We're especially knocked out by Giant Robot's upcoming group exhibition, Power Punch, curated by Fantagraphics' artist Esther Pearl Watson, along with Mark Todd!

Esther and Mark gave all the artists identical 8" X 8" panels to work on, and starting Saturday, April 2nd, you can see what fellow Fantagraphics artists Johnny Ryan, Jeremy Tinder and Jon Vermilyea did with theirs.

Actually, we've got a sneak peek from Johnny right here:

"Hey, Lep! Fuck you, lucky charms!"

Power Punch opens Saturday, April 2nd at GRSF [618 Shrader Street, San Francisco] with a reception from 6:30 - 10:00 pm. The show runs until April 24th.

Here's Cartoon Network's first promo for the Ben Jones-created show The Problem Solverz, debuting in April. Jones's Cold Heat collaborator Jon Vermilyea tweeted about it, and Jon's been working for Cartoon Network, so it's probably safe to assume that Jon's been working on this show, and John Pham's been working there too, so maybe he worked on the show too — don't quote me on that or anything though. (I guess I should contact the guys and ask them...) Anyway it looks super fun and I'm totally going to watch the heck out of it.

UPDATE: I contacted Jon and John and they confirmed that they are both designers on the show!

Today's Online Commentary & Diversions:

• Review: "What Is All This? is a potent, refreshing collection of previously uncollected short stories by Stephen Dixon. Though the music world might label this an 'odds-and-sods' collection, this volume cannot be dismissed so lightly. This? is a book that reminds us fans why we enjoy Dixon’s writing and gives inquiring neophytes an excellent opportunity to sample the kinds of things he has gotten up to over the last five decades." – Darby Dixon, The Quarterly Conversation

• Review: "A la hora de comentar Frank , resulta imprescindible hacer referencia a uno de sus elementos más característicos, que no es otro que el tono surrealista y psicodélico, – incluso psicotrópico o alucinógeno, por momentos – que sale a relucir en cuanto el protagonista interactúa con su entorno. En ese momento, sucede lo imposible y lo inesperado, fruto de la confluencia de 'las incesantes corrientes opuestas de naturaleza y abstracción' que derivan en la mutabilidad absoluta de objetos, animales… y el propio tejido de la realidad – por llamarlo de algún modo –, que se retuerce, cambia y evoluciona de forma sorprendente original y orgánica. Un disfrute para los sentidos, demostración inequívoca de la fecunda imaginación de Woodring..." – David Fernández, Zona Negativa (autotranslation)

• Scene/Profile: At Comics Comics, Frank Santoro talks about his pals John Pham & Jon Vermilyea, their respective bodies of work, hanging out with them in L.A. recently, and prospects in general for the young cartoonist (Photo: Frank & Jon at APE 2009, by yours truly)

Given my job it is strange for me to suggest that you give another publisher your money. But as a comics fan I really want this awesome-sounding project to get the help it needs and I'd be crazy not to plug it: Ryan Standfest's startup Rotland Press + Comicworks is raising needed funds via Kickstarter for the printing of the new comics anthology BLACK EYE: Graphic Transmissions to Cause Ocular Hypertension and jeezum crow, look at that lineup — that's just mind-boggling:

Stéphane Blanquet (France)
Ivan Brunetti (USA- Chicago)
Lilli Carré (USA- Chicago)
Max Clotfelter (USA- Seattle)
Al Columbia (USA)
Ludovic Debeurme (France)
Olivier Deprez (France)
Nikki DeSautelle (USA- Detroit)
Brecht Evens (Belgium)
Andy Gabrysiak (USA- Detroit)
Robert Goodin (USA- Pasadena)
Dav Guedin (France)
Gnot Guedin (France)
Glenn Head (USA- New York City)
Danny Hellman (USA- New York City)
Paul Hornschemeier (USA- Chicago)
Ian Huebert (USA- San Francisco)
Kaz (USA- Los Angeles)
Michael Kupperman (USA- New York City)
Mats!? (USA- Oakland, CA)
Fanny Michaëlis (France)
James Moore (USA- New York City)
Tom Neely (USA- Los Angeles)
Mark Newgarden (USA- New York City)
Paul Nudd (USA- Chicago)
Onsmith (USA- Chicago)
Emelie Östergren (Sweden)
Paul Paetzel (Germany)
David Paleo (Argentina)
Bruno Richard (France)
Martin Rowson (United Kingdom)
Olivier Schrauwen (Belgium)
Stephen Schudlich (USA- Detroit)
Robert Sikoryak (USA- New York City)
Brecht Vandenbroucke (Belgium)
Wouter Vanhaelemeesch (Belgium)
Jon Vermilyea (USA- New York City)

And original essays by:
-Jeet Heer (Canada), on S. Clay Wilson
-Bob Levin (USA- Berkeley, CA), on The Adventures of Phoebe Zeit-Geist by Michael O’Donoghue and Frank Springer
-Ken Parille (USA- Greenville, NC), on humor in the work of Steve Ditko
-Ryan Standfest (USA- Detroit), on Al Feldstein and “sick” humor at E.C. + interview with Al Feldstein

And a text by:
Roland Topor (France), 100 Good Reasons To Kill Myself Right Now, translated into English for the first time by Edward Gauvin

These Giant Robot Post-It Shows are always drool-enducing, but this year's show enduces an even bigger slobbery accumulation because it's curated by the great Esther Pearl Watson, and her equally-rad spouse Mark Todd. 

