And so it’s time to Jingle jingle jingle your way to the Christmas tree, unless you’re in the US, where you’ve had the decorations in the stores since Easter. And as a little December Advent Calender gift just for you, our little chocolate treat is the first appearance of The Professor, Carson Kane’s old college tutor who’s brain is in the body of a monkey.

Why is this so? Ah, my little friends, all is revealed in issue #3, so you will just have to be patient and trust us.

In other news I received my Professional invite to the New York Comic Con this week, and so I shall be winging my way across the pond to visit with all my NYC minions in April. Count down the days, my little cherubs!

And so, with no further adieu - this week’s installment…

Keep your hands and feet clear of the closing doors…

(Just joining us? Catch up on Federico here, and check out the previous Styx Taxi stories: Pastrami for the Dead, Sing Along, Encore for my Babies, A Coda Vita, Rosa, and Dinner Date #9.)

Art is by the rockin’ Tom Williams. Join us next Thursday for more!

The Interstitial Arts Foundation’s next online salon will be all about US! Woot!

First things first: What is the Interstitial Arts Foundation? From their mission statement:

“The IAF was founded by a group of literary, visual, musical, and performance artists for the purpose of creating and promoting Interstitial Art. What is Interstitial Art? It is art made in the interstices between genres and categories. It is art that flourishes in the borderlands between different disciplines, mediums, and cultures. It is art that crosses borders, made by artists who refuse to be constrained by category labels.”

What is an online salon? Just a fun term for an online discussion.

Here are the deets:

WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 8-Saturday, Dec. 15
WHERE: http://p081.ezboard.com/finterstitialartsfrm2.showMessage?topicID=323.topic
WHAT: Discuss The Chemistry Set – we call ‘em interstitial; do you?

The IAF is loaded with very cool, very talented folks, many of whom I’ve crossed paths with at cons, online or in my work with The Endicott Studio (lots of cross pollination there). If you’re a fan of genre fiction of any sort, there’s a fine chance that your favorite book was written by someone in IAF-land.

Anyway, good times. Personally, I’m tickled pink.

Anyone is welcome to join in the discussion, so drop by after the 8th.

Want to know more about interstitial art? Check out the IAF’s website (and the Wikipedia page is pretty good, too).

THE CHEMISTRY SET is a diverse group, with people living at all corners of the world. A couple of ours are in the news this week, so I thought I’d tell you about it.

Neil Kleid, writer of Todt Hill, has been announced as adapting a story for Devil’s Due Publishing’s latest anthology title, worlds of Dungeons and Dragons. He’s doing a two-part story called “The Legacy” that will appear in issues #1 and #2.

And artist Tom Williams (Stuck, Styx Taxi: Federico) recently had his minicomic S.P.B.: Rise reviewed by none other than Dave Sim. The Cerebus creator calls Tom’s work “gorgeous”, so check it out at Dave Sim’s blog, under December 4th, 2007.

Welcome, welcome to the sixth installment of Kid Houdini and the Silver Dollar Misfits. We thank you for joining us on this auspicious occasion and invite you to join us next Wednesday for our seventh episode as we find out what’s become of Master Houdini since his unfortunate apprehension by the wicked Professor Murat.

I apologize for the short commentary, but I’m afraid I’m still battling that nasty influenza bug. Hopefully–by next week–it will only be a bad memory.

Until then,
Dwight L. MacPherson (with Worth Gowell and Kevin Conley)

Stacey Garratt / David Quady

Coming Next Tuesday…

Yikes! Sorry this is late. I’ve been extremely ill with the flu for the last several days, so please excuse the late post.

There is a new podcast interview with yours truly that’s just been posted on The Indie Comics Network, so please drop by and check it out if you have a few moments.

LISTEN HERE

Thanks for reading and we’ll see you next week!

-Dwight L. MacPherson (with Worth Gowell and Kevin Conley)

Comics veteran Bill Mantlo will be honored in the upcoming Bill Mantlo Benefit Art Show at Floating World Comics in Portland, Oregon. All sales go to help out Bill, who suffered a terrible accident in the nineties. Chemistry Set all-stars Tom Williams (Stuck, Styx Taxi: Federico) and Hyeondo Park (Come The Dawn) both have pieces in the show, which opens December 6th. For more info, visit www.floatingworldcomics.com.