Spain Rodriguez, renowned underground cartoonist, adapts a notorious 1930's cult novel in his latest graphic novel published by Fantagraphics.
Nightmare Alley, from the original novel by William Lindsay Gresham, studies the lowest depths of showbiz. Set in the sleazy dark world of a second rate carnival, it focases on the amoral bogus fortune teller and 'spiritualist ' Stan Carlisle who preys upon the rich and gullible.

Read a Spain interview from Newsarama here

Joost Swart, François Avril, Robert Crumb and others are featured in a virtual exhibition of their work where original artwork can be purchased.

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Robert Crumb is set to make a rare appearance in London Wed Feb 19th at a evening screening of the 1980s Arena BBC TV documentary as part of the Artists on Film Series, Spring 2003
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Beach Safari, a whimsical and beautifully illustrated new graphic novel by Mawil, a German newcomer to the American comics scene. A surreal tale of a teenage bunny “stranded” on an island with three beautiful young girls.

Published by Top Shelf Comics

300th AND STILL GOING STRONG!

January 14th 1990 saw the first series of The Simpsons hit the screens on Fox Television after featuring as mere vignettes on the Tracey Ullman show. Since then it hasn't let up in it's juggernaut like race to 300 episodes which aired on Feb 18th in the USA.

In the autumn, 'Simpsons' will bypass "The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet" (1952-66) as the longest-running comedy series in TV history. Even 'The Flintstones' didn't come close with a relatively small six seasons.

During it's run the show has won 18 Emmys, 17 Annie Awards, three Genesis Awards and a Peabody.
'This thing becomes so much bigger than the participants after a while,' says James L. Brooks, a creator and executive producer of 'Simpsons' whose Gracie Films produces the show. 'It's insane: We have people who started watching the show as children who are now writing for us.'

'To be doing some of their best work as they pass 300 episodes is simply remarkable, and I just don't see the quality letting up,'

Fox president of entertainment Gail Berman says. 'Plus, it's not as if America has a chance to grow tired of it: An entire new generation of kids is seeing it fresh.'

The episode will be shown on Sky One in the United Kingdom at Easter time.

ROOBARB AND CUSTARD RETURN!

The classic 70s kids cartoon Roobarb and Custard is returning to our television screens thanks to Channel 5.

The broadcaster has bought the 30 original five-minute episodes of the show, with its distinctive theme tune and unique, shakey style.

Roobarb and Custard was narrated by Richard Briers and featured the antics of the ever-optimistic green dog Roobarb and the lazy, mischievous pink cat Custard.

Each episode usually revolved around some grand plan of Roobarb's going awry, to the amusement of Custard and the twittering flock of birds that inhabited the garden where two cartoon characters lived.

The show will be broadcast in Channel 5 children's programming strand Shake from Saturday March 22.

"Roobarb is a classic - frenetic and funny. For far too long it's been off our screens," Channel 5 controller of children's programming Nick Wilson said.

"Young viewers will love it and their mums and dads will wallow in nostalgia," Mr Wilson added.

Roobarb and Custard was originally broadcast on BBC1 in 1974, in the teatime children's cartoon slot where classics including Ivor The Engine, The Clangers and Will O' the Wisp were also broadcast.

But the series has not been broadcast on UK TV for many years now.

Roobarb and Custard was the brainchild of cartoonist Grange Calverley and was produced and directed by Bob Godfrey.

Channel 5 is carving out something of a niche for resurrecting classic cartoon characters.

The network has already broadcast updated versions of Noddy and Dan Dare.

'MEMENTO' DIRECTOR TO TAKE ON BATMAN

Warner Bros are said to be hiring "Memento" director Christopher Nolan to take over the Batman franchise.

Nolan wrote and directed 'Memento', the amnesia-oriented mystery, but will be working on somebody else's script.

There are still several options as to which script is taken on. Frank Miller's 'Year One', rewinding the clock to Bruce Wayne's first year as Batman is being discussed, or Nolan could continue the series with "The Frightening", featuring the 'Scarecrow as the villian.

The series was stalled by Warner Bros after the commercial and critical failure of Batman and Robin (1997) which featured George Clooney.

DARK HORSE LAUNCH ROCKET COMICS LINE

Dark Horse has announced Rocket Comics, an exciting new action adventure line for summer 2003. Rocket Comics will feature high-energy adventure stories that focus on strong characters who exist in extreme situations, but who at their core are just like the people reading their stories.

The initial Rocket Comics offerings will consist of six ongoing titles with the first two arriving in July, Lone and Go Boy 7. Lone, written by Stuart Moore with art by Jerome Opena, is a Mad Max style western starring Lone, a mysterious gunman with a secret past. Go Boy 7, written by Tom Peyer with art by Jon Sommariva, stars Jonny Zero, a young boy whose life was saved with an injection of robotic nanoplasm turning him into a human action machine.

"I'm really excited about the debut of Rocket Comics," commented line editor Dave Land. "The talent involved in these titles is amazing and I can't wait for the fan's reaction. These stories are just too cool!"

Rocket Comics is scheduled to launch mid 2003. Additional details will be posted on Rocketcomics.net as they become available.

www.dhorse.com

CLOWES & ZWIGOFF GO BACK TO THE MOVIES
Fantagraphics announced that United Artists has signed a first-look deal with GHOST WORLD production company Mr. Mudd for future films the company develops, and the first flick on the slate will reunite EIGHTBALL creator DANIEL CLOWES and GHOST WORLD director TERRY ZWIGOFF.

Ghost World producer and actor JOHN MALKOVICH will star in ART SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL, inspired by the acclaimed Clowes short story from Eightball #7. United Artists will release the film domestically, with Miramax Films co-financing the picture and handling foreign distribution. Clowes is currently polishing the screenplay and with any luck, the movie will begin filming this year.

www.fantagraphics.com

SACCO INVASION
With the release of the British edition of PALESTINE this month (from JONATHAN CAPE), Sacco has seemingly been featured in every major UK daily including THE HERALD, THE OBSERVER, THE TIMES OF LONDON, and THE GUARDIAN.

The Dec. 28 edition of THE HERALD MAGAZINE included a feature interview with Sacco conducted by TEDDY JAMIESON, talking about PALESTINE and SAFE AREA GORAZDE, as well as his recent life in Switzerland. "Anyone who begins reading PALESTINE, wondering why anyone would think comics would be a suitable form for journalism, will finish it wondering why it isn't used more," the story reports.

Then, the Jan. 5 edition of THE OBSERVER featured a major review of PALESTINE by DAVID THOMPSON. "Although PALESTINE is both visually engaging and a labour of artistic love, at its heart lies a commitment to hard-edged journalism and a challenge to the objectivity of Western (and particularly American) media," says Thompson. "Sacco's work is unique in its scale and ambition." Read the full review here
http://www.observer.co.uk/review/story/0,6903,868703,00.html

SAFE AREA GORAZDE is the long-awaited follow-up to Palestine, a 240-page look at war in the former Yugoslavia. Sacco spent four months in Bosnia in 1995-1996, immersing himself in the human side of life during wartime, researching stories that are rarely found in conventional news coverage.