If you've somehow missed Post-It Shows 1 through 5, basically these shows collect tiny 3X3" masterpieces on a Post-It note from an array of awesome artists.  Each piece is one-of-a-kind, and cash-and-carry, so hit the ATM on the way to GR2, and maybe bring some cardboard to sandwich your Post-It, if you're fussy about those kinds of things. (I am.)  Oh, and did I mention that each Post-It is only $20 BUCKS???  'Cause, yeah.

It's no surprise that Esther and Mark have collected a calvacade of rad comic artists, including our own: Andrice Arp, Jeffrey Brown, Lilli Carre, Martin Cendreda, Dave Cooper, Jordan Crane, John Cuneo, Eleanor Davis, Jaime Hernandez, Jason T Miles, Anders Nilsen, Jeremy Tinder, Jon Vermilyea, and Steven Weissman.  And there's tons of other artists in the show, as you can probably tell from all the fine print in that graphic above.  (Yeah, $20 bucks for an original Matt Groening?? Get there early, folks.)

Here's a sneak peek at some of the post-its from our fine artists:

Post-It Show 6 at GR2 (2062 Sawtelle Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90025) runs from December 11 - January 12, 2011, with an opening reception featuring many of the artists taking place from 6:30 - 10:00 pm this Saturday, December 11.  I mentioned each Post-It was only $20 right? You're welcome.

Jon Vermilyea doing a M.O.D.O.K. story?? That's the cherry on top of the Strange Tales II #2 sundae. Via Comics Alliance, who have the first page of each story in the issue.

Designed by Jordan. Artwork by (top to bottom) Jordan, Johnny, Jon and Lisa. Signed by the artists and The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman. Available online here and at Secret Headquarters in L.A. starting tomorrow. Info via Johnny's blog.

ALTERNATIVE PRESS EXPO 2009 from chris anthony diaz on Vimeo.

From über-fan Chris Diaz comes this all-star montage of clips filmed at last year's Alternative Press Expo, just in time for this year's show! Among others you'll see Dash Shaw, Frank Santoro & Jon Vermilyea showing off Mome Vol. 16 at our table, Esther Pearl Watson & Mark Todd at their Funchicken setup, and our very own expo expert extraordinaire Janice Headley rocking her Jad Fair glasses.

We'll see you in San Francisco in a couple of days! Get all our APE info here.

The new ish of Smoke Signal is out and it is a doozy! With contribs from Peter Bagge (that killer cover), Tim Lane, Gabrielle Bell, Michael Kupperman, Kevin Huizenga, Jon Vermilyea, Nate Neal, Noah Van Sciver, Derek Van Gieson, Martin Cendreda, our own Jason T. Miles, Kaz (back cover) and many more of our faves, this one is a must-get. Pick one up for FREE at Desert Island in Brooklyn, or order one here.

Periodic clips & strips — click for improved/additional viewing at the sources:

• Bleeding Cool uncovers a lost all-ages Roger Langridge rarity

• Here's an auction page where you can zoom in on and pan around a scan of Jaime Hernandez original art from Love and Rockets #9

• This week's Maakies? Maais oui. Tony Millionaire is still posting them on Facebook for the time being while his website is rebuilt

• Read "Time Traveling" from Ganges #1 at What Things Do; also from Kevin Huizenga, a new Amazing Facts and Beyond with Leon Beyond strip and a curtain-lifting homage to something I can't identify

• Matthias Lehmann posts photos of a scratchboard work in progress — stage 1, stage 2

• Jason illustrations for a Norgwegian music magazine and a Norwegian comic shop , plus a cartoon from 1984

• This week's "I, Anonymous" spot and these church doodles from Steven Weissman seem to be thematically related, don't they?

• Jon Adams's Covered version of Batman #8 is pretty creepy when you look closely; also, there's a new Truth Serum

• A couple of ex libris plates by Émile Bravo, plus a metal dwarf bear figurine

• Drew Weing presents the final five pages of Set to Sea; the entire story will remain online through September 10

• The first page of "Di Briganti e di Brigantesse" from Marco Corona 

• The new installment of Tim Lane's Belligerent Piano

• Two new paintings by Jim Blanchard: Leonard Cohen and Danger: Diabolik

• Debbie Drechsler gets birdy and buggy

• It's the continuation of Gabrielle Bell's "San Diego Comic-Con Comicumentary"

• Mark Kalesniko is starting to post the preliminary sketches for his upcoming graphic novel Freeway — the man sure can draw a good AMC Pacer

• From Renee French: nervous Hagelbarger, a narwhal, a ledge, a... horse?, and seaweed

• Steve Brodner documents a NYC stabbing of a Muslim cabbie and, in a video drawing for Capitalnewyork.com, a NY State politician

• From Derek Van Gieson: a new "Devil Doll" sneak peek, hot crustacean jazz, and a Moomin parody; he also has original art and more for sale on Etsy

• Here's the color version of that Smoke Signal story panel from Jon Vermilyea