http://www.groundhogchase.com/

Matt Brady over at Newsarama puts up a five-page preview of Rick Spears and Rob G.'s Filler, out from us in March. For Ryan Yount, Augie De Blieck, Jr., and the three other folks I have constant lettering conversations with, you may note that this book will mark the second in-print use of JG's upper-and-lower case AiT font. Can it be long until you can buy it from Comicraft?

Jen Contino at The Pulse interrogates me about upcoming books and, inexplicably, what I think of manga. Perhaps too kindly, she edited out of my response that "I'm not sure I'd agree with the thought that manga has about as much advertisement as indies do. I'm no student of manga; I mean, I've read MAI THE PSYCHIC GIRL and SANCTUARY and AKIRA and EAGLE and the like, and 2001 NIGHTS and PLANETES are particular faves, but I don't follow that subset of comics, as a rule. I read stuff that interests me, no matter the subject or presentation." Also snipped out was me giving TPop some props: "That said, I'm sure that the spectacular TokyoPop free rack display they offered to retailers who made a purchase of product alone qualifies as much more advertisement than any indy graphic novel company could offer." I can't help but think despite some sharp tonal shifts, it still was for the best.

The ad for The Black Diamond (with special guest star Smoke and Guns) is posted up here at Millarworld.

Why is Worf smiling? Why does Captain Picard look like former Sci-Fi Channel VP Rick Austin?



Were I to guess, it's because The Star Trek Logs finally made it into the imdb, officially making my Kevin Bacon rating a serious three from a questionable four. I used to go from Mike Allred, in Chasing Amy with Jason Mewes, who was in Pauly Shore is Dead with Sean Penn, who was in Mystic River with Kevin Bacon. The trouble with that is, that while I've interviewed Mike many times and have talked to him at plenty of cons, I wasn't actually, you know, in anything with him. I bought Astroesque, though, and I always thought that qualified me.

But it's official, now, baby, in that I can go from sharing that quick scene with Marina Sirtis in The Star Trek Logs, who was in Star Trek: Nemesis with J. Patrick McCormack who was in Hollow Man with Kevin Bacon.

Someone alert the Sequential Tarts; I would like to amend my answer to their Kevin Bacon question.

Our friend Warren Ellis instantly put up the new Channel Zero cover, and just as instantly Newsarama linked to it. I love living in the future.

Noted drunkard Jason McNamara interviews John Heebink, artist of "The Bod" and Doll and Creature, over at PopImage.

Brian Domingos says this about Proof of Concept: "Now, I’ve seen the result and it’s better than I imagined... Proof of Concept is a high quality book (check out that glossy paper!) and it has something for everyone. It’s an 'Give it a look and see what you want more of'. If you can’t decide, toss out another vote for 'Emancipating Lincoln' because, Christ, doesn’t the world need more Lincoln clones?"

Dan Coyle: "GIANT ROBOT WARRIORS is a swell, effective satire that announced Moore as a writer to watch, and another feather in AiT/Planet Lar's cap of varied, interesting graphic novels that are the true 'mainstream' of comics."

Johnny B has an advance look at Five Fists of Science, and says: "No, I have no idea what's going on here but I like that octopus suit." How do you not click through on that link? I ask you.

Even Warren Ellis is looking forward to it:

BF: Which fellow creator's work are you dying to read in 2005?

WE: I want to see Matt Fraction and Steven Sanders' FIVE FISTS OF SCIENCE very badly.

That should convince you. Go ahead, click through; it won't hurt.

Randy Lander and Don MacPherson of The Fourth Rail mention Becky in the best Cover Artist category of their favorites of 2004 wrap-up. "Becky Cloonan's Demo covers conveyed the same sort of quiet, reflective tone that characterized each issue of that outstanding series..." and "Every name you mention is also on my list, especially Becky Cloonan for her stark, eye-popping designs on Demo." Don also gives us a shout-out: "Of course, we can't forget AiT/Planet Lar. Demo was an amazing experiment, and they pumped out a nice array of original graphic novel material, for which they are known, and some reprints as well." Thanks, guys!

And a nice bullet in The Washington Post for Couriers 03: The Ballad of Johnny Funwrecker, in-shops February 2:

Rich Johnston reports on my pal Nate Southard's upcoming graphic novel Drive. Completists be aware I wrote the introduction, so that makes the third one after the Uncle Slam trade and the second Battle Pope volume.

With publications like his Making of Astronauts in Trouble, Proof of Concept, and now this, Larry Young seems to be taking a keen interest in playing Toto to our Oz company and pulling back the curtain to reveal the Wizard pushing buttons and turning wheels...and the looks we're getting are very interesting. Just like the title says, this is each of Brian Wood's original scripts for the recently concluded limited series, and to be honest I didn't spend a lot of time re-reading them since I know how they turn out but it is interesting, though, to read his scene and character descriptions and then go refer to how artist Becky Cloonan interpreted them. And speaking of Cloonan, she contributes new single illustrations for each individual script, and they're wonderful, almost worth the price of admission themselves. A-

Scurvy Dogs is amazon.com's Number One book in the Early Adopter Graphic Novel section, which is based on actual pre-orders and not page views:



...and I just heard from BSJ over at Khepri.com that the Demo script book (a non-comic) was his #5 best-selling GN/TPB/HC for 2005's Week 3. Of course you remember we had five of his ten best-sellers of the year last year, too. What is it about AiT/Planet Lar books that they sell so well on the Internet?