Dicks and Fannys and finds that the Dicks win:

There are definitely some Fanny comics out there. Pretty much the entirety of porn qualifies, from Lost Girls to Housewives at Play. A fair bit of Crumb’s stuff is Fanny, as I’m sure he’d be pleased to hear. The Los Bros Hernandez books and Dan Clowes’ Ghost World are also obsessed with female bodies and/or psychology in a way that strongly suggests Fanny. There’s Catwoman, I guess. And then there’s….uh…maybe Chris Ware’s Building Stories? And also, um….

Not a heck of a lot, really. American comics are, as it turns out, not only overwhelmingly male-oriented, but also veritably awash in Dick


§ Brian Cronin’s book talked about here yesterday has received praise for its cover design.

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