An all black-and-white installment.

• A new Amazing Facts and Beyond with Leon Beyond from Kevin Huizenga

• How about a nice bunch of recent con sketches by Stan Sakai? (They're mostly Usagi, but this one's for you, Jacob. Via The Comics Reporter)

• Miner's lettuce is a great name for a plant — sketch by Debbie Drechsler

• This piece by Kevin Nowlan appeared in this 1982 issue of The Comics Journal

• This looks like one heck of a loopy story by Derek Van Gieson

Your daily dose of eyeball kicks:

• Holy smokes, this Dave Cooper painting, titled February, is part of the group show The Devil Made Me Do It curated by Industrial Squid at WWA Gallery in Culver City

• I like the composition of this drawing of Helvella lacunosa in a cemetary by Debbie Drechsler

• Some Pim & Francie fan art by YouTube user Danny2113182

• Artwork by Sergio Ponchione is used in the stage set for the performance for which this video is the trailer; Sergio's blog post also includes a small newspaper spot illustration he did

• Steven Weissman's latest "I, Anonymous" spot

• A teaser panel and outtake page from the last chapter of Derek Van Gieson's Mome story "Devil Doll," plus a sketchbook page (not shown here)

Gaze in wonder (and click for expanded/complete wonderment):

• Official images for the 2010 MoCCA Art Festival by Dash Shaw: poster (top), booklet (middle; hilarious) and t-shirt (bottom); Dash comments on his blog

• XOY, a new print by John Hankiewicz

• Don't miss Debbie Drechsler's frequent updates to her sketch blog, such as these lovely birds

• Steven Weissman's artwork for the "Year of the Tiger" show at GR2; also, the original sketch

• Paul Hornschemeier's cover art for the paperback edition of James Kennedy's novel The Order of Odd-Fish

• Is "Focus" a new mini from Kevin Huizenga? He never 'splains nothin' on his blog

• Part 3 of Chapter 2 of this Jordan Crane story at What Things Do

• Niño Milagroso — an illustration for a novel by Hernán Migoya by our own Eric Reynolds

• Don't forget to check Renee French's art blog for daily updates like this

(...And this didn't get posted on time either. Yeesh!)

I'm still trying to figure out how to handle frequent art bloggers like Renee French and Debbie Drechsler (below). Pick one post to highlight each week? Any suggestions or preferences?

Also, some credit: I think I was inspired subconsciously to start these "Things to see" posts by Robot 6's Comics Cavalcade posts.

• Twelve original collages by Robert Pollard for the Guided by Voices release Suitcase 3, for sale on eBay

• Earth tongues by Debbie Drechsler

• Two films and an animated drawing (not shown here so as not to spoil it) by Lilli Carré

• Dash Shaw's Britney Spears

• At What Things Do, part 4 of "This Already Happened" by Steven Weissman

• Heermann's Gull by T. Edward Bak

From Debbie Drechsler comes word of her newly updated website, which now includes an online shop where you can purchase lovely notecards like the one pictured above, and her new nature sketch blog Just Around the Corner, home to drawings such as the study of a horse chestnut seed pictured below. Wonderful news!

We've been posting these as we've found them, but here's a (slightly OCD) alphabetical list of Fantagraphics titles and whose year-end lists that they've appeared on, for your handy reference. (Links will continue to be added as we find them.) Rankings appear in parentheses; no number means the list was unranked:

Abandoned Cars by Tim Lane
• Mark Athitakis' American Fiction Notes, "Favorite Books of 2008"
• Alan David Doane, "Debut of the Year"
• Inland Empire Weekly
• Publishers Weekly "Comics Week's Third Annual Critic's Poll" (Honorable Mention)
• Frank Santoro, "Top 9 of '08" (#2)
• Marc Sobel (#2)
• St. Louis Post-Dispatch, "Best Books of 2008: Graphic Literature"

Amor Y Cohetes by the Hernandez Brothers
• The Independent, "Best Comics"

Angry Youth Comix Vol. II #14 by Johnny Ryan
• comiXology "Best Comics of 2008" (#15)
• Jog - The Blog, "Twenty 'Hot Ones' from 2008" (#9)

Beasts! Book 2
• Book By Its Cover "Best of BBIC 2008" (#5)

Beyond Palomar by Gilbert Hernandez
• Rob Clough, "My Top 50 Comics of the Year" (#17)
• The Independent, "Best Comics"

Bottomless Belly Button by Dash Shaw
• Amazon.com, "Best Books of 2008 - Top 10 Books: Comics & Graphic Novels" (#4)
• Derik Badman, "Best Comics of 2008"
• Tom Bondurant, "Robot 6," Comic Book Resources, "Favorite Comics of 2008"
• Bookmunch, "Graphic Novel of the Year"
• Matthew Brady, "Best Comics of 2008" (#12)
• Box Brown at The Daily Cross Hatch (#1)
• Bully Says: Comics Oughta Be Fun! "Fun Fifty of 2008" (#25)
• Rob Clough, "My Top 50 Comics of the Year" (#4)
• Comic Book Resources "Best 100 Comics of 2008" (#41)
• comiXology, "The Top Ten Comics of 2008" (#3)
• Daily Vanguard, "Top 10 Graphic Novels and Comics of 2008" (#9)
• Entertainment Weekly, "Best Fiction of 2008" (#5)
• GraphicNovelReporter, "Best Graphic Novels of 2008"
• Dustin Harbin, Top 10 "Best Comics of 2008" (#2)
• I Love Rob Liefeld, "The Best Comics of 2008" (#2)
• Tom Kaczynski
• Largehearted Boy, "Favorite Graphic Novels of 2008"
• Minty Lewis at The Daily Cross Hatch
• Chris Mautner, The Patriot-Ledger, "Moxie Awards: Best Original Graphic Novel" (runner-up)
• J. Caleb Mozzocco, "The Best Comics of 2008"
• Mari Naomi at The Daily Cross Hatch
• New York Magazine, "The Top Ten Graphic Novels" (#2)
• Brian Nicholson, "Best Comics of 2008" (#1)
• The Oklahoman's Nerdage blog, "2008's best graphic novels" (#4)
• Shannon O'Leary at The Daily Cross Hatch (#1)
• Nate Powell at The Daily Cross Hatch (#4)
• Publishers Weekly "Comics Week's Third Annual Critic's Poll" (#1)
• Arthur Smid at The Daily Cross Hatch (#1)
• Zack Soto, "personal 'best of/favorite' comics of 2008"
• Aron Nels Steinke, "My Top Ten"
• USA TODAY Pop Candy, "Top 100 People of 2008" (#81)
• USA TODAY Pop Candy, "Top Comics of 2008" (#1)
• The Village Voice, "Pulp Fictions: The Best of 2008"
• Washington Post, "Best Comics of 2008"
• Douglas Wolk, "Favorite Book-Length Comics of 2008" (#3)

The Complete Peanuts 1967-1968 by Charles M. Schulz
• Rob Clough, "My Top 50 Comics of the Year" (#36)

Deitch's Pictorama by the brothers Deitch
• Michael C. Lorah, Newsarama, "Top Eleven: Best of 2008"
• Jeet Heer, "Best Comics of 2008"

Daddy's Girl by Debbie Drechsler
• Tim O'Shea, "Robot 6," Comic Book Resources, "Favorite Comics of 2008"

The Education of Hopey Glass by Jaime Hernandez
• Daily Vanguard, "Top 10 Graphic Novels and Comics of 2008" (#7)
• Alan David Doane, "Graphic Novel of the Year"
• Michael C. Lorah, Newsarama, "Top Eleven: Best of 2008"
• Chris Mautner, The Patriot-Ledger, "Moxie Awards: Best Comic I Didn't Get Around to Reviewing" (runner-up)
• The Oklahoman's Nerdage blog, "2008's best graphic novels" (#8)
• Publishers Weekly "Comics Week's Third Annual Critic's Poll" (#2, tied)
• Douglas Wolk, "Favorite Book-Length Comics of 2008" (#1)

Explainers by Jules Feiffer
• Robert Boyd, "The Best Comics of 2008"
• Rob Clough, "My Top 50 Comics of the Year" (#37)
• Joe Matt at The Daily Cross Hatch (#3)
• Chris Mautner, The Patriot-Ledger, "Moxie Awards: Best Collection of Previously Published Material" (runner-up)
• Newsarama, "Top 5: Best Archival Comics, 2008" (#3)
• St. Louis Post-Dispatch, "Best Books of 2008: Graphic Literature"

