Past, present and future in today's Online Commentary & Diversions:

• List: Library Journal picks "Trina Robbins’s glam grab bag of Nell Brinkley serials," The Brinkley Girls: The Best of Nell Brinkley’s Cartoons from 1913–1940, as the best reprint on their Best Graphic Novels 2009 list

•List: Thanks to Zack Soto for naming West Coast Blues by Tardi & Manchette, Prison Pit: Book 1 by Johnny Ryan, and Pim & Francie by Al Columbia amongst his Favorite Books of 2009 (via)

• Review: "Imagine then what yesterday — or today's — right wingers would say about The Great Anti-War Cartoons... Sadly... what these cartoons have made us 'see' is how little things have changed 'round the planet, or within our species. ... And while being the spark for various brilliant cartoons over the decades doesn't justify the institutional addiction to war (or its always-looming threat), these cartoons can at least provide some solace. Or good fallout shelter reading." – Mark London Williams, The SF Site: Nexus Graphica

• Review: "Jaime Hernandez’s side of the Love and Rockets anthology may have started in a world of futuristic fantasy, but [The Girl from H.O.P.P.E.R.S.] is the volume where he finds his feet and hits a groove. ... Jaime’s illustration is beautiful and effortless. His characters mix a near perfect clear-line style with cartoonish expression, used with particular aplomb when emotions are running high. It’s a masterclass in comic illustration." – Grovel

• Review: "The illustrations [in Holy Moly] are so odd and random I burst out laughing at almost every page!" – Pop Culture Junkie

• Plug: Library Journal features May 2010's Artichoke Tales by Megan Kelso in their inaugural Graphic Novels Prepub Alert: "A coming-of-age story about a young girl from a family caught between sides in a civil war, set in a world similar to ours but where people have artichoke leaves instead of hair. ... Its delicate, rather impish black-and-white line work comes from the creator of the subtle and poignant Squirrel Mother."

• Things to see: Stills from Lilli Carré's new animation in progress

• Things to see: Another great duck cover cover by Robert Goodin

• Things to see: Richard Sala posts scans of his 1990s illustrations for Seventeen and Sassy magazines etc.... Teen Girl Squad!

• Foreign Relations: Citizen reporter Mat Probasco of Allvoices approaches our own Jason T. Miles for expert analysis on the Hong Kong government's attempt to use comics to spur youth involvement