Sweet mercy, I'm finally up to date on Online Commentary & Diversions!

• List: Graphic Novel Reporter names You'll Never Know Book 1: A Good and Decent Man by C. Tyler ("gorgeous... beautifully illustrated") and the Abstract Comics anthology ("a visual experience unlike any other... a magical, wonderful trip") to their list of "The Hottest Graphic Novels of Summer 2009," in the nonfiction category

• List/Review: "Shouldn't we build a monument of some kind to John Benson? He is responsible for some of the best research, compiling and editing of comics history. [Confessions, Romances, Secrets & Temptations] is... full of excellent and sometimes quite eccentric interviews with St. John romance cartoonists and writers. An indispensible peek inside the industry and its characters." - Dan Nadel's "current favorite books about comics history," Comics Comics

• Review: "...Fletcher Hanks comes across as a villainous sort in his own bylined book [You Shall Die by Your Own Evil Creation!] — a vessel of combined artistry and wrath, whose published legacy is as nightmarish as it is brilliant. The art reproductions capture vividly both Hanks’ aggressive drawing style and the garish colors of the original Depression-into-wartime publications." - Michael H. Price, Fort Worth Business Press

• Review: "[Peter Bagge's] Reason features... add up to a splendidly funny-and-angry new book called Everybody Is Stupid Except for Me... Bagge rejects party-line herd-following in order to raise a uniquely sane voice among political cartoonists... [He is] one terrific cartoonist, with a keen constancy of purpose." - Michael H. Price, Fort Worth Business Press

• Preview: "It's no secret why Michael Kupperman is a favorite of Robert Smigel and Conan O'Brien — he's one of the most weirdly funny writers around... Tales Designed to Thrizzle is the dirtiest, funniest comic book to come out in a long time." - New York Magazine presents an exclusive 8-page excerpt from Tales Designed to Thrizzle Vol. 1

• Profile: The Parsons Institute Illustration Department blog Words & Pictures catches up with alum John Kerschbaum

• Events: Say hi to Roger Langridge at Heroes Con this weekend and by all means buy a Fred the Clown book from him

• Things to see: Italian blog Nuvole Parlanti looks at some of the album cover art of Daniel Clowes

• Things to see: A new batch of sketchbook comics from Anders Nilsen; also, congrats to Anders for winning a blue ribbon at the New York Book Fair for his Odyssey book cover illustration