• Interview: On the Comicon.com message boards, Jennifer M. Contino gets all the Usagi Yojimbo scoop from Stan Sakai

• Things to see: The ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive Project Blog re-runs a great article on Walt Kelly

• Things to see: A hilarious doodle by Steven Weissman

• Things to see: A page from Doug Wolk's con sketchbook by Jordan Crane

• Things to see: On the Covered blog, Richard Sala takes on Batman #197

Esther Pearl Watson
UNLOVABLE
Opening reception and book signing Saturday, February 7, 6:00 to 9:00 PM
Exhibition continues through March 4, 2009
(more event info)

HUMBUG
Original art, artifacts and ephemera from Harvey Kurtzman's classic humor magazine.
Public preview Saturday, March 7, 11:30 to 8:00 PM
Exhibition continues through April Fools Day, 2009
(more about Humbug)

Dame Darcy
Music performance and book signing
Saturday, March 14, 6:00 to 9:00 PM
(more about Dame Darcy)

Jaime Hernandez and Stan Sakai
Original art by two masters of the medium.
Opening reception and book signing Saturday, April 4, 6:00 to 9:00 PM
Exhibition continues through May 6, 2009
(more about Jaime Hernandez and Stan Sakai)

Tony Millionaire
DRINKY CROW
Opening reception and book signing Saturday, May 9, 6:00 to 9:00 PM
Exhibition continues through June 10, 2009
(more about Tony Millionaire)

JASON
Opening reception and book signing Saturday, June 13, 6:00 to 9:00 PM
Exhibition continues through July 8, 2009
(more about Jason)

Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery is located at 1201 S. Vale Street (at the corner of Airport Way S.) in Seattle's Georgetown arts community. Phone 206.658.0110. Open daily 11:30 to 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00 PM.

Time for the new installment of Steven Weissman's in-progress pages from "Blue Jay," an epic 32-page story from Chocolate Cheeks, the next collection of the Yikes! gang's adventures. In this week's installment: springing into action!

And don't forget to catch up on our current 5-day chunk of Martin Kellerman's hilarious Swedish smash-hit Rocky, updated Monday-Friday! This week: Rocky's ignominious homecoming to Sweden.

• Review: The Chicago Reader says that Beasts! Book 2 will "[set] loose something that will devour your still-palpitating innards"

• Review: ComicMix approves of Ghost World: Special Edition by Daniel Clowes & Terry Zwigoff

• Review: An older one that we missed - Thmazing reads The Number 73304-23-4153-6-96-8 by Thomas Ott in the store without buying it, declares it "terrific"

• List: Kiel Phegley's "The Ten Best Comics I Read in 2008" includes Love and Rockets: New Stories #1 by the Hernandez Brothers at #7 and Bottomless Belly Button by Dash Shaw at #1

• Analysis: Consequentialart examines a multi-page spread by Pat McEown from Dave Cooper's Weasel #1 (link via Sean T. Collins)

• Excerpt: Entrecomics posts some of Jason's Darth Vader gag strips from Meow, Baby! (as also seen in our 2006 Free Comic Book Day offering) and a page of his juvenilia as printed in The Comics Journal #294

• Preview: The Star Clipper Blog looks ahead to Everybody Is Stupid Except for Me and Other Astute Observations, our forthcoming collection of Peter Bagge's Reason strips

• Events: Comic Book Resources has the announcement of "The Art of Stan Sakai" at the Cartoon Art Museum (we'll have our own related event to announce in the not-too-distant future)

Artwork by John Ohannesian

LOVER'S LANE: FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF GEORGETOWN SECOND SATURDAY ART ATTACK ON VALENTINE'S DAY, FEBRUARY 14!

Please join us for a romantic evening of exceptional art and entertainment on Valentine's Day in our enchanting arts community for the first anniversary of the Georgetown Second Saturday Art Attack. In the span of a single year this colorful art walk has established itself as among the most idiosyncratic cultural outings in our region. This monthly promotion is distinguished by its diversity - featuring visual, performing, film, media and applied arts, as well as a wide variety of dining, drinking and shopping experiences. More than 30 creative enterprises in close proximity participate; programming events featuring accomplished artists from Georgetown and beyond.

Among the highlights of the February 14 Georgetown Art Attack: Drawing by Georgetown artist Doug Parry, including studies for his recent exhibitions in New York and Miami, at Georgetown Tile Works; The Grand Opening of Georgetown Studios in the historic Engine Room of the Original Rainier Brewery featuring art by Tim Ticehurst, Kathryn Barnard and others, curated by Gretchen Johnson; Mark LaFalce's "Economic Stimulus Package Open Studio (ESPOS) - New Oils for a Greener Economy," together with multimedia artist Deborah Stachowic, ceramicist Pamela Hathaway and special guest Claire Brown in the north compound of the Rainer Cold Storage complex; local painter Loren Lavinthal plus fabulous ceramics and tiles from Sherri Scott at George; Short and feature length films at the Mix; Jill Alba's multi-media custom frames at Full Throttle Bottles; Rebecca Bolte's "Couples in Love," a lovely display of wedding and engagement photography at Bolte Creative; "Tokyo Micro/Macro," an intimate photographic portrait of contemporary Tokyo featuring the work of Nicholas Vroman and Virginia Sorrells at Calamity Jane's; Paintings by John Ohannesian, including the original piece commissioned for the February Art Attack, at the Stables; Open studios of over 40 resident artists at Equinox Studios; "Figruary," a show of figurative works by Angielena Chamberlain and Jeff Mihalyo at Bella Vitale Studio; "Unlovable," an exhibition of narrative drawings by Los Angeles artist Esther Pearl Watson, and a Valentine's Day sale of comix and graphics novels at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery; "Resident Artist Show" featuring original works by the instructors and artists at Georgetown Art Center; Intimate dining and exotic drinking at wonderfully diverse Georgetown establishments including Smarty Pants, All City Coffee, Via Tribunali, Stellar Pizza & Ale, 9 Lb. Hammer, Georgetown Liquor Company; Squid and Ink, Jules Maes Saloon, Calamity Jane's, and Hanger Café.

The Second Saturday Art Attack is a monthly production of the Georgetown Merchants' Association. For more information visit: www.georgetownartattack.com.

• Review: J. Caleb Mozzocco likes Colleen Coover's "girly porno" comic Small Favors

• Analysis: The Groovy Age of Horror takes an in-depth look at House by Josh Simmons (link via Sean T. Collins)

• Tourism: The Reading Copy Book Blog recounts a recent visit to the Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery

• Things to see: Jim Blanchard re-creates the cover of Blatch #14

Full news release soon, but I'm excited so here's a teaser: 

Distressed type the new old-fashioned way.