Conventions | Organizers of Tokyo's Comic Market (aka Comiket), the world's largest self-published comic book fair, have received a threat letter, leading them to consider their options for the planned Dec. 29-31 event. The preparations committee said it has been in contact with local police and the Tokyo Big Sight, where the semiannual convention is held. The incident follows a series of threat letters containing powdered and liquid substances sent in the past month to more than 20 locations linked to Kuroko's Basketball creator Tadatoshi Fujimaki. About 560,000 attended Comic Market 82 over its three days in August (that's turnstile attendance, not unique visitors). [Anime News Network]
Creators | Patrick Rosenkranz catches us up on S. Clay Wilson, who suffered a massive brain injury in 2008 (the cause isn't clear) and is still recovering. "Wilson’s favorite word is still 'No!' He used to be a motor mouth but now he’s mostly monosyllabic. After a long life dedicated to being the baddest boy in comix, he’s become a grand old man, but he’s no longer in his right mind. He used to be able to out-talk, out-booze, out-cuss, out-draw, and outrage almost anyone but he doesn’t drink, smoke, snort or draw dirty pictures any more. He doesn’t walk much either and seldom leaves the house, and only in a wheelchair." [The Comics Journal]
Retailing | The Los Angeles Daily News profiles North Hollywood store Blastoff Comics, which held its grand opening on Saturday. [Daily News]
Retailing | ABC Book & Comic Emporium, Vancouver's oldest used bookstore, will close at the end of the month after 65 years in business. [Global BC]
Creators | Art Spiegelman spoke to an audience at the Center for Jewish Studies in Lehigh, Pennsylvania, last week about the history of comics, the significance of comics in his own life ("Comics were my gateway into an America my parents didn’t understand"), and, of course, Maus. [Lehigh Valley Live]
Creators | Adam Glass talks about the return of The Joker and Harley in Suicide Squad #14, which crosses over with Scott Snyder's Batman. [USA Today]
Creators | Matt Fraction, who is taking over the writing duties on the relaunched Fantastic Four, finds the team has some resonance in his own household: "Little boys love the Human Torch because he's made of fire ... You show my daughter Sue Storm going off into battle, force shields knocking people over, she responds to that right away. And who doesn't love a big stretchy guy who can twist around for comedic effect?" [USA Today]
Creators | Looking ahead a bit, Geoff Johns talks about his First Lantern story, which will launch in Green Lantern #17, due out in February. [USA Today]
Creators | Ellen Forney discusses what went into creating her upcoming graphic memoir Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, and Me, including re-enacting past events so she could take reference photos. [Seattle Magazine]
Creators | Bryan Young talks to Walt Simonson about his comics adaptation of Ridley Scott's movie Alien. [Big Shiny Robot]
Creators | Guillermo del Toro talks about adapting The Strain into comic book form. [MTV Geek]
Creators | Howard Shapiro discusses The Stereotypical Freaks, his graphic novel about four teenagers who come together to compete in a high-school battle of the bands—and deal with some heavy issues as well. [Comicbook.com]