The Comics Journal

The third in The Comics Journal's series of oversized coffe-table volumes, this lush collection of art, comics and commentary kicks off with a gigantic, career-spanning interview with legendary illustrator (and cover artist) William Stout, complete with copious illustrations and paintings. There's also an extensive appreciation of the cartoon work of noted humorist James Thurber (including a gallery of Thurber cartoons and a four-page comics tribute by Ivan Brunetti), Paul Gravett's remembrance of the seminal British indy-comix magazine Escape (complete with new strips drawn just for this volume by many of that magazine's noted cartoonists), critical appreciations of numerous fine cartoonists (Lynda Barry, Tom Hart, Michael Kaluta, and more) by the cream of our best critics -- and, as if that weren't enough, a 70-page comics section on the theme of "patriotism," with contributions by Joe Sacco, Phoebe Gloeckner, Bill Griffith, Megan Kelso, Peter Bledvag, Carol Swain, Gilbert Shelton, Penny Van Horn, Ho Che Anderson and many, many more!