Conventional wisdom states that cartooning and graphic novels exist in a golden age of creativity, popularity, and critical acceptance. But why? Today, the signal is stronger than ever, but so is the noise. New York Times, Vanity Fair, and Bookforum critic Ben Schwartz assembles the greatest lineup of comics critics the world has yet seen to testify on behalf of this increasingly vital medium. Best American Comics Writing is the first attempt to collate the best criticism to date of the graphic novel boom in a way that contextualizes and codifies one of the most important literary movements of the last 60 years. This collection begins in 2000, the game changing year that Pantheon released the graphic novels Jimmy Corrigan and David Boring. Originally serialized as "alternative" comics, they went on to confirm the critical and commercial viability of graphic literature. Via its various authors, this collection functions as a valuable readers' guide for fans, academics, and librarians, tracing the current comics renaissance from its beginnings and creative growth to the cutting edge of today's artists. This volume includes Daniel Clowes (Ghost World) in conversation with novelist Jonathan Lethem (Fortress of Solitude), Chris Ware, Jonathan Franzen (The Corrections), John Hodgman (The Daily Show, The Areas of My Expertise, The New York Times Book Review), David Hajdu (The 10-Cent Plague), Douglas Wolk (Publishers Weekly, author of the Eisner award-winning Reading Comics), Frank Miller (Sin City and The Spirit film director) in conversation with Will Eisner (The Spirit's creator), Gerard Jones' (Men of Tomorrow), Brian Doherty (author Radicals of Capitalism, This is Burning Man) and critics Ken Parille (Comic Art), Jeet Heer (The National Post), R.C. Harvey (biographer of Milton Caniff), and Donald Phelps (author of the landmark book of comics criticism, Reading the Funnies). Best American Comics Writing also features a cover by nationally known satirist Drew Friedman (The New York Observer, Old Jewish Comedians) in which Friedman asks, "tongue-in-cheek," if cartoonists are the new literati, what must their critics look like?

A few years ago you used to be able to go to Gary Panter’s studio most days at noon and he’d put on a lightshow for you. I did it and have never quite been the same since. He made semi-decipherable posters for these shows, and this is one of them, a visionary blend of type and image. Nobody does it better. Meditate on the cosmic high that is this poster.

American Shit for Brains is a massive, gorgeous offset poster by Brian Chippendale. Enjoy a rare chance to live inside Brian’s cat and comic infested brain.

Brand new and delightful NK 6. Yes, this is the premier book of Euro art noise – there are old and young kooks in here alike. Once again, I love this thing as an heir to ESDS and Bazooka and similarly forward thinking transgressive post punk mags. Here was have 196 pages of art by the likes of CF, Leon Sadler, Pascal Doury, Hendrik Hegray, Frederic Fleury and many others. Great shit.

Paul Gondry’s twisted mini-epic chronicles a rebellion against a dictatorship of the mind! Written and drawn in exquisite black and white, this comic book marks Paul as a talent for the ages. Crazy Town is also the basis of a forthcoming full length animated feature written with Dan Clowes and directed with Michel Gondry.

Joe Bradley has given us Tuff Stuff, PictureBox’s latest newsprint edition. Yes, this conceptual masterpiece by blond and bewildering Bradley is filled with his unique brand of humor and quiet mischief. Drawings, scraps, and ideas galore here.

A new zine from the estimable Jim Drain. Deep in Miami Jim dreamed up the Igloo and then filled it with collages, drawings, writing, and the rest of his brain and heart. This one’s a real killer.

This gorgeous limited edition version of Taylor’s masterpiece features new original drawings collaged onto the cover, each creating a new composition and adding new dimensions to Good Life.

As the song goes, “Simply the best!” A masterpiece of Cold Heat mythology by Jim (Street Angel) Rugg and Frank Santoro. Rugg takes Castle on a trip into the pastoral bad-trip-lands for 16 glorious pages. This is the one, true believers!

This twelve-issue, semi-monthly comic book by artists Ben Jones (Paper Rad) and Frank Santoro (Chimera, Storeyville) is a unique collaboration, applying Jones’s surreal, biting prose to Santoro’s elegant yet dynamic renderings. The result is an action comic like no other. Over the course of twelve monthly issues, Castle, the 18 year old hero of the story, embarks on a life altering adventure through Prozac, corporate rock, globalization, and, of course, sex. Along the way she meets Howard Stern, Barry McGee, and a well-preserved Adolf Hitler. “What I imagine some could think is the worst comic book ever and others like me feel is simply a compelling, straight-forward thriller drawn with audacious flair by Frank Santoro.”–Comics Reporter “A comic that feels like a cable from a world where the only thing that exists is a dimly lit bedroom in which you’re wearing ripped jeans and you just keep listening to and rewinding “Teenage Riot” over and over again. Outstanding”–The Comics Journal

Comics Comics is back! Our massive, hysterically large magazine about comics returns to destroy you. Savagely, dare I say, brilliantly designed by Mike Reddy and brutally edited by Tim Hodler, it promises to blow your mind. Herewith the contents: * A cover story and interview with the mysterious Shaky Kane * A package on legendary Topps man (and not-so-secret comics guru) Woody Gelman, drawing on research from Patrick Rosenkranz and featuring Art Spiegelman * An editorial on the declining profile of traditional comic books by Sammy Harkham * Giant comics and illustrations from Dan Zettwoch, Mike Reddy, and Jon Vermilyea * Brian Chippendale on all the latest superhero comics * Joe “Jog” McCulloch on Gerald Jablonski * Aragones-style marginal comics from PShaw! * An exploration of Kentaro Miura’s totally bonkers manga Berserk * A list from an anonymous but highly regarded cartoonist * Contributions from Eamon Espey and Benjamin Marra * ogden whitney, * nadel, * frank santoro, * dan zettwoch, * jablonski, * pshaw, * mike reddy, * jog, * sammy harkham, * gelman, * benjamine marra, * brian chippendale, * berserk, * hodler, * shaky kane, * eamon espey