In this issue: The Comics Journal kicks off the new year with a magnificent cover interview with EC comics great Jack Kamen conducted by the Journal's own Kenneth Smith. This extensive career-spanning conversation is sure to rock the free world and most of Red China. If that wasn't enough, this issue also includes the 2001 Year in Review and the books that mattered most. Also: Jules Feiffer, Art Spiegelman, Will Eisner, Neil Gaiman, Ben Katchor, Scott McCloud and Chris Ware on the state of comic art. And, as always, this issue is rounded out with in-depth news coverage.

Letters
Blood and Thunder (p. 3)
News
Newswatch (p. 6)
Reviews
Rich Kreiner, "The Year In Comic Books" (p. 28)
Chirstopher Brayshaw, "Graphic Novels In Review" (p. 49)
Milo George, "Eight Comics that Were Actually Good: 2001 Contemporary Collections in Review" (p. 53)
Charles Brownstein, "Tape This To Your Cubicle Wall" (p. 56)
Paul Gravett, "British Comics 2001: Year In Review" (p. 58)
Jesse Fuchs, "Non #5: Jordan Crane's Crowning Achievement" (p. 65)
Interviews
Jack Kamen (p. 68)
Columns
Viva La comix (p. 24)
Euro Comics For Beginners: "Top 10 Euro Comics for Beginners" (p. 96)
Meet the Comics Press: "Meet Their Comics Press" (p. 100)
Minimalism: Supertalent" (p. 105)
Comicopia: "2001 in Remembrance and War" (p. 109)
History of Comics Fandom (p.116)
End Times: "The Horrific Intoxicant of Omnipossibility" (p. 120)
Hey, Kids! Comics (p. 125)