I’m happy to report that the digital library of Peanuts books offered at Humble Bundle to mark Fantagraphics’ 50th birthday was extended.
Click on that link now — as long as it’s not yet 2 p.m. ET on April 23rd, 2026. I’ll be here when you get back. [Update #1: The campaign seems to have a rolling deadline, although that could easily change.] [Update #2: It has closed.]
I heard about this incredible deal a few weeks ago but neglected my note to self until
it was nearly too late. The sale had been set to run through yesterday. However, at this writing, you can still pay $25 or more and receive downloadable PDFs of a virtual passel of Peanuts tomes including all 26 volumes of Fantagraphics’ expertly designed The Complete ’Peanuts’, its 10 recolored ‘Peanuts’ Every Sunday editions, and various themed collections, which have a total listed retail value of $1,041. Smaller bundles of
4 or 8 items start at only $5.
Charles Schulz was quietly philanthropic and, per the Humble Bundle way, a little bit
of each purchase goes to a charity he supported, Canine Companions. Even if you own all these books in physical form — or simply all the ones you care to — I’m guessing you won’t have to think hard to imagine somebody you love who’d appreciate being gifted the whole bunch, and it’s fine if that somebody is you.
How I hadn’t come across “A Stranger Things Christmas” before this week, I’m not sure.
The video dates to 2016 but we’re in better late than never territory since the penultimate episodes of the series at hand drop today (and the grand finale on New Year’s Eve). While I’m unfamiliar with the work of co-creator Leigh Lahav, I look forward to exploring her channel further because this is absolutely perfect. [3:15]
Related: Happy Feet • Lead the Wild Rumpus, Stark • Coffee and Synchronicity
Since I’m not finished converting my list of comics milestones to actual on-sale dates, the 25th anniversary of Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons’ Watchmen is being observed late. The first issue came out in June 1986, three months before its cover dating. You can read about this practice at the above link, and expect more commemorative posts once I finally get The Comicologist online.
The mid ’80s were a renaissance era for the American comic-book industry, as the direct market of specialty shops led to a rise in alternative / independent publishers, creator-owned projects, and sophisticated narratives.
Photo of Jay Walker's Library: Andrew Moore for Wired © 2008.
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Christmas arrived at The Late Show with David Letterman a day early. Dave is always preempted on Christmas Eve so that CBS can air Mass, but this time the fabled meatball was toppled from the Ed Sullivan Theater’s Christmas tree on the night before the night before the Night before Christmas — when Dave rammed into the tree on a go-kart. He was trying out toys again with Shannon Eis.
A clip of the joy ride is up at the show’s website now; I don’t know how long it will last.
Google’s logo of the day is a weird one. I wish you luck clicking on it to find out what it represents...
There have been a few articles speculating on its meaning, but I suspect we won’t hear anything from official sources for a while yet.
I found the above in my E-mail last Thursday, courtesy of Amazon.
My first thought was that it was a surreal and ludicrous (if admittedly creative) promotion, whoring out a concept as completely as possible. Then came bemusement over having had a long, freewheeling conversation at local haunt Showcase Comics just the day before on the upcoming Watchmen film, largely about Alan Moore’s displeasure with publisher DC over rights issues; his decades-old frustration stems partly from early Watchmen merchandise. Then I actually read the body of the message indicating that the coffee isn’t simply a marketing tie-in but is featured in the movie — which one familiar with the characters might surmise from the Veidt Enterprises logo atop the bag, although the Watchmen logo and date are likely absent onscreen.
