• Review: "Riveting... Fingerman [is] one of the meatiest cartoonists going... Fingerman makes [Connective Tissue protagonist] Darla so smart and funny and draws so distinctively, like Daumier might for Playboy..." - Booklist (no link; from print)

• Review: "Boody... is a compilation of the wonky comics work of that overlooked genius, Boody Rogers... Rogers' quirky cartooning style is faintly reminiscent of Al Capp crossed with Basil Wolverton, and his creations are wild and strange to say the least. This is an attractive compilation, wonderfully designed by Jacob Covey, that captures the charm and feel of 1940s-era comic books." - Gary Sassaman, Innocent Bystander

• Review: "Humbug is... sumptuous... It is quite possibly the best designed book I've ever seen come out of any comics company, clean and attractive and perfectly suiting its late 1950s time period. ...[I]t's a perfect little time capsule by five cartoonists and humorists at the top of their respective games." - Gary Sassaman, Innocent Bystander (same link as above)

• Review: "Sam's Strip is a whimsical little humor strip... It's a giant in-joke, charming in its inception and invention... and again, it's one damn fine-looking book." - Gary Sassaman, Innocent Bystander (same link as above)

• Review: "Supermen! [is]... in a format (designed by the editor) that perfectly complements its source material... I'm hoping for a second volume." - Gary Sassaman, Innocent Bystander (same link as above)

• Plug: Decider previews our FCBD Love and Rockets comic: "While this teaser doesn’t feature any of the series’ most beloved characters (save superhero wannabe Penny Century), it’s still a good introduction to Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez’s blend of magical realism, goofy wit, and surprising poignancy."

• Discussion: The Ohlone College "Bibliophiles Anonymous" book club is reading Ghost World in May

Last night the Mr. Media internet radio program interviewed Trina Robbins, editor of our upcoming collection The Brinkley Girls: The Best of Nell Brinkley's Cartoons 1913-1940. Listen to the archived broadcast using the embedded player above or, if it's not visible, at this link.

Steffen Maarup, editor of our forthcoming anthology of contemporary Danish comics From Wonderland with Love, has been posting extensive preview images over on The Comics Journal message board. If you're at all curious about what to expect from this book, this is the place to go!

"The event happens on the massive penthouse floor of the California Market Center (110 East Ninth Street, LA, CA) on May 2nd and 3rd. There's a whole lot of great stuff there, and you'll want to give yourself several hours to shop the wares of all the designers and vendors. Be prepared, admission costs $5, but it's well worth it!"

Slow day:

• Plug: Corey Blake spotlights Blazing Combat

• Things to see: Bob Fingerman posts a set of thumbnail sketches from the development of Connective Tissue

• Oddity: Twitter-er mackbrad tells us "You guys should totally bid on this auction"

Courtesy of UGK featuring Akon (via Minneapolis City Pages).

Usagi Yojimbo Book 7: Gen's Story (New Edition)
By Stan Sakai

The seventh volume in this legendary series about a wandering rabbit samurai in feudal Japan is now available in a newly redesigned edition! This dense tome collects issues 32 through 38 of the original Usagi series as well as the Usagi strip from Critters #38. In addition to the novel-length "Gen's Story," which forms the centerpiece of this volume, and which relates the heretofore untold story of the mercenary swordsrhino Gennosuke, Usagi Yojimbo Book 7 includes "Kitsune" (introducing a new romantic interest for Usagi), "The Last Ino Story" (the final fate of the Blind Swordspig Zato-Ino), "The Return of Kitsune," and "Broken Ritual," a tale of hara-kiri based on an idea by Sergio Aragonés, who also contributes this volume's introduction. This perennial favorite features dragons, ghosts, demons, bats and more, all in set in Sakai's warrior landscape. A classic!

(This brand new 5th softcover printing features all-new design by Fantagraphics art director extraordinaire Jacob Covey. This is the final Fantagraphics Usagi book to receive the redesign treatment, so complete your collection today!)

192-page black & white 6" x 9" softcover • $18.95
Add to Cart • More Info & Previews

The Complete Crumb Comics Vol. 4 (New Printing)
By Robert Crumb

The Complete Crumb Comics Vol. 4: Mr. Sixties! continues the multi-volume series comprising the complete works of the legendary cartoonist R. Crumb, one of America's most original, trenchant, and uncompromising satirists. The series includes the earliest, heretofore unpublished comic strips, as well as his sketchbooks, underground comix, dramatic and autobiographical strips, and his classic cartoon creations Fritz the Cat and Mr. Natural. In this volume: Zap #0 & #1 ("Keep On Truckin'!"), Crumb's work from the East Village Other and Yarrowstalks, plus much rare art, some of Crumb's long-lost American Greetings cards from the '60s, and more (see the entire table of contents here).

144-page black & white/color 8.5" x 11" softcover • $19.99
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The Comics Journal #297
Edited by Mike Dean & Kristy Valenti; Gary Groth, executive editor

This issue’s highlight is a career-spanning interview with Beetle Bailey/Hi & Lois creator Mort Walker, in which the veteran cartoonist gives you a front-row seat to post-WWII comic-strip history, with additional commentary from sons/collaborators Brian and Greg Walker, as well as fellow Sam’s Strip co-creator Jerry Dumas!

Also: A conversation with Alan’s War author Emmanuel Guilbert (complete with a preview of his new graphic novel, The Photographer); a generous comics section featuring the work of pioneering British cartoonist Thomas Rowlandson, introduced with an essay on the artist’s life by Art Young; R.C. Harvey on the comics of Happy Hooligan creator Frederick Burr Opper; John A. Lent explores the world of Kenyan comics; reviews of Osamu Tezuka's Black Jack, Jonathan Lethem's Omega the Unknown and Noel Sickles's Scorchy Smith; and much more!

Naturally, we’ve got free previews at TCJ.com — here are excerpts from R.C. Harvey’s interview with Mort Walker, Matthias Wivel’s conversation with Emmanuel Guilbert, and Kent Worcester’s review of two anthologies, the Lynda Barry-edited The Best American Comics 2008 and the Ivan Brunetti-edited An Anthology of Graphic Fiction, Cartoons, and True Stories Vol. 2.

208-page black & white/color 7.5" x 9.5" squarebound softcover magazine • $11.99
Add to Cart • More Info & Previews

• Review: "With [Miss Lasko-Gross's] latest book, A Mess of Everything, it seems that not only does she grow up as young person, but this book also shows alot of promise and growth for Miss as a creator. [...] [I]t is... an honest look at growth through an awkward time in one's life... Oh yeah, and the art is pretty darn good too." - Robin McConnell, Inkstuds

• Review: "It's magnificent... a really, really good book." - Irish comics podcast The Comic Cast discusses Mother, Come Home by Paul Hornschemeier (link via Paul)

• Preview: If you're looking for a Spanish-language version of our announcement of Peter Bagge's Everybody Is Stupid Except for Me, Zona Fandom has you covered

• Things to see: A funny gag panel by Steven Weissman

• Event: Ellen Forney sez "This Sunday at 2pm, I’ll be giving a talk at Shoreline Library as a part of their 'Crazy for Comics' Graphic Arts Festival. Come one come all!" (via Ellen's blog)