Back when I lived in San Diego, going to Comic-Con every summer was an annual highlight. Since moving to New York, I’ve still managed to get back to San Diego each July for the convention, where I get to see tons of old friends and all the fanfare of the new releases coming down the pike.

But this year, I’ll get to experience the convention in a totally different light. I’ve been asked to be a judge for the Eisner Awards this year, which is quite an honor and could not make me happier. (And a little bit nervous, I must admit. Just writing a review for GNR often makes me wonder, who am I to judge? Being on the Eisners panel takes it to a whole new level.) I got the call several weeks ago, but you may have noticed the announcement was just officially made this week, so let me say here that I am extremely pleased to be a part of it and am really looking forward to taking part in the whole process.

Already, I’m excited to be working with my fellow judges: Craig Fischer, a writer for Comics Journal and thoughtballoonists.com, as well as a professor at Appalachian State University; Francisca Goldsmith, a librarian for the Halifax Public Libraries and one of the organizers of the Graphic Novel Preconference Workshop; James Hudnall, author of Lex Luthor: The Unauthorized Biography, The Psycho, and many other graphic works; and Wayne Winsett, owner of Time Warp Comics in Boulder, Colorado. As the announcement noted, all of us will get together in San Diego in March to determine all the books that will be placed on the Eisners ballot, all of which will in turn be voted on, with the winners being awarded at San Diego Comic-Con on July 23.

In the meantime, I’ve been really enjoying getting to know the other judges and talk about comics…the ones we loved this year, the ones we really feel need to be on the list, what we wish to honor, all of it. That’s the kind of thing I could do for days on end, but having the chance to do it under the auspices of the Eisner Awards is something else entirely.

Speaking of winners, I’m happy to announce the winners of our special Amulet contest. The Stonekeeper’s Curse is the second book in the bestselling trilogy from Kazu Kibuishi, and in addition to an excerpt of the book and an interview with the author, we’ve been featuring a contest on the site for the past several weeks wherein 25 people had the opportunity to win a copy of the book. Click here to see the list of winners.

I also want to welcome Steve Giordano to GNR. Steve is an intern for Bookreporter.com, working for Carol’s team in the office. But he’s also a big comics fan and eager to break into the field. He’s a former teacher and English major who aspires to be a professional comic-book editor someday. In the meantime, we’ve got him working here on GNR, and he’s been doing a great job. I’m expecting to see a lot of great things from him.

Before I close, let me say that this is one of my favorite updates we’ve ever done. It’s also been one of the most difficult, just in the sense that it took a lot of work! But it was all worth it. We’ve got a lot of great interviews with huge comics pros in the lineup this time (six big interviews!), and all of these people have a lot to talk about. In fact, in a first for the site, we had to break one interview --- Bill Willingham's --- into three separate pieces! I’ve enjoyed Bill’s work ever since way back in the day on The Elementals, and his Fables series ranks with some of the best comics currently being published. So I was jazzed when I got to speak with him on the phone --- and utterly surprised that our conversation ran well over an hour! There’s tons of good stuff in there --- some of it controversial, some of it news about his upcoming work, some of it reflections on decades in the industry --- and I think you’ll find it very interesting. Or at least I hope so. Same thing with my conversation with Tony Isabella, another longtime favorite whose work I’ve been enjoying for decades. His column is one of the first things I flip to every month in Comics Buyer’s Guide, so I jumped at the chance to interview him for GNR.

Carol was in Miami last week for the Miami Book Fair and will report on that next update; she just ran out of time this week as she was in the office for just two days before driving to Philadelphia for the National Council of Teachers of English Annual Convention where there are a number of programs about graphic novels. She's joking that she feels like she is asking for "an extension" on her term paper as if she were back in school. We do have a photo gallery from Miami this week, which will give you some sense of The School of Comics and Graphic Novels Educational Sessions for Teachers, Librarians, and Comics and Graphic Novel Creators that were presented there. And we will have photos from the Drink and Draw event from Charlotte next update as well.

That’s it for this time. Enjoy all the new features and reviews!

Happy reading,

John Hogan (John@bookreporter.com)

A Bit of Shameless Self-Promotion

Jumping the Gun: A Big Thumbs-Up

TV Check

Akira, Vol. 1 by Katsuhiro Otomo
Truth be told, there's more kinetic energy within Otomo's panel borders than in most Hollywood action movies. In short, this first volume of the classic early '80s series may be one of the top sci-fi "movies" you'll catch this year. Reviewed by Peter Gutierrez

The Ghost in the Shell by Shirow Masamune
You may already be familiar with The Ghost in the Shell from its often stunning anime franchise, but if you've never read Shirow Masamune's manga, you're missing out on a groundbreaking work of both graphic fiction and science fiction. Reviewed by Peter Gutierrez

100 Bullets, Vol. 1-13 by Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso
Brian Azzarello's and Eduardo Risso's 100 Bullets is a testament to the collaborative effort of the comics medium in its 100-issue run. With crime twists and turns around every corner, it never lets up with its violent tales of morality. Reviewed by William Jones

Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species: A Graphic Adaptation by Michael Keller and Nicolle Rager Fuller
One of the most controversial books ever written gets adapted to comics in this clever new book. Reviewed by John Hogan

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Vol. 1-3 by Nagaru Tanigawa, Noizi Ito, and Gaku Tsugano
Kyon is just an average teenager. Merely human. Mostly harmless. On his first day of high school, he meets a rather unusual girl named Haruhi Suzumiya. The eccentric girl quickly grabs Kyon's attention. Little does he know that in Haruhi's world, what may seem drearily normal is anything but ordinary! Reviewed by Courtney Kraft

Narration of Love at 17, Vol. 1-4 by Kyungok Kang
Seventeen-year-old Seyoung confesses her love to the boy she likes, but things don't go as planned. Complete in four volumes, Narration of Love at 17 is a sensitive and heartfelt read. Reviewed by Danica Davidson

Zombie Loan, Vol. 1 by Peach-Pit
Michiru tries to keep her head down and go on as if life is normal, but she can tell when people will die. She has the Shinigami eyes, and it gets her involved with zombies and the undead. Reviewed by Danica Davidson

Black Is for Beginnings by Laurie Faria Stolarz, Barbara Randall Kesel, and Janina Gorrissen
College student Stacey Brown has been having nightmares about Maura, the little girl she used to babysit, even though it's been about six years since the child was murdered. What do the dreams mean, and what dangers await for Stacey and her friends? Reviewed by Usha Reynolds

Hatter M: The Looking Glass Wars, Vol. One by Frank Beddor and Ben Templesmith
As a companion series to Frank Beddor's Looking Glass Wars trilogy, the Hatter M graphic novels explore the 13 years when Hatter Madigan, royal bodyguard, searched the globe for the lost Alyss Heart. This first volume starts at the beginning of Hatter's journey-and he doesn't know whom to trust. Reviewed by Benjamin Boche

Mad with Wonder: Hatter M, Vol. Two by Frank Beddor, Liz Cavalier, and Sami Makkonen
Hatter Madigan's search for Alyss Heart, future queen of Wonderland, takes him to the American South and the Civil War. Somehow, evil Queen Redd is mixed up in the war, and Hatter is not guaranteed to escape unscathed. Will he finally find Alyss-or die trying? Reviewed by Benjamin Boche

Domo: The Manga by Clint Bickham
You know the kid who always got carried away and ended up wrecking stuff? That's Domo, a big, lovable slab of fur with more enthusiasm than common sense and a knack for getting himself in trouble. Reviewed by Brigid Alverson