Digital comics | So, your $3.99 comic comes bundled with a download code for a free digital copy, but you're strictly a paper person. What to do? Todd Allen has a fascinating article about the secondary market in unused download codes, not just the fact that they are being sold fairly openly but also what that market tells us about the true value of comics: "Outside of eBay it’s relatively easy to use Google to find somewhere to swap or purchase Ultraviolet codes. The Home Theater Forum’s classified ad section has codes sprinkled in, with a low $2-$3 looking like a common price. Codes are also easy to find on Reddit, including a dedicated subreddit, though codes on Reddit are swapped or given away, not sold." [The Next Web]

Conventions| Small Press Expo announced its first round of guests for the Sept.14-15 convention: Seth, Gary Panter, Lisa Hanawalt, Gene Yang and Frank Santoro. [SPX]

Comics | Retailer Steve Bennett looks at the plans for celebrating the 80th anniversary of the modern comic book -- dating from the release of Famous Funnies in 1933 -- and finds there are none. [ICv2]

Publishing | In a podcast interview, Robert Napton talks about working at Bandai Entertainment, where he started in the manga division and wound up being marketing director before the company more or less folded last year. He also discusses his years at Image Comics, working with Rob Liefeld. [Anime News Network]

Comics | Chance Thulin discusses the problem of time and continuity in the New 52. [Sequart]

Creators | Philippa Rice talks about her collage webcomic My Cardboard Life, in which the medium sometimes is the message, and she also gets into the nitty-gritty of self-publishing. [Women Write About Comics]

Creators | Michael Dooley interviews Denis Kitchen about his recently published biography of Li'l Abner creator Al Capp. [Imprint]

Creators | Joseph Epstein looks at the life and work of Saul Steinberg. [The Weekly Standard]

Manga | Although there doesn't seem to have been any official announcement, the classic manga Kimagure Orange Road is now available on Kindle. [The Fandom Post]

Digital comics | Vern Seward reviews three iOS comics apps: Marvel, Emanata and NARR8. [MacObserver]

Conventions | Nittany Comic-Con is coming to Milesburg, Pennsylvania, this weekend. [Centre Daily Times]