Linko! XXXVI

* Before you do anything else today, go bookmark my new favorite web comic: 11 Days With James Spader. It's exactly what the title implies, though it looks like creator Jesse Benjamin is extending the premise beyond the planned 11 installments because the thing is just working too damn well. Completely bizarre and unnerving roommate humor and the cartooning is as sharp as all fucking get out. Also: for future reference, I'll link to just about anything that makes fun of the Virtual Boy.

* The other really fun thing I found all on my own this week: this blog Electronic Cerebrectomy, which is obviously written by some dude who would get along really well with us Cool Kids because he spends his time doing shit like writing up detailed recaps of classic "G.I. Joe" episodes (seriously, there will never be another cartoon as downright weird) and posting pictures of Kristen Bell. (Note: Yeah. I'm a dude. WHAT.)

* Tangentially related to part of that last link Link: Penagos found this Transformers Soundboard. It's pretty funny for about three minutes.

* I don't really give a shit about the NFL, but THIS is why I'll be rooting for the Saints on Sunday.

* Tom Brevoort put the most amazing fucking thing on Twitter: an article written in 1954 by a social scientist explaining how he approached his son's fascination with E.C. horror comics. Wild.


* Speaking of Brevoort, here's a blog post of his I'm really only reposting for Sean T. Collins: Sean, if you didn't read it already, you should just to see what he says about Bendis' writing in on 'graph.

* This list of good books from the past decade is something my brother found and seems like a good starting point for tracking the shape of what I like to call "pop literary fiction" over recent years. I wish there were more comics out there scratching a similar itch for me...and there are more than there've ever been before.

* Hey, remember when everyone was freaking the fuck out over Vertigo calling their girls imprint Minx? Well, I think this was the kind of shit they were worried about.

* I spent way too much time last week thinking about the iPad and it's not even out yet, but at some point I am going to go back and read Kirk Warren's thoughts on the thing in and its connection to comics in full.

* Lastly, I know this will turn some of my comic buddies off, but this Make Portland Normal website is pretty Goddamned funny.