I've been attending San Diego Comic-Con pretty much every year for more years than I care to count. Before becoming editor of GNR, I lived in San Diego, so it was always easy to head downtown for the show and see what was new and exciting in the world of comic books. As editor of Pages magazine, I even got to cover it from the book-publishing point of view way back when, which was fun. But this year, I'll be attending in two wildly fun and new ways (for me, anyway). First, I was an Eisner judge, so attending the awards will be vastly different than in years past (and I have to say, I can't wait to see how the awards turn out. Knowing how much work went into the selection, I'm really looking forward to hearing the winners announced). Second, I'll be moderating a panel this year entitled "Comics in Libraries," taking place on Saturday at 11 a.m. in Room 8 --- see my blog post below for more information on it).

Speaking of San Diego and my past life editing a magazine about books: Years ago, I got to meet and interview Dean Koontz when he had just released Fear Nothing. I drove up to Los Angeles to interview him after a book signing he was doing at a store there, and he told a hilarious story about why he doesn't fly anymore (the last time he had flown on an airplane, there had been some unexpected problems and he knew he'd had enough when the nun next to him screamed, "We're all going to die!" They didn't, of course, but Dean said he was done with flying from that point on.). Anyway, things seemed to come full circle when Dynamite announced it was doing adaptations of not only Fear Nothing but also Koontz's Frankenstein series, and I knew it would be fun to talk to him again for GNR. This time, I wasn't close enough to drive to L.A., but Koontz was kind enough to answer my questions via email. Check out his interview, online now.

We have more interviews this time out, too, and they're sure to be of interest to you. Anyone alive during the 2008 election no doubt remembers the name of Bill Ayers. What you may not realize, though, is that he actually has a connection to comics --- a big one, in fact, in the form of To Teach: The Journey, in Comics. Our good friend Katie Monnin interviewed him about the book and comics, and I think you'll find it fascinating.

Anne Elizabeth is a popular writer and columnist who is tackling comics. She's just starting a new series, with a first book called Pulse of Power. It's a lot of fun, and so is Anne's take on comics and girl power.

Finally, A. David Lewis was behind one of my favorite books of last year, Some New Kind of Slaughter. Now, he and artist Matt Roscetti have teamed up for an online comic series about baseball. What's more summery than a comic series about baseball? I interviewed both Dave and Matt to talk about their new work. It seemed to tie in perfectly to our summer theme at GNR: After all, we've just recently unveiled our picks for the Hottest Graphic Novels of Summer, so we're all in the summer mindset around here.

Before I forget, I also want to mention that the latest installment of our Core Graphic Novels list is now online. This time, we've done the kids' market, providing lists of the essential children's graphic novels that any bookseller should be carrying. A daunting task? You bet, but it was also a lot of fun. See if you agree with our choices and, as always, let me know where you don't agree. I'm hoping to compile a list of mea culpas and reader suggestions to the list at the end of this project, so if you notice a favorite of yours is missing or there is a title that you think should not be there, let us know. I'm more than happy to have the feedback.

The past couple weeks have been incredibly busy ones (these Core Lists and Summer Reading Lists don't just assemble themselves), so I'm behind on posting as many reviews as I would like. I'd like to take a minute now to tell you about a couple books you should definitely check out (reviews to come soon): If you were a fan of Spawn back in the day ("the day" being the '90s), don't miss the really awesome Spawn Origins Collection from Image. The volumes are pricey, but they're so beautifully presented that they really do the ground-breaking series justice. Next, the hilarious prose novel Pride and Prejudice and Zombies has gotten a graphic-novel adaptation, and it's just as fun as the book it's based on (or should I say both books it's based on?). And then there's Tumor from Archaia. Originally done as a comic for the Amazon Kindle, Tumor is collected in a very handsome hardcover edition with cool deckle edges to the paper and lots of bonus content.

I just had to tell you about those books now so they're on your radar. Look for reviews of them to come soon.

Speaking of which, there are plenty other books that are reviewed here this week, so scroll down to read more about them. It's definitely going to be a hot summer for good graphic novels.

Carol is headed to the American Library Association Convention in Washington, D.C. this weekend where she is thrilled to hear the temperatures will be in the high 90s! There is a huge track of graphic novel programming at this show that is being sponsored by Diamond Book Distributors and ALA Show Management, which is sure to get a lot of attention. Read on for details.

Stay cool everyone...and happy reading.

John Hogan (John@bookreporter.com)

Master of horror Dean Koontz is embarking on a new career: comics. With new stories based on his Fear Nothing series coming from Dynamite in August, as well as the second volume of the adaptation of his Frankenstein series coming in November, he talked to GNR about the world of comics and how it fits in with his frightening creative vision. By John Hogan

Anne Elizabeth talks about the release of her first graphic novel, Pulse of Power. By Danica Davidson

A. David Lewis is following up his graphic novel Some Kind of Slaughter with the online comics series Brave Play, a collaboration with artist Matt Roscetti. Combining America's favorite pastime with an eerie otherworldliness, Brave Play is an exciting new venture, and we talked to both creators about the work. By John Hogan

Our list of the essential graphic novels every bookseller should carry continues with a look at kids books! By John Hogan

The American Library Association's Annual Summer Conference kicks off this weekend in Washington, D.C., and attendees will be able to choose from a wealth of graphic-novel-related content. Here's a preview of all the events comics lovers will want to know about this weekend.

We share news, updates, tips, personal observations, and more. Keep up-to-date by checking our blog entries.

The Playwright is a dark (very dark) romantic comedy from the team of Eddie Campbell and Darin White. It's an edgy work and one of our picks for the Hottest Graphic Novels of Summer 2010. Check here for a quick preview of the book!