Coming this May:

"That is, we're not killing trees just to get market share; we're publishing books that we think will make our retailing partners money every day, every week, every year, forever."

That one's from a great interview Tim O'Shea did with me that just went up on The Great Curve. I sure am enjoying that site, except for one little thing: everyone over there insists on addressing me as "Mr. Young." This drives me bananas, and I'll tell you why: I'm just a dude who likes comics, like everyone else. So, yeah, maybe I like comics so much I have to make my own, and I think the comics my friends and I make are the best comics in human history* but, when you come down to it, I'm just the World's Biggest Comics Fan.

Now, I understand those TGC cats are trying to be respectful because I am A Writer and A Publisher and "A Genius with the IP"** and all, but here's where I split with the flabbermouths who whine that I shouldn't be interacting with people on message boards, and who say that I should be ashamed of myself because I don't think Gail Simone's comics are really all that funny, or I should be "nicer" to "fellow professionals" because they didn't like that I said that I could draw better than them and I can't draw... here's where I split with that thinking, because I'm not part of the media elite or the power brokers or whatever.

I'm just a dude who likes comics. I like comics so much I have to make my own. And I'm not going to stop talking about comics and giving interviews about comics and teaching kids about how comics are made at libraries and all because I'm not going to ever be sitting in a four-color tower. I'm always going to be interacting instead of pronouncing, because I'm one of those guys who likes the walking of the walk much more than the talking of the talk. Not to mention that the best way to avoid what Jon Carroll calls "faulty assumptions and flawed reasoning" is to talk to the guy who drives the car and not the engineer, you know? I know too many folks in comics who suffer career setbacks simply because they're not paying attention.

So, me? You'll be seeing me on message boards and comment sections and on the news sites and on your local shops shelves. Because I'm just a dude who likes comics. I like comics so much I have to make my own.

*a little joke for Dan Shahin from yesterday.
**actually said to me in a meeting, once

Larry, you are the most Scotch drinkin'-est person we know... --Lucian Beebe and Jane Pak

Bill Sherman, he of the Pop Culture Gadabout, reviews White Death and ends his examination with "I sure feel dumb for having taken so long to read this book..." I feel obligated to let Bill know that this is why our books are always in print: every one is a evergreen performer. So there's nothing to feel bad about. Read all you want; we'll make more.

My pal Matt Brady, over at Newsarama, has a massive excerpt of Couriers 03: The Ballad of Johnny Funwrecker. This allows me to remind you that it's in stores today.

Speaking of Couriers: "The kid heroes are bound by nothing, not society nor good taste, and their only limits are those on their own excellence, which is to say none... It’s utterly unpretentious, and dedicated to entertainment. It’s infectious in its imagination, and doesn’t claim to have a message for the reader."

I may have to change "Making Comics Better" to "Utterly Unpretentious and Dedicated to Entertainment" to put a finer point on things for the less observant in the Peanut Gallery.

Bri Wood forwarded over a link for Neil Gorman's Comicology Podcast where he talks a lot about Brian and Becky and Demo. I love these podcast things, and Neil's no-nonsense delivery has rapidly become one of my favorites.

Speaking of podcasts, you all know web-based comic review legend Augie De Blieck, Jr. has one, too, yeah? Aug also reviews Couriers 03: "The speed lines, the sound effects, and the illusion of motion all come together to do best what needs doing in this book -- unbelievable action... Couriers 03 is a welcome addition to the series, bringing us back to its roots and never settling down. No matter what you think of the book, you'll have to admit that it's never boring. There's not a page that doesn't sparkle in some small way. All that remains now is the countdown to COURIERS 04. Is that too much to hope for?"

Erin Schadt, The Comic Queen, names The Tourist as her Pick of the Month for the shipping-April Previews.

...and because the universe revolves around Planet Lar, The Law of Conservation of Synchronicity demands that you should be able to get more information about The Tourist somewhere else on the Internet. Allow me to point you to this interview with Bri Wood on Newsarama, may I?

Speaking of Brian Wood, you can meet him tomorrow at Hijinx Comics Downtown in San Jose from noon until 5:30 or so.

"Every time I witness a scene of intense urban carnage in this book that is causally shrugged off by the witnesses because, hey, it's New York and that sort of thing happens, I crack up."

Lots of larry-love from Shane Bailey, today, mentioning Filler and the Scurv.

"These Couriers stories work best if you turn off your brain and don't think about them very hard."

Randy Lander over at The Fourth Rail gives Couriers 03: The Ballad of Johnny Funwrecker a 9/10 with such choice morsels as "There are some stylistic touches to The Couriers that I really got a big kick out of in this particular volume as well... The little RPG reference to 'stats' during training cracked me up, and I liked that there was a little easter egg for fans of Couscous Express who catch a certain little girl peeking out behind the counter at her future boyfriend." and "The Couriers is pretty impressive in that it contains untold inside jokes for the faithful, but is still a remarkably accessible read for those who have never read it before."

Manolis Vamvounis sends word over that he's selected Demo as the Number One Indie Book of the Year. "It doesn’t occur often to me, to find a comic book that I want to read and re-read until the pages fall apart. Demo is such a book." and "Becky Cloonan impressed me with each project by showing how truly versatile she is, adapting her pencilling and inking style to fit the mood of each story, changing from wild broad strokes to smooth manga curves and refined bold lines."

Carbonated Ink digs on the new CZ cover, pointed out to you amongst this great blogosphereiverse of ours. Denizens will note appearances elsewhere, of course, since we attempt to let everyone know. CI says: "Every time I re-read it, it moves me even more. It gives me ideas. It makes me pissed. I want to do stuff, hack radiowave transmissions, whatever. This urge doesn’t go away easily."

"I applaud AiT/Planet Lar for their continued commitment to diversity."

Laura Gjovaag on the Demo scriptbook: "As usual, AiT/Planet Lar comes through with an unexpected compliment to the series. Demo, as many of you know, stands alone quite well. In fact, pretty much each issue stands alone just fine. I didn't think this book could improve on the series at all. I'm happy to report that I was wrong."

The ordinarily even-keeled Tom Spurgeon goes nuts with praise with his review of the Demo scriptbook: "The Demo Scriptbook is fine model for a very dialogue-oriented method to comics writing, and is something every starting-out comic book writer should track down and consider purchasing. "

H over at the Comic Treadmill seemed to dig on the Couriers 03 : "Notwithstanding the same character type for protagonists, this couldn’t be more different than Demo. Wood cuts loose and clearly had a blast writing this violent black comedy. Who knew he had it in him? Demo was serious business. This is all fun. Both are good reads. Demo has the stories that stick with you longer. But Couriers kept me grinning from Funwrecker’s first appearance on the scene through the final panel. A thoroughly enjoyable romp."

I know Bri and Rob G're my pals and I personally killed the trees to put this one in your hands, and all, but "Comedy in a modern comic book is always a tricky business to write and black comedy is even trickier, but Wood pulls it off ..." is a review I would write of this one, too, and that's a fact.

Sean Maher digs on an advance copy of Couriers 03. I may drop off a CCX poster for him over at the Isotope for singing the song.