Legal | Asterix co-creator Albert Uderzo has filed a legal complaint against his daughter Sylvie and her husband Bernard Choisy, claiming "psychological violence." The dispute began in 2007, when Sylvie and Bernard were dismissed from their positions at Les Éditions Albert René, which published Asterix; a year later, Uderzo sold his stake in the company to Hachette Livre. The two filed their own legal challenge in 2011, claiming Uderzo, who is now 86, was being exploited by others. In this week's filing, Uderzo says he is perfectly capable of managing his own affairs, and adds, "The sole purpose of these acts is to undermine our psychological integrity and to hasten our debility, in order to get their hands on our legacy, which they covet." [The Guardian]
Legal | CNBC's Jane Wells delves into the response by embattled Archie Comics Co-CEO Nancy Silberkleit to the $32.5 million lawsuit filed against her in late September by six employees who claim she's caused them mental anguish and emotional distress. While much of the piece is background, recounting the details of the lawsuit and Silberkleit's bitter battle with fellow CEO Jon Goldwater, it notes that her chief arguments for dismissal are that, because five of the six plaintiffs are white men, they're aren't members of a "protected class" who can claim discrimination -- and what's more, none of them can show proof that anyone lost his job because he's a white man. [CNBC.com]
Academia | The University of Oregon has received an anonymous donation of $200,000 to support a comics and cartoon studies track. Professor Ben Saunders, who was an Eisner judge in 2012, will head up the program, which allows students to minor in comics studies. The money will be used to develop new courses, host exhibits and bring working professionals to campus to meet with students. [OPB]
Creators | Danielle Corsetto and Zack Sterling, the creative team behind the first Adventure Time graphic novel Playing with Fire are back for volume two. [Comics Alliance]
Manga | Melinda Beasi, the editor of the Comic Book Legand Defense Fund's new book CBLDF Presents Manga: Introduction, Challenges and Best Practices, which is out today, talks about how the book came together and what its purpose is. [Diamond Bookshelf]
Manga | Don't invite Gundam creator Yoshiyuki Tomino and Attack on Titan manga-ka Hajime Isayama to the same party! Tomino had some harsh words to say about Attack on Titan: He praised Isayama for drawing on his childhood experiences of being bullied to create the story, which features giant monsters attacking a town and eating its inhabitants, for no apparent reason, but he railed against the art style (which admittedly is quite crude in places) and the excessive violence and gore, which he likened to pornography. [RocketNews 24]
Best of the year | Paste Magazine's Comics Team picks its Top 10 comics artists of 2013. [Paste Magazine]
Reviews | Mark O'Connell reviews Isabel Greenberg's The Encyclopedia of Early Earth. [Slate]
Conventions | Michael Sangiacomo reports in on Cleveland's small-press event Genghis Con. [Cleveland Plain Dealer]
Retailing | The Eisner Award-winning Tate's Comics has opened up a new location in a Boynton Beach, Florida, mall. [Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel]