*2008 was a fantastic year for comics and graphic novels, with so much good stuff coming out that it might have seemed a bit overwhelming. Fortunately for you, we’ve assembled an all-star collection of cartoonists and critics to give you their picks for the best material to come out last year. In addition, we’ve also interviewed five creators who excelled in 2008: What It Is author Lynda Barry, All Star Superman artist Frank Quitely, Bottomless Belly Button creator Dash Shaw, Atlanta Journal-Constitution editorial cartoonist Mike Luckovich and The Ten-Cent Plague author David Hajdu!
Plus: a generous comics section spotlighting some of the best new cartoonists to emerge from the Finland comics scene; Noah Van Sciver’s cartoon interview with humorist Johnny Ryan; Matthias Wivel on Eurocomics in 2008; Tim Kreider on two recent books by and about legendary cartoonist Bill Mauldin; Noah Berlatsky on Garfield, and much more!
As always, we’ve got excerpts from the magazine to whet your appetite: Here are selections from our interviews with Lynda Barry, Frank Quitely, Dash Shaw and David Hajdu, and an excerpt from Tim Kreider’s look at Bill Mauldin. Finally, as a special website extra, we’ve got Rob Clough’s recommendations for ten great minicomics from 2008!
The Comics Journal — ringing in the new year with one eye on the past, one eye on the future and both hands on the steering wheel. Don’t miss it!
*Source: fantagraphics.com