It's The Comics Journal #294, the magazine that isn't afraid of little cartoon boys who consort with monsters! Oh, have we got presents for you...

• Matthias Wivel interviews Norwegian cartoonist Jason, the author of such works as Hey, Wait..., The Last Musketeer and Pocket Full of Rain and Other Stories. Crawl behind the deadpan anthropomorphic mask and learn how he came to the storytelling style and themes that made him one of the first breakout indy-comics stars of the 21st century.
• Lio creator Mark Tatulli talks to Andrew Farago about how he broke into the ultra-competitive newspaper-strip market, his longrunning series Heart of the City, and the tightrope act involved in putting macabre humor on the funny pages.
• R. Fiore discusses the comic-book censorship wave of the 1950s, and explains why it would have happened even without the assistance of Seduction of the Innocent author Fredric Wertham.
• Chris Lanier looks at the work of cartoon pioneer Rudolphe Töpffer, the man who invented the modern comic strip.
• John A. Lent introduces us to the controversial Cameroonian cartoonist Issa Nyaphaga, and explains why his work ultimately forced him to flee his home nation for the United States.
• Having trouble getting into the Holiday spirit this year? Let us help, with a gallery of original Christmas cards from some of the best cartoonists the medium has to offer!
• Our comics section this issue: A generous helping of Billy DeBeck’s early (1919 to 1921) Barney Google strips!

As always, TCJ.com has excerpts from the Jason interview, the Mark Tatulli interview and R. Fiore’s essay on comic-book censorship. Need more? Here’s our Christmas gift guide for 2008, featuring suggestions from a variety of cartoonists, critics and industry professionals, as well as a short interview with American Elf author James Kochalka!

2009 Eisner Award Nominee: Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism

Video & Photo Slideshow Preview (view in new window):

You may also be interested in:

The Last Musketeer $12.95 Add to Cart

The Comics Journal #295 $11.99 Add to Cart

Low Moon $24.99 Add to Cart

Athos in America $24.99 Add to Cart