Buckle in: 

• Review: The Beat says "You should be reading Rocky"

• Profile: Shameless looks at the collaborative comics of Ellen Forney

• Analysis: Vibrational Match finds Jack Kirby parallels in Gilbert Hernandez's XXX comic Birdland

• Interview: The Daily Cross Hatch posts the second of their three-part chat with Lilli Carré

• Blurbs: At Robot 6, Chris Mautner and Richard Thompson (Cul de Sac) both declare that they're currently reading recent volumes of The Complete Peanuts

• Birthday: On the Jim Flora blog, Irwin Chusid commemorates the 95th anniversary of Flora's birth yesterday

• Birthday: Relatedly, The Comics Reporter notes Jules Feiffer's 80th birthday today

• Things to see: It appears that Michael Kupperman has a new blog under construction; the Internet might be about to get measurably funnier 

• Things to see: This slideshow of photos by Lou Siroy at FOTO8 is accompanied by an introductory essay by Alexander Theroux

• Things to see: More sketchbook pages (a.k.a. "Doodle Dump") from Tom Kaczynski

• Things to see: More Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu-themed desktop wallpaper from Ellen Forney

• Things to see: Rare vintage animation by Hank Ketcham (via The Daily Cartoonist)

• Things to see: A new book cover illustration by Anders Nilsen

Here's the world premiere of Seth's cover design for The Complete Peanuts 1973-1974, this Fall's volume in the series. This is a preliminary version; the final printed version will likely have minor changes. If you'd been wondering (like I had) how Seth was going to handle the scale issue for the Woodstock cover, here's his beautiful solution. And watch out: the 1971-1972 volume (with Sally on the cover) is looking like it will arrive earlier than expected!

Must Read: The New York Times looks at the "Schulz's Beethoven: Schroeder's Muse" exhibit currently on view (and listen) at the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center. (Grateful thanks to tipster Paul Hornschemeier.)

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")

• Parka Blogs talks about the Beasts! Print Show

• Iconoctlán reviews Sublife Vol. 1 by John Pham (Google translation)

• MEGATONik looks at Popeye Vol. 2: "Well Blow Me Down!" by E.C. Segar

• Comics & Graphic Novels features The Complete Peanuts 1963-1966 Box Set

• Sean T. Collins examines The Mystery of Woolverine Woo-Bait by Joe Coleman

• Newsarama noted Jack Cole's birthday last week by recommending some books of his work, including ours

• Newsarama also previews You Shall Die by Your Own Evil Creation!, our next collection of the comics of Fletcher Hanks (coming next year)

• Les Lectures de Raymond examines the French edition of Paul Hornschemeier's The Three Paradoxes (Google translation)

• Look for mentions of Bottomless Belly Button by Dash Shaw, Love and Rockets: New Stories #1 by the Hernandez Brothers, Strange and Stranger: The World of Steve Ditko by Blake Bell, and a couple more of our books in The Comics Reporter's "Five for Friday: Remembering 2008" reader-response post

• Similarly, there's a lot of our titles (too many to list here) on The Daily Cross Hatch's "The Best Damned Comics of 2008 Chosen By The Artists"

• I Love Rob Liefeld reviews The Lagoon by Lilli Carré

• Comic Book Resources' "Comics Should Be Good" places Tales Designed to Thrizzle #4 by Michael Kupperman and Ganges #2 by Kevin Huizenga at the #5 and #4 positions, respectively, on their "Top Ten Comics of 2008"

• They also mention Ellen Forney and Man of Rock: A Biography of Joe Kubert by Bill Schelly on a list of "Top Ten Moments of Comic-Related Happiness in 2008"

• Steven Stwalley features Tom Kaczynski and praises Mome

• Bram Meehan puts this year's two major Bill Mauldin releases, our collection Willie & Joe: The WWII Years and Todd DePastino's biography A Life Up Front, in a shared #10 position on his "Top Ten Comics of 2008" (via TCR)

• The Oklahoman, which published Mauldin's early cartoons, looks at Willie & Joe: The WWII Years

• The A.V. Club gives straight As (two As and an A-) to The Compete Peanuts 1969-1970 by Charles M. Schulz, Ghost World: Special Edition by Daniel Clowes, and Sublife Vol. 1 by John Pham

• This 2005 interview with Charles Burns and Chris Ware was found and blogged by Paul Hornschemeier

