I enjoyed this candid interview with the legendary Francoise Mouly about her new Toon Books line for little kiddies (and which are beautifully designed by MOME's Jonathan Bennett, which is why Jonathan has missed the last few issues). I particularly enjoyed this part:

MOULY: "'If you really want to work for us,' says the head of Scholastic, 'You could help us do the comic book version of Shrek 2.'" (laughs)

Q: And of course you jumped at that.

A: You have Art Spiegelman and Francoise Mouly in your office and they're begging to be in your employ so of course you find them the perfect thing. The comic book adaptation of the movie which is a sequel of an adaptation of a book by a cartoonist? Yes, of course, we're going to jump on that.

Too rich. 

Look what our pals at SHQ have for you tonight.

Desert Island's first event! 

Courtesy Mat Brinkman:

Heroes & Villians is a photo series by Tatiana Wills and Roman Cho that "features intimate portraits of the most notable emerging and established figures in the Pop Surrealist, Graffiti and Alt-Comic Book worlds."

I would contest their designation of THE most notable but it is cool to see them documenting SOME of the most notable artists working. Pictured above is the enchanting Jordan Crane. Visit Cho's site for a peek at more comics folks like Anders Nilsen, Johnny Ryan, Sammy Harkham, Souther Salazar, Ron Rege, Jr., and Steven Weissman.

UPDATE: I failed to mention that the show is 2 days only, opening this Tuesday at Corey Helford Gallery .

In the history of plagiarism, this pretty much takes the cake of egregiousness. An art book that lifted all of its contents off the internet and includes it on a CD (original internet file names intact, no less). That fact coupled with the title "Colorful Illustrations" makes this appear to be a clip art book, with the impression that all the art is copyright free, which it isn't. It's made by hard-working artists who didn't even know about the book.

It is a Hong Kong publisher and if you've ever made art, you may be in the book.

I first learned of it from artist Mike Egan whose work was lifted (although appears to have at least (and curiously) been credited in the book). A lot of interviews in the book were lifted from the Little Chimp Society and they have more info on the book HERE.

...Of course, all of this raises every question you can possibly have about the relevance of copyright in the digital era of a global society but in any case: PLEASE DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK.

Me 'n' my bitches, by Josh Simmons. 

Al "Mad Fold-In" Jaffee will be on Craig Yoe's Arf book panel at the New York Comic Con Sunday Room IE03 at 3:00!

FANTAGRAPHICS NEW YORK COMICON SIGNING SCHEDULE:

FRIDAY:

3 - 5PM: DASH SHAW (The Bottomless Belly Button, Mome)

 7PM: PAUL KARASIK & MARK NEWGARDEN at Desert Island Comics in Brooklyn 

SATURDAY:

11AM - 1PM: CRAIG YOE (Arf!)

1 - 3PM: PAUL KARASIK (I Shall Destroy All the Civilized Planets!)

1 - 3PM: MICHAEL KUPPERMAN (Tales Designed to Thrizzle)

3 - 5PM: MISS LASKO-GROSS (Escape from "Special")

3 - 5PM: DASH SHAW (The Bottomless Belly Button, Mome)

SUNDAY:

11AM - 1PM: LEAH HAYES (Funeral of the Heart)

11AM - 1PM: DASH SHAW (The Bottomless Belly Button, Mome)

1 - 2:30PM: KIM DEITCH (Shadowland, The Stuff of Dreams)

1 - 3PM: GLENN HEAD (Hotwire Comix)

1 - 3PM: CRAIG YOE (Arf!)

3PM: Arf books panel featuring CRAIG YOE, AL JAFFEE, DAVID COWLES and GLENN HEAD, Room IE03

3 - 4PM: LEAH HAYES (Funeral of the Heart)

3 - 5PM: MISS LASKO- GROSS (Escape from "Special")

4 - 5PM: KIM DEITCH (Shadowland, The Stuff of Dreams)