* speaking of Derf, one thing I learned from him is the Cleveland Plain-Dealergoes from a skeleton crew to like three bones and a chunk of cartilage. I've been following the collapse of the newspaper industry from its 2008 initial free fall into now, and it really looks like the complete and final end of something. There's a need for community news-papering maybe more than ever before, but no ability to get there and no appetite for it that might push a bunch over the top. I wonder how long most of them will hang on, and what will take the place of most.
* this is a vicious cycle even by the general standard of vicious cycles. You can break it, though.
* finally: Noah Van Sciver shows love for Michael Dougan. I hope someone will collect his late '80s/early '90s comics one day. That's a great abebooks purchase in the meantime.
* Derf 
