Comics | USA Today previews Saturday's eighth annual Free Comic Book Day as blogger Dorian Wright separates the good titles from the bad on a scale from "Get it" to "Avoid." Meanwhile, Dave Olbrich talks to retailer Joe Field about the origins of the event, and gets the story behind Hugh Jackman's FCBD public service announcement. [Free Comic Book Day]
Legal | On the heels of the Philippines ban of "hentai," New Zealand is reportedly preparing to prosecute three separate cases of possession of "sexualized manga cartoons." [Computerworld, via Anime News Network and Anime Vice]
Legal | A judge presiding over the Tribune Co.'s Chapter 11 bankruptcy case will consider the company's dispute with actor Warren Beatty over the movie and TV rights to comic-strip detective Dick Tracy. Judge Kevin Carey agreed Thursday to accept initial briefs by June 2. [The Associated Press]
Publishing | Word is that Jann Jones, until recently the senior coordinating editor at DC Comics, has been hired as an editor by Viz Media.
Sales charts | The Dark Tower: Treachery and Watchmen take the top hardcover and paperback spots on The New York Times' Graphic Books Best Seller List, while Naruto continues to dominate the manga category. [ArtsBeat]
Publishing | Sean Kleefeld considers what comics publishers can learn from other industries, including newspapers and fast food. [Kleefeld on Comics]
Awards | Finalists for the 2009 Locus Awards include Coraline: The Graphic Novel, by Neil Gaiman, adapted and illustrated by P. Craig Russell (Non-Fiction/Art Book), and The Graveyard Book, by Gaiman (Young-Adult Novel). [Locus]
Awards | Deb Aoki runs down 36 great manga overlooked by this year's Eisner Awards panel. [About.com]
Retailing | Paul Constant spotlights Seattle's Arcane Comics, which opened a second location just two weeks ago. "We continue to grow at a small but steady clip," says co-owner Scott Stafford. "The nice thing about this business in general is it's recession-proof. People are always looking for new ways of affordable escapism." [The Stranger, via Sean Kleefeld]
Conventions | A preview of this weekend's Comicpalooza convention in Houston. [Houston Chronicle]
Creators | Editorial cartoonist Steve Breen talks about winning his second Pulitzer Prize. [The National]
Creators | Brian Heater continues his conversation with Box Brown, and kicks off a two-part interview with Gene Yang. [The Daily Cross Hatch]
Creators | Penny Arcade co-creator Jerry Holkins chats briefly about the hugely successful webcomic, the PAX Expo, the Internet and more. [Digital Joystick]
Comics | A preview of Ian Rankin and Werther Dell'edera's Hellblazer graphic novel Dark Entries, which launches DC Comics' imprint-within-an-imprint Vertigo Crime. [FEARNet]
Comics | The Top 10 superheroes with traumatic origins. Surprise entry: Dazzler! [Canada.com]
Comics | The hunky heroes of DC Comics. [Has Boobs, Reads Comics]