It’s still big news when a webcomic attracts the attention of the New York Times, and this article, pondering the significance of Randall Munroe’s decision to self-publish the print version of xkcd, is certainly getting a lot of attention. Oddly, they seem to regard the notion of a creator self-publishing a print comic as some sort of novelty. The article drew a bemused reaction from Tom Spurgeon at The Comics Reporter but evoked some vitriol from commenters at The Beat.

Van Jensen reads the Platinum Studios Annual Report, and the numbers aren’t pretty. Also, the Platinum folks took exception to an unflattering article Jensen wrote about the company for Publishers Weekly, and when he contacted them for a followup, they threatened him. In print. That’s just… dumb. (Full disclosure: I am also a freelancer for PW, although I have never met Jensen.) Also, this description of a lawsuit filed by DoubleClick has a hapless ring to it:

The contract at issue was a three-year agreement to provide ad serving services, requiring a minimum $3,500/month payment with no termination clause. The employee who executed the agreement without having counsel review it is no longer with the Company. Between February and June 2008, the Company attempted to negotiate an “out” without luck.

(Emphasis mine.) Oh, and they can’t pay their rent.

Related, but only tangentially: The Webcomic Beacon folks devote their latest podcast to a discussion of the Drunk Duck webcomics community.

Matthew Loux has started a Salt Water Taffy webcomic using the characters from his kid-friendly graphic novels of the same name.

Xaviar Xerxes muses about a way to sell webcomics before they go on the web.

Joey Manley has a very calm post on why webcomics people are so cranky (or at least, why they seem to be.)

Spike walks away with the Stumptown Awards for Templar, Arizona, and Ellie Connelly creator Indigo Kelleigh got a mystery award as well.