Awards | The debate over the 2009 Harvey Awards nominations marches on, with spirited discussion at The Beat (now drifting toward Best Single Issue or Story nominee NASCAR Heroes #5), and an open letter from Joe Keatinge pointing to industry apathy, not ballot-stuffing, as the problem with the process.

Tom Spurgeon, meanwhile, argues it's time to let the Harveys fade away: "At this point, the Harveys neither provide a strong contrast with the Eisners nor do they do anything uniquely their own the way that the Ignatzes (a small press festival award), the Maisie Kukoc (a cash award for a mini-comics maker), even the Reubens (cartooning in all its aspects, newspaper-focused) do. You could probably save the Harvey Awards with an administrative overhaul and a lot of attention and time and maybe even money, but why? What are you saving exactly?" [The Harvey Awards]

Sales charts | The 27th volume of Tite Kubo's Bleach in June ended Watchmen's 11-month reign atop the Nielsen BookScan graphic novels chart, which tracks bookstore sales. The Alan Moore-Dave Gibbons collection slipped to No. 2, joining the Final Crisis hardcover (No. 6) and the fourth volume of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (No. 18) as the only non-manga in the Top 20. [ICv2.com]

Comics | Mainstream-media outlets pick up on the kiss between Shatterstar and Rictor in last week's X-Factor #45, and promptly botch some of the details. It's not "the mainstream comic book world's first gay kiss." Meanwhile, writer Peter David assures readers the scene "isn't a fake out": "A number of people seem to be concerned that Star is still under Cortex’s control. Or that Rictor is going to freak out the next panel and say, 'Dude, what the hell?' ... That would be cheap. I don’t do cheap. Okay, sometimes I do, but not this time. I’m not interested in having people say, 'Peter David introduced this and then chickened out'." [Perez Hilton, The Advocate]

Publishing | Sean Kleefeld checks in on e-book publisher Wowio.com, which apparently underwent a "global relaunch" yesterday. He doesn't notice much of a change. [Kleefeld on Comics]

Publishing | Chad Sapieha looks at "gamics," comics made using screenshots from video games. [The Globe and Mail]

Retailing | Brian Hibbs, owner of Comix Experience in San Francisco, lists his stores best-selling comics and graphic novels/trade paperbacks for the year so far. [The Savage Critics]

Creators | Grant Morrison continues to sell us on Batman and Robin: "... one of my all-time favourite Batman panels was written by Haney and drawn by Jim Aparo and shows Batman strolling down the sunlit streets of Gotham, checking out the mini-skirted girls and accompanied by the line to end all lines: 'Yes, Batman digs this day!' ... I'm not saying that's the Batman we want to see on every page, but I love that he might have this aspect to his character. I love the notion of a Batman who enjoys a peaceful stroll down the summer sidewalks of the city he keeps safe. There's something very human about that and it makes him much more relatable and rounded. I can certainly see the Dick Grayson Batman digging this day on a more regular basis!" [io9.com]

Creators | Jeremy Love discusses his Zuda Comics series Bayou: "My extended family and ancestry are southern. I was able to draw on the rich family history, stories, and anecdotes I’ve heard since I was a child. The smell, the wet heat, the food, and the general character of the south will always be a part of me. I think the fact that I see it as more of a childhood memory informs the dreamlike quality I’m trying to achieve with Bayou." [Graphic Novel Reporter]

Creators | Michel Fiffe posts extra art and excised quotes from an interview with artist Trevor von Eeden, which appears in the current issue of The Comics Journal. [Master Post]

Creators | Peter David talks about IDW's Angel/Fallen Angel crossover Reborn. [Impulse Creations]

Creators | Kurt Busiek has launched a nifty new website. [Busiek.com, via Scott McCloud]

Blogosphere | Tucker Stone interviews Dirk Deppey of Journalista! fame. [Comixology]

Manga | Katherine Dacey asks what's the best new manga released so far this year. [The Manga Critic]

Comics | How soon is too soon to judge a serialized comic? [Speed Force]

ComicsLive Today

Bloomington, Minn. | CONvergence -- "a celebration of the funny side of science fiction and fantasy" -- kicks off. Guests include Dwayne McDuffie and the Mystery Science Theater 3000 crew. More details here.