Publishers Weekly names You'll Never Know, Book 1: A Good and Decent Man by C. Tyler to its list of Best Books of 2009 — Comics...

...and the editors of Amazon.com name Locas II: Maggie, Hopey & Ray by Jaime Hernandez to their Best Books of 2009: Comics & Graphic Novels Top 10, in the #6 position.

(Ed. note: As more end-of-year lists come in, we will collect the listed titles in a 2009 Critics' Picks category in our online shop, as we did for the 2008 Critics' Picks, in addition to noting them here on Flog.)

The blogosphere never rests — it's Online Commentary & Diversions:

• Review: "Boyreau laments how digital phased out analog when it comes to our movie viewing; has the Internet done the same with his book [Portable Grindhouse: The Lost Art of the VHS Box] commemorating the losing side of that battle? I say no. It's not just because of the tremendous job Boyreau and Covey did with the cover reproductions, or the lovely, solid paper stock, or the cutesy slipcase. It's because Boyreau is right: the aura of the object is irreplaceable. A book collection of VHS box art contains preserves what was special about them in a way a Flickr gallery just can't. Next time you have a trashy movie marathon, pass this around between movies--unlike your laptop, you won't even need to worry that much about spilling beer on it." – Sean T. Collins

• Analysis: More thoughts on The Comics Journal's new direction, from Jeet Heer (who coins the word "Grothian" — I like it) at Comics Comics and Noel Murray at The A.V. Club

• Interview: If you missed the lively Q&A during Monte Schulz's live Twitter chat with LitChat, you can download the transcript from the LitChat website

• Education: Robyn Chapman of the Center for Cartoon Studies reports from Dash Shaw's recent lecture at the school

• Plug: Librarie Drawn & Quarterly gives a nice recommendation to Abstract Comics

• Plug: At Comics Alliance, Douglas Wolk highlights Like a Dog by Zak Sally among the week's new releases, as does Matthew J. Brady

• Things to see: In a match made in heaven, Johnny Ryan drew the cover of the DVD of The Found Footage Festival Vol. 4

• Things to see: Enjoy some as-yet unused monstery t-shirt designs by Paul Hornschemeier

• Things to see: Mike Sterling crosses the streams

The November issue of JUXTAPOZ is out, and it's pretty much all Robert Williams, all the time, promoting his new show at Tony Shafrazi Gallery, which opened on Halloween night, as well as our art book/catalog of the show, CONCEPTUAL REALISM: IN THE SERVICE OF THE HYPOTHETICAL, which is available exclusively right now at the Shafrazi gallery, but will be available everywhere else in about a month (and also available for preorder on our own website very soon). The issue is a great one for fans of Robert, the highlight being a particularly lively talk between Williams and Don Ed Hardy (who also wrote an excellent introduction for CONCEPTUAL REALISM), as well as a meaty selection of several paintings and their accompanying essays by Wms. from our book. But all of this post is really just an excuse to publish this spread from the mag: 

You might call it the Crossover Event of the year. You might call it "Maakwood." You might call it an unholy alliance. Ladies and gentlemen, the Achewood guest strip by Tony Millionaire.

From Michael Steven Gregory, on YouTube: "Author Monte Schulz discusses the sale of his critically acclaimed first novel, and his decision to write a better book, This Side of Jordan, at the Southern California Writers' Conference."