BenCaldwell

On sale next week from Archaia is Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard #1 (V2), beginning an all-new anthology series that invites some of comics' most talented creators to tell stories set throughout the endlessly charming, frequently funny and always harrowing mediaval world of mice created by David Petersen. This first issue contains framing sequences by Petersen himself that introduce the mechanism by which new stories by Stan Sakai (Usagi Yojimbo), Ben Caldwell (Wednesday Comics' "Wonder Woman") and Nick Tapalansky and Alex-Eckman Lawn (Awakening) will unfold: a storytelling contesthosted in old Madame June's mouse tavern. The prize for the best tale? A zeroed out bar tab.

The phrase "Hey kids, comics!" is a bit of a defunct rallying cry these days. While most comic book fans would wildly roll their eyes and shove their Mature-rated favorites at the very mention of it, The Graphic Textbook is embracing the notion and the potential that exists between developing minds and comics pages...

Art: Darick Maasen's taxidermed koopa paratroopa is better than anything out of the 1993 Super Mario Bros. movie. No, Really: Capcom and Hello Kitty owner Sanrio are planning a merchandising crossover. It doesn't sound like there will be a Hello Kitty Vs...