IDW will release a new Artist Edition collection for Jeff Smith’s Bone series. No date is set yet, but it will be 144 pages and printed at the size of Jeff’s original art (12×7).

Also Jeff announced that he’s starting a webcomic set in prehistoric times called, “Tüki Save the Humans”. No launch date on this one either.

The National Cartoonist Society has announced this year’s division award nominees. The winners will be announced during their annual Reuben Awards dinner in Pittsburgh, PA.

Here are the nominees:

Television Animation

• Todd Kauffman, Executive Producer, “Sidekick”
• Alberto Mielgo, Production Design, “Tron: Uprising”
• Rich Webber, Director, Aardman Animation Studios, “DC Nation”

Feature Animation

• Rich Moore, Director, “Wreck-It Ralph”
• Joann Sfar, Director, “The Rabbi’s Cat”
• Hiromasa Yonebayashi, Director, “The Secret World of Arriety”

Newspaper Illustration

• Mark Brewer
• Bob Rich
• Dave Whamond

Gag Cartoons

• Roz Chast
• Sam Gross
• Mick Stevens
• Jack Ziegler

Greeting Cards

• Bill Brewer
• George Schill
• Jem Sullivan

Newspaper Comic Strips

• Brian Basset “Red and Rover”
• Jeff Parker and Steve Kelley “Dustin”
• Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman “Zits”

Newspaper Panel Cartoons

• Tony Carrillo “F-Minus”
• Dave Coverly “Speed Bump”
• Hilary Price “Rhymes with Orange”

Online Comics- Short Form

• Graham Harrop “Ten Cats”
• Jonathan Lemon “Rabbits Against Magic”
• Michael McParlane “Mac”

Online Comics- Long Form

• Vince Dorse “Untold Tales of Bigfoot”
• Meredith Gran “Octopus Pie”
• Pat N. Lewis “Muscles Diablo: Where the Terror Lurks”

Magazine Feature/Magazine Illustration

• Barry Blitt
• Daryll Collins
• Anton Emdin

Book Illustration

• John Manders
• John Martz
• Dave Whamond

Editorial Cartoons

• Clay Bennett
• Michael de Adder
• Jen Sorenson

Advertising and Product Illustration

• Luke McGarry
• Ed Steckley
• Wayno

Comic Books

• Amanda Connor “Silk Spectre”
• Evan Dorkin “House of Fun”
• Bernie Wrightson “Frankenstein Alive, Alive!”

Graphic Novels

• Derf- “My Friend Dahmer”
• Joseph Lambert “Annie Sullivan and the Trials of Helen Keller”
• Chris Ware- “Building Stories”

Last month they announced that Brian Crane, creator of Pickles, Rick Kirkman, co-creator of Baby Blues and Stephan Pastis, creator of Pearls Before Swine were this year’s nominees for Cartoonist of the Year.

Today, the digital comic book startup is launching ComiXology Submit, a submission portal for comic book creators who want to sell their self-published work in ComiXology’s digital store. If successful, the Submit portal could usher in a brand new age of renaissance for comics and graphic fiction.

ComiXology is the largest seller of single-issue digital comics across several devices (iOS, Android, and web browsers), and the only retailer that sells single-issue comics from the two largest publishers, Marvel and DC. Nearly every other notable comic publisher (IDW, Image, BOOM! Studios) also sells its books through ComiXology, which makes it the only real digital equivalent of a neighborhood comic shop. So, for self-published comics that otherwise aren’t getting any attention (let alone making money), the new Submit portal is a chance to get put on the same digital shelf as Spider-Man, Batman, and The Walking Dead.

Although some familiar plots from the webcomic would make their way into the small-screen adaptation, Onstad says the bulk of the content potentially slated for the cartoon format will be all-new. Currently, the creator is looking at traditional cable networks willing to host a half-hour show in a nonstandard format, though the Ignatz Award-winning creator says fans of the strip’s relentlessly offbeat and irreverent humor shouldn’t worry about it dumbing down: “It’s not a nuclear-family comedy.”

You can get more information about the participants over at the show’s website.

Saturday’s Doonesbury attempted at humor at the current state of newspapers by asking “what happens to comics if newspapers go away?” The strip left the 2nd and 3rd panel blank with the characters stating, “stick with print, folks. This doesn’t have to happen” in the last panel. You can read reader reaction on Doonesbury’s site.

Many webcartoonists took on the question of what happens to comics if newspapers go away by posting the Doonesbury strip with inserted images from their own web comics. Most were well done, but Scott Kurtz depicted one of his characters farting in the blank space of the strip. Adam Manley created a collection of those strips along with his opinion:

Now, I love Doonesbury. I also love newspapers. I don’t want print media to go away. That said, saying it’s the only way (especially for comics) is just plain insulting, and reeks of elitism.

All due respect to Gary Trudeau, whose work I adore and respect, but this strip represents an archaic, narrow-minded, elitist mindset.

Robot6 interviewed Jerry and Robert about the endeavor:

You recently announced your 12 finalists – what exactly will they do in Strip Search?

Holkins: They’ll be made to suffer terribly in a fine house we rented for them, while they do battle with one another for cash and prizes. Literally.

What are the challenges and eliminations like?

Khoo: The vast majority of events are designed to stress test the different facets of a professional webcartoonist. For instance, one of the earlier challenges is to work with Penny Arcade‘s design team to create a real-world product. To put even a little more skin in the game, we’ll be offering said product for sale online, with the profits going to the winner of that specific challenge.

The winner takes home a $15,000 cash prize and is also given office “space in Penny Arcade‘s Seattle offices for a year, complete with support from the company with merchandise, marketing and infrastructure.”