Half by accident, I realized my manga reading this week included four shojo books – for girls – but that none of them were about dating, boys, or relationships. That’s probably not as unlikely as I think it is, but it’s my theme for the week, and I’m running with it. (Think of it as a nod to Alison Bechdel’s Movie Rule.)

Sunshine Sketch, Vol. 1
By Ume Aoki
Yen Press, June 2008, $10.99

Sunshine Sketch is mostly in 4-panel style, though it doesn’t seem to be primarily a gag strip. (Or, at least, if there were supposed to be jokes in each strip, most of them sailed over my head.) The beginning of each section is generally in a more standard page layout, though – and there’s an eight-page color section in the front, for any readers who need to ease into black and white slowly, like a cold pool.

Yuno is a first-year high school student, moving into an apartment complex near her prestigious arts-focused school and quickly becoming friends with her three housemates: Miya, Sae, and Hiro. (And once again I have to wonder – is it really common in Japan for thirteen and fourteen-year-olds to live on their own in apartments when they go to high school? Or is this an accepted fictional trope, something that happens a little bit in life – like a few Americans go to elite boarding schools like Choate – but happens a lot more in fiction?)

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When I spoke with Goats creator Jon Rosenberg a month ago, he hinted at big things in store for his long-running webcomic that may or may not involve lasers, contracts and lawn care professionals.

Well, the news broke today, and despite a conspicuous absence of lasers and lawn care, there is indeed a contract at the heart of Rosenberg’s big announcement. Rosenberg tells ComicMix that Random House imprint Villard will be publishing collections of the color strips of the series (everything from late-2003 until the current storyline) in a set of 150-page volumes. He expects to have the first volume ready for San Diego’s Comic-Con International next year, with two more volumes following in six-month intervals.

From the official press release:

Villard Books will publish the recently completed Goats story arc, The Infinite Pendergast Cycle, as a trilogy —in the style of the great sci-fi sagas Goats so affectionately parodies. Each trade paperback volume will be full color and published at six-month intervals. The first volume, Goats: Infinite Typewriters, set for July 2009, will include newly revised and created material intended to introduce new readers to the colossal and complex Goats universe—and set up the audience for the rest of the epic. Book 1 will cover material published on the Goats website from December 2003 to January 2006. The second book, Goats: The Corndog Imperative, scheduled for a November 2009 release, covers January 06 to March 2007. And the third book, Goats: Showcase Showdown, due out in April 2010, covers March 07 to April 08.

I spoke with Rosenberg about the publishing deal and what it means for one of the ‘Net’s longest-running webcomics.

COMICMIX: So how did this deal come about, Jon? Who approached who?

JON ROSENBERG: My agent, Judy Hansen, made everything happen. I called her up one day and she said, "Hold on, I’m going to call up Random House and get you a book deal." And I waited on hold for a bit and when she got back on, it was all taken care of.

I’m beginning to suspect that Judy has some supernatural abilities, it has been an amazing education watching her bend reality to her will as she works.

CMix: What can you tell us about the specifics of the deal? Do you receive anything on a per-book basis, or was this a flat-rate arrangement?

JR: This is a standard book-type deal as far as I understand, with a royalty rate and an advance paid on those royalties and that sort of thing. It’s a nice deal, I’m not going to retire early on it or anything but I’m quite happy with the terms. (more…)

I wear Bat-Man and Spider-Man cuff links. I have dozens of watches that feature comic book characters. I’ve worn a Bat-Man tee shirt with an Armani Suit to a gallery opening. Hell, on occasion I still wear my Bat-Man sneakers I was given by Paul Levitz in 1989.

I hate to fly; I stay up all night before my flight so I’m knocked out asleep on the plane. If I can’t get to sleep I will take out some comics and read them until I get sleepy. On more than one occasion I have gotten looks from those sitting next to me that clearly showed me their disgust. Those I let go, too small throw it back.

Once a lady asked me “Why are you reading those silly books? You are a grown man; you should be ashamed.” I took out my calling card and presented it to her. My cards are doubled sided. One side says “Michael Davis, Ph.D;” the other side says M.O.T.U. and has my contact information on it. The lady asked me what M.O.T.U stood for. “Master Of The Universe,” I told her. She told me that was silly as well. She then flipped the card over and saw the Ph.D. Her face dropped. She said “Now that’s impressive.” I told her “No, what’s impressive is I learned to read by reading comic books and also learned not to judge others by my own stupid prejudices.”

She left me alone.

Yes, I’m a grown man with a Ph.D. That does not make me smarter than anyone, it simply means I’ve accomplished something of note in my life. No degree can instill in you the common decency not to impugn someone’s right to read whatever he or she wants. Hell, I should have whipped out some porn just to drill that point in deeper.

For over twenty years I’ve been talking about American comic creators and publishers standing up and taking the respect we deserve as an industry. Some of us do, and Frank Miller, Steve Geppi, Kevin Eastman, Mike Richardson, Scott McCloud and Peter David are a few that come to mind. Of course the greatest champion of comics as a TRUE AMERICAN art form was and will probably always be Will Eisner. However, these and other notable folk does not a movement make. I think what is called for is an industry wide movement to draw attention to the power and influence of comics in this nation.

I’m going to start by tearing up my American Express card. They have really pissed me off. (more…)