Analysis | Rob Salkowitz kicks off the new year with big-picture questions about "geek culture": With the popularity of comics-based movies, will continuity and nostalgia become less important? And will comics themselves become less important? "Putting out comics is a relatively costly and troublesome process with limited revenue potential relative to other ways of exploiting the intellectual property. A fan base that buys licensed merchandise and watches entertainment programming without needing a monthly fix of new art and story is probably considered a feature of the new comics economy, not a bug." [ICv2]

Creators | Chew artist Rob Guillory, who will appear this weekend at Wizard World New Orleans, talks about the strange comics that he read as a kid (The Adventures of Kool-Aid Man) and the unexpected success of Chew, which will end next year with its 60th issue: "In the beginning, John and I were kind of like, 'Well, best-case scenario, we can go 60 issues. Worst-case scenario, we can do five and go our separate ways and never speak again.' I don't know if we've seen the peak of our reception. I don't think we'll see how popular we've been until it's over. When it's wrapped and it's the complete thing, I think people will start missing us." [Best of New Orleans]



Creators | Dylan Horrocks talks in-depth about depression and the creative frustrations that led into his new graphic novel, Sam Zabel and the Magic Pen. [Paste Magazine]

Creators | Susie Cagle discusses using comics as a medium for journalism. [Capital New York]

Creators | Writer Greg Pak talks about the perils Superman will face after his return to Smallville in Action Comics #38. [USA Today]

Publishing | Former Tokyopop editor Lillian Diaz-Przybyl contrasts her work as a full-time editor with the freelance work she does now, which includes more of the fun stuff and fewer of the hassles. She also discusses Sparkler Monthly, the online manga magazine in which she is involved. [Organization Anti-Social Geniuses]

Libraries | A local news station starts sniffing about a sign in the Fort Myers, Florida, public library that says "adult graphic novels" are on their way but gets reassurance from the library that it's simply comics that aren't for kids, not anything racy. [Fox 4]

Best of the year | Natalie Brandweiner ticks off 11 of the best graphic novels of 2014. [Daily Seni]

Auctions | A collection 18 sketches for "saucy" 1950s seaside postcards by artist Donald McGill will go up for auction this weekend. [Daily Mail]