Glyph Award Nominees Announced
The nominees for the 2010 Glyph Comics Awards have been announced. The Glyph Comics Awards recognize the best in comics made by, for, and about people of color from the preceding calendar year. Awards include Story of the Year, the Rising Star Award, Best Writer, Best Artist, Best Male Character, Best Female Character, Best Reprint Collection, Best Cover, Best Comic Strip and the Fan Award. Notable contenders this year include Bayou, Unknown Soldier, Aya: The Secrets Come Out and Luke Cage Noir. The awards will be distributed on May 15 at the Skyline Room of the Free Library of Philadelphia as part of the East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention. Voting for the Fan Award is open now through the ECBACC website now through March 31. Write-in votes are accepted, but only for comics not already on the ballot. More details here on The Beat.

Diamond Crash Delays Comics
A serious delivery truck accident, resulting in major injuries, also destroyed a load of comics destined for Diamond Comics Distribution's New York warehouse. On top of already mounting snow-related difficulties, the accident has put incredible stress on the Diamond chain of distribution, with the result that many comics stores served by Diamond's Plattsburgh New York warehouse will find their comics late this week. More details available at ICv2.

Marvel's New “Astonishing” Line
Inspired by the success of Joss Whedon's run on Astonishing X-Men, Marvel has announced a new line of reader-friendly comics. Although unlike Marvel's Ultimate line the Astonishing line will take place within the normal Marvel universe, it will not require readers to understand Marvel's extensive continuity. Announced upcoming titles include Astonishing X-Men: Xenogenesis and Astonishing Spider-Man/Wolverine, with more in the works. More details are available on Marvel's website.

Flight Anthology Ends
The long-running Flight comics anthology will end with its eighth volume, according to Kazuo Kibushi, the book's editor. Citing a need for its longtime contributors to focus on full length graphic novels, the original anthology will close shop. However, Flight Explorer, the children's comics spinoff, now retitled Explorer will continue on at a different publisher. Kibushi is in talks with Abrams to publish.

Long Beach Comics Expo
Springboarding off of the success of last year's new Long Beach Comic Con, the creators of the con will host a one day event this Saturday — the Long Beach Comics Expo. Guests will include such creators as Josh Dysart, Scott Lobdell and Stan Sakai and will feature portfolio reviews from comics editor Barbara Kesel. The event runs from 10 a.m — 7 p.m. and will take place at the Long Beach Convention Center's Promenade Ballroom. Admission is $10 for adults, free for children under 10.

This Week @ Good Comics For Kids
This week School Library Journal’s blog Good Comics for Kids had reviews ofGuinea Pig, Pet Shop Private Eye #1: Hamster and Cheese and The Smoking Mountain: The Story of Popocatepeltl and Iztaccihuatl, a Zeus: King of the Gods roundtable discussion, a romance comics themed list, the 2/10 listing of comics suitable for all ages, and a we know what boys like-themed links roundup from Brigid Alverson.

This Week @ The Beat
This week at PWCW editor Heidi MacDonald’s blog The Beat, she covered the Captain America vs. Tea Partiers controversy, sentencing in the Christopher Handley underage manga case, rumors aboutthe possible newpublisher of DC Comics, the annual Bookscan analysis from Brian Hibbs, the Wizard World MarsComic Con, this year's picks for the Eisner Hall of Fame, and the guest list for the 2010 MoCCA Festival.