Put your hate aside this holiday season. Or hate Mickey instead (he's hated so much, he'll never notice a little extra). Emmet Otter will warm your cockles. And the Nightmare Band RAWK!

You are correct. Andy rarely got the better of Flo in a fight. One, he was drunk, Two, she was always armed, Three, she got the jump on him by waiting at home until he came through the door.

Now that it's back in action, I'm back to hoping to oneday see "An Achewood Christmas". I'm not even going to try to come up with jokes as funny as what Olmstead could do with that.

My mom (now 68y/o) used to tell me about how, when she was a kid, Disney comics were the only ones her God-fearing,central Ohio Farm-living, Scottish Presbyterian parents let her read. Lucky. I wish the stuff uptight parents let their kids read today was as good.

Aren't you the same guy who was trolling about how nobody wanted to read comics by Jewish people last month?

Thanks! That's a relief. I hate feeling irritated at someone whose work I enjoy. Now I'll be inspired to find a copy of RASL #9.

I hear you on the money, but Pogo? Man, Pogo is not even like Gasoline Alley where after enjoying a few strips you can probably set most of it aside and feel none the poorer. Pogo is some FUNNY SHIT. And the color Sundays are even better. Maybe you can talk your local library into buying it.

Back when Fantagraphics first announced the Pogo reissues, which was in 2007 or so, they proudly announced Jeff Smith would be "editor". So ever since then I've been blaming him for the delays. Anyone know what the story has been regarding the long delay and whether I'm being fair in thinking he's responsible?

Of course, Ray has already died and gone to Hell at least once, so getting through the DT's should be easy.

I think XTC are sort of a band that can never really break up until either Andy Partridge or Colin Moulding dies.Just their mutual existance constitutes a potential XTC. Also, they are both, esp Andy, the kind of guys who, no matter how old they are, are capable of suddenly pulling off something awesome. But don't…

Oh, and how about "Jesus Christ" by Big Star. When Alex Chilton introduces the solo by saying "Let's go get born, boys!" my Christmas spirit always perks right up.

"Santa Claus, Go Strait to the Ghetto" - James Brown
and can we count "Danny Says" by The Ramones?

I would add "Stable Boy" by The Mountain Goats. You'll have to scour the internet to find it, because Darnielle only released it as a download, and it's only about 90 seconds long, but it is awesome. One of my favorite Christmas songs.

Miniature, half-hearted face punch.

It's almost Thanksgiving, so it must be time to begin the annual round of shout-outs to "Emmet Otter's Jugband Christmas".

did you put "bloke" and Jeff Foxworthy in the same sentence? What kind of freak are you? A British person who knows who Jeff Foxworthy is?

And on a lighter note, is the Hulk supposed to be turning into the Swamp Thing on that cover? Why is it now standard to depict a superhero's entire venous system on the outside of his body just to let us know he's strong? It's disgusting. It's worse than the groteque "visible man" style of drawing every muscle (and…

I haven't read it, and I doubt I will, but that "Our Love Is Real" sounds like the kind of "satire" that really is bigotry with a wise-guy attitude. It is a standard anti-gay marriage arguement that "If we legalize THAT, then everyone will be marrying their dogs and pretty soon the streets will be full of people…

Pthffft…. RaceTrolling is some of the worst trolling of all. The whole event was put together by Keith Richards as a labor of love/respect/tribute to Chuck Berry. It's pretty absurd to suggest that Keith Richards is any sort of condescending honkie. And it make no sense  to suggest that because Chuck got railroaded…

If it's so damn impossible, why does Harry do it every time? Is he really the greatest Seeker in history? If so, why aren't the pro teams beating down his door?  And if Quiddich were really played as depicted, wouldn't people be falling off their brooms ALL THE TIME. Instead it's protrayed as an unexpected disaster…