Charles Bock traces the lineage of FX’s Archer past fellow animated shows like The Simpsons and all the way back to comics. Or, more specifically, Bock traces the lineage back to comix, “cartoons for adults — or, rather, for those above the age of consent.”
Archer as Animated Comix
Mindwiping Technology
This week in book-related infographics: a look at the future according to science fiction.
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Fair Warning for Writers
Joe Hiland, The Indiana Review‘s fiction editor, has some advice for writers who submit to his (or any) magazine. He also lists “the three types of stories I most often reject because I feel like I’ve read them before.”
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When He Was Good
The 80th birthday of Philip Roth inspires a festschrift of sorts over at New York Magazine, with Sam Lipsyte, Kathryn Schulz, James Franco (natch), and others weighing in on Roth’s Best Book and other vexed questions. (For the record, it’s Sabbath’s Theater.)
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Waiting for Gatsby.
The new film adaptation of The Great Gatsby is going to be released next summer, rather than on Christmas day as it had been originally scheduled. Too bad; I was really looking forward to the Gatsby themed New Year’s Eve parties, I mean just look at those costumes.
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Batuman the Bestseller
Brilliant, funny essay by Elif Batuman about “life after a bestseller,” including the time she asked Jonathan Franzen if had any weed. Bonus Link: Batuman at The Millions.
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Amazon Books Expands?
I directed your attention to the opening of the first Amazon Books in Seattle. Now, reports are coming in that Amazon could have plans to open 300-400 more stores across the country. Other sources say the expansion could be more modest.
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The Sampling Deadlock
Legally sampling songs on a hit record is astoundingly expensive. As Kembrew McLeod and Peter DiCola note in Creative License: The Law and Culture of Digital Licensing, the Beastie Boys would have lost $19.8 million dollars because of Paul’s Boutique. (via BoingBoing)
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$200,000? Who Said Publishing’s On the Outs?
Aspiring novelists, take note: when you get a $200,000 advance for one of your books, don’t buy any clothes.
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