Passings | Bomb Queen and Five Weapons creator Jimmie Robinson writes a touching remembrance of pioneering cartoonist Morrie Turner, who passed away Saturday at age 90. Widely recognized as the first nationally syndicated African-American cartoonist, the Wee Pals creator frequently spoke at schools, and it was during one of those visits that he inspired a young Jimmie Robinson: "When he came to our class he spoke about his craft and showed us how he worked and what his job demanded. He spoke about his newspaper comic strip and how he had to write it every day. He spoke about the diverse cast of characters in his strip, but he never once spoke about the issue of his race. But for me he didn’t have to. The fact that he, a black artist, even existed, spoke volumes." The New York Times also has an obituary for Turner. [Jimmie Robinson]



Publishing | Image Comics Publisher Eric Stephenson discusses the company's growth in 2013, the backlash to the photo from Image Expo of an all-white, predominantly male group of creators, diversity and the submissions process. [The Beat]

Creators | In an interview following his appearance at the International Manga Fest in Tokyo, Blacksad artist Juanjo Guarnido talks about the influence of manga in the West, and how his early rejection by Marvel ended up leading to his success. [Nippon]

Creators | Stan Lee discusses the animated adaptation of Stan Lee's Mighty 7, which premieres Saturday on The Hub, his upcoming cameo on Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and staying busy at age 91: "Writing stories is what I do, and I don't think you forget it as you get a little older. I've got so many plots in my head now, my biggest problem is when I sit down to write something, I say, 'Gee, I hope I haven't written this before.' It's hard to remember what I've done." [USA Today]

Creators | Snuffy Smith cartoonist John Rose chats about drawing the 95-year-old comic strip, the whereabouts of Barney Google, and bringing Hootin' Holler into the 21st century. [The Roanoke Times]

Conventions | New Jersey Institute of Technology's student newspaper previews the inaugural Mini Con, to be held Feb. 15 on campus. [The Vector]