Ganges #2 by Kevin Huizenga
• Box Brown at The Daily Cross Hatch (#3)
• Rob Clough, "My Top 50 Comics of the Year" (#15: "the works of Kevin Huizenga")
• Comic Book Resources "Best 100 Comics of 2008" (#51)
• "Comics Should Be Good: Top Ten Comics of 2008" (#4)
• comiXology, "The Top Ten Comics of 2008" (#1)
• Daily Vanguard, "Top 10 Graphic Novels and Comics of 2008" (#1)
• Dustin Harbin, Top 10 "Best Comics of 2008" (#7)
• I Love Rob Liefeld, "The Best Comics of 2008" (#8)
• Jog - The Blog, "Twenty 'Hot Ones' from 2008" (#7)
• Bill Kartalopoulos at The Daily Cross Hatch
• Chris Mautner, The Patriot-Ledger, "Moxie Awards: Best Comic I Didn't Get Around to Reviewing" (runner-up)
• Brian Nicholson, "Best Comics of 2008"
• The Oklahoman, "Top 10 Periodical Comic Book Series of 2008" (#4: "the comics of Kevin Huizenga")
• Jesse Reklaw at The Daily Cross Hatch (#2)
• Aron Nels Steinke, "My Top Ten"
• Jeremy Tinder at The Daily Cross Hatch (#1)
• Leigh Walton at The Daily Cross Hatch (#1)

Ghost World: Special Edition by Daniel Clowes
• Alan David Doane, "Reissue of the Year"

Grotesque #2 by Sergio Ponchione
• Rob Clough, "My Top 50 Comics of the Year" (#48)

Hall of Best Knowledge by Ray Fenwick
• Rob Clough, "My Top 50 Comics of the Year" (#46)
• Drawn! "Favourite Comics and Art Books of 2008"
• The Cultural Gutter, "10 Comics I Liked in 2008"

Hotwire Comics Vol. 2
• Rob Clough, "My Top 50 Comics of the Year" (#43)

I Shall Destroy All the Civilized Planets! by Fletcher Hanks
• Mindless Ones, "Top Comics of 2008"

Interiorae #3 by Gabriella Giandelli
• Nate Powell at The Daily Cross Hatch (#4)

Jessica Farm Vol. 1 by Josh Simmons
• Mike Carey at the Forbidden Planet blog
• comiXology, "Best Comics of 2008" (#17)
• Joe Infurnari at The Daily Cross Hatch (#4)

The Lagoon by Lilli Carré
• Jeff Lemire at The Daily Cross Hatch
• Tim O'Shea, "Robot 6," Comic Book Resources, "Favorite Comics of 2008"
• Nate Powell at The Daily Cross Hatch (#3)
• Publishers Weekly "Comics Week's Third Annual Critic's Poll" (Honorable Mention)
• USA TODAY Pop Candy, "Top 100 People of 2008" (#58)
• USA TODAY Pop Candy, "Top Comics of 2008" (#6)

The Last Musketeer by Jason
• J. Caleb Mozzocco, "The Best Comics of 2008"

Love and Rockets: New Stories #1 by The Hernandez Brothers
• Johnny Bacardi, "2008 Personal 10 Best in Comics"
• Robert Boyd, "The Best Comics of 2008"
• Matthew Brady, "Best Comics of 2008" (#19)
• Rob Clough, "My Top 50 Comics of the Year" (#42)
• Comic Book Resources "Best 100 Comics of 2008" (#20)
• comiXology, "Best Comics of 2008" (#11)
• The Daily Blog, "10 for '08"
• Michel Fiffe at The Daily Cross Hatch
• Jeet Heer, "Best Comics of 2008"
• Chris Mautner, The Patriot-Ledger, "Moxie Awards: Best New Series"
• The OC Weekly, "The Year's Best Graphic Books and Novels"
• Publishers Weekly "Comics Week's Third Annual Critic's Poll" (Honorable Mention)
• Frank Santoro, "Top 9 of '08" (#3)
• Zack Soto, "personal 'best of/favorite' comics of 2008"
• Rich Tommaso

Man of Rock: A Biography of Joe Kubert by Bill Schelly
• "Comics Should Be Good: Top Ten Moments of Comic-Related Happiness in 2008"

Mome Vol. 12
• Rob Clough, "My Top 50 Comics of the Year" (#29)
• comiXology, "Best Comics of 2008" (#21)
• Daily Vanguard, "Top 10 Graphic Novels and Comics of 2008" (#5)
• Jog - The Blog, "Twenty 'Hot Ones' from 2008" (#18)
• Jesse Reklaw at The Daily Cross Hatch (#5 - includes Vol. 10-11)
• Marc Sobel ("the comics of Dash Shaw in Mome," #4)
• Douglas Wolk at The Daily Cross Hatch (#3)

