Giant Robot in San Francisco is hosting a show of original art and prints for sale from the artists of BEASTS! Book One and Book Two. 100 artists have contributed their work from the book or new versions of their creatures for the show. I've been posting a number of previews elsewhere but even these only touch on the massive show. Many artists have both prints and original art in the show.

Some comics-related highlights include Tony Millionaire's original art (here), Peter Bagge's original painting, the intense double page art from Brian Chippendale, a new layered acetate drawing from Kazimir Strzepek, a new drawing from Dash Shaw... I don't know exactly what all has come in but I believe we have original art from Anders Nilsen, Paul Hornschemeier, Leif Goldberg, Levon Jihanian, Tom Neely, Taylor McKimens, Mr. Ed, Stephane Prigent, Brian Ralph, Jason Robards, Olivier Schrauwen, Kevin Scalzo...and a lot more. It will be amazing. 

Easy to read artist list here.

A late-nite update to alert you that Miss Lasko-Gross appears today (Saturday Jan. 17) at Cool Stuff Comics & Collectibles at 417 Burmont Rd. in Drexel Hill, PA (just outside of Philly) from 3-5 PM to sign copies of Escape from "Special" and show off the original art from its forthcoming sequel, A Mess of Everything (out this spring).

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. Steven describes this week's installment as "more running around in the dark. JUST LIKE LIFE! Heavy, oui?"

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, more culture shock in New York City and the leadup to a dramatic reunion!

From his blog, an announcement from Robert Goodin:

I have a solo show at Secret Headquarters called The Monster Show that will feature 14 new paintings/drawings. Opening reception is Feb. 6, from 8 - 10 pm and the show will be up until Feb. 27th. For those not in the Los Angeles area, Secret Headquarters will have the paintings online for purchase as well.

Secret Headquarters
3817 W. Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, Ca 90026
(323)666 2228

I've seen some of these works in person and they are wonderful.

• Profile: Meathaus presents a feature article on Dash Shaw

• Blurb: Welcome Friend or Foe gives a nod to Unlovable by Esther Pearl Watson

• Blurb: Irregular Orbit takes a quick look at Krazy and Ignatz 1943-1944 by George Herriman

• Things to hear: The Inkstuds radio programme hosts a 4-way roundtable on the best comics of the year with über-critics Paul Gravett, Tom Spurgeon, Douglas Wolk and host Robin McConnell, with much discussion of Bottomless Belly Button by Dash Shaw

• Oddity: Courtesy Paul Di Filippo (Jim Woodring's Cosmocopia collaborator), "Life Imitates Jules Feiffer"

News from Anders's blog, which features more of the originals as shown above:

The current issue of The Believer features 14 small drawings I did from items in my collection of broken and discarded toys. The drawings are scattered throughout the magazine in the margins. They also printed three different inside covers, each featuring a different painting of mine.

Just when I thought the storm of year-end critics' lists had subsided, three heavy-hitters and one up-and-coming cartoonist have posted theirs, leading off today's update:

• List: Jeet Heer names his "Best Comics of 2008," including the fraternal one-two punch of Love and Rockets: New Stories #1 by the Hernandez Brothers and Deitch's Pictorama by the Deitch Brothers

• List: Frank Santoro posts his "Top 9 of '08," with Love and Rockets: New Stories #1 at #3 and Abandoned Cars by Tim Lane at #2

• List: Douglas Wolk lists his favorite book-length comics of 2008, with Bottomless Belly Button by Dash Shaw at #3 and The Education of Hopey Glass by Jaime Hernandez at #1

• List: Tom Kaczynski highlights the comics of fellow Mome-ster Dash Shaw in his look back at the best comics of 2008

• Things to see: 999 posts a short excerpt from Jason's Meow, Baby!

• Things to see: Gary Panter + Black Sabbath + video = win

The blogosphere's loss is the book lover's gain!