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Sometimes this job at GNR truly gives me pause at the talent, caliber of work, and comics history that I get to write about. For example, today, we are sharing an interview I did with Joe Simon, one of the most amazing legends of the business --- one of the creators of Captain America and a slew of other comics characters. He’s a true gentleman and he has a new autobiography out called My Life in Comics, which is what I spoke with him about. He opens it with a brief vignette about being a student in school when an old soldier, a veteran of the Civil War, came to class to speak and began shouting, “Shake the hand that shook Lincoln’s hand!” Although I didn’t get to meet Joe in person while doing this interview, that’s kind of how I felt when going through the interview. You don’t get much closer to the top than this. (By the way, be sure to pick up My Life in Comics. It’s a real gem of a book for anyone interested, even tangentially, in the history of the comics industry. He’s a very open and honest guy, a charming storyteller, and also quite funny.)

It’s been a busy couple weeks, and it’s nice to be back reporting to you on what’s going on in comics.

The week before Memorial Day still seems like a blur with all the goings-on at BookExpo America. The show was a huge success (publishers are more positive about things than I’ve seen in a while), and comics and graphic novels definitely had a place at the show, though fewer publishers were exhibiting than usual. It was incredibly nice to see the upcoming books and get to catch up with our comics publisher friends. And it was a lot of fun to moderate the Hot Fall Graphic Novels for Libraries panel on Wednesday, which, despite its title, included picks from throughout 2011 and was also geared toward retailers and general readers. The hour-long presentation was nicely attended, and all the panelists provided a very balanced look at kid, teen, and adult books to keep an eye out for (to see the list of books picked, click here). The panelists included college librarian Karen Green, New York City librarian Ryan Donovan, New Jersey high-school teacher Leigh Brodsky, and retailer Jeff Ayers…it was a nice mix of opinions and experiences!