Most Outrageous: The Trials and Tespasses of Dwaine Tinsley and Chester the Molester by Bob Levin
• Chris Mautner, The Patriot-Ledger, "Moxie Awards: Best Book About Comics"
• Marc Sobel (#3)
• The Village Voice, "2008's Best Comics, Clip Art, and Pedophilia"

The Number 73304-23-4153-6-96-8 by Thomas Ott
• The SF Site, Rick Klaw, "Nexus Graphica: Top Ten Graphic Novel or Comics Related Publications" (#2)
• The SF Site, Mark London Williams, "Nexus Graphica: Top Ten Graphic Novel or Comics Related Publications" (#5)

Perla La Loca by Jaime Hernandez
• Rob Clough, "My Top 50 Comics of the Year" (#16)
• The Independent, "Best Comics"
• Zack Soto, "personal 'best of/favorite' comics of 2008"

Petey & Pussy by John Kerschbaum
• Rob Clough, "My Top 50 Comics of the Year" (#7)
• Bob Fingerman at The Daily Cross Hatch
• Joe Infurnari at The Daily Cross Hatch (#5)

Pocket Full of Rain and Other Stories by Jason
• Matthew Brady, "Best Comics of 2008" (#16)
• Rob Clough, "My Top 50 Comics of the Year" (#35)

Popeye Vol. 3: "Let's You and Him Fight!" by E.C. Segar
• Dustin Harbin, Top 10 "Best Comics of 2008" (#4)
• Joe Matt at The Daily Cross Hatch (#2)
• Chris Mautner, "Robot 6," Comic Book Resources, "Favorite Comics of 2008" (#1)
• Newsarama, "Top 5: Best Archival Comics, 2008" (#2)
• Jeff Smith
• Frank Stack at The Daily Cross Hatch

Rebel Visions: The Underground Comix Revolution 1963-1975 by Patrick Rosenkranz
• The SF Site, Mark London Williams, "Nexus Graphica: Top Ten Graphic Novel or Comics Related Publications" (#1)

Sammy the Mouse #2 by Zak Sally
• Austin English at The Daily Cross Hatch (#1)
• Tom Neely at The Daily Cross Hatch (#4)

Strange and Stranger: The World of Steve Ditko by Blake Bell
• Alan David Doane, "Comic Art Book of the Year" (tie)
• Paul Gravett, "The Best of 2008 - Books About Comics"
• The SF Site, Rick Klaw, "Nexus Graphica: Top Ten Graphic Novel or Comics Related Publications" (#5)
• St. Louis Post-Dispatch, "Best Books of 2008: Graphic Literature"

Sublife Vol. 1 by John Pham
• Jeffrey Brown at The Daily Cross Hatch (#4)
• Comic Book Resources, "Best 100 Comics of 2008" (#72)

Tales Designed to Thrizzle #4 by Michael Kupperman
• Bully Says: Comics Oughta Be Fun! "Fun Fifty of 2008" (#11)
• Rob Clough, "My Top 50 Comics of the Year" (#24)
• Comic Book Resources, "Best 100 Comics of 2008" (#70)
• "Comics Should Be Good: Top Ten Comics of 2008" (#5)
• comiXology, "The Top Ten Comics of 2008" (#8)
• Same Hat! Same Hat! "Best X of Everything 2008: Comics!" (#5)

Things Just Get Away from You by Walt Holcombe
• Mike Carey at the Forbidden Planet blog

Town of Mirrors by Robert Pollard
• KEXP, "2008's Best Books About Popular Music"

Where Demented Wented: The Art and Comics of Rory Hayes
• Rob Clough, "My Top 50 Comics of the Year" (#38)
• Paul Gravett, "The Best of 2008 - Books About Comics"
• Chris Mautner, The Patriot-Ledger, "Moxie Awards: Best Collection of Previously Published Material" (runner-up)
• The Village Voice, "2008's Best Comics, Clip Art, and Pedophilia"
• The Village Voice, "Pulp Fictions: The Best of 2008"

