I'm old enough to still find it absolutely delightful when a mainstream publication recognizes excellence in comics, particularly when the comics it deems excellent really are excellent. And that's certainly the case with the finalists for the LA Times' inaugural Graphic Novel Book Prize:

Luba by Gilbert Hernandez

GoGo Monster by Taiyo Matsumoto

Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli

Scott Pilgrim vs. the Universe by Bryan Lee O'Malley

Footnotes in Gaza by Joe Sacco

That's a pretty outstanding group. In other comics-related Book Prize news, McSweeney's publisher Dave Eggers will be presented with the Times' first-ever Innovators Award, while cartoonist Shaun Tan's Tales from Outer Suburbia is a finalist for the Young Adult Literature Book Prize.

According to the announcement of the finalists in all categories -- which, again to my delight, treats the addition of the Graphic Novel category like a major selling point -- the winners will be announced April 23. My sincere congratulations go out to all the finalists.

(via Bryan Lee O'Malley)