• The Boston Globe "Out of Line" blog thinks that Willie & Joe: The WWII Years by Bill Mauldin belongs on more end-of-year Best-of lists

• Sean T. Collins on the unhinged beauty of I Shall Destroy All the Civlized Planets! by Fletcher Hanks

• Johnny Bacardi puts Love and Rockets: New Stories #1 on his Top 10 of 2008 list

• Little Nemo's Kat examines The Comic Strip Art of Lyonel Feininger (en Español; Google translation)

• Spurious writes an ode to Ivan Brunetti

• Austin English puts 20 questions to Zak Sally

• Those Fabuleous 50's presents a run of Sunday strips omitted from our collection of Jack Cole's Betsy and Me

• "They'd make great Christmas presents," says The Stranger of the Beasts! books

• ...nurgh... looks back at the Golden Age with the help of Jules Feiffer's The Great Comic Book Heroes

• The Philadelphia Inquirer recommends The Complete Peanuts 1967-1970 box set for holiday gift giving

• Seattlest suggests hitting the adults-only section of our Georgetown store for your holiday shopping

• CuatroTipos looks at the reality-based comics of Joe Sacco (en Español; Google translation)

• Post-It pugilism by Steven Weissman, animated by Chris Diaz

• Drawn! names Ray Fenwick's Hall of Best Knowledge one of their Favourite Comics and Art Books of 2008

• Boing Boing spotlights Paul Di Filippo and Jim Woodring's Cosmocopia (you may remember the release party at our bookstore, where you can still purchase copies)

• Venus Zine falls in love with The Lagoon by Lilli Carré

• The Vancouver Courier reviews Bottomless Belly Button by Dash Shaw

• This much-discussed article by Steven Grant at Comic Book Resources has some nice things to say about Explainers by Jules Feiffer and Willie & Joe: The WWII Years by Bill Mauldin (and our own Eric Reynolds)

• Sequart's issue-by-issue examination of Love and Rockets Vol. I continues with #37 (link not working at press time, but maybe you'll have better luck)

• The Last Visible Blog reviews Abandoned Cars by Tim Lane (and check the "Other Articles of Interest" for more reviews of our books)

• Cover Browser names Daniel Clowes' Eightball one of "10 Comic Books that Changed the Industry (Or Just Look Darn Cool)"

• Time magazine names Bob Staake's post-Obama-victory New Yorker cover the Top Magazine Cover of 2008

• In The Village Voice, our old pal Everett True, inspired by The Complete Peanuts, imagines Charlie Brown and the gang grown up to become indie rock fans

The 2008 Best-Of lists are rolling in fast and furious:

• Bookmunch goes Fanta-crazy this week with reviews of Bottomless Belly Button by Dash Shaw ("graphic novel of the year"), Funeral of the Heart by Leah Hayes ("dazzling") and Abandoned Cars by Tim Lane ("spirited")

• The Independent counts the Love and Rockets reprints Perla La Loca, Beyond Palomar and Amor Y Cohetes among the best comics of the year

• Critic and commentator Alan David Doane names The Education of Hopey Glass by Jaime Hernandez his Graphic Novel of the Year; Abandoned Cars by Tim Lane is his Debut of the Year; Ghost World: Special Edition by Daniel Clowes is his Reissue of the Year; Strange and Stranger: The World of Steve Ditko by Blake Bell is tied for Comic Art Book of the Year; and 4 more of our titles are Other 2008 Titles of Note

• New York Magazine names Bottomless Belly Button the #2 Graphic Novel of 2008, saying "Shaw's dysfunctional-family epic is so funny and engrossing we'd expect Oprah to pick it, but for all the graphic frog sex"

• The Globe and Mail recommends Strange and Stranger: The World of Steve Ditko for holiday gift-giving

• From Steven Stwalley, here's photos of the "Hot Ink: Comic Art" show at the Minnesota Museum of American Art (mmaa.org) that includes Zak Sally and Tom Kaczynski among others

• In this video from Comicology.tv, Mort Walker talks about the history of the International Museum of Cartoon Art (look for our collection of Walker's Sam's Strip early next year)

• Publishers Weekly talks to Lilli Carré about The Lagoon

• PW also presents a 10-page excerpt from Anders Nilsen's soon-to-arrive Monologues for Calculating the Density of Black Holes

• Wall Street Journal book critic and Laura Warholic novelist Alexander Theroux weighs in on The Paris Review Interviews, Vol. III

• The Beat goes digging through back issues of The Comics Journal, finds gold