Willie & Joe: The WWII Years by Bill Mauldin
• Rob Clough, "My Top 50 Comics of the Year" (#10)
• Shaenon Garrity at The Daily Cross Hatch (#3)
• The Boston Globe "Out of Line" blog
• Matt Kindt at The Daily Cross Hatch
• Chris Marshall at the Forbidden Planet International Blog (#2)
• Chris Mautner, The Patriot-Ledger, "Moxie Awards: Best Collection of Previously Published Material"
• Bram Meehan, "Top Ten Comics of 2008" (#10)
• Ben Ostrander at The Comics Reporter

• Michael C. Lorah's "Top Eleven: Best of 2008" at Newsarama includes The Education of Hopey Glass by Jaime Hernandez and Deitch's Pictorama by the brothers Deitch

• On Jog's "Twenty 'Hot Ones' from 2008" best-of list: Mome Vol. 12 (#18), Angry Youth Comix #14 by Johnny Ryan (#9), and Ganges #2 by Kevin Huizenga (#7)

• Comic Book Resources' new multi-author blog Robot 6 presents their "favorite comics of 2008," which include Tom Bondurant's choice of Bottomless Belly Button by Dash Shaw; Chris Mautner giving Popeye Vol. 3: "Let's You and Him Fight!" by E.C. Segar the top spot; and Tim O'Shea including The Lagoon by Lilli Carré and Daddy's Girl by Debbie Drechsler

• The Oklahoman's "top 10 periodical comic book series of 2008" places "the comics of Kevin Huizenga" at #4

• In their "Bull Tongue" column for Arthur Magazine, Thurston Moore & Byron Coley check out Town of Mirrors by Robert Pollard and declare it "stunning"

• Newsarama talks to Craig Yoe about Boody Rogers and our upcoming Yoe-edited collection of Rogers's work, Boody: The Bizarre Comics of Boody Rogers

• Comic Book Resources' "Comics Should Be Good" spotlights the comics of Michael "Tales Designed to Thrizzle" Kupperman

• LIT MOB looks at The Lagoon by Lilli Carré

• The Northwest Science Fiction Society takes note of Beasts! Book 2

• The Daily Cross Hatch presents part 2 of their 3-part interview with Bob Fingerman

• Douglas Wolk has started sharing pages from his convention sketchbook; here's Roger Langridge

• Looking for our books in Tokyo? When Comic Books Ruled the Earth recommends Tower Records in Shibuya

• According to Boing Boing, "snoopy" is the 192nd worst password of all time (beating out "buddy" but just behind "chester")

If you're not a bookseller or librarian, skip this post, but the new issue of Booklist is the annual spotlight on graphic fiction, and there's some very useful stuff for those building a core collection of GNs. The issue includes an interview with James Sturm, an "honor roll of female pioneers" in comics, and a look back at a lifetime reading "the Funnies" courtesy columnist Michael Cart. There are a number of top 10 lists, reviews, etc. as well. 

One thing that was particularly gratifying to see was the "Core Collection: Graphic Women" list. Of the 13 books on the list, Fantagraphics published five (including books by Linda Medley, Mary Fleener, Roberta Gregory, Aline Kominsky-Crumb and Carol Tyler). A sixth, La Perdida, was originally published by Fanta in serial form. A seventh, Persepolis, we almost published (long story). An eighth, Summer of Love, was by Debbie Drechsler, whose equally great Daddy's Girl is being republished by Fanta this month. So that was kind of a cool list to see.

Meanwhile, congrats also to Drew Friedman, whose The Fun Never Stops! was named one of the top 10 comics collections/graphic novels of 2007 by Booklist. 

Daddy's Girl
By Debbie Drechsler

Fantagraphics Books is proud to re-release one of the most powerful and moving books in its distinguished publishing history: Debbie Drechsler's first collection of short comic stories, Daddy's Girl. Originally published in 1995 and distributed only to comic book specialty stores, Daddy's Girl was ahead of its time: Drechsler's account of her abuse at the hands of her father, told from the point of view of an adolescent, is one of the most searingly honest, empathetic, and profoundly disturbing uses of the comics medium in its history. Drechsler's meticulous brush lines gather into heavy textures that suggest the claustrophobic tension of the environment that threatens her pre-teen and adolescent female protagonists. Characters such as Lily, who can't escape her father's abuse, and Franny, a girl whose desire to be accepted leads her into dangerous territory, struggle not to be visually and emotionally overwhelmed. Central to this quasi-memoir is Lily's relationship to her father — a confused jumble of fear, trepidation, and love.

88-page b&w/color 8" x 7.5" hardcover $14.95
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