Matt Maxwell examines publisher identities (or lack there of), but gets ours pretty well: "I've a far better idea of what AiT/Planet Lar does: "HBO on paper," comes to mind, and I think that's a quote."

Larry again at work. He sure doesn't have any trouble reinforcing the company message. AiT/Planet Lar: The HBO of Comics.

Say it three times, baby.

****

Comics Should Be Good takes a look at what's getting dropped from thier pull list this year. They kill Batman, Spider-Man, and even Infinite Crisis, but not Tom Beland.

"Tom Beland's True Story Swear To God is one of the best books out there today. Period. No way am I giving that one up."

Greg Hatcher also names Tom as best Artist of 2005. Nice work, Tom!

****

"Becky Cloonan's art is very versatile, she can do straight and superheroic (a bit remeniscent of John Romita, Jr.) as well as dark and moody or manga inspired."

****

-- The Man Called Josh

When the cat's away, The Left Hand of Space will play



There's a book out today called Graphic Novels: Stories to Change Your Life. If you take a gander on page 23 you'll see that Astronauts in Trouble makes it in... but by Trondheim & Larcenet. I'm sure they meant Astronauts of the Future, but we're happy to be mentioned. Nothing like mindshare to put a spring in your step. We like to think AiT changed our lives...


****

Ninjapirate... The Movie!

****

Dave Carter over at Yet Another Comics Blog gives the love to Smoke and Guns artist Fabio Moon, as one of his favorite artists of 2005.

****



Logan Polk serves up some serious praise in a review of the Demo collection over at Comic Book Galaxy.

"That Becky Cloonan is able to make each story feel stylistically different is a huge testament to her skills as an artist. It's easy to look at the art and tell that it was all done by the same person, but once you begin reading the stories little nuances of different genres begin to pop up. The flexible nature of her art is in some cases as interesting as the stories themselves."

****

Ninja Pirates, praise, and pretenders to the throne aside, I'll be spending the rest of the day at my other job. So if I don't answer any of your emails right away, it's because the red phone is flashing and I must answer the call of duty. I'll sneak back for a little more Internet action later on. Until then, go forth and get new comics! New Jonah Hex, Doc Frankenstein, and Punisher are out...

--Josh

Greetings fellow comic fans!

AiT Creative Exec Josh Richardson here, starting my first day with the reigns of our Internet juggernaut. Updates should occur at around the same pace that Larry does them, but occasionally there will be a more personal post or two from yours truly. Because sometimes you need that little extra something, a little je ne sais quoi. Sometimes you have to turn it up to eleven.

Oh, and if you need to contact me, just toss an email to josh@ait-planetlar.com

****

Master of Ruin, Mike Sterling, links to Ken Lowery's first new point of discussion of the year. Ken spills the beans about Marc Bernardin spilling the beans on his new project.

"I've subscribed to Entertainment Weekly for, I think, five years now. (Some people would say this is reason enough to write me off out of hand; their opinion is appreciated even as I wipe my ass with it.) So it was with some interest that I found the blog of editor Marc Bernardin and, even beyond that, a blurb for a proposal of something called Monster Attack Network.

I will read your Alan Moores, your James Kochalkas, your Will Eisners, your Harvey Pekars. I appreciate what they bring. I appreciate their individual elevations of the art.

But that shit right there is why I read comics."

And that shit right there is why we love Making Comics Better.

****

A quick shout out to Chris Brown. Chris chose both Full Moon Fever and Scurvy Dogs among his top 10 of 2005. You sir, are awesome.

All right; listen up.

I have two things that need to be done, right now, and I have less than a month to do them. I can hit that, no question, but I can't do the business and do these two projects, too. So if you have something to say, say it to Mimi or Josh, unless you're one of the folks I'm dealing with on these two things. BizDev is Mimi, as usual, and creative exec Josh Richardson will handle production questions and the company Daily Update, here.

They'll know how to get in touch with me if you have a Real Comic Book Emergency™, but otherwise I'm at the desk and in my head until Groundhog Day.

Your mother and I are trusting you; no parties in the house while we're gone, and in bed by ten, mister.

+++++

Brian Domingos rocks your world with: "Sky Ape: King of Girls is my most anticipated book of March. Hell, it's the most anticipated book of 2006. Everyone's favorite gorilla with a jetpack, Kirk Madge, the Sky Ape, is back in his first new adventure in what feels like decades. When I spoke to co-writer Tim McCarney last summer, he said:

All I can tell you is that it concerns a league of debonair gentlemen who teach dweebs and myriad IT personnel the secrets to wooing females. Then all hell breaks loose. And the Minotaur and Ben Folds are in it.

Sounds good to me. The art style has changed a bit this time around. Richard Jenkins has adapted a more 'Manga/Super Friends cartoon hybrid' and judging by the cover, it's looking fantastic. I so can't wait for this. God Bless Larry Young for letting Amara, McCarney, Russo and Jenkins go crazy all over again."

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Adam Freeman (the producer, not the comics retailer, which caused some momentary confusion at Chateau Lar earlier this year, it did) has himself also set us up the blog. And this guy can write.

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The Battle For Ian Brill's Soul

Attention, Internet: Ian Brill is a friend of mine, and I won't let him go so easily. We don't need another Dirk Deppey; we need another Graeme McMillan.

Come back to us, Ian.

Marc Bernardin has finally dove in the deep end and has opened himself up a blog. You'll all be reading this one, oh, yes.

+++++

Jason Richards, proprietor and head cheese of Riot! Comics + Culture blogs the news that Scurvy Dogs is one of his top ten trades of the year. He adds the caveat that Riot! has only been open twenty weeks, but I'd say when a retailer gets behind a book, he gets behind a book. Thanks, Jason!

Bill Sherman, that Popculture Gadabout, has up his Top Ten list of the year, in which we take four spots, Tokyopop two, and with ADV, DC, Fantagraphics, and Ross Richie's Boom! all getting a seat at the table. Bill gave the nod to Demo, True Story, Colonia, and Scurvy Dogs. Thanks, Bill!