This year's Comic-Con brings together a high-powered mix of cartoonists, publishers, movie companies, video companies and fans, but the timing—it's the first large show in the recession-ravaged economy—has given it a kind of bellwether status for the comics and publishing industries. So how's it holding up so far? According to Reed Exhibitions event director Lance Fensterman, pretty darned good.

"I keep thinking I'm going to jinx myself, but we really haven't seen any drop-off," Fensterman told PW (which, like Reed Exhibitions, is owned by Reed Elsevier). Attendance is behind last year's at this point, but he expects presales to pick up in the two weeks before the show. While Fensterman acknowledges the difficulties that have hit the publishing industry, the graphic novel–centric festival seems to have the momentum to rise above the economic downturn, mirroring the interest in comics in general.

Award-winning artist and animator Morse (Plastic Man; Southpaw) muses on childhood, fatherhood and imagination in this charming autobiography. Replacing himself with a "paper tiger," his tiger character from Southpaw, he shows readers how he sees the adult world: luminous, full of possibility, but dangerous, too, in its capacity to squelch artistic impulses. The introduction dwells in the world of Morse’s imagination and is a little vague and overwritten, but—ironically—as soon as the little orange tiger takes off for jury duty, Morse’s talent shines. On a break from the selection process, our tiger wanders downtown Oakland, sketching those he sees: a couple having lunch outside, the employee of an animal shelter, even an unfriendly woman. "There is no mundane, and no day is ordinary," Morse tells us, and, indeed, his artist’s eye finds the meaning in whatever is around him. At the end of the day, the reunited tiger and son make their way home through a world that is still sometimes unfriendly—but just by being there they lighten it and remind readers to take chances on themselves. A must-read for Morse fans, but also for anyone with a child, and anyone who still questions the status quo. (Jan.)

In part 2 of an interview with acclaimed Scottish superhero comics writer Grant Morrison, he talks with PWCW about his attraction to the superhero genre itself, his work on DC’s Final Crisis series, a new Batman series coming in the spring and new work to be published by Vertigo.

• Gon Vol. 7 (CMX)
• Harley Quinn: Preludes and Knock-Knock Jokes (DC)
• Justice League: The Lightning Saga (DC)
• Maximum Ride: The Manga Vol. 1 (Yen Press)
• Miss Don't Touch Me
• Oishinbo Japanese Cuisine Graphic Novel(Viz)
• Pax Romana (Image)
• Shadowpact: The Burning Age (DC)
• Superman: Shadows Linger (DC)
• Ted Mckeever Library Vol. 2: Eddy Current (Image)
• X-Men: First Class Vol. 2 (Marvel)

• Diamond Raises Order Minimums
• Kyle Baker Comic Free Online
• Golden Apple Comics Owner Interviewed
• Satrapi and Ware Onstage
• Brevoort hosts "Take My Trade!"